about

My name is Simone Bonde. A Greener Chicago is a personal project inspired by a friend’s plans to build a hen house and have chickens in Louisville. I wondered if people were doing the same thing in Chicago and decided to make a photo series of it. My growing interest in fresh local food led me to research the green community of Chicago. I grew up in Wisconsin, eating from the garden whenever I wanted a snack. When I moved to Chicago in the late 90s, the opportunity of the big city also meant giving up really fresh food. In the last few years, things have changed.

I became passionate about photographing the juxtaposition of rural freshness in an urban setting. I discovered that not only does Chicago has a robust chicken community, it also has an enthusiastic community of people raising bees, setting up rooftop gardens, and even has a farm in the notorious Cabrini Green neighborhood. The growing number of farmers markets has also made fresh produce more accessible. It is very exciting to learn the myriad of ways that individuals can have a direct connection to the land and their food.

To contact me send me an email at email hidden; JavaScript is required

Writing by Becky Kidd

© 2012 simone bonde