The CSA Cookbook Road Trip: Chicagoland and Wisconsin River Valley!

Above: The most interesting and brilliant venue on my book tour: an urban garden center under the train tracks in East Harlem, New York. I am amazed by all the work the Gatanas family has put into creating this green oasis amid a bustling city block.

This week, Will and I finally made it to the Atlantic and to the farthest point east on our road trip: a secluded little beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It was cold and cloudy, but that didn’t stop Will from celebrating the milestone by jumping into the water!

We warmed up with some classic Cape fare (clam chowder and steamers) just as the sun was starting to peek out, and thankfully, it looks like this clear weather may be staying with us as we continue north up the East Coast. I don’t think I’ve ever used my umbrella more in the last two years as I have in the last two weeks alone, so I’m really looking forward to some sunshine as summer approaches!

Next week, I only have two events scheduled for the Midwest, so if you live near (or will be passing through) Chicagoland or the Wisconsin River Valley, I sincerely hope you have a chance to stop by and support these wonderful small businesses! (As a reminder, the East Coast leg of my tour concludes this weekend in Northern Vermont.)

Wednesday, June 10 at 6:30 pm – Oak Park, IL
Green Home Experts (in conjunction with Band of Farmers)
Hello Chicagoland! Join me for a special event at Green Home Experts, which will be staying open after hours to host a book talk, Q&A, and signing. As a thank you to our guests, the store will offer a 15% discount on my book plus all other purchases that evening. Refreshments and samples from my book will be served! Band of Farmers will also provide information on CSA farms in the area if you’re interested in signing up for one.

Thursday, June 11 at 6:30 pm – Spring Green, WI
Arcadia Books
This bookstore and farm-to-table cafe is a hidden gem in the Wisconsin River Valley, and I’m so excited to partner with them on a special menu for their weekly Pizza Night, inspired by The CSA Cookbook! Come out for a bite, a book talk, and a signing! Books will be available for purchase.

To see where else I’m headed on my book tour this spring, check the Events page. And if you want to follow along on The CSA Cookbook Road Trip, I made a fun interactive map on Roadtrippers of our tentative route. I imagine we’ll be making plenty of turns off the beaten track, but if there’s a particular place I should stop and see along the way, or a detour you think I’d like of some scenic, strange, or beautiful sight near you, please share!

The CSA Cookbook Road Trip on Roadtrippers!

I am especially excited to team up with Kia Motors USA on this adventure! They have generously offered to loan me a vehicle for the tour and I am thankful, thrilled, seriously stoked. For the journey, I’ll be putting the 2015 Kia Sedona MPV to the ultimate driving test. I’m talking national scenic byways, back roads, and farm roads… hundreds of hours on asphalt and gravel and probably a little dirt, too. I’ve never taken a Sedona on an adventure before (which Kia bills as a multi-purpose vehicle, mind you, not a minivan), so by the end of this book tour, we’ll see how it stacks up against an SUV.

Be sure to follow @gardenbetty on Instagram for daily updates and inspiration as I make my way across the country!