Becky, Gerard, and their family moved to North Utica  from Athens, Ohio in 2006.   They wanted to bring to Illinois some of the things they learned in Appalachia about organic food and green living.  Becky and Gerard opened Foothills Organics in 2007.

The first goal of foothills organics was to inspire people to grow organic food.  Becky and Gerard began building a market for organic food by selling boxes of produce at an extremely affordable price.

Foothills Organics’ produce boxes consist of nine items of certified organic produce with two to four options for each item.

These efforts have created a reliable market for growers.

The second goal of foothills organics was to provide a kitchen where people could produce products to sell at Foothills.  This inspiration came as the result of their working in a kitchen in Athens that was open to small business to utilize for producing consumable products.

People cooperatively produce products in Foothills’ certified kitchen that are for sale in the retail store.

The third goal of foothills organics was to find and promote local egg growers, meat producers, honey producers and small business that produce green products.  Foothills created a box of assorted meats.

The meat boxes consist of three to four items of meat and seafood typically priced under thirty dollars (Substitutions can be made of any items of meat or seafood, but may increase or decrease the cost).

The fourth goal of foothills organics was to build a cooperative with the customers.  Now any person that walks into Foothills Organics can review and order organic products through a catalog.