Lake County farm aims to provide fresh, chemical-free produce to restaurants and homes

To Diana Geudtner, the atmosphere inside Living Roots Farm feels like a rain forest after a thunderstorm.

The sounds of pumps and whirling fans move through the building. Drafts of wind blow through the green, leafy plants and graze the skin. The earthy smell of basil and herbs wafts through the garden. The produce feels crisp to the touch.

“The softness of the butter lettuce is like nothing most people have probably experienced,” she said.

Living Roots Farm is a new, family-owned business run by mother-and-son duo Diana and Nic Geudtner in Fox Lake. The two are looking to serve their locally grown indoor produce to restaurants and homes in the Chicago and Milwaukee area.

The business has been operational since late last year by shipping produce to local restaurants, but recently opened its doors to the public for retail shopping.

A grand opening celebration is set for Feb. 17 with Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit cutting a ribbon at the store to officially welcome the retail operation to town.

Nic Geudtner said he hopes the ceremony will draw more community members to their farm.

The duo started brainstorming business ideas in the early days of the pandemic and eventually settled on sustainability, which both have a mutual interest in.

“We wanted to have a business that was local, to serve our community and we wanted an ethical company,” Nic Geudtner said.

Living Roots Farm uses both aeroponic and hydroponic gardening in its production, meaning that no soil is used to grow greens; plants are sprayed with mineral-enriched, purified water, and no chemicals are used. According to their website, this gardening method yields “ultraclean” and fresh produce.

The Chicago area is home to countless other local farms that specialize in fresh, chemical-free produce, but Living Roots is the only one that openly utilizes the aeroponic and hydroponic methods.

The farm is located in a renovated 10,000-square-foot indoor facility from 1965 that houses more than 300 aeroponic gardening pots, according to its website. All methods used are in line with the business model, Nic Geudtner said.

“It helps lend to our sustainability,” he said. “Reuse, reduce, recycle.”

Dan Smith, owner of UpRooted in McHenry, who buys lettuce, basil and dill from Living Roots Farm for the restaurant, said the product is “nicely fresh” and that the farm has a lot of variety to choose from.

“We’re kind of excited because he’s local,” Smith said.

Rocky Arebalo, manager at Primo Pizza and Catering in Barrington, who is also a stable buyer, said he is “very impressed” with the quality of the produce. He also said he favors buying from smaller and local distributors such as Living Roots Farm.

“I think it’s a win-win for both sides,” Arebalo said. “We’re giving them exposure, and he’s been exposing us as far as the pizza realm here.”

Nic Geudtner said he is excited about future products and operations at the farm, such as a subscription service, and that early support and outreach from the community has been “really high.”

He cited the food industry’s use of harmful chemicals in its produce. According to December 2025 research from Systemiq, four groups of toxic chemicals, including pesticides that are used in crop production, seed treatment and postharvest treatments, are imposing up to $3 trillion a year in preventable costs. These costs include $1.4 trillion to $2.2 trillion in annual health care receipts and $0.6 trillion in annual ecological damage.

The research also shows strong evidence that pesticides used on produce are toxic to reproduction and disrupt the endocrine system.

Living Roots Farm offers a solution by ensuring its products are chemical-free and safe for consumption, Nic Geudtner said.

“I think people are really becoming a lot more educated on where and what their food is,” he said.

Living Roots Farm is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit livingroots-farm.com for more details.