Ryan Griffis’ pamphlet in the Deep Time Chicago series traces the networks, economies, and monochrome landscapes of US agribusiness.

Into the Pit

Building on research on agro-industrial zones in the US and Brazil, in this micro-publication Ryan Griffis takes a close look at the history of landscape transformation in the US Midwest. A Great Green Desert is part of the Deep Time Chicago Pamphlet series. Drawing upon journeys through the vast corn belt region that encompasses swathes of Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, the author likens viewing fields of corn or soy to looking at an open-pit mine, inviting the reader to leap from the edge of the mine and into the pit.