The Rise of Wisconsin’s Pizza Farms, Farm to Table on the Pizza Farm
🧀 On This Farm, We Had a Pizza: The Rise of Wisconsin’s Pizza Farms
By a twist of fate and a whole lot of cheese, Wisconsin may have just reinvented the way we think about pizza.
Forget the deep dish pride of Chicago or the thin crust swagger of New York. Out in the rolling fields of Wisconsin, a quieter, tastier revolution is happening — and it smells like wood-fired dough and fresh basil. Welcome to the world of pizza farms.
Yes, you read that right. Pizza. On a farm.
It might sound like a joke — “Do they grow pepperoni next to the tomatoes?” — but the truth is even better. These farms don’t just serve pizza. They grow it. From the wheat in the crust to the herbs on top, and even the cheese and sausage, many ingredients come straight from the land beneath your feet.
Take Grassways Organics in East Troy. On Friday and Saturday nights, the farm turns into a pizza haven, serving up to 400 pies at the height of summer. The meats and cheeses? Raised right there. The cows, chickens, and even a wandering peacock are part of the charm. Owners Megan and Chaz Self didn’t grow up farming, but now they’re living the dream — one slice at a time.
Then there’s Mapleton Barn in Oconomowoc, a century-old farm turned event space. They don’t raise their own ingredients, but they team up with Flour Girl & Flame, a Milwaukee pizza crew that brings a mobile oven and locally sourced toppings. Their pies are chewy, sweet, and finished with a drizzle of honey — a little magic in every bite.
But pizza farms aren’t just about food. They’re about connection. Heather Secrist of Suncrest Farm has been making pizza for nearly two decades. Her shirts say “Pizza Grows On Farms,” and she means it. When visitors ask for asparagus pizza in August, she sees it as a chance to teach them about seasonal eating. It’s farming with a side of education.
The idea isn’t new, but it’s catching on. Many credit A to Z Produce and Bakery in Stockholm, Wisconsin, as the original pizza farm. Owners Ted Fisher and Robbi Bannen built a brick oven to use up extra produce — and ended up creating a movement. After 25 years, they hung up their aprons, but their legacy lives on.
During the pandemic, pizza farms became lifelines. With restaurants closed, farms opened their fields and fired up their ovens. What started as a way to survive became a way to thrive.
Wisconsin’s pizza farms are more than a trend. They’re a tasty reminder that good food starts with good soil — and sometimes, a little mozzarella.
Source: Chicago Tribune article by Christopher Borrelli, July 1, 2024
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