Oct 13, 2025
By Border Queen Harvest Hub
October 9, 2025 – Caldwell, Kansas
Caldwell had the pleasure of welcoming a very special guest on Thursday, October 9th — Roger Thurow, acclaimed American author, journalist, and senior fellow for global agriculture and food policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Thurow is best known for his powerful writing on the politics of world hunger and food security, including his books Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty and The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children—And the World.
Thurow visited Caldwell as part of his research for an upcoming book. He also shared with us his most current book, Against the Grain, which explores how communities and individuals are working to build more resilient local food systems. His goal was to meet people involved in feeding others — learning about their successes, challenges, and ideas for improving access to good food.
During his time here, Thurow interviewed several members of the Border Queen Harvest Hub network, including Amy Bachman of Bachman Farms in Deer Creek, Oklahoma; Brad Kuehny of Renfrow, Oklahoma; Kimmy Hagar of Hagar Farm to Home in Caldwell; and her daughter Suzie, owner of Suzie’s Bakery. Each conversation provided a window into the spirit of innovation and community that drives local food efforts in our region.
Roger was accompanied by his wife, Ann, who captured photos and helped keep his schedule on track so he could visit as many people as possible. Together, they enjoyed a meal at Bluff Creek Distillery in downtown Caldwell, where they also met several locals and soaked in the friendly small-town atmosphere. They toured The Roost, the Border Queen Commercial Kitchen, explored Caldwell’s historic signs, and even took time to admire the many turtle sculptures scattered around town — a nod to our community’s famous mascot, the ornate box turtle.
The Thurows stayed overnight at the Messenger Suites and started their Friday morning with a cup of coffee from Suzie’s Bakery before heading out to Newton for the next leg of their journey.
We “Thurowly” enjoyed their visit and are honored that our small town — and the hardworking people who keep it thriving — are part of the story he’s telling about how communities near and far are working against the grain to feed the world.