Past American recessions call to mind images of poor farmers forced off their land by heartless bankers. But this time, instead of “Grapes of Wrath” migrations or Farm Aid concerts, farmers around Chicago are buying back the land — at rock-bottom prices — from shell-shocked banks.

This may become more common as farmland in exurban Chicago that was rapidly paved over for tract housing for much of the 2000’s now is going to seed — literally. Farmers in Northern Illinois who only a few years ago were making plans to move their operations Downstate or closer to Iowa now have a rare opportunity to reclaim land sold to developers, at a fraction of the price the homebuilders paid.

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