CUMMING — Dan Fillius picked cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers and cantaloupe last week, the start of what eventually will be about 100 acres of fruits, vegetables, flowers, orchards and meadows.

The farm Fillius is developing will be the center of Middlebrook, a $260 million home, townhome, commercial and office project on 540 acres near Cumming. 

The area's rolling hills, ponds and timber will eventually be home to central Iowa's first "agrihood," a planned community of about 1,000 homes built around a working farm and community gardens.

It's one of more than 200 agrihoods that have cropped up across the country, a trend that appeals to consumers who want a slice of country life — big gardens, nature and outdoor recreation — near urban centers.

Read the full article on the Des Moines Register website.