Pulling Up Beets is a collection of essays exploring the Gallatin Valley's local food system in southwest Montana. Kelsey is not an avid food grower, but rather a consumer seeking out ethical food options. During her time exploring the practice of sustainability and social justice in food systems, she often found her habits and expectations were in conflict with the reality of supporting "local." The personal narration is full of tension born from honest self-reflection, the chasm between theory and practice, as well as Kelsey's interactions with the strong personalities of local food producers. The farmers are not the only dynamic characters creating a compelling storyline: the valley, encompassing mountains, and "big sky" embody volatile personalities in their own rights, vividly exhibiting the challenges to growing fruits and vegetables in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.