GRIST FOR THE MILL

I’ve always embraced change: the challenge of a new job, the joy of exploring a new city, the adventure of moving halfway around the world.

As the highly quotable Will Rogers, once said, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

That has more or less been my personal mantra since I was a teen. And as we were putting together this Summer issue of Edible Monterey Bay, the thread of change running through it became obvious.

EMB aims to reflect what is happening in our communities in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, and change is in the air.

Maybe it’s because the pandemic is finally winding down, or because we are emerging from the drought and rainiest winter anyone can remember, or perhaps because back-to-back fires and floods have made the urgent realities of climate change and environmental damage inescapable.

In this issue you will meet local residents who are creating change here in the tri-county area, people like Corey Ridings, who is working to make sure king salmon do not become extinct; the team behind Cruz Foam, who are inventing an alternative to Styrofoam from shrimp shells to help keep forever plastics out of the oceans; Salinas rancher Brian Palmer, who is raising a most sustainable and surprising source of protein; and Karla DeLong who plants dahlias to bring beauty and healing to a charred mountain community.

We also report on entrepreneurs who are effecting change in their own lives that ripples out into the entire community, people like Claribel and José Gallardo, who have worked hard to own their own organic farm in Watsonville; and talented Monterey chef Ron Mendoza, who is expanding to meet the huge demand for his exceptional breads.

All these people—and many others on these pages—are changing the Monterey Bay area foodshed for the better, making it stronger, richer and more resilient. I applaud them, as well as the talented journalists and photographers who so beautifully tell their stories in this issue. And, of course, a big thank you goes to our much-appreciated advertising partners who make Edible Monterey Bay possible. Thanks for reading!

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

Deborah Luhrman deborah@ediblemontereybay.com

831.600.8281

FOUNDERS Sarah Wood and Rob Fisher

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mark C. Anderson

COPY EDITOR Doresa Banning

LAYOUT & DESIGN Matthew Freeman and Tina Bossy-Freeman

AD DESIGNERS Bigfish Smallpond Design Coline LeConte • tracysmithstudio

Zephyr Pfotenhauer

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeff Bareilles • Emily Beggs • Jamie Collins

Jackie Fogerty • Tamika R. Francis • Daniela

Gerson • Doriana Hammond • Coline LeConte

Laurel Miller • Ashley Owen • Aga Simpson •

Patrick Tregenza • Michael Troutman • Jessica

Tunis • Amber Turpin

ADVERTISING SALES ads@ediblemontereybay.com • 831.600.8281

Shelby Lambert shelby@ediblemontereybay.com

Kate Robbins kate@ediblemontereybay.com

Aga Simpson aga@ediblemontereybay.com

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Mick Freeman • 831.419.2975

CONTACT US:

Edible Monterey Bay P.O. Box 487 Santa Cruz, CA 95061 ediblemontereybay.com

831.600.8281 info@ediblemontereybay.com

Deborah Luhrman Publisher

Our Mission

At Edible Monterey Bay , our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.

Edible Monterey Bay is published quarterly. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. Subscriptions are $28 per year at ediblemontereybay.com. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us. We also welcome letters to the above address. Thank you.