The Garde� Issue

“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.”

—Michael Pollan

Oregon called. They want their weather back. Or maybe that was California initiating the call …

It is hard to talk about gardening without focusing on the weather, especially when the weather has been so unusual: snow in Burbank and Santa Clarita; tornados in Montebello; hail all over and rain levels that are at least double the seasonal averages at measuring stations in Van Nuys, Burbank and the Santa Clarita Valley.

Predictions for a dry and warm spring in LA County rely heavily on almanacs, which have been recording weather since 1818. But according to a 2010 study by the University of Illinois, those predictions are about 52% accurate, at best. It might be equivalent to throwing spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks. (A valid strategy for many things, in my opinion, just maybe not weather forecasts.)

Without a real idea of what is to come, we can really only go by what we know. This is the first year in several that I haven’t had to use my garden sprinklers for multiple months in a row. That is a boon for my water bill, at least! While my garden is quite overrun by some sort of tall thick grass, the soil is the most fragrant and beautiful it has ever been. My perennials (for the pollinators) are blooming explosively and I have volunteer tomato plants sprouting all over. It all gives me hope that this year, at last, my “fake it ’til you make it” gardening strategy will come to fruition … quite literally.

With every issue, I learn so much as we bring these stories together. And this one is no exception. From the workings of bees (“The Valley Hive,” page 18) to the success of a school garden (“Cultivating Gardeners,” page 22), and from composting with kids (“Edible for Kids,” page 26) to eating flowers (see pages 16, 28, 30, 32), our garden issue has given me new strategies in both my garden and kitchen, and I hope it does the same for you.

It remains to be seen how long I—or, rather, my garden—can go without resorting again to the sprinklers, but I know that this year, at least, nature stands a pretty good chance of being the hero of my dinner plate.

Until next season, may your garden be rich in nutrients and full of plants, and may your plate be full of your garden’s bounty.

San Fernando Valley

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Tami Chu

COPY EDITOR

Doug Adrianson

DESIGN

Cheryl Angelina Koehler

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Donofrio • Anne Kallas

John Lechleidner

Suzanne Luce

Jennifer Richardson

Jess Starwood

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Viktor Budnik • Eden Chu

Tami Chu • Mariah Green

Carolina Korman

Jess Starwood

ILLUSTRATORS

Ramiah Chu

SALES

Mary DiCesare mary@edibleventuracounty.com

Eric Hargrove eric@ediblesfvalley.com

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CONTACT US

Edible San Fernando Valley 2470 Stearns St. #142 Simi Valley, CA 93063 805-622-9355 info@ediblesfvalley.com

Edible San Fernando Valley is published seasonally, four times a year. We are an advertising- and subscriber-supported publication, locally and independently owned and operated and a member of Edible Communities, Inc. Distribution is throughout the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and Pasadena and by subscription for $29 per year. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and let us know. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. © 2023. All rights reserved.

Publisher and Editor

OUR MISSION: Currently in its first year, Edible San Fernando Valley has been founded to document and bring to life the interest in farm-totable, organic and natural foods, and to acknowledge the people and communities who feed and sustain us. We want to inspire readers to support and celebrate the growers, producers, chefs, food and beverage artisans and other food professionals in our community.