From the publisher

Ah, summer—I love it! It’s a season that can be really busy but still have a relaxed feel to it. Don’t know how that works, but it’s part of what makes summer special for me.

This year summer held two BIG events for me. By the time this issue is out for distribution, my younger son Lucas will have graduated from (yikes!) COLLEGE! Don’t ask me how that’s possible because I’m sure he was a toddler just a few months ago. I’m so, so proud of him and how well he’s done at a challenging school. It will be exciting to see where he goes next in life!

The other event is another “where did the time go?” celebration. My adorable grandson Nixon celebrated his first birthday in June! What a special time that was. For years, I’ve heard people gush about how wonderful it is to be a grandparent, and they were not wrong!

Our special focus in this issue is local agriculture, and we have a great assortment of articles on the subject. There’s a directory of farmers markets in our distribution area, a first-person look at being a farmer, safety tips for being on the road with farm machinery, one family’s homesteading story, and more.

And, of course, we have our regular columnists to inform and entertain you.

As always, please review the ads as well as reading the articles. Our advertisers are why we’re able to keep producing this magazine along with our other publications. We have so many great shops, restaurants, professionals, and service providers in our distribution area—please utilize local resources whenever you can.

Now . . . get out there and enjoy the summer!

Marlanea McGraw Owner/Publisher