Katie's Edible Ramble with Catt White
Every good journey starts with that first step, and my Edible San Diego Ramble, an exploration of San Diego's "good food movement" people all around the county, began today.
As the brand-new Publisher and Executive Editor of Edible San Diego I figure that the best way to help the company grow and serve the entire region better is to listen. I aim to listen to farmers, food artisans, chefs, educators, community leaders, Edible San Diego readers, writers and others who give a darn about healthy living in this amazing region of ours.
For this year, I look forward to traveling to parts of the county that are familiar and to others that are not. With you joining along as you can, we will discover more about how our food system works. What Edible San Diego puts in the magazine, our website and our social media needs to reflect what's happening in the field, in the kitchen, in your body and in your mind...My purpose is to craft an organization that will be as creative, dynamic and emergent as you are this very minute.
The first stop on the Edible San Diego Ramble was with Catt White, of San Diego Markets. Catt has a deep and broad professional background in business, as a writer and publisher, and an advocate of local, healthy food. All this comes together in the three Farmer's Markets she manages, where she helps growers and food artisans connect with folks dedicated to good food. Catt and her company act as an aggregator and incubator for these food businesses with training programs such as periodic Vendor 101 workshops since 2010 and the new InTents Conference this year.
Catt and I discussed several matters like how the demand for locally- and responsibly-sourced food in San Diego County continues to grow, but farmers struggle with the costs of land and water. Of course more established growers face these challenges too, but people new to farming are learning along many fronts at the same time. We also talked about where your food dollar goes, and how buying at farmers markets enable the farmer to keep 100% of that food dollar. Next time you're at a farmers market, ask the seller to tell you about what you're buying and where and how it's grown. We all have so much to learn about what's in season at different times throughout the year. There's nothing as tasty and nutritious as what you'll find at your local farmer's market, plus they are just plain fun places to mingle and celebrate our amazing county. Enjoy!
Have you heard about CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and how they differ from the delivery services that are popping up to serve busy people? Catt and I also talked about regulations that impact people trying to grow or process food close to home. How can we all encourage the kinds of traditions, innovations, and economic benefits of cottage or artisan food production, while protecting public health? We can learn from folks pursuing these goals around the country. (Stay tuned!) Catt's big-picture perspective and her experience helping people launch and nurture their dream businesses made her an excellent first stop on the Edible San Diego Ramble.
Catt and I leaned on a very colorful cow outside her office and agreed that supporting the folks who grow and process food locally sure do tackle some big challenges. The same thing is true for you and me as we seek ways to eat more healthfully. All of us, whether we are producers, artisans, or "eaters," are symbiotically connected in this food system of ours in San Diego County.
Join me on the next stop of the Edible San Diego Ramble as we learn more! #LoyalToLocalSD #youareinvitedESD
