Edible Madison’s 10th Anniversary

After a decade of seeking and sharing the best food, farm and culinary stories in Southern Wisconsin, Jamie Lamonde, the founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of Edible Madison has sold the magazine to two Madison entrepreneurs.

Christy McKenzie, founder of Pasture and Plenty and Cricket Redman, principal of Cricket Design Works, have formed Forager Publishing, LLC to acquire the rights to publish Edible Madison. The publication will remain part of the Edible Communities network of more than 80 distinct culinary regions in North America.

“Christy and Cricket are two of the most creative and inspiring people in our region, and together with their team, I know they are the perfect people to take Edible Madison into the next decade and beyond,” said Lamonde. “They have exciting plans that will not only drive expansion of the magazine’s reach, but also its mission and impact on our regional foodshed.”

“I’m incredibly grateful to all of the food system leaders, farmers, food artisans, chefs, designers, advertisers, and amazing contributors who helped to birth Edible Madison back in 2010 and contributed their vision and support over an amazing 10-year run,” added Lamonde. “And, I’d like to give an extra special thank you to creative director and lead photographer, Jim Klousia, for all he poured into bringing the magazine to life, season after season.”

Christy and Cricket are excited to bring a fresh eye to Edible Madison and expand its reach to also serve Monroe and La Crosse counties in the Driftless Area. They are eager to share the stories of farmers, producers, chefs and activists working to bring our community together to celebrate and engage in one the richest food cultures in the Midwest.

“While we never imagined taking on Edible Madison under the current conditions, we are emboldened by the creativity shown by local food producers and artisans, it is clear that a resilient local food system is part of the answer to public health concerns that come up due to COVID-19,” said McKenzie. “We are saddened by the potential to lose so much in our food culture and are dedicated to being a platform to share the stories and advocate for our farmers, food retailers, restaurateurs, chefs and producers.”

“We are studying and adapting our strategy to include digital and social offerings above and beyond our core quarterly print publication,” said Redman. “We are also ramping up our subscription model to deliver direct to homes in our region and beyond.”

Lamonde, McKenzie and Redman will collaborate on the publication of a 10th anniversary issue of Edible Madison. This special edition will celebrate ten select back issues of the magazine, examining the people and topics that have shaped the region’s foodshed over the last decade. This issue will also offer insights for the future and celebrate the deep resiliency of the region’s food and farm community, even in the face of intense challenge. New managing editor, Lauren Langtim will take the helm of Edible Madison with this special edition.

“Now more than ever, people are coming together to love and support each other, and much of that is taking place over a meal,” said Tracey Ryder, CEO and founder of Edible Communities. “Edible Madison has a bond with its readers and can unite people during this difficult time to help the region’s restaurants, food makers and farmers rebound.”