Publisher’s Letter: Spring 2013

Ahhh, Spring!

It’s the time for rebirth, time for spring cleaning, garden planning, and best of all, spending more time outside. Terese says it best, it’s time to revel in a collective sigh of relief for making it through another Wisconsin winter (p. 12). Spring is here.

Spring is also a notably special time for us as we announce your choices for Edible Madison’s 2nd Annual Local Hero Awards (p. 8). We couldn’t be more proud to recognize this year’s local food movement pioneers. Each nominee grabbed your attention for their contributions to the community. Some have earned your recognition for being the daring risk takers, leaping ahead to meet our food future head-on; others for being the community’s rocks; and all for their unwavering commitment to doing what inherently feels right. Stop in and share your personal congratulations soon!

The celebration of nature’s renewal is at the heart of Jessica’s exploration of biodynamic agriculture (p.32). We had the pleasure of visiting the Zinniker family on the country’s oldest biodynamic farm, nestled right here in southern Wisconsin. Friends gathered last fall to assemble and bury biodynamic preparations, which will be removed from the earth this spring, just as Rudolf Steiner first did nearly 90 years ago, during a day of hard work and celebration of a new season.

2013 will also mark the year of two notable births in Wisconsin. We’re excited and delighted to welcome two new members to the Edible Community. Edible Door will publish their first issue in June to highlight the local and sustainable agriculture of the Door County peninsula; and in November, Edible Milwaukee will debut to our east. Tell your friends in these regions to keep an eye out for these new publications later this year.

Finally, I speak for our entire Edible Madison crew when expressing our deepest gratitude to our tireless publisher, Jamie Lamonde. If you’ve met Jamie, you already know about her fearless drive, her can-do attitude, her wisdom and humility. For those who haven’t yet, think of the hardest working person you know, combine that with a caring, passionate heart, and then add an unwavering commitment to doing good. Jamie pours all of these qualities into her friendships, her community and the mission of Edible Madison. She is a steward of our community, and we are endlessly grateful for her leadership.

Jim Klousia
Guest Editor