Soil Family Farm in Monticello, Florida. The
photo was taken by chef/farmer Chris Wagner.
As I sit writing this, I can’t believe my first issue of Edible Nature Coast is about to be printed. Nine months ago, I sent an email on a whim about starting my own Edible title, and here it is!
Starting a magazine from square one has proven quite the challenge! I am new to the area, having moved here from Massachusetts almost three years ago. As I started exploring the area, I found the need for a voice and a resource for the local food community. I have loved getting out there and meeting the fishermen, farmers, cattle ranchers, fishmongers, food artisans, innkeepers, home cooks, and baristas, to name a few. Along the way I also found several entrepreneurs that are starting out just like myself. Edible Nature Coast is here to help them succeed by connecting them with the consumer.
It’s all about keeping it local. Supporting the local community. Supporting the farmer down the street or even the small business you pass on your morning walk. If you forego that large coffee chain and stop into your locally owned independent coffee shop, I can almost guarantee it will be a more enjoyable experience for you and your tastebuds.
The benefits of buying local go beyond the tangible. Buying local helps to keep those dollars in your community instead of going to some conglomerate in a big city. It also helps to preserve the farmland that is quickly disappearing to development here in Florida. It helps keep the decades-old family farm in business, so they don’t have to sell their land to provide for their family.
The USDA defines local as “the direct or intermediated marketing of food to consumers that is produced and distributed in a limited geographic area.” Quite often the general population considers food “local” if it is grown/produced/caught within 100 miles or within the same state. For us Floridians, we have a very climate diverse state, so we can eat a local, diverse, and seasonal diet year-round. If you eat what’s in season and produced locally—versus something that is shipped in from thousands of miles away—you will notice a difference in flavor and freshness.
In this inaugural issue, you’ll find a variety of articles to read: You’ll find a place to relax with a cup of locally roasted coffee, you’ll learn about the challenges the stone crab industry is facing, and you’ll meet a Tallahassee chef who is breaking all the rules. You’ll also read about a woman who quit her job to take a leap of faith in herself and start her own company baking the best-ever macarons out of her home.
Northerners may not know this, but Florida grows some of the tastiest blueberries in the country. In this issue you’ll find a list of some of our favorite U-Pick blueberry farms. Then, after spending the afternoon picking, you can enjoy those blueberries in our blueberry cobbler that has been kicked up a notch with dried thyme. On Derby Day (first Saturday in May), don your favorite hat and imbibe in a classic cocktail with a twist.
I am so excited you have decided to come along with us on this adventure as we explore all that the Nature Coast has to offer. Edible Nature Coast will be printed seasonally, so please feel free to email us at hello@ediblenaturecoast.com if you have an idea for a future issue or just want to say “hi.”
Happy Exploring!
Brian Knowles
Publisher and Editor in Chief
