Grist for the Mill

This one is very personal.

As we celebrate our 8th anniversary at edible Upcountry, with issue #38 hitting the stands, I reflect on how far we and our food community have come. When we launched in 2010 there were only two breweries in the Upstate, no distilleries. A small assortment of sleepy farmers markets were scattered throughout our region, no community college sustainable ag program existed, no Swamp Rabbit Café. Farm-to-table was more of a nascent idea than a reality here.

It’s been a beautiful, flowing, accelerating ride. There is no lack of material for us. I often say we could print weekly and fill our pages to the brim with meaningful stories of the people who bring our food community to life. Maybe even daily.

And the leitmotif of this journey, for me, has been about women. Our founders, our publishers, our editors, our designers, our ad sales reps, the majority of our contributors—the hands creating this record of storytelling have, by and large, been women. Perhaps it’s not surprising then that a majority of our readership is female, as are our story subjects. It’s in our bones. And it’s also in the bones of our food community. From chefs, to food artisans, to business owners, to educators, to farmers, to young entrepreneurs, women (and women-to-be) make up a serious critical mass of our food system. Now, to be clear, we recognize it’s a big table, and we’ve reported on all corners of it. We love our menfolk. And it was also time to celebrate women food players outright with a fully dedicated issue.

This issue is also about where we are going.

I’ve raised and loved edible like a child. My sons, who were doe-eyed elementary school poppets when we started this little adventure, are now about to leave the nest. Things grow and evolve and we are grateful they do.

Beginning with our Holiday 2018 issue, the baton shall pass into the capable, dynamic hands of the Acker women, the founders of In The Know Upstate. Local ladies made good, triple-threat Stephanie, Stacy and Anna will lead this voice confidently into its next phase of life. They are tough and smart and grounded and kind, and I look forward to supporting them, watching them fly.

I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to Catherine Mecklenburg, Lindsey Jones, Ashley Warlick, Gail Cooley, Brian Kelley, Brett Barest, Polly Gaillard, Kate Townsend, Joanne Burkett, Virginia James, Cathy Matusicky, Bambi Edlund, Kathleen Nalley, Tom Sowers, Wade Wallace and the myriad of good souls who have made the journey possible. It’s been an honor, and a joy.