Hello Reader,

One of my favorite aspects of Edible Seattle is listening and learning about the incredible work so many people are doing in our food system. I’ve spoken with farmers, chefs, hospitality workers, restaurant owners, scientists, activists, writers and artists, and every interaction leaves me inspired and energized. Each day these folks are striving to make a more equitable, sustainable, beautiful food system—whether in fields, in the kitchen, at the market, in their own backyards, in the halls of power in this state and beyond.

Some days that work is slow. It’s trite and easy to say that you want to make the world a better place, but the actual, tangible work of doing so is slow. It’s incremental, and often appears invisible. But it all matters—little drops form mighty rivers, as the saying goes. And most importantly, the work goes nowhere without joy and being in community.

As I connect with these different folks, one thing always sticks in my mind: There is so much in this world to love! One day I could be talking to a master gardener about soil amendments, the next I’m listening to a cookbook writer laugh as they pass out pieces of scallion pancake. A friend sends me a poem they wrote—it’s about bolognese, but also, it’s about love! I open my inbox to a photographer sending me proofs from their shoot—picture after picture of gorgeous food and the people who made it. Their aprons are stained, their arms covered in burns from many a searing hot pan, their faces are beaming. It’s a delight.

It’s in this spirit that these stories come to the page. There is so much to love at every level, from the small, industrious worms in returning contributor Bill Thorness’s column on vermicompost, to the large net of support cast by the crew behind Salmonberry Green Grocer. Together we explore Seattle restaurants celebrating the use of every part of the animals they serve, bones and all. We have some tips to reduce food waste in your own home, which feels especially relevant at a time when food costs so much, but is also a chance to harness the food ecosystem within our own homes to create that abundance.

Thank you to all of our contributors who share such important work, and thank you for taking the time to read it. It’s a joy to be in community with you.

In gratitude,

Lindsay Kucera
Editor