As a seasonal publication, printing only four times a year, edible Nutmeg can occasionally find itself behind the times in a tide of fast-moving news, so I know I’m not the first to express a sentiment you likely share: my goodness, what a year. We printed our Spring 2020 issue in early March, only to stash it away as Connecticut businesses – many of which graciously carry this magazine – closed their doors amidst a growing epidemic. We later distributed it in place of what should have been a summer issue as temperatures soared, wind and storms battered our state, and both our nation and region were confronted with social and political reckonings. All of this amidst the continued specter of COVID-19 and the dire ramifications it has had for our food systems.
In this edition we speak to some of those concerns, including a return of a series long absent from these pages – Edible Nation – addressing food issues relevant to the entire country. This article discusses systemic problems in our nation’s industrial meat system (ever more apparent as a result of COVID-19) from both a national and regional perspective. We also speak with the founder of Real Food Share, an organization dedicated to alleviating food insecurity in a time when it has grown all the more pervasive. Our usual round-up of seasonal recipes is here, too, including advice in our Ark of Taste column on ways to reduce waste by making use of every scrap from the refrigerator.
And yet, there are still so many stories to be told. As Connecticut’s farms, markets, and restaurants continue to contend with the consequences of COVID-19, we know there will be more tales to tell. Many will be unfortunate and melancholy, but there also are and will be triumphant stories, celebrating the adaptability and resilience of our communities’ food systems. One thing is abundantly clear: as our local farms and restaurants have strived to provide for us in uncertain times, so should we pledge to support them, now and always. There’s simply never been a better time to buy local.
Dana Jackson, Editor & Publisher
Fall 2020 Digital Edition Flipbook
