Food for Thought: Spring/Summer 2025
As the seasons go, springtime has always represented rejuvenation and regrowth. If we were judicious with our time in winter, we should have things to look forward to. Buds break from dormant grapevines, stone fruit trees burst into vibrant bloom and young shoots sprout from seeds in the ground. We awaken.
The inspiration for this issue comes from a question: “Who is putting in the work for a better tomorrow and cultivating that potential?” Springtime is full of potential. Every seed has the potential to grow. Every parent is working to raise their children. Every teacher is making the effort to support their students. Every school is a marketplace of ideas, where everyone learns. Nurture this, make room for seeds to grow or for us to learn. Obtain knowledge and you’ll have something bigger and better to look forward to. For these reasons, the theme of this issue is Seeds of Optimism.
My humble request: Prepare for tomorrow. Invest in growing plants or growing ideas. Invest in the next generation, not because of the immediate rewards but because it’s the right thing to do. Invest in the people who are already doing this to multiply their worthy efforts. It won’t always work perfectly. In fact, in the first round, maybe allow failure to be a feature. The act of trying has more potential than the act of doing nothing.
“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future,” goes a well-known statement by Noam Chomsky. “Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.” Be a good steward for everything around you, in the big picture and the little.
In this issue, I’ve put a spotlight on Lompoc, a city with a lot to look forward to and a lot going on. Seeing a mature loquat tree laden with fruit is the sign of an older home, and there is a lot to learn about this unassuming evergreen in Santa Barbara’s history. I’m delighted this issue tells the story of Chef Charlie Fredericks and Santa Barbara City College’s School of Culinary Arts and Hotel Management. I feel honored to have been at the Dutch Garden just as it was transitioning out of his and Jen Fredericks’ hands. The sense of family the entire team had with each other at those moments was genuine. Once ownership changed, everything had the potential to change, but that day they were together it felt special.
In this same way, Edible Santa Barbara is part of a team, and we work to support each other. The more closely I work with all of them, the more I enjoy the connection with everyone.
Rosminah Brown, Publisher
