Publisher’s Note
Holly Madrigal
Co-Publisher & Managing Editor
One thing I appreciate about Mendocino County is our exceptional adaptability. When life gets challenging, we roll up our sleeves and figure it out. While chatting with friends and small business owners over coffee at a local cafe, the group swaps stories about how business is down this year. Naturally, these reflections provoke anxious concern, but they also inspire determination and creativity, grounded in the awareness that a rich life has less to do with what’s in your bank account and more to do with the people, places, and pursuits that occupy your time. And no matter what the economy is doing, here in Mendocino County, we have resourceful people, beautiful places, and interesting pursuits in abundance.
That resourcefulness allows us to solve problems and find joy by making the most of what we have on hand. Have too much zucchini? Make zucchini flour. Have a sweet tooth but detest corporate candy? Then stop by Sunshine’s Confections to relish an elevated version of your childhood favorites. Looking to add an unconventional crop to your garden? Julia Dakin’s work with landrace seeds (p 11) is remarkable. Her organization, Going to Seed, is developing vigorous seeds that are both locally specific and able to thrive in our changing climate with minimal interventions.
Redwood Forest Foundation has been in operation since 1997 and knows all about adaptability. The best practices they have developed are transforming our relationship to the local ecosystem of the north coast (p 29), eschewing extractive logging for a more community-centric style of timber management with forest stewardship at its heart. Big Mesa Farm (p 19) has done their fair share of adapting as well, moving from their former location in Bolinas—with a coastal climate and big-city access—to the hot weather and rural market conditions of inland Mendocino County. Yet with creativity, flexibility, and grit, they are making it work, continually tinkering with their approach to provide for their customers and live their values.
We at Word of Mouth also continue to grow and evolve. Our “new” co-publisher has been here all along. Torrey is the one who makes this magazine visually stunning while contributing thoughtful, investigative stories. Her advancement this spring to co-publisher acknowledges the position she has held for years. Along with our extremely talented editor, Dawn Emery Ballantine, and our rock star advertising director, Lisa Ludwigsen, we have a combined 84 years experience living and/or working in this beautiful county. I love this group of opinionated women and the particular alchemy of word wrangling and local pride that creates each issue. Our amazing contributors and advertisers complete the picture, keeping Word of Mouth exploring and sharing the stories of this place, in this time. So next time the financial news casts a pall on your thoughts, take heart and remember that Mendocino County is scrappy as hell. We make it work and have a good time doing it. Thank you for sharing in the fun.
Holly Madrigal
Co-Publisher & Managing Editor