Our job here at Made Local Magazine is to tell the endlessly inspiring, diverse, and true stories that rise within the Sonoma County food system.
A celebration of diversity is more important now than ever. That we happen to live in a region with a long history of economic growth that’s dependent on immigrant labor (Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Central American, the list goes on) is something we strive to reflect within these pages as often as possible. And so this issue places a spotlight on the real issue of labor at one of Sonoma County’s largest farmer of row crops, Humberto Castañeda Produce. Immigrants themselves, originally from Michoacan, Mexico, the Castañedas are very open about the labor woes that have plagued them over the last decade. If it wasn’t for the H2-A Visa program, which allows them to legally hire farm workers from outside the United States, they might not be operating today. Read more about it in this issue’s Grow feature.
Photo Credit: Sarah Whitmore
And there’s much more. By the time you get the the end of Jess Taylor’s feature on the new bagel shops rising up across town, you’ll be running towards the Bagel Mill demanding a BLAT stat. And hey, while you’re in the chicken and egg town, make sure to stop at Acre Coffee, profiled in this issue’s Drink feature, for a well-made cappuccino (get it with almond milk if you don’t do dairy). And speaking of eggs, Sarah Whitmore, our very own Savorbang! columnist, shares a few strong opinions about backyard chickens (don’t worry, she loves hers to death) along with two equally strong recipes for tasty deviled eggs, a.k.a., the perfect picnic food. It’s all here in the our fall issue! As always, get in touch with thoughts, story ideas, restaurant and recipe tips, and whatever else is on your mind! We’d love to hear from you.
Leilani Clark