Spring 2017 Publisher’s Note

Bees are amazing. The more we learn about their fascinating habits, the more I am impressed with their role in our food supply. Did you know the drones fan their wings to create air conditioning for the hive? Or that, according to the laws of physics, bees should not be able to fly? And that bees communicate the location of water or food through dance? These miniature miracles are an essential part of our food system, pollinating not just the crops that come directly to our table, but those that feed the animals enjoyed by the carnivores among us. With spring at our doorstep and gardens and fields ready for renewal, these productive pollinators deserve to be celebrated.

We also dedicate this spring issue of Word of Mouth to bees because we feel a kinship with these hard working hive dwellers. Like bees’ constant pursuit of pollen, our contributors traverse Mendocino County, gathering the very best stories, seeking out the yummiest restaurants and most intriguing activities to share with our readers. We then transform these initial findings into feature stories and column articles so you can harvest and enjoy the publication in your hands. In it you might make some sweet discoveries—retail gems Westside Renaissance Market (p. 19) and the Elk Store (p. 34), creative cooking at the vegan restaurant Jyun Kang at The City of 10,000 Buddhas (p. 23), new farms to visit like Fortunate Farm (p.5) and Casari Ranch (p. 26), or a new adventure to try like Catching a Swarm (p. 29). And once you’ve sampled any and all of these finds, you’ll likely want to share them with the people you love—which makes you a pollinator, too.

Through their efforts, bees create food stores to feed their hive while simultaneously supporting a new generation of plants and crops, providing sweetness for our fare, either as ingredient or condiment, along the way. May we all live lives of such seamless sustainability, where our work not only benefits ourselves, but the bigger systems on which we depend! B Corps like Thanksgiving Coffee (p. 9) work to do just that, existing not just for profit, but to affect real and positive change in the world.

We thank you for joining Word of MouthMagazine in gathering the sweetness of Mendocino County and sharing it with the world. We might even create some buzzzzzz. (Sorry! Couldn’t resist.)

Holly Madrigal, Publisher