Immersed as we are in our daily living, it’s easy to forget that we live in extraordinary times. This is especially so for agriculture. Communities across the nation are asking questions about who’s growing their food and how. It’s amazing to see the explosion of interest in local food systems as a solution for a sustainable, healthy future. Increasingly, local food is even regarded as smart foreign policy that substantially reduces risks and provides the best approach to solving hunger and building food security around the world.

Politicians have taken notice and are investing in scaling up healthy food systems. Last month, First Lady Michelle Obama rolled out a $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative to tackle obesity and “food deserts” in urban and rural areas by increasing access to nutritious food choices and marketing options for farms and ranches.

The pump is primed by community-based activity across the country. Take, for example, the National Good Food Network. The Network “represents practitioners across the value chain building a new food system that rewards sustainable production, treats growers and workers fairly, improves the health of families and the wealth of communities, and meets the growing demand for healthy, green, fair, affordable food.” Recognizing that “the challenge presented by the food system is our opportunity,” the Network seeks “to revolutionize business models, develop new market relationships, and add value to traditional supply chain infrastructure, so that the growing business of good food is sown in the values of good food—all the way from farm to fork.” Lofty talk that’s backed up by action on-the-ground.

Capay Valley Farm Shop is one node of a larger good food network. Thanks for being a member of this exciting adventure to develop better ways to health, sustainability, and community. We invite you to fully engage in knowing your food, eating well, and helping to build our agricultural future.

One way we try to engage is through our newsletter posts and website. We welcome you to question and comment on what you read and eat. We invite civil discourse about food and farming! Or if you’ve got a killer recipe inspired by the fresh ingredients emanating from the Capay Valley you want to share, email us and we’ll post it.

We make history by our actions, and indeed the food we put in our mouths. As with all history, the future cannot be predicted. Bite by bite we all have an opportunity to shape the future. Thank you for choosing to eat good food, support your local farms, and build a secure future.

– Thomas Nelson