In Our Fall 2019 Issue

Photography: Devin Trout

Editor's Note plus all of the Fall 2019 Issue.
 

The arrival of fall in Ohio means we leave behind the hottest weather of the summer, but we also lose our fresh tomatoes, sweet corn and peaches. As the weather cools, it’s time to throw on sweatshirts and turn our attention to apples and squash and festivals celebrating the season.

You can count me among the seasonal changes, as this is my first issue working with Edible Columbus. But I’m an Ohio native, and I have been an editor at Ohio Magazine and The Columbus Dispatch, so it’s familiar terrain for me. I’m honored to be working with the great crew that brings this magazine to you.

With schools back in session, in this issue we’ll take you to Reynoldsburg, where the modern learning environment includes an urban garden and the exploration of careers in the food industry.

Also in these pages, you can learn about some changes in the agricultural landscape. The decline of dairy farms has some farmers looking at new models for the business. Meanwhile, there’s a new cash crop on the horizon since July, when Ohio dropped its ban on growing hemp.

You also will get a closer look at the pawpaw, the Ohio fruit that few Ohioans know about. It was designated as the official state native fruit in 2009, but you won’t find it in grocery stores.

If you want to see how pawpaws can be put to use, the Ohio Pawpaw Festival is the place to go. At this year’s festival, held on a hot September weekend in Athens County, I was able to sample pawpaw muffins, pawpaw eggrolls, pawpaw salsa and even pawpaw beer. In fact, 10 different Ohio brewers offered their own spins on pawpaw-infused beer.

I also watched a panel of judges at work in the Best Pawpaw competition, evaluating appearance, taste and texture of the many entries. In the end, the crown went to Ron and Terry Powell, owners of Fox Paw Ridge Farm in Adams County near Cincinnati.

My Ohio perspective on eating local was enjoyably challenged this summer by a trip to Alaska, where the grocery store featured locally caught king salmon that was cheaper per pound than raspberries and cherries, which have to be imported. It was an unexpected twist on my usual shopping experience.

I also had a chance to read Edible Alaska, which was a bit like meeting a distant relative. The 80-plus Edible magazines around the country are all locally owned and operated but share a common philosophy focused on local food.

“Local” in Edible Alaska meant stories about cooking salmon, adding fresh sea asparagus to a salad and using native spruce tree tips in cooking.

Whatever local foods you are eating, we hope you have a delicious and bountiful fall season.

Gary Kiefer

FALL 2019 | CONTENTS