FOOD & COMMUNITY IN PHILADELPHIA AND BEYOND
EDITOR’S LETTER
THE PEOPLE WHO FEED US
“PHILADELPHIA HAS such great food.” It’s a sentiment I hear expressed constantly, by people who live both in and outside our region.
They’re right, of course. Philadelphia’s food scene is unparalleled, legendary. An incredible range of flavors, cuisines, and options. An ever-expanding array of stellar culinary talent. The electrifying charge of new concepts, new menus, new approaches. The energy of Philadelphia’s restaurants, eateries, markets, and food purveyors regularly lifts the city to the top of international as well as national where-to-travel lists, especially for good eats.
The love fest, however, often overlooks one key ingredient: the farmers who grow and produce our food.
Philadelphia is blessed by its close proximity to fertile farmland and talented farmers. As writer Jill Waldbieser points out in “Faces Behind Our Food” (page 22), 25 percent of the land in Pennsylvania is devoted to farming and a very large portion of our state’s farms are run by small or extended families, some who have been farming for generations.
In this issue, we’re happy to introduce you to a few of our region’s family farmers. From Pheasant Hill Farm in the Lehigh Valley (p. 18) to Rook Family Farms in Bucks County (p. 26), and many more, family farms inspire our local food community, in Philadelphia and beyond. And summer, of course, is the best time to get to know them. You’ll find local farmers on-site at farmers’ markets (see our 2022 guide on page 14), and we also encourage you to visit farms to shop their on-farm markets, pick-your-own berries or peaches, or attend a farm-to-table dinner. They’re all within easy reach this summer and ready to welcome you. Just as important, when shopping and dining anywhere in our area, take note of what creamery produced that brie and who raised those tomatoes—and whenever there’s a choice, choose local.
We hope this issue inspires you to meet and support the people who feed us this summer—and to recommit to the concept of “know your farmer, know your food.”
Enjoy!
Nancy Painter
P.S. Speaking of generations, this issue marks the first in our nine-year run where editor Joy Manning is not at the helm. Joy recently left the Edible Philly family to take on a new role with a national food media group. While we will miss her voice immeasurably, we wish Joy the very best and thank her for all the love, friendship, talent, and TLC she has given to these pages over the years. To learn more about editorial or publishing opportunities at Edible Philly, email nancy@ediblephilly.com.
