Finding just the right place to call home. Encountering the unexpected pleasure of growing something beautiful and delicious in your backyard. Exploring new flavors from an unfamiliar cuisine. Digging deep into a culture that’s not your own. What do all of these things have in common?

They’re all about discovery.

These days, it seems increasingly rare to have our eyes opened by something fresh and unknown. We’re locked into our habits and our social groups, routine shopping destinations and regular dining spots, everyday recipes and usual grocery lists. It takes effort to break out of our ruts. When was the last time you tried an ingredient you’ve never tasted or read something you serendipitously picked up from the bookstore or traveled someplace new?

In hopes of igniting your own sense of wonder, we’re sharing stories of discovery in this issue. In fact, we hope every issue of Edible Ohio Valley introduces you to something new.

You’ll meet Sam and Rich Wickham, young farmers who spent months searching for the right small farm property on which they and their daughter could settle and make a life growing healthy food. You’ll meet a group of world travelers with enviable experiences discovering different cultures through food. Perhaps you might also consider employing your green thumb on a type of plant—citrus trees—you may not have thought possible to grow in the Ohio Valley. (I’ll testify to the pleasure of growing citrus; my dwarf Improved Meyer Lemon tree is overwintering in the dining room and loaded with massive fruits on their way to ripeness.)

As 2018 winds down and we head into the busy time of holiday gatherings and

celebrations, we at Edible Ohio Valley wish you and yours a season of love, wonder, and discovery. Cheers!