DIGITAL EDITION

Fall 2023

It was a Thursday night in the middle of August. Traditionally the sun would shine, however, Mother Nature had other plans. An hour before our collaborative event with a nonprofit close to our hearts, we were faced with a decision to pivot. More than one hundred guests expected the promised enchantment of an outdoor event in beautiful Manito Park when rain decided to join the festivities. Canceling wasn't on the table because it isn’t in our nature. Getting creative to make things work, however, is. You can head to the next spread to figure out what we chose to do, but instead of speaking to that, I’ll remind us that sometimes, the most fruitful opportunities arise from what initially seem like detours.

Pivoting, in its essence, is a testament to adaptability.

Almost every single story in this issue required a pivot, or two.

When working in print, pivoting is always necessary. From page count to deadlines, printing a magazine with various writers and stories necessitates a keen understanding of flexibility.

Chef Yess had to pivot when wildfires shifted wind and impacted the local farmer’s market in North Idaho. Erin Hut pivoted when her story changed mid-assignment. Farmer Jess knows no other way than to pivot on the farm, as farmers do. The youth of Hutton Settlement are certainly no strangers to pivoting, as many of their lives have required them to. The wisdom they shared with us in our short time together was a reminder of why we produce this publication each season — so much so, that we left that day knowing that their story would be featured on our cover.

Pivoting brings change, and this magazine gifts us an introduction to people who change us often. Our writers do that for us every issue. Our Publisher, Jeff says it best — “our writers come to us leading with their passions” and we give them the green light to share them with you. Jeff is also the best pivoter I know.

Our writers make our issue come to life and for that, we are eternally grateful. These pages are theirs. These pages are yours.

I humbly invite you to enjoy, as they are a collection of many hearts sharing their stories.

Autumn offers us daily reminders of transformation with the changing landscape. We, too, have the opportunity to shed the old to make space for the new. We have exciting things on the horizon here at Inland Empire Media, and we welcome you to share in our mission as we “seek to give a voice to the local food & drink industry and those who enjoy it.” That means you.

We welcome your stories, ideas and partnership. Our contact information is available on the next page; we’d be honored to hear from you.

In the pivot lies the promise of growth, if we allow it. Cheers to you and your willingness to pivot alongside us.

Happy fall,
Morgan Marie

P.S. a huge congratulations to our Editorial Assistant on becoming a grandma and welcoming the newest addition to the Edible Inland Northwest family.

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