By Torrey Douglass

I love a comfort zone, especially this time of year. A warm home. Soft clothes. A good book. Tasty snacks. What’s not to love? The trouble is, not a lot of growth happens under those conditions. And I am a fan of growth. Tackling something new is fulfilling, both for the experience and, sometimes, for the result. As the proverb goes, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” We only know what we are capable of when we set forth into the unknown and face whatever we find there.

This issue is full of stories about people who have stepped outside their comfort zones to embark on adventures, tackle challenges, and develop entirely new capabilities. After experiencing for themselves the physical and mental benefits of incorporating traditional foods back into their diet, a group of Native women on the coast learned how to freeze-dry soup so they can bring shelf-stable, healthy meals to elders experiencing food scarcity (p37). Blaire and Daniel AuClair grow everything from produce to livestock to cannabis— and three sons—on their farm outside of Covelo (p25). Blaire is constantly trying new things, even growing ginger one season. “It came out OK,” Blaire remembered. “I’d like to try it again. We can do better.” (Making peace with the fact that we can always do better is helpful when trying new things.)

Yuh Chirn Liang and Jia-hwa Fang had full careers as chemists before moving to Ukiah. Now in their 70s, they have opened their very first restaurant, a vegan eatery called Amita Garden (p41). And Phil Castro, who has decades of experience cooking in restaurant kitchens all over Ukiah, is now head chef of Ukiah’s Natural Foods Co-op, keeping the deli stocked with a wide variety of delicious options (p7). The position provides a different pace and work environment for him, but his decades of food experience have prepared him for this new challenge.

Reflecting on how risk is inherent to existence, Fort Bragg resident Richard Gregory talks about his early attempts at mushroom foraging (p19). Ruthie King traveled to Iceland for the first time to participate in the annual sheep round up (p24), and Mark Wentworth began a new chapter as a grape farmer and wine producer, gaining tractor skills in the process (p33). And for anyone interested in stepping outside of their own comfort zone, Terry Ryder Sites’s piece discusses how WWOOF—Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms— can connect you with farm hosts around the globe (p15). You’ll receive meals and a place to sleep in exchange for some honest labor.

Mendocino County is a more interesting and tastier place thanks to people who have summoned the courage to try something new. There are inevitable bumps along the way. Sometimes the tractor rolls, and sometimes the ginger is not what you hoped. But every setback comes with valuable insights that inform the next attempt. So enjoy that comfort zone when you need to rest and recharge, but then get out onto the sea again, even if it is less than smooth.

Torrey Douglass
Editor-in-Chief and Art Director

Photo by Katja Anokhina courtesy of Unsplash.