The USDA’s Regenerative Revolution, Food as Medicine, From Farm to Chef’s Table, Tipping the Scales of Food Justice, What is Water Worth?, Alice Waters’ Green Teachings, Can Seeds Save Us All?, Maggie Baird’s Support+Feed, and more…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PUBLISHER / CHIEF BRAND OFFICER Austin Brown
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin Beatty
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ELEVATED NATION 30 MARK BORDEN
TRACING the WINE WORLD’S NEW REGENERATIVE PATH 86 CHLOÉ PANTAZI-WOLBER A SENTIMENTAL BOUNTY 96 DUSTIN BEATTY
EDITORS’ LETTER 4
FIELD PROOF 140
SENIOR EDITOR Chloé Pentazi-Wolber
ART DIRECTOR Joel Speasmaker
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mark Borden, Horace Cameron, Julie Gerstein, Kendra Hartmann, Hayley Helms, Leslie Lang, Cassandra Marketos, Lily Moayeri, Kate Montana, Amy Roberts, Zoe Rosenberg, Adam Sherrett CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Craig Camp, Evan Dudley, Brian Frank, Austin Galan, Lucille Lawrence, Andrew Paynter, Carly Piersol, Josh Polich, Matthew Reamer, Zoe Sher, Julia Stotz, John Travis, Kelsey Vansickle, Matt Wignall CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Raymond Biesinger, Lauren De Vine, Haisam Hussein, Nick Iluzada, Tim Lahan, Keith Negley, Peter Oumanski
A CENTURY of HARVESTS 52 ZOE ROSENBERG SEEDS of RESILIENCE 46 KATE MONTANA
GREENER TEACHERS 68 AMY ROBERTS FAMILY VALUES 72 KENDRA HARTMANN BLADE RUNNERS 80 LESLIE LANG
On the COVER 6
The DIRT on COMPOST 142 CASSANDRA MARKETOS FARMING by the NUMBERS 144 CASSANDRA MARKETOS
GROUNDED 136 ADAM SHERRETT
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PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Dr. Kelsey Hood Cattaneo
COVER ARTIST Geoff McFetridge
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Dawn Riley
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Will Bourne
LET it GROW 104 HAYLEY HELMS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steve Brazeel
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Peter Wells
From FARM to CHEF’S TABLE 58 CHLOÉ PANTAZI-WOLBER HARVESTING HOPE 12 LILY MOAYERI COMMUNITY The REGENERATIVE TABLE 16 PRODUCTS
The GREEN ALBUM 38 DUSTIN BEATTY
TRUCK ENVY 128 DUSTIN BEATTY
The Rooted Journal © 2024 is an official publication of Elevated Foods, Inc. and is published under contract by YAH Group Inc. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and advertisers. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Elevated Foods, Inc. or The Rooted Journal. The publisher makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein and will not be held liable for any errors or omissions.
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The WORTH of WATER 112 ZOE ROSENBERG
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FERTILE GROUNDS 22 MARK BORDEN EXPLAINER
The JUSTICE LEAGUE 116 JULIE GERSTEIN
BUNCHES of BRILLIANCE 132 DUSTIN BEATTY
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number NR233A750004G029 .
Ideas, inspiration, and community stories from those with dirty boots on the ground who are dedicated to doing good.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition, any reference to specific brands or types of products or services does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for those products or services.
WELLNESS on the MENU 8 KATE MONTANA HEALTH
HARMONY in the GARDEN 24 DUSTIN BEATTY COMMUNITY
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
The EDEN PROJECT 120 JULIE GERSTEIN
The Rooted Journal (ISSN: 2998-7849) is published biannually by Elevated Foods, Inc. © 2024 by The Rooted Journal. All rights reserved. The Rooted Journal is a registered trademark of Elevated Foods, Inc. For advertising inquiries, email ADVERTISING@THEROOTEDJOURNAL.COM .
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Printed in the U.S.A.
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ISSUE 01
EDITORS’ LETTER
W
ELCOME TO OUR WORLD. The Rooted Journal is a new magazine that exists to pique curiosity and elevate our
understanding of the entire food system. We celebrate farmers, farming, food, family, and the future. We follow a philosophy we call Modern Old School where the intersection between tradition and technology produces the tastiest, most nutritious food, while also incorporating new thinking to improve yields, create carbon-rich soil, and grow in a way that creates a brighter climate reality (“Elevated Nation,” p. 30). We believe food is medicine and can help solve some of the most costly and damaging diseases. To explore this, we asked Santana Diaz at UC Davis Health to share his mission to make hospital food more nutritious (“Wellness on the Menu,” p. 8). Access to quality food is a human right, so we approached the modern food-justice system with a critical lens, examining how those scales need to balance out for a more equitable future (“The Justice League,” p. 116). After all, we need food fairness for everyone. We know that farmers are not just heroes but also three-dimensional thinkers who are critical to both the American and global way of life. We trace the path of a legacy greens grower (“A Century of Harvests,” p. 52), a multigenerational fruit farm (“A Sentimental Bounty,” p. 96), and a family whose sons are gathering knowledge and sharing those stories through a podcast (“Family Values,” p. 72). We also explore the journey of a grape grower whose vines depend on a microscopic view of regenerative soil (“Bunches of Brilliance,” p. 132).
We like our boots dirty and the feel of soil beneath our feet. It’s inspiring for everyone to know where the food on their table comes from and who coaxed those seeds out of the ground. A Grammy Award -winning songwriter shares that passion, so we took a closer look at his land with his gardener, who is growing rare and peculiar varieties in his kitchen garden (“Harmony in the Garden,” p. 24). We are driven to return to a life where dangerous chemicals stay out of food, and where big, faceless agriculture learns from the Modern Old School and adopts a friendlier approach. That starts right in the ground when seeds are sown, so we examine where some of the rarest varieties are stored and how you can get access to them (“Seeds of Resilience,” p. 46). Every story in this issue captures a relentless commitment to preserving a more sustainable future, from understanding where water needs to flow to what new technologies farmers can adopt to put healthier food on people’s tables (“Blade Runners,” p. 80). Our approach is one of optimistic pragmatism in a rapidly changing world where the mass adoption of regenerative practices offers hope. Chef and farmer Chris Fischer once said a co- worker told him: “I wasn’t just raised on a farm, but a farm raised me.” The Rooted Journal wants everyone to know this truth and aspires to capture
that sentiment in every story, photo, illustration, and issue we produce. Thanks for reading and sharing. Stay rooted. Stay elevated.
— THE ROOTED JOURNAL EDITORS
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ON THE COVER
REAL LIFE REQUIRES REAL BOOTS.
A
“QUIET ALERT 2” 2018
SKING GEOFF MCFETRIDGE TO come up with a cover concept for the inaugural issue of The Rooted Journal was a natural fit. The Canadian-born,
Los Angeles-based artist has created iconic art for global brands including Apple and Hermès, while also regularly engaging in cause-driven work for companies like Patagonia, where his drawings and animations highlighted animal welfare for their Traceable Down program. McFetridge’s work has also appeared in Target’s Made to Matter efforts to showcase 16 leading organic and sustainable products to make them more accessible to customers. As a committed outdoorsman, McFetridge consistently prioritizes earth-first efforts in his work, which aligns perfectly with the mission of this magazine.
The painting on the cover is a personal nod to his rich history with a silhouette of his great- grandfather, Louie Dofoo, a Chinese cowboy who worked on farms and ranches in Canada. “Chinese workers were not given a place to sit, so they learned to sit like that, resting flat-footed,” McFetridge tells The Rooted Journal. Dofoo eventually escaped the ranch he worked on to Calgary, where he “opened a cafe, and later helped my grandmother and grandfather (his son) open
their store in Chinatown. Louie had an amazing garden in the backyard of the store, almost entirely in the shade from downtown buildings where he grew food and flowers,” McFetridge says.
Learn more about Geoff McFetridge in the film “Drawing a Life” on Apple TV or by visiting his website — CHAMPIONDONTSTOP.COM.
Andrea Bemis — Organic Farmer, Mother, and Cookbook Author — Danner.com/GoThere
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WELLNESS on the MENU
Chef Santana Diaz pioneers a much-needed revolution in hospital food, prioritizing a nutritious road to recovery.
by KATE MONTANA photographs courtesy of UC DAVIS HEALTH
/ HEALTH SPR UT
the picture, then Super Bowl 50, and eventually I wanted to come back home to Sacramento. The opportunity to open the Golden 1 Center for the Kings came up so I did that. The next challenge was seeing if we could do a farm-to-fork program in a hospital, which was what the leadership at UC Davis Health was trying to accomplish. The answer, six-and-a-half years later, is yes. We’ve done it.
Hospital food has arguably long been in desperate need of a makeover. So when UC Davis Health had ambitions to overhaul its cuisine, they called a chef who was no stranger to cooking for large crowds: Santana Diaz. Diaz, a native of California’s Central Valley, had already successfully implemented a “farm- to-fork” ethos at Super Bowl 50 and the Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings, alongside other culinary projects. The chef’s deep belief in the transformative power of food informed the design of a first-of-its-kind meal program at UC Davis, built around the idea that “good food is good medicine.” Diaz launched the initiative on joining UC Davis in 2018 and today, he says, the hospital’s kitchen serves more than 6,700 nutritious meals to its patients and staff daily. The institution does so by partnering with local, mostly organic and regenerative farms in the Central Valley, reviving a community of growers that has experienced decline in recent decades due to factors like rising costs, climate change, and aggressive competition in a global market. Here, Diaz speaks with The Rooted Journal about UC Davis Health’s farm-to-fork program, the importance of seasonality and supporting local farmers, and the future of America’s food landscape.
At what point in your career did you recognize the importance of seasonality when it comes to ingredients? As a society, we’ve gotten desensitized to seasonality because we go into our grocery stores and tomatoes are always in the same part of our produce section all year round. We know they taste better at different times of the year, but we still buy them in winter. If we invite guests over for grilled burgers on a nice day in December, we’ll still have the same lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on that sandwich. As I looked at larger entities, I started paying more attention to how we were sourcing. Sourcing in larger quantities and wanting to serve ingredients that were fresher — not just chicken fingers and fries — led me to looking at what was abundant.
Did that prove to be simple to do or challenging? Well, it was deeper than just straight sourcing. Looking at Sacramento, family farms that grow seasonally just don’t exist anymore. Farmers were sending their children to higher education to learn to do something else. I asked myself why. When I started connecting the dots, I realized that communication wasn’t always there between the market and what someone was growing. A farmer can be growing produce or raising cattle blind and not sure if there’s going to be an end buyer. So at the end of a season when their product is ready to harvest or their cattle is ready to sell, that farmer might not have realized that there are others growing or raising the same thing; now, the market is saturated and that farmer is broke. That cycle isn’t sustainable for a family. So when I started in the large- capacity venues and the hospital, I realized that those relationships with farmers and ranchers are very important, and to help them guarantee an end buyer ensures that I will have quality, in-season ingredients to serve. As one example, through UC Davis we’ve helped secure sustainable, organic asparagus for our region through a partnership with Durst Organic Growers in Yolo County. They are able to grow a little more than what we commit to and provide to
ABOVE: EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEFS JAMES ABLETT (RIGHT) AND JET AGUIRRE (LEFT) FINISHING OFF APPETIZERS FOR AN INTERNAL SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GRADUATION EVENT. BELOW: FOOD SERVICE WORKERS LABELING FRESHLY MADE PASTA SALADS FOR THE OPERATION.
Tell me a bit about your background and how your upbringing informed your interest in the culinary world. I grew up in Yuba City, an agro- town that is a producer of a lot of stone fruits about an hour north of Sacramento. My family immigrated from Mexico and worked in the fields harvesting; my mother became a teacher, my aunt became a nurse, and my grandfather and uncle were farmers. I’ve always been around fresh fruit and seasonal food. With that upbringing
came an expectation of certain foods to taste a certain way, not having to manipulate seasonal food because it’s already at its peak ripeness. I always worked in restaurants and ended up going to culinary school. I then went into fine dining and wanted to take that quality of food to the masses. So I just started going to bigger entities, like Hyatt Hotels and Omni Hotel Resorts in San Francisco, and then was asked to go to stadiums to increase the quality of their food programs. Levi’s Stadium came into
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many restaurants here in the region. Without our secured forecasts, it would be difficult for them to compete with Mexico’s prices. We need institutions for so many things, but it’s also the way they can help other businesses as a byproduct or help the community and, in this case, help people who want to eat something that’s locally grown. How does designing hospital meals differ from restaurant dishes? Hospital food has always had the stigma of not being very good. Hospitals will use computer systems to analyze the nutritional value and density of a given meal. But what the system doesn’t tell you is that the meal is all beige or that it doesn’t even taste good, just that it’s satisfying a diet’s parameters. I don’t think it was done on purpose; the focus was just elsewhere. Our approach at UC Davis was about introducing that culinary-trained eye, which is all based on flavor profiles and aesthetic appeal. Traditionally, the food has been served via a conveyor belt-style plating system. But part of what we’re rolling out now is a true room-service plan for patients where we’re putting the love and care back into every meal by having the cook plate each dish just as a restaurant would. And all the menu items have been thought through. For example, I like to have a minimum of four colors on a plate. As for nutrition, we’re combining ingredients through a system that measures how much magnesium or phosphorus, etc., is in each dish, and then we put all of that together in a way that’s mindful, aesthetically pleasing, and with good flavor profiles that people will enjoy so they actually consume the nutrients — which is the point of the program in the first place.
In terms of what a meal looks like, it’s what the person wants to eat that also aligns with their diet — and if we can make that taste great, then awesome. The other thing we’re paying attention to is being culturally accurate with the meals we’re providing. That really goes another layer deeper. We never want to shame a patient’s existing diet or recipes that may be family ones. We may suggest an alternative version of the recipe that we’ve used and share why it may align better with the path a patient is on in respect to their diet. That communication is important to us. What are your criteria for selecting ingredients and farming partners? We try to get whatever produce is closest first. We ask farmers if they’re adopting organic or regenerative practices. We explore if they have certifications that verify some of this and how long they’ve been in business. Do they actually own their farm or is this just an overarching entity corporation? And then of course we’re looking at
comes from California — organic where possible and from regenerative ranches to minimize the impact of greenhouse emissions and how far your food has traveled. But how do you compete against meat you can buy from another country, have shipped across oceans, and go through so many people and checks along the way, that’s still cheaper than buying from the farmer 35 miles up the road? It’s a question of priorities, I think.
the volume they can provide. It’s also important that we try not to be the sole buyer for any one farm because if we had to make a change for whatever reason, we wouldn’t want that farm to go out of business. I don’t look to buy more than 40% from any one farmer or rancher. What would you say makes the food and ingredients that come out of California unique to this region? The bounty of this region is so fruitful. It’s sort of like a food mecca. But does it look like that in 20 years? I don’t have an answer. The choices we make now on our regional sourcing will determine that future. If local institutions do not secure ingredients here, what’s to stop other countries from just growing everything we grow here? If California continues to be put up on the world market stage, it cannot compete financially. How is the California farmer supposed to survive? Would you say that local support is key in securing a healthy, thriving future for food in this country? These are big questions that I’ve thought a lot about. I’m not trying to preach politics but rather advocate for transparency. I won’t name names, but does that organic berry that you see in the plastic clamshell in your grocery store undergo the same scrutiny as a California organic farmer? There are a lot of questions like that that come up for me when I visit the grocery store. How is it that a university in California is able to import beef from Australia at a better rate than California-raised beef? These are concerning issues. I’m confident that 95% of what we order is beef that
From the perspective of UC Davis, was the investment in this initiative significant? This was one of the first conversations I had with leadership. I said, “If it was cheap and easy everyone would do it.” Everybody’s already doing the cheap and easy thing, which is why we’re seeing the issues we have today. When talking about sustainability and why it’s important, one of the light- bulb moments for me came when I was thinking about what it takes to design a high-end dinner menu at a hotel for 400 people. If you’re serving everyone an ounce of filet mignon, do the math and you’ll need 250 pounds of beef ten- derloin. That’s a lot of cows. How is that sustainable? Instead, why not connect with the rancher and say, “Hey, what are you long on? What’s in your freezer?” He might say, “I have these beef back ribs and I’m sitting on 3,500 pounds.” So, why don’t I just generate a menu out of that? Basically, I don’t like to tell the farmers what to grow. I ask the farmers what they grow, and then try to figure out how to use that item. That’s really when both of us get to use our skills to the best of our ability. How do you think about a balanced day of meals for a patient in the hospital?
ABOVE: “A PICTURE FROM OUR STAFF VISIT TO ONE OF THE FARMS WE SOURCE FROM, FULL BELLY FARMS, AS WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR TEAM ON WHERE THE FOOD WE PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS, VISITORS, AND STAFF COMES FROM.” RIGHT: DIAZ INSPECTS FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY SOURCED FROM CAL ORGANICS.
What advice would you give to someone with ambitions of bringing positive, systemic change to their own organization or industry? Don’t undervalue the power of a sandwich. It sounds funny, but where are all those ingredients coming from? Know your farmers and where your food comes from. I know you hear that all the time but it’s a real thing. And understand that “dollar vote.” Where we spend our money is what we’re choosing to support. One last question. What’s your favorite single ingredient from the Central Valley? I just love tomatoes. They’re so versatile. I eat them until I get tomatoed out for the season.
“Hospital food has always had the stigma of not being very good. Hospitals will use computer systems to analyze the nutritional value and density of a given meal. But what the system doesn’t tell you is that the meal is all beige or that it doesn’t
My menus are approved by dietitians, but it doesn’t matter what the hospital provides if the patient never eats it, right? If it doesn’t taste good and the patient doesn’t eat it, they’re not receiving the nutrition they need to heal and food isn’t being used as medicine in that case. Can we also give some autonomy back to the patient? As a patient you come to a hospital, you’re admitted, tested, moved around, and in many cases you’re just happy to be seen. What would it mean to you if you had the opportunity to choose the meals that you eat while you’re here? If I order a meal, I’m more likely to eat it.
even taste good, just that it’s satisfying a diet’s parameters.”
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WELLNESS ON THE MENU
Harvesting HOPE
Actress Maggie Baird, mother to singer-songwriters Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, channels her nurturing nature into feeding more people with plant- based foods through her organization, Support+Feed.
by LILY MOAYERI photographs by ZOE SHER
/ COMMUNITY SPR UT
In a way, Baird has been training for her position as the head of the nonprofit for over two decades. Her offspring — staunch vegans who are environmentally proactive — are Baird’s first successful conversions. As Finneas said in a speech at a Support+Feed fundraiser in the fall of 2023, “[We] made a bunch of music in our bedroom. We paid off our mom’s mortgage, and she turned around and started a nonprofit immediately.” Four years since its inception, Support+Feed’s mission has grown to encourage plant-based food consumption and climate-change mitigation through food delivery, education, and empowerment.
“It’s important for the community organization to have a stake and to value the meals and the education surrounding them.” That education can be as simple as a sticker on the meal package that indicates it is plant- based and therefore good for the consumer and the planet. For many individuals, it is the first time they are having a wholly plant- based meal and Support+Feed wants to make them aware of that fact. Although, Baird says, “there are times when I think it’s important to give people plant-based food and not have them know because they’re so prejudiced against it.”
Despite having just a dozen team members spread across the U.S. (and one staffer in Europe), Support+Feed has a global presence, operating in 41 cities internationally. The organization is made up of coordinators who serve as ground leaders for the cities in which they are based. Support+Feed also relies on its more than 150 volunteers who take care of the physical aspects of the organization such as deliveries. They are stationed in key North American cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, and Detroit. The nonprofit has delivered hundreds of thousands of high-quality, plant-based meals through its partnerships with over 130 restaurants and community organizations that serve food- insecure and food-inequity groups in their areas. “A restaurant meal is our door opener,” says Baird. Support+Feed purchases only plant-based meals, but not all of them come from exclusively plant- based restaurants — although they encourage restaurants to offer more meatless options. However, not every community organization Support+Feed works with has had a positive attitude toward plant-based meals. “We’ve had organizations we worked with that in the beginning only wanted the plant-based donuts we offered. But they have come around,” Baird says.
“How exciting is food right now?!” exclaims Maggie Baird. Mother to award-winning superstars Billie Eilish and Finneas, Baird has just returned from a week in Asia as part of Eilish’s core team. In Tokyo, Baird tried three vegetables she’d never heard of. “There are so many fruits, vegetables, and grains we’re being allowed to discover because we’re embracing new things,” Baird, the founder and president of the plant- based food and sustainability nonprofit, Support+Feed, tells The Rooted Journal. “I like people to think not about what they might be taking away, but what they are getting. The idea that we have cashew cheese and coconut yogurt, that’s not deprivation. That’s really exciting.” AIRD’S ENTHUSIASM IS A HUGE driver for Support+Feed, which she started in 2020 in response to the closure of many plant-based restaurants and the escalating need for food — particularly healthy food — amid pandemic-related shortages. “Coming off a lifetime of loving to feed people and being involved in environmental action, I’ve always been very outspoken,” says Baird, speaking from her family home in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, where she and her husband raised Eilish and Finneas.
“On a larger scale, we’re trying to affect culture, making plant-based food more accessible with increased acceptance
ABOVE: MAGGIE BAIRD, FOUNDER OF SUPPORT+FEED. RIGHT: MAGGIE BAIRD
and demand, and influencing other
Support+Feed also delivers donated food products and ingredients whose shelf life is approaching, as well as produce through nonprofits such as The Farmlink Project. “We’re throwing away so much fresh produce and
organizations to also take these things into account. Our mission is the intersectional vision of it,” Baird says.
AT A SUPPORT+FEED FOOD DISTRIBUTION
EVENT IN LOS ANGELES CALLED “WONDALUNCH” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SJLI AND JANELLE MONAE’S WONDALAND.
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so much other food, it’s insane that we have any food insecurity in our country,” says Baird. Along with ingredients, Support+Feed supplies recipes to ensure the produce doesn’t go to waste. “When you’re dealing with produce and products, one thing you have to be aware of is if something is unfamiliar to someone, they won’t take it, or they take it and they won’t use it,” Baird says. “We try to provide recipes and guides and help people sample. I’ve heard from many people in the farmer/produce world that recipes are desperately needed to make sure produce doesn’t go away.” Support+Feed also performs in-person and virtual cooking demonstrations with its community organization partners. Support+Feed’s work is supported by donations, which it accepts on its website on both a one-time and monthly basis. “We’re not an organization that’s ‘40 meals for $1,’” says Baird. “We say your dollar goes farther because you are feeding someone,” she adds. “You are helping the planet. You are helping human health. You are providing information, education, and you’re supporting a small business.” Through her work with Support+Feed, Baird says she has become better informed about the connection between climate change and food equity. Baird notes that the link between the two is particularly noticeable in urban areas, where there are neighborhoods with fewer grocery stores, less green spaces, and limits on how many bags can be taken onto public transportation; in contrast, there are more fast-food
conjunction with Eilish’s concerts at the O2 Arena in London in 2022, and the second took place at the roller-skating rink, Flippers Roller Boogie Palace, in the UK’s capital city in 2023 — and Support+Feed is planning future events. “We realized people were not making the connection between food equity, climate change, human health, small business, economy, support, and local communities,” says Baird, speaking of Support+Feed’s mission. To tackle this issue, the nonprofit makes maximum use of its large digital platform to provide information and education about the health benefits of a plant- based diet and connect the dots between food choices and climate change. In addition to using social media to reach a broad audience — on Instagram, the organization has over 95,000 followers at the time of writing — Support+Feed takes a hands-on approach to make an impact. For example, during Eilish’s six-date run in London at the O2, the high-profile venue went all-vegan, a significant change in practices promoted and encouraged by Support+Feed. “On a larger scale, we’re trying to affect culture, making plant-based food more accessible with increased acceptance and demand, and influencing other organizations to also take these things into account. Our mission is the intersectional vision of it,” Baird says. She adds: “When we feed people, when we support the community, that is a major win for us every day.”
UPPORT+FEED HAS TAKEN THE next step in its mission to combat the climate crisis with Overheated, a summit geared toward Eilish’s fans, as well as the broader music industry. Named after Eilish’s song, the summit features panels and workshops focused on conversations about plant- based diets, sustainable fashion, and practical solutions to the climate crisis, to name just a few topics. The summit also serves as a storytelling platform for activists around the globe. For example, Support+Feed has a 37-minute “Overheated” documentary that brings the experience to interested viewers everywhere. So far, there have been two Overheated summits — the first was held in
establishments with unhealthy food available at lower prices. “An inequitable food system leads to terrible health outcomes. The same communities are more hit by the climate crisis. The temperature can be two degrees hotter,” Baird says, speaking from her personal experience delivering meals with Support+Feed. “Literally, as you drive from one area to another, you feel the temperature rise because of the lack of trees and more concrete.” Baird is quick to point out, though, that food inequity can be just as serious of an issue in rural areas where residents are surrounded by farmland, which is largely occupied by factory or industrial farms. Baird is finding that plant- based eating is still largely met with apprehension, and, in some cases, even anger. Support+Feed takes full advantage of its access at Eilish’s concerts where the organization has played a short video explaining the effects of food consumption and climate change before the show, and conducted plant-based food drives. The nonprofit has also hosted these drives at Paramore, Coldplay, and Dave Matthews Band concerts.
ABOVE: SUPPORT+FEED VOLUNTEER BRUNCH TEAM IN 2023. RIGHT: MAGGIE BAIRD DISTRIBUTING PLANT-BASED MEALS AT SISTERS OF WATTS’ ‘WINTER WONDERLAND’ EVENT IN LOS ANGELES.
Support+Feed has had a presence at Blink-182 and Metallica shows as well, where they’ve encouraged attendees to take the organization’s pledge to eat at least one fully plant- based meal a day for 30 days. “If 700 to 1,000 people in an arena take that pledge, that’s 7 million gallons of water saved,” says Baird, adding that she’s also involved in conversations about how to minimize the environmental impact of Eilish’s tours. “It’s part of our entire strategy,” she says, noting that she and Eilish’s team consider everything from merch to travel and always ask, “What’s the more sustainable version of what we’re doing?”
Visit SUPPORTANDFEED.ORG to learn more.
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HARVESTING HOPE
The REGENERATIVE Table
The growing trend of regenerative agriculture is bringing a new wave of simpler, sustainable products to market, thanks to the efforts of innovative farmers. From a soothing, locally sourced tea made from cover crops to kelp-based foods and globally gathered grains, the future of the pantry is looking responsibly delicious.
photographs by JULIA STOTZ prop styling by RUTH KIM
/ PRODUCTS SPR UT
Burroughs Family Farms Almond Milk Concentrate & Cinnamon Almonds The Burroughs Family offers a variety of almond products made from estate-grown almond trees planted in nutrient-rich soil, keeping their promise to use Regenerative Organic Certified practices in the process. Their almond milk concentrate goes a long way, with one 16-ounce container making the equivalent of seven store-bought quarts of this beverage, which can be enjoyed on its own or poured over your favorite cereal. For light bites, try their plain, cinnamon, or “Everything But the Bagel” almonds.
Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Granola
Start the day with these crunchy clusters made from peanut butter, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and other organic, delicious ingredients. Also on the breakfast menu is Purely Elizabeth’s ancient grain granola, which combines the decadence of mouthwatering coconut oil and sugar that are Regenerative Organic Certified. As part of the company’s partnership with Mad Agriculture, a Colorado-based nonprofit focused on promoting regenerative agricultural practices, Purely Elizabeth has set itself the goal of sourcing one- third of its ingredients from regenerative farms by 2026.
BURROUGHSFAMILYFARMS.COM
PURELYELIZABETH.COM
The Ecology Center Cover Crop Tea & Strawberry Jam
Warm up the morning with this cover crop tea, picked from the very rows of buckwheat that grow in-between a rotating variety of crops at The Ecology Center in Southern California. Steep this blend to release notes of earthy alfalfa and cozy cardamom. People make an annual spring pilgrimage to The Ecology Center for its Regenerative Organic U-Pick strawberry event. As a souvenir or for those who can’t make it, The Ecology Center bottles up its lip-smacking strawberry jam, nurtured by the sun and regenerative soil.
THEECOLOGYCENTER.ORG
Mashpi Chocolate
Pacha Bread
Savor a quick pick-me-up by nibbling a variety of Mashpi chocolates, made in Ecuador. The family-founded, regenerative, and ethically conscious company plants National Fine Aroma Cocoa that unlocks a bouquet of flavors that can only be achieved by cultivating in a biodynamic terroir. Choose from 14 different chocolate bars made with ingredients like crunchy macambo bean bits, explosive passion fruit and pepper, tangy Brunei cherry, and our personal morning favorite, coffee.
For those who think “bread” is a bad word, take comfort in knowing that Pacha bread is made from only four regenerative ingredients: sprouted buckwheat, nutritional yeast, rosemary, and garlic (plus sea salt). That means morning toast is free from eight common allergens, so you can start your day enjoying bread without the bloat.
MASHPICHOCOLATE.COM
LIVEPACHA.COM
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Patagonia Provisions Organic Pasta & Mussels
Dine with pride knowing that this Patagonia Provisions pasta has only two ingredients: durum wheat flour and flour from Kernza, a perennial grain that tastes just like wheat and is said to mitigate the impacts of commercial agriculture. With roots that are over 10 feet long, Kernza can help sequester more carbon in soil and boost overall soil health. Patagonia’s mussels, sourced from Spain and Portugal, are another responsible choice for your table. An efficient source of protein harvested with minimal impact for centuries, mussels have little effect on natural resources as they feed on microplankton, filtering water in the process. Choose from three flavors — lemon herb, smoked, or spicy — as a standalone meal or quick snack that pairs well with Patagonia Provisions’s regenerative wheat crackers.
Fishwife Small fishes are delicious, especially when they’re sourced from the sole holder of the coveted ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council)-certified trout farm in the U.S. Fishwife is leading the tinned-fish trend, fueled by the public’s increasing appetite for protein from less wasteful sources.
PATAGONIAPROVISIONS.COM
Simpli Beans & Olive Oil
EATFISHWIFE.COM
Simpli’s founders bring a global regenerative palette to the table by sourcing their beans, quinoa, seeds, and olives from around the world before carefully processing and importing them to the U.S. The company’s goals are global: to enhance soil health and support farmers in adopting regenerative agricultural practices through its Regenerative Pathway Program. The opportunities are endless, just like the dishes you can make with Simpli’s long list of offerings.
EATSIMPLI.COM
The Ecology Center Bean Spice & Radish Vinaigrette
One whiff of this spice mix blended on-site at The Ecology Center, and you’ll know why the regenerative operation prides itself on its farm-to-jar practices; everything is grown meters away from where it’s packaged, preserving the integrity of the ingredients. This process also keeps things clean by reducing emissions for The Ecology Center’s already airtight regenerative practice of growing pantry products. For another environmentally conscious choice, drizzle or dress a salad with The Ecology Center’s radish vinaigrette sourced and made in a similar way with minimal, earth-first ingredients for a tangy taste.
THEECOLOGYCENTER.ORG
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THE REGENERATIVE TABLE
Barnacle Foods Kelp Salsa, Chili Crisps, & Habanero Hot Sauce
A little spice is nice to have on the table, especially from renewable sea sources. The innovative Barnacle Foods gets help from wild and sustainably farmed Alaskan kelp, which it adds to its line of sauce and seasoning products. Kelp is a nutrient-dense green alternative, packed full of vitamins and minerals, including iodine. It’s great for the planet, too, as seaweed forests filter carbon from the ocean to mitigate acidification.
BARNACLEFOODS.COM
The Ecology Center Campesino (Salsa Macha)
Branded with the same name as The Ecology Center’s on-site farm-to-fork cafe, this Campesino “Salsa Macha” is a staple in the kitchen because it goes great with just about everything. Ancho and guajillo chilis with a handful of other simple ingredients, like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, punch up virtually any dish with a medley of flavors.
THEECOLOGYCENTER.ORG
Artisan Tropic Plantain & Cassava Strips
Snack guilt-free with these family- founded dipping strips made from regenerative, nutrient-dense cassava root and plantains. Minimally processed, they’re a crunchy alternative to chips with simple, wholesome ingredients free from common allergens. They pair perfectly with salsas, hummus, and other imaginative dips.
ARTISANTROPIC.COM
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THE REGENERATIVE TABLE
Fertile GROUNDS
Robert Bonnie explains USDA’s transformative approach to climate and America’s agricultural future.
by MARK BORDEN illustration by TIM LAHAN
/ EXPLAINER SPR UT
climate standpoint in that they store more carbon in the soil and also help the land become more resilient. Essentially, we are discovering ways that farmers can still be very productive, perhaps more productive, and do right by the climate. How practices work with farmers to deepen a commitment to land stewardship? Climate is still a hard issue do these in a lot of rural America. There’s skepticism about the government and there’s concern about what climate policy looks like. There’s a deep well of commitment to stewardship with farmers, ranchers, and forest owners. If I’m in a commodity business, I’ve already got tight margins. So, is the program going to be collaborative and is it going to create value? Am I going to be able to decide which practices I want to apply, and how to apply them and integrate them, so that my family can keep and ranch this land for another 100 years? For the USDA and this partnership program, it’s all about collaboration and incentives. The program requires partners to implement “climate-smart” practices like cover crops, nutrient management, and more efficient fertilizers. How many projects are involved and what does initial data suggest? [Editor’s note: This interview was conducted in June 2024.] We have about 135 projects
confirmed right now, and we’re somewhere near 2 million acres enrolled with more than a couple of thousand farmers, including large and small producers. We’ve already got a lot of data that tells us the climate benefits will be significant and there’s a lot of excitement from our partners. Tell me about some of these partners. The food processing company Archer-Daniels-Midland has a really interesting project where they think they can find value in the supply chain for all kinds of commodities, including corn, soy, and other traditional commodities grown with climate- smart practices. Organic Valley has a project to reduce greenhouse emissions through carbon insetting. I was out in California with Blue Diamond Almonds and they’re doing soil health practices to store more carbon in soils and they’re doing work that will help pollinators through biodiversity. If you think about pollination with orchards, you’ve got a limited amount of time for those pollinators since flowers are only on the trees for so long. Now, they’re using cover crops that stretch that period to support the pollinator communities longer. The Iowa Soybean Association is doing some pretty sophisticated work around carbon offsets and getting folks interested in purchasing soybeans as a way to green their supply chain.
couple of projects and some of the technology on John Deere’s tractors will tell you the carbon intensity of certain commodities on a per-meter basis. And that data is going to go right up from your tractor and into the cloud. There’s all this technology measurement and monitoring that’s really interesting, and we want to help figure out what the USDA can do to standardize some of this data and build credibility and public confidence so consumers can trust that there are real climate gains here. How else is the government investing in this program? We’re making big investments on improved science for measurement, monitoring, and reporting verification [of the various climate-smart practices being implemented]. But it’s exciting that there’s evidence right now that it’s not going to be all government investment, that this is a public-private partnership. What are the politics like around PCSC? We’re used to fighting about climate change. We’re used to fighting about environmental policy, particularly when it comes to land agriculture and forestry. The political implications are that, if you want to be successful here, it’s got to be bipartisan. The bet we’re making is that if farmers and forest owners are with us, the politics will take care of themselves. And if we all continue to work together to make farmers and ranchers the heroes, this will happen.
Robert Bonnie is the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the USDA. Born on a farm in rural Kentucky, his family has owned forest land in South Carolina for over 100 years. “I grew up around forestry and agriculture,” he says. The Rooted Journal spoke to Bonnie about the USDA’s $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate- Smart Commodities Program, the connection between agriculture and climate, and how recognizing farmers and ranchers as the heroes they are is key to transformational change.
What makes this program unique? We’re interested in a more mar- ket-oriented approach where we cre- ate value for climate-smart practices. PCSC is not a standard conservation program where we are setting aside land or paying for conservation prac- tices. We’re paying for the production of commodities to reduce the green- house-gas footprint of agriculture. Do you think that people fully understand the relationship between climate and agriculture? The public largely thinks about the climate issue as an energy issue. The truth is, if you look globally, probably north of 20% of emissions are tied to land use. We think about the relationship between climate and agriculture on the mitigation side — our ability to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and to store more carbon. And we also think about it on the resilience side, where we’re dealing with natural disasters all the time with the farm program. We know there are climate-smart practices that farmers can apply to reduce the impacts of those events and be good from a
What is the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program trying to do? When you think of climate policy, if you’re a farmer, you worry that it may come with regulation or costs. We’re trying to flip that on its head. We’re trying to create value for folks in agriculture and in the agricultural supply chain by rewarding farmers, ranchers, and forest owners who produce commodities using climate-smart practices so they sequester carbon or reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The idea is to de-risk it with some government money and to invite private sector investment that will do the same.
How does technology play a role? John Deere is involved in a
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ISSUE 01
HARMONY in the GARDEN
A Grammy-winning songwriter and budding gardener grow and harvest a tiny experimental plot of land in a Los Angeles neighborhood bonding together a community of foodies.
Text and photographs by DUSTIN BEATTY
/ COMMUNITY SPR UT
For many, the idea of domestic agrarian life sounds sexy. In fact, just the thought of it conjures up temptation. Picking lipstick-red ripe tomatoes from the vine in a backyard raised bed, harvesting dark green, dew-glistened dinosaur kale from a grow bag, gathering fresh spotted chicken eggs, or even keeping bees in a hobby colony surrounded by native plants is something clean food fans dream of.
“I needed to get things in order within myself and I needed to find a way to be outside as much as possible, to be physical and engage with something bigger than myself to help me process,” Cameron remembers. “Gardening seemed like the best thing.”
It’s precisely these visions, a love for food, and a lifetime of curiosity culled from books, films, websites, and a host of other sources, that led gardener Horace Cameron to pursue a passion around plants. The 33-year-old remembers an added tipping point as he fondly speaks of meeting his partner and celebrity florist Yasmine Khatib around the time he was mixing cocktails at Los Angeles’ Edendale, a bar and restaurant housed in an old brick fire station from 1924. “Within a few years of us falling in love, we were living together and I was growing plants in pots and containers on the roof of our apartment building,” he tells The Rooted Journal.
OMETIMES LIFE THROWS OUT some odd curveballs, and Cameron reflects on a romantic time that was also punctuated by the dichotomy of some personal changes that brought his purpose more into focus. “I needed to get things in order within myself and I needed to find a way to be outside as much as possible, to be physical and engage with something bigger than myself to help me process,” he remembers. “Gardening seemed like the best thing. I grew up with [a garden]
ABOVE AND RIGHT: CAMERON AND JESSO JR. IN THE DENSELY PLANTED GARDEN WITH A TOWERING BANANA TREE. LEFT: A NEW REGIONALLY NATIVE PLANT FINDS A HOME AMONG MANY OTHERS.
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with my mom. They’re so romantic, so beautiful, so magical.” The draw was hard to ignore, especially compounded with late nights at the bar and a strong need for a healthier lifestyle. However, to fully pivot and trade pouring tequila for a trowel, he would have to monetize. That didn’t take long. “I would start propositioning people I knew had big yards and tell them I wanted to cultivate my craft,” he says, adding that he knew he wanted to be self-taught like many master gardeners before him. There’s a nuance to the practice, and, much like a craftsman knows his tools, a gardener needs to know his soil, compost, microclimate, water, and even where the sun rises and sets.
wanted but I wasn’t patient enough to be a gardener,” Jesso Jr. exclaims with a bright smile. The musician is known for his magnetic personality and long list of collaborations with music icons such as Dua Lipa, Adele, Orville Peck, Justin Bieber, and Harry Styles, earning him a Grammy for songwriter of the year, the first award of its kind. Cameron and Jesso Jr. reminisce about the space when they met, which, back in 2020, was an arid patch of dirt and home to a lone peach tree that Jesso Jr. planted with grander ambitions. Cameron laughs that it’s remarkable the tree even survived, while simultaneously giving credit to the fertile ground that exists in these hills thanks to the tall deer grass that sprouts every spring. If you look close enough, California black walnut and oak trees are native to the area, filling the soil with carbon and a variety of nutrients each time they shed their leaves, creating more organic matter.
Plants in the raised beds they built at the start already had enough to dine on, but Cameron sourced food scraps from a number of restaurants to build a layer of compost and healthy topsoil to fix nitrogen. Quickly, novel crops like bitter melons, Queen of Malinalco tomatillos, and red currant tomatoes were thriving there. Often, the best results come from the most authentic relationships. Naturally, Jesso Jr. draws the connection to music. “Horace was just playing different notes and I said, ‘Dude, follow that!’ Because I know that feeling in other areas,” he says of the freedom Cameron was experiencing with what he was growing. A natural curiosity for all things new and unique saw Horace ordering from seed stores like the Missouri-based Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, which is committed to genetic preservation by empowering everyone from hobbyists to regenerative farm stands to save and
Humans are also a part of that equation, and with something as personal as their property, it’s important to understand that someone with skills isn’t just a hired hand. There’s a relationship to consider, a symbiosis for someone like Cameron who will want to ensure that errant produce stickers don’t end up in the compost or to watch out for rogue neighbors spraying pesticides. Through a series of trials and errors, he was well on his way to attracting the perfect partners.
CHANCE A beautiful bouquet from Khatib in 2019 led to a handshake with Grammy Award-winner Tobias Jesso Jr. and the three immediately hit it off. High atop the Silver Lake artist neighborhood in Los Angeles, Jesso had purchased a three-story home with an old hunting cabin from 1905 in the back and plenty of land to cultivate. “I knew what I PURCHASE OF
ABOVE AND RIGHT: CAMERON INSPECTING HIS COLONY. THE HIVE IS THRIVING WITH MANY HAPPY BEES WHO DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR FOR A VARIETY OF NECTAR AND POLLEN. LEFT: EXAMINING ONE OF THE 14 DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF TOMATOES HE GREW THIS YEAR.
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HARMONY IN THE GARDEN
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