Grateful for the Blessings of Local Table

I hope everyone is having a day filled with gratitude and love. Whether surrounded by a large or small gathering of family and friends, this year has taught us to live every moment with thanks for the blessings in our lives. I've said it before. We are so lucky in our community to have an incredible array of diverse farmers and small batch artisanal producers.

It's been a very tough year for some and we need to remember to shop small and local this holiday season. Shop in person or online - but help keep these talented and hardworking farmers and craftspeople in business. Without them our lives are less healthy, less special and less filled with beauty.

I want to thank everyone who has been involved with the creation and support of Local Table Magazine. Begun in 2007 as a means to connect our community with local food growers and artisans. A lot has changed on the local food scene since our first issue, and I'd like to think that Local Table has helped support the rise of buying and eating local. Thanks to the writers, photographers, copy editors for wanting to help in our endeavor in educating our readers - often taking a cut in pay to help spread the good news.

Special thanks to our two designers Bob Delevante and Lucy Kane for their amazing sensibility and creating a beautiful magazine celebrating our local scene. A huge thank you to all those who have supported us financially over the years with advertising. I know how important every dollar is to a small business and how difficult it is to maintain a business. Local Table would not have existed without our advertisers. It was our only source of income. It was an honor to work with our local businesses, farmers, artisan producers and food community workers.

It's been a year of ups and downs. Unfortunately, Local Table is one of the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and at this point we won't be returning in 2021. I look forward to seeing many of you at a farmers' market, restaurant or local food conference. I'll still be involved helping to promote our local food economy - but now from the sidelines!

Thank you for being part of Local Table's journey.

Whether in person or virtually this Thanksgiving Day hold your loved ones tight.

Lisa Shively