Eleven years ago, we launched our Annual Farmers Market Pull-Out Guide in the centerfold of our July issue, with a simple goal: map North Texas farmers markets, county by county. We started small—but we knew it mattered.

Year after year, we grew the guide into something bigger. We added CSAs, working farms, and ranches. Then nurseries, garden centers, vegetarian and vegan restaurants, and farm-to-table spots. As demand grew, we included natural and organic meal subscriptions, prepared food services, and chefs. More producers. More tools. More value.

Today, it stands as the most complete and trusted local food guide in the region. Unique in format and purpose, it’s a standalone coffee-table piece when pulled from this issue—and a digital version lives online, always within reach on your phone.

But this issue isn’t just about a guide. It’s about a movement. It’s about food as connection, community, and story.

In a metroplex of more than 8 million people, North Texans are surrounded—almost miraculously by working farms and ranches. That’s rare. And for over a decade, we’ve taken pride in helping our readers tap into that abundance.

The 2025 food landscape is shifting fast. This year’s big ideas:

• Hyperlocal sourcing within 25 miles, made possible by rooftop gardens, vertical systems, and urban farms.
• Regenerative agriculture that goes beyond organic to heal soil and store carbon.
• QR code transparency, turning produce into a story you can scan.
• Seasonal eating as both a culinary celebration and a cultural marker.
• Community food hubs, simplifying access to farm-fresh goods.
• Short-form video storytelling, bringing farm life to your screen.
• Direct-to-consumer models, where food boxes come with recipes, values,] and stories built in.

Also in this issue:

In our exclusive online extras, we invite you to explore beyond the plate. Carrie Jackson’s feature, “The Microadventure Mindset,” is a call to rediscover the natural beauty right outside your door. Many of her recommendations offer immersive experiences that honor North Texas’s rich agricultural legacy—perfect for a weekend outing or a spontaneous reset.

And for those ready to get their hands in the soil, Maya Whitman’s “Edible Landscapes: Creating Regenerative Sustenance” offers practical and inspiring steps to building your own food forest—even in the smallest urban spaces. It’s a perfect blend of ecological wisdom and everyday action.

Our July issue reflects everything we believe in: connection, wellness, sustainability, and a deep respect for the land and those who steward it. Whether you’re using our guide to plan your market route or dreaming up your own backyard forest, we’re honored to be on this journey with you.

And, as always, we hope you will find much in this issue to help along your journey to living a healthier life on a healthy planet.

Blessings until next month,

Bernice Butler

Contact me at:

[email protected]