Did you know a Santa Cruz man has a vision for completely revolutionizing how we grow our food—and a multimillion-dollar tech company has bought in? Did you know modern homesteaders have found a hub for everything they need to live off the land in Ben Lomond? Did you know there are both pros and cons to growing succulents?
Chances are you didn’t, but after reading this issue of our Home & Garden magazine, you will. The unofficial theme of this edition is passion—something not always associated with the often slow-and-steady pace of the growing cycle, but found in abundance in these pages. Nick Halmos, who founded the local company Cityblooms, is described by writer Brad Kava as “the Steve Jobs of the food movement,” which should give you a sense of his relentless drive. If his vision for micro-growing takes off, the vegetables and herbs we eat could be hundreds of times more healthy than they are now—and planted everywhere.
Then there’s the passion of self-diagnosed “succulent nerd” Amanda Edwards, who is definitely not alone in her addiction to clipping and growing these unique plants. But there’s also Georgia Perry, whose misadventures with her own succulent provide a sort of cautionary counterpoint (through no fault of the plant’s, mind you). Let’s just say there’s such a thing as being too curious about them.
We hope everything here helps fuel your own passion for home and garden adventures. Let’s do it up in green!
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
