Building out Ryansrealfood.com so stay tuned.

Alright y’all, the time has come, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…. I have finally become a food influencer. I love food and I love people and I want to change the world of food: we should all be eating locally and sustainably. We should know the names of the people who grow our fruits and veggies, who raise our animals that give us our eggs and milk and meat.

And I’ve found myself in this unique space and place- Food in Northern California. I’ve been a ranch hand, butcher, cook, server, and event chef, in one of the most food-abundant places in the world.

I’ve been passionate about and working in the food space on and off for the past 5 years, and the most important part of this journey is the people I’ve met.

I’ve befriended luxury citrus farmers, cattle ranchers, dairy farmers, restauranteurs, chefs, cooks, dishwashers, and everything in between, and the thread that ties it all together is an unwavering passion for real food.

I find myself uniquely connected in the Sustainable Foods space, and I want to use this to change the world of food. My plan is to talk to farmers, ranchers, cooks, and chefs about their lives and our shared love of real food. I want to visit farms, ranches, and food establishments that source locally, sustainably, and mindfully. This is iteration one of what I’m sure will be an ever-changing project.

I am so blessed to have already started my first two video projects: First, with my dear friend Bronte Edwards, who raises sheep in Marin. Hoping to release her episode tonight!

Second, with Jonathan and David at their incredible shop in San Francisco called Trad Bone Broth.

There’s also a deeper theme to my motivation for doing this project: Farmers and Ranchers have one of the highest suicide rates by occupation in the United States. I think this is a direct result to our societal indifference to food. We do not care who grew our food or who cooked our dinner. This must change, and you have the power to change it. Having worked in many different capacities in and around the food world, I have felt this. This burden weighs on farmers and ranchers, cooks and chefs. “The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference” – Ellie Wiesel.

Farmers and Ranchers are essential to our survival, yet they are invisible to most. We are indifferent to them and to our food. This must change, and you and I have the power to change this.

“One single raindrop never feels responsible for the flood”- but what if we took responsibility? We can stop the flood. What you say and do matters. Buy local foods. Go to farmer’s markets. I have a few practical tips and tricks for this in my original essay “Mindful Meat Eater”, which I hope will be linked to here. I am working on more, and I hope some of my upcoming projects will inform and/or empower you to make the world a better place.

And if you have any folks you want me to interview, or any good food tips or tricks, please reach out.

Thank you for reading, sending lots of love, Ryan Walter Hedum.