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About a year ago, I made a very conscious choice to Eat Green. I have always felt strongly about preserving our planet. My father, a chemical engineer and avid nature lover, has spent most of his life actively trying to clean up the mess and waste we have created. He taught me from a young age that this planet is precious. Everyone must take responsibly for his or her actions, especially with regard to the impact we have on the world around us. But it was only recently that I decided to reexamine what I personally can do to tread more lightly on the Earth.

It happened very shortly after the 2006 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Food & Wine decided we needed to do something BIG for the event's upcoming 25th anniversary, which we celebrated last June. We wanted to create a project that would cause a stir in the industry and, at the same time, make a difference. We realized that after so many years of eating and drinking so well, it was time to give back to those who nourish us. Our editor in chief, Dana Cowin, felt strongly about drawing more attention to the small and mid-size American farmer. After all, it is these hardworking and passionate people who are at risk of losing their livelihoods to industrialization, urban sprawl, and the global market. If we could figure out a way to save some of these farms, we could contribute to helping solve the larger problems that have befallen our planet, including the millions of people in this country who go hungry each day without access to fresh food. In the process we hoped to teach the food and wine community to do the same.