What constitutes the good life is subjective and, as these stories suggest, multifaceted. It is deeply personal, yet profoundly rooted in the collective. In these pages, writers investigate ways to reform our relationships with other animals, plants, and the planet itself; to celebrate a sense of community that comes from gathering once again, such as for a matanza; to appreciate all the little things, like making coffee each morning, that make up the day. However the good life is touched on here, a central element is food. Whether harvested from your garden, your neighbor’s yard, public land, or a nearby farm, whether prepared at home or at a local restaurant, whether eaten in community or in solitude, food is not an afterthought. It is fundamental to what is good about life in New Mexico.
