All proceeds from every bottle of mead benefits regenerative economic development in the Cuyama Valley.
We are an initiative of Blue Sky Center, a nonprofit social enterprise working towards thriving and inclusive rural economies.
Known for its stunning wildflower blooms, the Cuyama Valley’s high desert microclimate also nourishes some of the purest honey in North America. We’d like to share our wide vistas, starry skies, and desert hush with you.
Our values
We believe that rural communities deserve:
Dignified jobs that pay livable wages
Education and skills for the whole family
A place to gather
Incentives to grow at a scale supported by the climate
Celebration of the products they cultivate as part of a community’s culture—not extracted from it
Grab a glass, invite a friend, and follow our journey as we craft resilience in a bottle.
our team
Em Johnson
CEO
Through measured and deliberate work, Em leads rural innovation through social enterprises and systems thinking. She is motivated by holistic community investment that uses celebratory tools of art, and creative community engagement. She is often bringing people together over food. At Blue Sky Center, Em connects people to resources, developing a self-sufficient model by blending entrepreneurial initiatives to reclaim the power of rural resiliency.
Jensen Lorenzen
Food Ventures Consultant
With over 20 years of professional experience in the start-up foodservice industry, Jensen joined the Blue Sky Team in March 2018 because he believes in the power of food-based entrepreneurialism to create and support rural community building. Jensen is a founding partner of Larder Meat Co., an online CSA-style pasture-raised meat delivery company and is leveraging this unique experience to help launch new ventures on behalf of Blue Sky.
Sam Ihrig
Operations Manager
From brewing kombucha for his college thesis to making wine from Gatorade and even fabricating a stovetop still in a small Brooklyn apartment, Sam developed a fascination and somewhat odd passion for making alcohol as a young adult. Joining the Blue Sky team in 2018, he was immediately drawn into early discussions leading to the formation of Cuyama Beverage Company. Sam is excited by developing beverages that celebrate the local region and agriculture of California's Cuyama Valley.
Jack Forinash
Financial Manager
Jack's role with the Cuyama Beverage Company focuses on the financial systems and reporting on the rural economic impact of our work. As a co-director at Blue Sky Center, he brings over a decade of rural development experience, with a focus on nonprofit finances, organizational transparency, and research. Jack seeks to help develop better systems for resilient rural economies that celebrate the specificity of place.
OUR PARTNERS
Rock Front Ranch
Alisha Taff
Alisha Taff has been an instrumental player in marketing the Cuyama Valley for its high-quality raw and value added products that celebrate the semi-arid climate of the region. Alisha has developed expertise in establishing a market and distribution network for her products and has built an elite network of bee-keepers that celebrate the pristine environment of the Cuyama Valley.
The Apiary
Nole Cossart & Rachna Hailey
Together, Nole Cossart and Rachna Hailey make and serve ciders, meads, and hard kombucha at their tasting room and fermentory in Carpinteria, CA. Inspired by the seasons and by locally grown ingredients, they specialize in a multitude of cider and mead beverage styles. In 2016 they discovered the local organic apple bounty in the Cuyama Valley and have built their business on the many farmed products sourced from both the Valley and greater Central Coast.