pollinator garden — a memorial to
Ishai.
Josh hopes to host film screenings
and live shows and work with organiza-
tions like Yolo Farm to Fork and Davis
Farm to School to educate youth and the
public on healthy ecosystems for polli-
nators. Ultimately, he hopes to build a
second building from which he can rent
space to a meadery and restaurant. “We
really want to be a destination spot,” he
says, “and showcasing the big picture is
really going to be impactful.”
Though Ishai wasn’t able to be as
big a part of the expansion as he would
have liked, he informed the process as
much as he could. Josh says his father’s
typically rough exterior softened in the
months before he died.
“To see him transition physically,
mentally and spiritually, in those last
couple of months and be there with him
was really life-changing,” Josh says. “I
want to bring that type of pure love to
my everyday and not wait until my last
few months. I want to really create pos-
itive connections, and one way I can do
that is through my business.”
Amina describes herself as the inter-
mediary between two visionaries, her
son and her husband, filling in holes and
doing her best to keep the peace when-
ever the men in her life butted heads.
As his health declined, she says, Ishai
found himself able to fully embrace
their son’s leadership role and entrust
that the business was in safe hands.
“Every day I realize that we’ve got
this business that Ishai really had a vi-
sion for, but he didn’t have the full pic-
ture,” she says. “Josh is completing the
picture.”
She scans the shelves of honey, in
search of a particular jar of orange blos-
som. She notes that this is supposed to
be a good year for the yellow star thistle
variety. “We haven’t had one for many
years.” n
Celebrating
sacramento state’s
outstanding alumni
Congratulations to our 2019 honorees:
The Distinguished
Alumni Awards
are given jointly by
the University and
the Sacramento
State Alumni
Association to
recognize alumni
and friends for
their professional
achievements and
community service.
SacStateAlumni.com
Clockwise from top left: Patrick C. McClain, Dr. Maridith A. Curfman-Janssen,
President Robert S. Nelsen, Gary Quattrin, Jeff Dern, Donald Henderson (accepting
in memory of Jackie Morris-Henderson, posthumously awarded), Judy Quattrin, Saori
Choulos, and Dr. Meagan O’Malley.
Allison Joy is the former editor-in-chief for
Comstock’s. On Twitter @MsAllisonJoy.
October 2019 | comstocksmag.com
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