#104. Rosa Dixon: From Commune Roots to Community Builder to Gluten-Free Empire

Scott Hammond: Ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors, and, uh, all you friends out at sea, it's Scott Hammond with the 100% Humboldt podcast with my very new best friend

Rosa Dixon: Rosa Dixon

Scott Hammond: … Rosa Dixon is here.

Rosa Dixon: He knows my name for sure, people.

Rosa Dixon: For sure.

Scott Hammond: For sure. Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: Hi. Welcome.

Rosa Dixon: Thank you.

Scott Hammond: How are you?

Rosa Dixon: I'm great. How are you?

Scott Hammond: I'm well. Rosa, what's your deal? What do you do?

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: What's your, what's your life about?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, my gosh. I have so much about my life, but I'm gonna start with my, um, my passion project.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: So I'm the executive director for Humboldt Made.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Which, at Humboldt Made, we support local businesses grow within the Redwood Curtain and beyond. Which, one of our local businesses-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Rosa Dixon: … is Humboldt Distillery. I just happen to have found this as I walked in the door.

Scott Hammond: Weird.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, so-

Scott Hammond: Nick, where did that come from?

Rosa Dixon: We, we don't know.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Rosa Dixon: But, um, I think we're gonna open it. We're gonna have a drink, and that's gonna just lube it up for this podcast.

Scott Hammond: This is a, this is a first, folks. I don't know how she, she's persuaded me to do this thing. Uh, so welcome.

Rosa Dixon: Thank you.

Scott Hammond: So tell me more about your, um, your past. I wanna start there. Where, where are you from? Where do you hail from? And-

Rosa Dixon: Okay

Scott Hammond: … how did you get to Humboldt?

Rosa Dixon: Well, um, I'm from Tennessee.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Which, um, you know, w- you might think Southern accent and-

Scott Hammond: Y'all

Rosa Dixon: … conservative y'all.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: But I actually grew up on a commune.

Scott Hammond: Ah, what k-

Rosa Dixon: Yes

Scott Hammond: … what… Well, this, there's a variety.

Rosa Dixon: I, th- uh, yes. So a hippie commune.

Scott Hammond: There's a spectrum of communes, you see.

Rosa Dixon: Yes. A hippie commune called The Farm, which it's-

Scott Hammond: Ah

Rosa Dixon: … very famous.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Uh, the largest intentional community in the US-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … still going today.

Scott Hammond: How many people?

Rosa Dixon: Now there's about 300. My mom still lives there.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: So I still have my home, hometown, my house that I grew up in, and-

Scott Hammond: Cool. They grow their own food, the whole nine?

Rosa Dixon: You know, weirdly enough, they were never good at growing food.

Scott Hammond: Oh. How 'bout, how 'bout weed?

Rosa Dixon: No, they didn't do any weed either.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: But-

Rosa Dixon: I know. It's odd

Scott Hammond: … what kind of hippies are these?

Rosa Dixon: I know. But they, um, they did some interesting things, like, uh, they b- m- midwifery.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Rosa Dixon: They brought that mainstream to the US again.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: Uh, they also are all vegetarians.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: So they kind of led that, that in the late '60s, early '70s.

Scott Hammond: Wait, I got it. Homeschoolers.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. Well, there's a school there.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: They're fully self-sufficient.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So there is a school.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: There's, um, a store. There's a book publishing company.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Anyway, lots of-

Scott Hammond: I've heard of this

Rosa Dixon: … interesting things. Yes.

Scott Hammond: This is not… This is infamous.

Rosa Dixon: Yes, it is infamous.

Scott Hammond: Pretty famous.

Rosa Dixon: I'm just gonna pour us a cocktail 'cause-

Scott Hammond: Okay. Get that done. You-

Rosa Dixon: It's got… It's here

Scott Hammond: … been working, uh-

Rosa Dixon: You already poured some ginger beer in here.

Scott Hammond: Did I? Okay.

Rosa Dixon: So I don't know how much we're going, but we're just gonna, we're just gonna do it.

Scott Hammond: I think you-

Rosa Dixon: We don't know. We don't know

Scott Hammond: … I think you're in charge here. I think you're…

Rosa Dixon: We don't know. We don't have any, uh, anything to measure by from. Oh, could I have your… What is that?

Scott Hammond: Oh, that, that's the ginger beer.

Rosa Dixon: D- cock beer?

Scott Hammond: Cock and Bull, uh-

Rosa Dixon: Oh, Cock and Bull.

Scott Hammond: … extra ginger soft drink, uh, and Moscow mule mixer.

Rosa Dixon: Perfect.

Scott Hammond: There you are. Oh.

Rosa Dixon: Here we go.

Scott Hammond: Oh, this is a first. Eric Hollenbeck, I was telling you, did his own, uh, drinking on, on air.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, but you didn't join him?

Scott Hammond: Thank you very much. I did not, no. This is a first.

Rosa Dixon: I think that's very strong.

Scott Hammond: This is?

Rosa Dixon: I think so.

Scott Hammond: This could be, this could be… Joni, help me. This could be a disaster.

Scott Hammond: No. Okay.

Rosa Dixon: We don't know. We don't know.

Scott Hammond: Hey, cheers.

Rosa Dixon: Cheers.

Scott Hammond: To the communes and all the, um, the f- the people out on communes.

Rosa Dixon: The communes and the people on the communes. Well, how about-

Scott Hammond: And the, and the hippies.

Rosa Dixon: Well, why don't we toast to Humboldt Made?

Scott Hammond: Let's toast to Humboldt Made.

Rosa Dixon: Yes.

Scott Hammond: And who's the guy that does Humboldt Distillery?

Rosa Dixon: Uh, that's Abe. Um, and yeah, he does a great job and-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … is that strong?

Scott Hammond: Delicious and strong.

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That's really strong ginger beer, too.

Rosa Dixon: Ooh, yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: Is it strong enough?

Rosa Dixon: We feel it.

Scott Hammond: I, oh, yeah, no, it's gonna, yeah.

Rosa Dixon: It goes right to the head.

Scott Hammond: Is that…

Scott Hammond: Maybe you. Not, not me. Uh, so where… So you grew up at The Farm.

Rosa Dixon: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Till when?

Rosa Dixon: Um, so I was born there, and I kinda moved on and off.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: Were you bor- birth there, too?

Scott Hammond: Home-

Rosa Dixon: I was

Scott Hammond: … home, home birth?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, I was born there.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: Um, so when I graduated high school, I moved to New York City.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Which I did, uh, you know, as, as every 18-year-old, uh, commune kid does.

Scott Hammond: Oh, my God.

Rosa Dixon: And I did a few… You're really gonna learn about it. Most people don't know this part of my life.

Scott Hammond: I love it. Yeah, tell, please.

Rosa Dixon: So, um, I did a few interesting things when I was there. Well, for one, I realized that, you know, not going to college and being 18 and living in New York City, I could make a lot of money bartending and waitressing.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: And so I started doing that.

Scott Hammond: And pouring strong drinks.

Rosa Dixon: And pouring very strong drinks.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: That'll do it.

Rosa Dixon: That'll do it. And then I was a personal assistant-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Rosa Dixon: … uh, who I actually met through the bar, um, for a film company.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Uh, the owner of the film company, which is Jersey Guy Films-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … which later sold to Danny DeVito.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: Um, and so I spent about four years as a personal assistant to the owner of that, which was an incredibly fun job.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: I traveled all over the world and-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … showed at Cannes Fest and-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … you know, did events and-

Scott Hammond: This is at 18 or 19, 20?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, 18, 19, 20, 21.

Scott Hammond: Fun.

Rosa Dixon: And then I decided, well, you know, I had traveled all over Europe. I had been to all these bars and restaurants and clubs.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And bottle service was really a thing in Europe.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Rosa Dixon: And so when I came back and I decided I was, they had sold the company, and I wanted to do something different, I was like, "You know, New York City needs to do bottle service."

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So a group of my friends that I had waitressed with, um, we formed a consulting business. And so we would work with nightclubs as they opened and staff them and, um, get them up and running-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and then move on to the next one.

Scott Hammond: So what is bottle service, for those of us that don't know?

Rosa Dixon: Well, pretty much what I just did.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: I opened up a bottle of alcohol on the table-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … gave you a mixer, and walked away.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha.

Rosa Dixon: So instead of cocktails, which is very trendy now-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … uh, in New York, it was bottle service. But I would've charged $250 for this bottle.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Rosa Dixon: So it just, it changed- … kind of the trajectory of how, um- How New York City club life was.

Rosa Dixon: So-

Scott Hammond: Huh, interesting

Rosa Dixon: … and then after that, I left New York and realized that I have a passion for cooking-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and became a chef, and wound up in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Wow. So where did you go from New York to Humboldt?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, so I-

Scott Hammond: Back to the farm?

Rosa Dixon: No. Um, I moved to, well, I moved to Asheville, North Carolina.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Cool town.

Rosa Dixon: Yep, it's a very cool town, and then I moved here from there.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: So yeah, and-

Scott Hammond: So Humboldt wasn't a big mystery when you came to f- from the farm and from Asheville.

Rosa Dixon: Well, so funny enough story, um, I know a ton of people from the farm here.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's funny.

Rosa Dixon: So my, uh … So I own a- another company, not just executive director of Humboldt Made.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: I am the co-founder and CEO of Natural Decadence.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And our brand is Raised Gluten Free, and my co-founder is also from the farm. We grew up together.

Scott Hammond: That's funny.

Rosa Dixon: And we've been best friends our whole life.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Rosa Dixon: Uh, we moved to New York together, we lived in Asheville together, and then we lived here together.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And so Milia is my, my business partner. She was at the event that I met you at as well, and-

Scott Hammond: Right. Right, I may have met her

Rosa Dixon: … yeah, she's, she's wonderful, and-

Scott Hammond: For the Rotary. Hey, Rotary. Rotary. Rotary.

Rosa Dixon: Hey, Rotary.

Scott Hammond: What's up, Rotary?

Rosa Dixon: That was the Sunrise Rotary. We're just plugging you guys away.

Scott Hammond: Arcata Sunrise- … meets every, they're either Thursday or Friday morning.

Scott Hammond: I forget.

Rosa Dixon: They're Friday morning-

Scott Hammond: Are they Friday?

Rosa Dixon: … at 7:00 AM.

Scott Hammond: Are you part of them?

Rosa Dixon: No.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: But I present all the time.

Scott Hammond: You know, Rotary's kind of a cult.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, I could totally see that.

Scott Hammond: I can't-

Rosa Dixon: But I didn't say it

Scott Hammond: … yeah.

Rosa Dixon: I just wanna be clear.

Scott Hammond: No.

Rosa Dixon: I wasn't the one that said that.

Scott Hammond: No, no. Let me, let me clarify. So the farm … Would, so would the farm be a cult?

Rosa Dixon: Well, that's a funny story, because, um, I didn't ever associate it with a cult.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And then I started listening to this podcast a few years ago.

Scott Hammond: Is it a cult?

Rosa Dixon: And it was called Am I in a Cult?

Scott Hammond: Is that the one with the two women?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Hilarious.

Rosa Dixon: And, and-

Scott Hammond: We love that show

Rosa Dixon: … yeah, it was amazing. And I'm listening to it, and I'm going, "Oh, my goodness."

Scott Hammond: May- maybe.

Rosa Dixon: "I was born into a cult."

Scott Hammond: Maybe.

Rosa Dixon: And so then I asked, um, I asked my business partner, I said, "Did you know that the farm was a cult?" And she was like, "Yeah." So then I asked another friend of mine. I was like, "Did you know that the farm was a cult?" And they're like-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Rosa Dixon: … "Yeah." So then I asked, you know, my, my, my, you know, my parent or whatever. And it was like everyone knew this except for me.

Scott Hammond: Good.

Rosa Dixon: So-

Scott Hammond: You're better for it.

Rosa Dixon: So yeah.

Scott Hammond: Who cares?

Rosa Dixon: You know?

Scott Hammond: Yeah, so one of my favorite podcasts, so we list- Joni and I listen to that, Mary Kay is a cult, Taylor Swift is a cult.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Fine, like upgrade, like crazy upgraded wine cult.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: The Wine Society of-

Rosa Dixon: Ooh, I would love to be in that cult

Scott Hammond: … that's an interesting episode. I didn't know there's 20, $30,000 bottles of wine.

Rosa Dixon: I know.

Scott Hammond: Are you kidding?

Rosa Dixon: I know. Well-

Scott Hammond: Um, and of course, Esselon and all the old darker ones, the Jim Joneses, and so they explore them all. And they cuss a lot.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: I suspect there's drinking on that set, too.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, I r-

Scott Hammond: My goodness

Rosa Dixon: … I really curse a lot, too, but I'm gonna keep it toned down, 'cause you're my… Uh, you know, I did four interviews-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … earlier today on live radio, and they-

Scott Hammond: Was there drinking on those?

Rosa Dixon: No, they were in the morning. I don't know how to suggest that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Morning cocktails.

Scott Hammond: Hear, hear that, Nick? So yeah, I, um, so you, you came from back east and came to Humboldt.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, so, you know, that's one of the amazing things, um, about being raised in community. You really, um, crave community.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And so that's been such an amazing thing with stepping into my role as executive director of Humboldt Made-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … um, is I love for us all to work together and to collaborate.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, I'm not… I'm a very competitive person with myself, but I'm not competitive with other people.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And I- … believe in supporting and uplifting everyone, and that was really the morals that came from the farm, and it was about-

Scott Hammond: Nice

Rosa Dixon: … us working together on a collective bigger picture, and I feel like that's kind of what Humboldt Made's about. But before I get into Humboldt Made, let me get back to my business-

Scott Hammond: By all means

Rosa Dixon: … and then we'll get there. I'm, I'm gonna take us through the whole path here.

Scott Hammond: I'm following you.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Go ahead.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: You got this.

Rosa Dixon: So, um, I had been, I had moved to Humboldt, and I was, I had started a, um, a catering business for specialty food. I did a lot of wedding cakes. That was kind of my thing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: I love, um, cake decorating, and I love baking and creating, and I just found it so fulfilling. Um, and my youngest daughter, I have three girls-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … uh, got very sick when she was a baby, and she was actually misdiagnosed with a terminal illness-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … that she does not have.

Scott Hammond: Good.

Rosa Dixon: She was misdiagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And we were living in and out of the hospitals. She was-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … diagnosed as failure to thrive, and we were transferred out of the area.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And we were at Stanford for, uh, only about 20 hours when she was diagnosed with celiac disease.

Rosa Dixon: And-

Scott Hammond: It was that easy, 'cause Stanford's amazing.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. And at that point I was like, "What is celiac disease?"

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And the one and only cure is removing gluten from your diet. And I was like, "I can control this through food?"

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: That's incredible.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So, um-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … at that time, my business partner, childhood best friend, co-commune raised friend, Milia-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … said, "Well, why don't we start a gluten-free bakery?" Um-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Rosa Dixon: … I have a severe tree nut allergy. My older daughter has a whole host of allergies, and Milia had developed, at the same time as my daughter was sick, um, adult onset food allergies.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And, like, we just couldn't eat anything. We used to go around the world, travel the world enjoying food, and it went from, like, that to nothing.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And this was about 14 years ago.

Rosa Dixon: Hmm. And it wasn't, like, it wasn't that popular then. And the stuff that was gluten-free and egg-free and dairy-free and nut-free just tasted terrible.

Scott Hammond: It was taste-free.

Rosa Dixon: Taste-free So we decided to do something different- Mm-hmm … and do something better. And s- we really missed the comfort food, and being from the South in Tennessee- Mm-hmm … uh, we missed pie. Mm-hmm. So we were like, "Let's just start a little pie company- Mm-hmm … and let's just make pies and sell them at the farmers market, two moms, best friends- Mm … baking together. It's gonna be so much fun." And we did love cooking together. We were in business for about six months. Um, we were in the local food stores, um, and I received a one-line email from someone that had a title of Whole Foods Food Forager.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And I really thought it was made up, because that doesn't sound like a real thing, and the email said this- Yeah … "Are you interested in selling to Whole Foods?" Wow. So I thought it was spam. Mm-hmm. And I just replied, "Obviously." And with it, it was not spam, and that was a real job. Good. And within two weeks we were down at the regional office. Mm-hmm. They had… So-

Scott Hammond: Were they in Texas?

Rosa Dixon: Um, so they, at that point, they did regional buying. Hmm. So their regional office is Emeryville.

Rosa Dixon: Hmm. And so that's in Northern California office.

Scott Hammond: How many stores does Whole Foods have?

Rosa Dixon: So Whole Foods has about 350 now. Hmm. Um, at that point, I think it was around 250. Hmm. Um, and so, you know, we were tiny. I mean, we were, we were renting an event hall kitchen at Redwood Acres by the day, you know? Hmm. Like, we- Hmm … we didn't have our own space and… But I'm someone that will literally, like, I'll run to the edge of the cliff and jump off and just trust that my parachute's gonna open. You know? Hmm. I'm that person. Oh. Um, I'm not the person that checks the parachute 20 times and goes through- Right … the classes. So I'm like, "Let's go."

Scott Hammond: Let's do it.

Rosa Dixon: Like, I'm- I'm a true entrepreneur.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: That's- that's what we do.

Scott Hammond: High risk.

Rosa Dixon: High risk.

Scott Hammond: High reward.

Rosa Dixon: Let's go. Let's do it. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I… You know, I get asked all the time, like, "What would you say to- to up-and-coming entrepreneurs?" And I would say, "It's 10 times the amount of work, it's gonna cost 10 times the amount of money, and it's gonna be 10 times the benefit."

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: So that's my thing. So anyway, we were down at the regional office at Whole Foods. Mm-hmm. And let me tell you what, our community rallied behind us to get us ready for that. The SBDC actually did these- Mm-hmm … mock, um, meetings with us-

Scott Hammond: Wow …

Rosa Dixon: 'cause we didn't know what to expect.

Scott Hammond: Was that Greg Foster at the time?

Rosa Dixon: Um, it was Sandy and Michael Kraft.

Scott Hammond: Michael Kraft.

Rosa Dixon: I know. Who-

Scott Hammond: Shout out to Michael … Michael. Former guest.

Rosa Dixon: He's- he's my board president. I was just on a meeting with him right before I came here.

Scott Hammond: Turns out he's a pretty cool guy.

Rosa Dixon: I know. He's great. What's up, Mike?

Scott Hammond: So.

Rosa Dixon: So. So we get down to Whole Foods, and we're prepared. We're ready for them to hammer us, and we're dressed in suits. I mean- Bang … heels and suits, and we look good.

Scott Hammond: They're in jeans.

Rosa Dixon: And we say, as soon as the door opened, I said, "Wouldn't it be so funny if everyone was in jeans and a hoodie?"

Scott Hammond: Hilarious.

Rosa Dixon: And they were.

Scott Hammond: Of course.

Rosa Dixon: And, uh, we walk in, and we're ready to just negotiate, and they're like, "So we love your product, and we don't have anything like it." At that point it was a chocolate vegan pie- Mm-hmm … that was gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free. It was, it just checked all the boxes. Wow. "And we would like to bring you into Northern California." And we said, "Okay, here's our price." And they said, "Okay, great."

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And that was it. Wow. Um, those two people, who was the food forager, Harv, and Brad, who was the buyer, became very close friends of ours. Wow. And, um, is probably the biggest fans of Humboldt I've ever met. Hmm. So we launched to Whole Foods within the first year.

Rosa Dixon: And over-

Scott Hammond: Which is a big deal.

Rosa Dixon: It's a big deal.

Scott Hammond: It's a pretty big deal.

Rosa Dixon: And the county really showed up. Headwaters actually gave Redwood Acres a grant, and they built out our kitchen- Wow … 'cause we were still renting by the day. Mm-hmm. And so us and a couple other businesses got a shared space at Redwood Acres- Mm-hmm … and it was really amazing.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: Um, it was just so incredible. I felt so lucky to be here in Humboldt.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: And during that time, Humboldt Made was just starting. Huh. And that was Angie S- Schwab- Mm-hmm … and, you know, the board was just kind of this all-star board. Don Banducci- Mm-hmm … and, um, you know, Clint Victorine and, uh, Bill Prescott, just all these amazing people. Hi, Bill.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Bill. Hi, Don. Don's amazing. Yakima guy.

Rosa Dixon: They're still on my board. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Are they still your, uh-

Rosa Dixon: All- all- all still on my board.

Scott Hammond: So describe Humboldt Made. What is it-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah …

Scott Hammond: what's that all about? And- and I- I know can't shout out everybody, but-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. S- So

Scott Hammond: is Lacey still part of that, the cookies?

Rosa Dixon: Um, so Emran's never actually been a part of it, but I'm gonna pull him back in. Mm-hmm. That's actually a great reminder. Hmm. So Humboldt Made's mission started 14 years ago, and it really started from the county, and they wanted to have just support for local businesses and develop economic development- Mm-hmm … and support for the makers in particular, because makers are a little different than retail. Makers have- Mm-hmm … the potential to grow really big and still have the money circulating in our community.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha.

Rosa Dixon: So the mission was to grow within the Redwood Curtain and beyond, and that's still the mission today. So I was on and off the Humboldt Made board throughout the years. Um, and as my business grew, I was less involved, and then I would have a little bit more time, and I would get more involved- Hmm … and it was kind of this, uh, on and off. Mm-hmm. But I always loved the, the nonprofit. Um, so over the next You know, 13, 14 years. Um, I'll skip to the punchline. We are now in about 7,500 retailers across the country.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: Um, we have 18 different products. I, um, we do the, all the private label for Walmart baking mixes. Hmm. We do private label for Sprouts. We just launched to Target with our brand last week in all the Target stores. Wow. I found us in our local store, which was so exciting.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that was cool. And

Rosa Dixon: really fun.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: And, um, so our business really has thrived. Uh, we ended up, um, having to take kind of a different model and moved our manufacturing out of the area- Hmm … because, um, having a frozen food company where you truck frozen food in and you truck frozen food out- Doesn't work … doesn't work in Humboldt County, unfortunately.

Scott Hammond: So where are you now?

Rosa Dixon: So we manufacture- Yeah … at a couple locations across the country. Hmm. So we're in about 34 distribution centers, so our- Hmm … manufacturing is close to each of those hubs of distribution.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Rosa Dixon: And we have amazing local partners. Mm-hmm. Um, the Littlefield family, who own Eureka Natural Foods- Mm-hmm … they're partners.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Rick.

Rosa Dixon: Hi, Rick. Um, and then- Oh,

Scott Hammond: Rick's up in here.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, hi. I forget that we're videoing.

Scott Hammond: Rick and I are, are Rotarians together.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, right. Are you-

Scott Hammond: And we're not cultish.

Rosa Dixon: But you're Noon Rotarians?

Scott Hammond: I am.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, you're the Nooners.

Scott Hammond: Eureka.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: We're the Nooners down in Eureka.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: We used to be a big club.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: It's still the biggest club.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: But it was, like, the rock and roll club of all time.

Rosa Dixon: Wow. You guys need to invite me to come present.

Scott Hammond: Um, you're invited.

Rosa Dixon: I'm a great presenter.

Scott Hammond: I bet you are. No doubt about it.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, so Rick's a partner. They're awesome. Um, the HIC, which is Humboldt Investment Company, which is Cedar Rubin and George Schmidtbauer are partners. Yeah. So we have some really amazing-

Scott Hammond: Shout out to Cedar. Yeah. What's up, Cedar?

Rosa Dixon: You just know everyone.

Scott Hammond: He's my friend. Okay. He's a great guy.

Rosa Dixon: He is a great guy. Yeah, he's a sweetheart. Cedar was actually our first partner, and it was-

Scott Hammond: How about that?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, it was Jess, um, you know, who passed away.

Scott Hammond: Jessica Pearl?

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm. Yep. Uh, talked to me about the difference in investors. Hmm. And after hearing her story about Cedar, I was like, "I want him to be my partner." Hmm. And yeah, I love Cedar. So anyway, so that's kind of our story, um-

Scott Hammond: It's a good story.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So let's… I wanna g- I, I wanna almost do a quiz show. I don't have any notes.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So, um, Larrupin sau- Larrupin Dill Sauce part of your thing?

Rosa Dixon: So, okay, so let me talk about Humboldt Made then.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Rosa Dixon: So then Humboldt Made, I stepped into the role a year ago. Mm-hmm. And Humboldt Made, um, really thrived in the beginning, and it really thrived with Ilana Goldsmith- Mm-hmm … as the executive director. Hmm. Um, and she was the executive director for seven years.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Rosa Dixon: And Humboldt Made kind of always struggled in the model of member-driven- Mm-hmm …

Rosa Dixon: nonprofit. And we're not quite big enough or cool enough to get funding from the county or, you know, th- that type of support that chambers get. Mm-hmm. And we are a 501 (c) (3) , which is different than a 501 (c) (6) . So Humboldt Made needed to create a revenue source- Mm-hmm … which Ilana did, and that's where Friday Night Markets came from.

Scott Hammond: Really? Okay. So

Rosa Dixon: Humboldt Made puts on the Friday Night Markets.

Scott Hammond: That is y'all.

Rosa Dixon: That is us.

Scott Hammond: Do you ever g- you b- Do you ever go?

Rosa Dixon: Do I ever go? Sure. I went to every single Friday Night Market this year.

Scott Hammond: I've been in there where you couldn't get parking.

Scott Hammond: It's crazy.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah. Well, I hope you can never get parking. I hope there's always 7,000 people there.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right. So, um,

Rosa Dixon: so Humboldt Made, that's kind of… That was the big, uh, thing that we did, and that's… It was kind of a, you know, that's how we support the makers. Hmm. And then COVID hit. Right. And so our member- Hmm … driven thing didn't really happen, and Humboldt Made kind of took a few spins in different- Hmm … directions. Mm-hmm. And then, um, I… You know, I have a very full-time job. My day job is v- very full-time. I travel, um, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods. Hmm. Kroger and Albertsons are my personal accounts. Yeah. So that's where I'm at. Hmm. And, um, so I like having a little bit of a passion project, and I had just completed one of the nonprofits I had been working with, which was, um… My kids are really into horses, so I had gotten involved in the horse world. And I just finished that. I just formed a nonprofit and kind of moved out of two years of, you know, being the board chair. And I was telling Ilana how I, I really, I really feel like I need something new. Hmm. And I had planned on something fun like writing a book.

Scott Hammond: That's fun.

Rosa Dixon: That, that seems really fun. I was like, "That would be amazing." Oh, you got a book?

Scott Hammond: Got a- Yeah. Got a killer book.

Rosa Dixon: Awesome.

Scott Hammond: My book. Yeah. Anyway.

Rosa Dixon: Well, tell us about your book.

Scott Hammond: Well, it's about fathers and parenting.

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: And mothers that parent like fathers.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Single, single parents.

Rosa Dixon: Interesting.

Scott Hammond: It's all about parenting.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, cool.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: My book would've been a little more risque. No, I don't know what it would've been about, but it would've been more, like, lifestyle-

Scott Hammond: Sure …

Rosa Dixon: um, stuff and-

Scott Hammond: You can still write it. There's time.

Rosa Dixon: Uh, there's still time.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. But

Rosa Dixon: she's like, "Well, I have another idea." Hmm. "Why don't we stop by Six Rivers on our way home?" Mm-hmm. We were at the beach, and so we stopped by Six Rivers. And, um, she, she, Meredith Maher, who was- Hmm … the board chair of Humboldt Made at the time, and she said, "Meredith, Rose is looking for a project." Uh, and they both said, "Oh, you should be the executive director of Humboldt Made." Wow. And I said, "Absolutely not. You're completely underestimating the amount of time I have. I have maybe five to 10 hours a week," you know?

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: And they, um- … honestly got me very drunk, and then- … convinced me I could do it.

Scott Hammond: And you said yes.

Rosa Dixon: And I said yes.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Rosa Dixon: And it has been one of the most fulfilling things-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … I've ever experienced. So that was 2024 in October.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And I just, I, I always said, you know- … running Humboldt Made and being involved in Humboldt Made was my dream job.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: I always said that. And so I really feel like I had the opportunity to experience my dream job, and it's been-

Scott Hammond: That's cool

Rosa Dixon: … so fun. Um-

Scott Hammond: I register all the products in the journal when I see the little ads in the journal.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, there are so many products.

Rosa Dixon: So w- you know, you asked about Larrupin Soft. I- interesting thing is Larrupin actually isn't even made or owned here anymore.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: But it's still an iconic product.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Rosa Dixon: So, you know, there's that, and then there's, like, the local products that are, like, literally made here, and then there's the local local products that are, like, grown here and made here.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So it's kind of an e- really amazing different levels and-

Scott Hammond: Right

Rosa Dixon: … community and all that sort of stuff.

Scott Hammond: So Tom Pagano, is he still making Tomaso's pasta sauce?

Scott Hammond: He-

Rosa Dixon: So he sold his business.

Scott Hammond: So he's do- he's-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … oh, okay.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, but, but there's new, there's new owners, and-

Scott Hammond: How about Matthew at the tofu shop?

Rosa Dixon: Matthew sold as well.

Scott Hammond: He's such a great guy.

Rosa Dixon: I know. So Matthew used to make tofu for my business.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: And, um-

Scott Hammond: Oh, Matthew's cool. Hey, Matt

Rosa Dixon: … yeah, so I… So he, but he sold his business.

Rosa Dixon: So there's-

Scott Hammond: Right

Rosa Dixon: … you know, there is a… People sell, and they move on, and-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Rosa Dixon: … you know, but there's amazing new up-and-coming-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … um, food businesses. I mean, you have Dick Taylor on your, on your table. They're not up and coming, but-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Rosa Dixon: … they-

Scott Hammond: Oh, Dick Taylor.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: Have you heard of them?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, I have heard of them. So Dustin, Adam, Rosa, and Melia, so Melia's my partner-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … we s- kind of started our businesses at the exact same time.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's funny.

Rosa Dixon: And so we've been each other's supporters, and we've helped each other out, and they're just amazing people.

Scott Hammond: They're great guys.

Rosa Dixon: And I keep saying, and I think I'm gonna do it one day, me and Melia wanna dress up like them for Halloween.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Rosa Dixon: We're gonna have, you know, the banjo-

Scott Hammond: Sarah and a mandolin

Rosa Dixon: … and the whole thing, and the whole thing.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: So, um-

Scott Hammond: That could be iconic. That'd be fun.

Rosa Dixon: That could be fun. But yeah, so we, we, um, we've had a lot of funny stories about each other and, and just kinda learning how to grow our businesses-

Scott Hammond: Nice

Rosa Dixon: … together 'cause it's, it's really hard, like, when you don't know, and you don't… You have no experience. I mean, they, they, they were carpenters, right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Like, they have no idea what it takes to make chocolate, and they just did the best job of anyone, right?

Scott Hammond: Still do, and still do.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, exactly.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, they're amazing.

Rosa Dixon: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: So, um, that's amazing.

Scott Hammond: Nice guys. It's funny. S- after a show, I'll see Dustin, you know, sweeping down at the factory, and I, I go, "How does it, how does the adjustment from a- the adulation of Saturday night to Monday morning sweeping?" And he just, he goes, "It's my day job." He goes, kind of relieved.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I go, "Okay, that's good."

Rosa Dixon: No, they're, they're, they're amazing on every level.

Scott Hammond: Super humble and-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … super cool. So, uh, do you wanna talk about some of the brands real quick?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Um, that we would know, and then-

Rosa Dixon: Yep

Scott Hammond: … let's talk about Humboldt Made, and let's talk about your product, too, and where we could find those. And then we're gonna go into the quiz show.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, no. I don't like quizzes.

Scott Hammond: Good, then-

Rosa Dixon: Oh, no

Scott Hammond: … there will be a prize. Go ahead.

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: I mean, well, I'll wait on that, but-

Rosa Dixon: I'm getting nervous

Scott Hammond: … tell me, um… It's okay. It's, there's a lot at stake here.

Rosa Dixon: Uh-oh.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wait. Oh, wait. Okay, so tell me-

Rosa Dixon: But I'm not gonna know any answers. Are they trivia quizzes?

Scott Hammond: No, no.

Rosa Dixon: Are they quizzes about what we talked about?

Scott Hammond: They're questions that are only in your heart-

Rosa Dixon: Okay, great

Scott Hammond: … you could answer.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, great. I like this.

Scott Hammond: We-

Rosa Dixon: I like this

Scott Hammond: … we could do, we could do those.

Scott Hammond: You, you-

Rosa Dixon: Okay

Scott Hammond: … already know the answers. Um, so-

Rosa Dixon: Okay. I'm gonna win that

Scott Hammond: … so Humboldt Made, what are some-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … of the big products that everybody would know?

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Well-

Scott Hammond: And what are the up-and-comers? Let's go-

Rosa Dixon: Okay

Scott Hammond: … let's go spectrum.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Um, so do you know Hum Yum?

Scott Hammond: Nope.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. You should know Hum Yum.

Scott Hammond: I've heard, heard of it. What is it?

Rosa Dixon: So Hum Yum is a caramel company-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and she makes hard, like, soft candy caramels.

Scott Hammond: Ooh.

Rosa Dixon: And she has this, like, I'm gonna say 500-year-old wrapping machine-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … that's really incredible and really beautiful.

Scott Hammond: Hm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, she also has a caramel sauce. Also fun fact, the owner, Alkya, was my head baker for six years.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Rosa Dixon: So when she told me she wanted to start her own business, I was like, "I will totally help you do that. Let's go."

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, she's amazing. So that product is sold almost everywhere in Humboldt County, including, like, you know, fancy gift shops. Um-

Scott Hammond: I think I saw some at a Friday, at, at that store down in Old Town-

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah. Yeah

Scott Hammond: … next to the Linen Closet.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, the, um-

Scott Hammond: The local store.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, the Humboldt Mercantile.

Scott Hammond: Yes.

Rosa Dixon: Yes.

Scott Hammond: That's got a lot of cool products.

Rosa Dixon: Yep, really cool products. Um, so one of the things we're doing in Humboldt Made is we got a grant from Headwaters, and so we-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … are taking four businesses to the largest trade show in the world-

Scott Hammond: Whoa

Rosa Dixon: … the food trade show, um, called Natural Product Expo West, and my business will be there. And so I got the two booths next to my business.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So we'll have a Humboldt row, which we've done before-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … pre-COVID, and so this is really exciting. So those four businesses is Maka Pierogies.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Do you know her pierogies?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. I think so.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, she was at the Rotary event.

Scott Hammond: Which one?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, the one that we went to?

Scott Hammond: Oh, yes, she was. Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. Um, and then we're bringing, um, Jersey Guy Scoop. You know them, right?

Scott Hammond: Of course. Had them on the show.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Yep, Tomas is here.

Rosa Dixon: Yes, Tomas is amazing.

Scott Hammond: That'll be fun.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, that'll be fun. And then, uh- … Romalina Pesto.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: They're coming.

Scott Hammond: Really? Okay.

Rosa Dixon: And-

Scott Hammond: She's been around a while

Rosa Dixon: … well, so she sold.

Scott Hammond: She actually sold.

Rosa Dixon: She sold to these amazing sisters, Uma and Eda.

Scott Hammond: Hm.

Rosa Dixon: And they bought the pesto, and they bought Diane's Sweet Heat-

Scott Hammond: Oh, nice

Rosa Dixon: … and the ATL. What's ATL? The Arcata Theater Lounge. That. Yeah. So they are these young women under the age of 23. Wow. And they just are so impressive. Wow. I have really enjoyed getting to know them. They're smart, they're hardworking. Mm-hmm. They have done an amazing job. So they built a manufacturing facility to produce for that, and they also do the production of Tomaso's. Oh, wow. So they do a lot of things. Okay. But so they'll be there, and then, um, shroom shots- Hmm … which is a supplemental shot, uh, for immune, not for alcohol- Mm-hmm … but they might wanna consider that. That would be great, too, you know, a pairing.

Rosa Dixon: But anyway. Always thinking. Always thinking. So those are the four businesses that are coming to Expo West. So- Wow. Where- I would say some up and coming When's the event? Um, it's in March. Wow. Where, do they do it in Vegas? No, uh, Anaheim. Oh, fun. Yeah. And it's where, like, you know, I can contrib- I could attribute about, um, probably, like, $6 million in revenue to my company from going to this show. Wow. Like, it's a significant- Next level. Yeah … show. Everyone is there. Whole Foods is there, Sprouts is there, Trader Joe's is there, Target is there, Walmart is there. Wow. And then, and then Eureka Natural Foods is there- Huh … which is another big thing that we did this year. We did the Eureka Natural Foods brand story. Do you see the posters when you go in? I do, yeah. Yeah, they're all over the walls. Yeah. And that's been really amazing. We're gonna try and duplicate that in- Wow … all the grocery stores in the county- Wow … because every Humboldt Made product has a story, and it has an owner that lives here. Yeah. And, um, so Humboldt Made, you know, we've done lots of things. Um, and one of the things during COVID was we s- uh, the county really heard a call to action- Mm-hmm … that we needed to support our local community, our local businesses. And because the chambers are very city-focused- Mm-hmm … Fortuna, Eureka, da, da, da, that didn't really make sense for them to run the countywide, so Humboldt Made ran it. Mm-hmm. Um, and it was called Choose Humboldt, and it was a partnership between- Oh, right … the chambers, between the cities, between the county. So th- last year, um, there was another call to action from our local community, and, um, the Eureka Chamber put out, and the city of Eureka put out a survey to the businesses. And the results were devastating. Hmm. One in every four business was looking like they had to close their doors in the next 12 months- Wow … if we didn't do something to support them. Wow. So we kind of, the county, all the cities, all the chambers, all the community partners said, you know, "Humboldt Made, let's start Choose Humboldt again." Hmm. So we have done that. Mm-hmm. Um, we write weekly articles in the Time-Standard. Um, we do an app. Have you heard of this app? Which app? Choose Humboldt? It is… Yeah, the Choose Humboldt app. Mm-hmm. Wow. So we just finished our first, um, shop local series. Mm-hmm. And it's a gamified app, so it, you get points from engaging. Oh, fun. And we had over 80,000 engagements. Hmm. Um, the businesses really saw a lift in that, and- That's cool … we just launched the next app, which is Dine and Stay. Hmm. So that's about dining, um, at our local restaurants- Mm-hmm … and supporting them, and then it's also about our, you know, staying, so our hotels. Right. And this is the shoulder season, so it's the perfect time to have a staycation. Mm-hmm. We're also marketing to out of the area. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. And Choose Humboldt really is about we choose to live here, and so we need to choose to spend here. Amen to that. 'Cause every time we support a local business here, we are supporting our community, we are supporting our friends, we are supporting our teachers. Preach. We are supporting everyone. Yeah, good. Good word. So that's our big message. So, so forget about Geico, man. Oh. Oh, I had to get that in there. Hey, quiz time. Oh, gosh. Okay, we're already onto that? Humboldt Made. Lots of spots- I didn't even get to the fire relief stuff. Oh. But we'll, we'll go to quiz. Let's go. Oh, let's do the fire relief, yeah, and then you can do all the shout-outs. Um, so real quick, what do you like about living in Humboldt? Just, that's not the quiz. That's- Oh, okay … that's a shoulder question. Okay, great. We're, we're transitioning. Okay. Um, I love the community. I'm here for the community, and the beach. The beach, the community, the redwoods, right? So what is, what is community to you? So for me, community is, um… We had a devastating start to this year. Hmm. Um, that fire in Arcata was terrifying.

Rosa Dixon: Right. It was so, um, grossly impactful- Hmm … to the community. Sev- It was on my birthday. Oh my gosh. I know. I'm so sorry. We were in Ashland watching it. Wow. It was so weird. And the first responders saved that city. Oh my God. I mean, it could've been so much worse. But seven businesses lost their business. Talk about heroes. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Um, and so within 48 hours of the fire, we had a meeting with over 50 community leaders- Hmm … pulling together, saying, "What are you doing? What are your specialty? How can you do this?" Da, da, da. And the Arcata Chamber really led that drive, you know. Meredith is now- Hmm … Arcata Chamber executive director. Mm-hmm. Which they could not have made a better choice. Hmm. And she was like, "We need to not duplicate. We need to work together. We need to- Hmm … divide and conquer," and we did. And within one hour, we had a plan of how we were gonna- Wow … approach this and how we were gonna support our businesses, the residents, the city, and the community. And th- for me, that's what Humboldt is all about. That's pretty cool. In an hour. One hour. It was amazing.

Scott Hammond: That's crazy.

Rosa Dixon: What, what we can get done in one hour is incredible.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Um, so a few things about that.

Rosa Dixon: Um, after that meeting, you know, Humboldt Made, we're really good at doing press. I'm, I love writing press releases, though-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … Hank had some things to say about my most recent press release, but we won't get into that.

Scott Hammond: Hank. Shout-out to Hank Sims.

Scott Hammond: Hey, Hank. She didn't like it?

Rosa Dixon: Well, no comment, Hank. No comment.

Scott Hammond: No com- Hank's a great guy.

Rosa Dixon: Anyway, so, um, you know, I thought I would just be kinda like a backend supporter, and then the local PG&E, um, team approached Humboldt Made and said-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … "Hey, we-

Scott Hammond: You were saying this

Rosa Dixon: … we really want to support our local business community. We wanna donate $50,000 to them."

Scott Hammond: Sweet.

Rosa Dixon: So-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … we have had other pledges, Redwood Capital Bank-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … Coast Central and Cal Poly.

Rosa Dixon: And-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … um, so over the next four months, Humboldt Made will be accepting funds for the, um, businesses impacted by the Arcata fire.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: We have a committee that is being formed- … of community leaders-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … that will, um, oversee the funds and help- … quantify kind of the losses and how to distribute them. The Arcata Chamber is doing a survey to really understand the needs of everyone.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And, um, so, you know, it's just incredible.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: It's an incredible thing. And then we'll disperse the money in April.

Scott Hammond: Hey, I forgot to do this.

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: If you're just joining us, my new best friend, Rosa Dixon.

Rosa Dixon: Hello. He remembered my name this time. I feel so honored.

Scott Hammond: I remembered it last time. So by the way, we're talking about Arcata. So those that don't know anything about the Arcata fire.

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: January 2nd, the day I turned 66.

Rosa Dixon: You look very good for 66.

Scott Hammond: Thank you. I, uh, I do what I can.

Scott Hammond: The, um, a half a block in downtown Arcata burnt to the ground in high winds. Could have been far worse. Could have been way worse. And, uh, everybody rallied. Ferndale, Rio Dell, Willow Creek- I mean, people came from all over, right?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: And rescue, and just made, contained this thing that could have burnt, uh, historical Arcata downtown, and it didn't.

Rosa Dixon: And it did not.

Scott Hammond: Hallelujah.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, it, it, it's devastating what happened-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … but it could have been so much worse.

Scott Hammond: Oh, my gosh.

Rosa Dixon: So.

Scott Hammond: And my wife was really losing her mind over Northtown Books, 'cause we bought kids'-

Rosa Dixon: Absolutely

Scott Hammond: … grandkid books there for decades now, so yeah, just really tough to see. You know what's really weird-

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … is going by the fire now-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … and hearing the smoke detector beep.

Rosa Dixon: I know. So here's the thing-

Scott Hammond: The-

Rosa Dixon: … and this is my other preach to this story, is, you know, the businesses that lost their business, it's terrible. But also, people are not going to the businesses around that.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So we really need everyone to go to APD-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … to go to the businesses.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: G- I mean, we need you to support Arcata right now.

Scott Hammond: My Inner Theater sh- is still showing movies, right?

Rosa Dixon: Absolutely. Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: And Don's Donuts still has donuts?

Rosa Dixon: Yep, totally.

Scott Hammond: Hensel's still has hardware.

Rosa Dixon: Yes, it does. They reopened the next day.

Scott Hammond: I like that when you do that. That's even more pronounced.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: So-

Scott Hammond: They're, they're great. I, I was in there, and they were just, like, so mellow and-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … gracious and-

Rosa Dixon: It's amazing. And so that- … was part of what came out of that, uh, you know, power hour, as I'll call it-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … is we were like, "Okay, we need to do a fundraiser."

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So, uh, January 30th, 31st and February 1st, there is an Arcata, um, kinda porch party where everyone is having fundraisers.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: There's over 40 businesses participating.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: And it was really kicked off by Hum Brews, who has-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … over 25 bands-

Scott Hammond: Wow. That's Shelly, right?

Rosa Dixon: … that are playing, yeah, through the weekend.

Scott Hammond: You know Shelly?

Rosa Dixon: I don't know her. I met her on Zoom with this meeting.

Rosa Dixon: She's, uh-

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I mean, Shelly, she's cool

Rosa Dixon: … during the power hour.

Scott Hammond: Good sommelier.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. She-

Scott Hammond: Hi, Shelly. Shout-out. And they have a Frank Zappa band coming, like a, uh, I think before this, but yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: She's got some bands coming in, uh, like 25?

Rosa Dixon: 25.

Scott Hammond: Are they local?

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: Are they Humboldt made?

Rosa Dixon: Uh, most of them are. So-

Scott Hammond: That'll be fun

Rosa Dixon: … yeah, Brett McFarlane's kicking it off.

Scott Hammond: Yep.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, doesn't get more Humboldt than him.

Scott Hammond: Hey, Brett.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: On the show.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Did his song. Did the Humboldt song just to kick off.

Rosa Dixon: I, I'm sure he did.

Scott Hammond: My daughter, who's a podcaster, sh- she goes, "We just can't find it anywhere online, but the acoustic version is on your podcast."

Rosa Dixon: Oh, so that's what he's playing. He's doing all, uh, acoustics.

Scott Hammond: Great.

Rosa Dixon: And, um, so anyway, so that's gonna be a whole weekend. And so come out to Arcata. Support Arcata.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Um, it's gonna be really fun. I'm gonna be there. I'm gonna be there at every event. I'm gonna try every single one.

Scott Hammond: Every band, too?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, I'm gonna try.

Scott Hammond: There'll be a lot of bands. Hey, quiz time.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Oh, gosh. Okay.

Scott Hammond: You're just so amazing, so-

Rosa Dixon: We're back to that. I thought, I really thought that I was gonna get away with not doing this.

Scott Hammond: No.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Nice try, though. You-

Rosa Dixon: Okay

Scott Hammond: … you made the quick attempt.

Rosa Dixon: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: Um, but hey.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: I raised nine kids, man. I know what I'm doing here.

Rosa Dixon: Nine?

Scott Hammond: Yep.

Rosa Dixon: You have nine children?

Scott Hammond: 11 grandkids.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, nine children is insane.

Scott Hammond: With Joanie, not just with, like, combined.

Scott Hammond: I mean, just organic, on the farm, cult-like homestead.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. What are the age range?

Scott Hammond: Done.

Rosa Dixon: Let's do a quiz.

Scott Hammond: 42 and 21.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, okay.

Scott Hammond: Five guys and four gals.

Rosa Dixon: So you did, like, every two years?

Scott Hammond: Pretty much.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Nursing does that.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Nursing birth, as birth control.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, okay. Oh my goodness, that's so cult.

Scott Hammond: You would know that from the farm.

Rosa Dixon: That's so commune.

Scott Hammond: So cult. Oh, we'd ground our own wheat and had Levis and-

Rosa Dixon: Wow

Scott Hammond: … homeschooled and got weird and-

Rosa Dixon: That's amazing

Scott Hammond: … and now we're better.

Rosa Dixon: That's amazing. I You have nine children

Scott Hammond: We do

Rosa Dixon: I love that

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I love 'em. They're all g- pretty good citizens

Rosa Dixon: Should we do the quiz on you?

Scott Hammond: You could, but we're not going to.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, okay.

Scott Hammond: We're gonna do it on you.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: This is y- this is your show. I get to do this all the time.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Plus Nick's gonna interview me one day.

Rosa Dixon: Does, do, but do all your listeners know that you have nine children? Or is that new news?

Scott Hammond: Apparently they do now.

Rosa Dixon: And do they know that you don't use birth control except for breastfeeding?

Scott Hammond: Now that's out.

Rosa Dixon: They do now.

Scott Hammond: It's all out, man. It's… You outed me, man. There, there you go.

Rosa Dixon: Now you know-

Scott Hammond: Wait, wait

Rosa Dixon: … why Julie loves me

Scott Hammond: Che- cheers. Cheers to that. Here we go. Okay, question number one.

Rosa Dixon: Should I tell a Julie story? Okay, question number one.

Scott Hammond: You can.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: But you gotta quiz first.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, let's quiz it.

Scott Hammond: Oh my gosh. Okay, question number one.

Scott Hammond: What, what is fulfilling to you, what's most fulfilling and what's most soul-crushing-

Rosa Dixon: Uh

Scott Hammond: … in your life that you like to do and y- you don't like?

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Wow, that's a great question.

Scott Hammond: Thank you. I thought of it myself.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. So, um, in 2021, I was very obese, and I was very unhealthy, and I was having a lot of, like, physical challenges-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … in my life.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: And, um, I come from a line of obesity, and so, um, that was something genetically that I struggled with. Um, and I just made the decisions that that cannot be my life, that cannot be who I am.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: I cannot experience that. So I joined a gym-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … and I lost 70 pounds.

Scott Hammond: Wow, good for you.

Rosa Dixon: And I'm, um, very passionate about physical and mental health. And so I try-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … and go to the gym every day.

Scott Hammond: Where do you go?

Rosa Dixon: Uh, I go to The Club-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … in McKinleyville.

Scott Hammond: Good place, yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. I like it there.

Scott Hammond: There's two clubs.

Rosa Dixon: I like it there a lot.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: There's c- there's two clubs, and-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … they have all the things I like.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: And they have a nice pool.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, I don't swim. I don't wanna get in a bathing suit.

Scott Hammond: I'm a, I'm a swimmer.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, you are?

Scott Hammond: I have a Speedo.

Rosa Dixon: Oh my gosh, I would-

Scott Hammond: I had nine kids

Rosa Dixon: … I would love to see this. That should be your podcast cover.

Scott Hammond: There he is in the… It's, they're Mark Spitz. It's a Mark Spitz. It's not a-

Rosa Dixon: It would be you in a Speedo like this.

Scott Hammond: Can you imagine?

Rosa Dixon: It would be like this.

Scott Hammond: Yes.

Rosa Dixon: With nine kids next to you.

Scott Hammond: Could you imagine?

Rosa Dixon: I can.

Scott Hammond: Good one.

Rosa Dixon: I've already imagined. I've already designed it.

Scott Hammond: Oh, man.

Rosa Dixon: I'm in marketing.

Scott Hammond: I'll never hear the end of… Yeah, that's… I'll never hear the end of that one, Nick. That's good. So anyway, so to your story.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, so that, that is something… What, what was the question?

Scott Hammond: What's life-giving? What's soul-crushing?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah. So that's life-giving to me, to be able-

Scott Hammond: So your workout is key.

Rosa Dixon: I work out.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: I, I feel amazing. I'm in a, I'm in great health. I turned it around.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: I literally, like, I, I think I, I think I, um, reversed the clock 10 years.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, I have no, I have no reason to think that except for that's what I think.

Scott Hammond: Do you do resistance training, like weights or anything?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, I do lifting. I lift.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: So I, well, I lift and I run.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Rosa Dixon: … but mostly I lift. I love lifting. I injured my back, but before that, I could lift twice my own body weight-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Rosa Dixon: … at this weight, um, which was-

Scott Hammond: My son's a bodybuilder, our 21-year-old-

Rosa Dixon: Oh my gosh

Scott Hammond: … our baby. He could put up 465 at HealthSport.

Rosa Dixon: That's amazing.

Scott Hammond: Shit, he owns the record.

Rosa Dixon: That's amazing.

Scott Hammond: At 18, he had the record.

Rosa Dixon: You know, I would love to do bodybuilding at one point.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: But right now, I don't have time to, like, weigh my food-

Scott Hammond: He's-

Rosa Dixon: … and do the this, do the the-

Scott Hammond: He does it all and cut 30 pounds and-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, it's, it's a whole thing. It's a whole thing

Scott Hammond: And he, he's totally, like, a fanatic.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So what's soul-crushing?

Rosa Dixon: Soul-crushing for me, um… So honestly, my biggest soul-crushing situation is I'm a very positive person. I'm a very, um, community-driven person, and it's very hard for me when there are people that don't w- that, that wanna compete-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and don't wanna collaborate.

Scott Hammond: Ugh.

Rosa Dixon: And it feels very challenging, and it feels very-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … soul-crushing because I feel like we just are gonna turn our own wheels over and over and over again. Like, you're just riding a bike, a stationary bike-

Scott Hammond: It's crazy

Rosa Dixon: … trying to get here-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and we're never gonna get there.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: And so-

Scott Hammond: And they're out there

Rosa Dixon: … and, oh yeah, they're out there.

Scott Hammond: The obstructionist mofos.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, and I just-

Scott Hammond: Yeah, they're everywhere

Rosa Dixon: … I'm like, "We could all get along. We could all-"

Scott Hammond: We could all-

Rosa Dixon: "… be so good together," and-

Scott Hammond: Well, we could compromise and meet in the middle, and I think there's… So that's my pet peeve.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Here comes the whole dad in me.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, let's hear it.

Scott Hammond: I'm not gonna do that now. It's just-

Rosa Dixon: Ah

Scott Hammond: … no, there's people like that, that they're, they're heard, and then it's, "You've been heard."

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: "Sit yourself down."

Rosa Dixon: Yep.

Scott Hammond: "Captain, you've been heard. We voted. It's over for you, bro."

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And it's like people can't hear, "Oh, well, with…" Just stop-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … 'cause you, you were heard, and we did our do… And that's democracy, and that's our process.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And sometimes people can't handle that, and that, it makes me a little bit soul-crushed too.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Question number two. You have the whole day to do whatever you wanna do at Humboldt, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Money's not an object.

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: What do you, Rosa Dixon, do with your day?

Rosa Dixon: Oh my goodness. Well, is it summer or is it winter? Give me, give me some, give me some, like, is it raining-

Scott Hammond: It's, it's-

Rosa Dixon: … or is it-

Scott Hammond: … beautiful fall. It's the best season.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, it's October, and we have sun.

Scott Hammond: It's October 15th.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, perfect. Okay, so I'm gonna get up on a Saturday when I don't have to work. Is that the question?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Sure.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. I'm gonna let myself sleep in to 6:00 a.m.-

Scott Hammond: Ooh

Rosa Dixon: … because normally I get up at 4:00, so I'm gonna sleep till 6:00.

Scott Hammond: Wow. Fairly lazy.

Rosa Dixon: I'm gonna be lazy as heck.

Scott Hammond: 6:00 a.m.?

Rosa Dixon: 6:00 a.m.

Scott Hammond: Man, you're really like…

Rosa Dixon: I'm gonna bring my coffee to bed-

Scott Hammond: Whoa

Rosa Dixon: … because I love doing that. That's, like, my thing. I love getting in bed with a cup of coffee.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Rosa Dixon: Um, and then I'm gonna go to the gym, and then I wanna go on a long hike 'cause I just, I love, I love hiking.

Rosa Dixon: I love-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … being outside.

Scott Hammond: Where do you hike?

Rosa Dixon: Um- Pretty much everywhere I like

Scott Hammond: Where would you like to hike on this day?

Rosa Dixon: Well, I'm gonna probably do, if it's beautiful, I'm gonna do Sue Meg 'cause I-

Scott Hammond: Ah

Rosa Dixon: … wanna see the ocean, I wanna hear the whales-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … I wanna see the sea lions.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: I wanna do the whole thing. Um-

Scott Hammond: Nice

Rosa Dixon: … I meant that opposite. I wanna see the whales, hear the sea lions.

Scott Hammond: Hear the sea lions.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: What about, um, Prairie Creek?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, I love that, too, but that's long, a- and, you know-

Scott Hammond: But you have the whole day

Rosa Dixon: … Uh, you have the whole day, but I don't wanna do the whole day doing that. You… 'Cause I wanna do-

Scott Hammond: It's a little bit more of a drive

Rosa Dixon: … I wanna do, like, a two-hour hike-

Scott Hammond: Right

Rosa Dixon: … not a four-hour hike.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: So I've done 13 miles in Prairie Creek-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … and I love it, but I think, I think I like nine miles, and I think I wanna be done at nine miles.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha. What's next?

Rosa Dixon: Okay. So then I'm gonna go eat somewhere.

Scott Hammond: Ooh.

Rosa Dixon: And-

Scott Hammond: Where do you eat when you eat out?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, so I love Cafe Phoenix.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: For brunch.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: If I were to pick a brunch, um, it-

Scott Hammond: Are they vegetarian? Not necessarily.

Rosa Dixon: No, but I'm not vegetarian.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha.

Rosa Dixon: I was raised vegetarian-

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh

Rosa Dixon: … but I'm not vegetarian.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha.

Rosa Dixon: And so, um, they have great food. So I was, I was just there today, funny enough.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, and then I w- have a mimosa probably.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Should I whisper that? I'll have a mimosa.

Scott Hammond: No, you can-

Rosa Dixon: No, I can say that

Scott Hammond: … it's legal in California. Yes, you can do that.

Rosa Dixon: And then we're probably at, like, 1:00 PM, right?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, so then I wanna go to Moonstone.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Rosa Dixon: And I just wanna lay on the beach, and I just wanna soak up the sun.

Rosa Dixon: I wanna-

Scott Hammond: Nice

Rosa Dixon: … when I get warm, I wanna go dip in the ocean, and I wanna do that.

Scott Hammond: Today would've been a day for that. Weird. In January, so warm.

Rosa Dixon: It was so weird.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, it was so nice.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, yeah. And then I wanna go have dinner with friends.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Where?

Rosa Dixon: And-

Scott Hammond: Where do you go for that?

Rosa Dixon: Well, um, I, I like lots of places.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: So I, if I were to go to Eureka, probably Five11 or Brick & Fire.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, those are my favorite.

Scott Hammond: How about Arcata?

Rosa Dixon: Arcata would be Salt or Campground.

Scott Hammond: And how about north of Trinidad, way up on Patrick's Point?

Rosa Dixon: Well, of course. I love Larrupin.

Scott Hammond: Here it comes. Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: I love Larrupin. And I also, I also love, um, you know, I love Moonstone Grill, too.

Scott Hammond: Sure. Delicious.

Rosa Dixon: The view is so beautiful-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Rosa Dixon: … and the food is good and-

Scott Hammond: Magnificent views

Rosa Dixon: … so I kind of, I kinda love it all.

Scott Hammond: I like it.

Rosa Dixon: And then what time is it that I have to end?

Scott Hammond: 9:00.

Rosa Dixon: 9:00.

Scott Hammond: 9:00 PM.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, dang. I wanted to go out dancing, but I guess I'll have to do that another night.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Where do you dance?

Rosa Dixon: Well, the Basement-

Scott Hammond: Like the Bas- Basement, right?

Rosa Dixon: … has some fun, some fun dancing stuff. I did. You know what I did? I, I mean, I, my… I'm almost an empty nester.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: Almost. And I went to the Eagle House for Halloween.

Scott Hammond: Oh, fun.

Rosa Dixon: That is a wild party.

Scott Hammond: We're going Sat- we're going Saturday to see Dirty Cello.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, amazing.

Scott Hammond: She's amazing.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: She plays Purple Haze on a cello.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, awesome.

Scott Hammond: She r- uh, Led Zeppelin, the whole nine.

Scott Hammond: She's-

Rosa Dixon: That's so cool

Scott Hammond: … quite talented band.

Rosa Dixon: Well, this is a little different. I danced in a cage.

Scott Hammond: Oh. W- H- Well-

Rosa Dixon: On Halloween

Scott Hammond: … pray, pray, pray tell Tell us more

Rosa Dixon: Well, we'll just leave it there. I'm just saying, it's a little, it's a wild party.

Scott Hammond: It's a cage dance. Okay, gotcha. Okay. Well, all right. Well, thanks for coming.

Rosa Dixon: And we're done.

Scott Hammond: I'm ki- No, I'm kidding. We're… You're doing great. Um, so the last quiz question I'm gonna bring to you.

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, any regrets in your life? Wait, number three. Top three reg- regrets. Go.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, my goodness. I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Well, let's see if we have a prize for you here.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Rosa Dixon: Um, not going to college right after high school.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Rosa Dixon: That's a regret I have.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Um, I'm gonna just… Uh, w- You said one at first.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, that's the end of the show, people.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: I've been saved by the bell.

Scott Hammond: By the bell.

Rosa Dixon: Saved by the bell.

Scott Hammond: That's the bell-

Rosa Dixon: Saved by the bell

Scott Hammond: … that's the bell for me getting gas-

Rosa Dixon: Oh

Scott Hammond: … on the way home.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, that's his gas bell?

Scott Hammond: That's my gas bell. Unlike a gas bill, which is gonna be way-

Rosa Dixon: Gas bell

Scott Hammond: … louder and higher than that

Rosa Dixon: That's my, that's my Southern accent coming in.

Rosa Dixon: Gas bell.

Scott Hammond: Gas bell?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Well-

Rosa Dixon: I think, I think I answered that question.

Scott Hammond: Hey, n- n- I, yeah, totally.

Scott Hammond: College.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah, college.

Scott Hammond: You can still do college.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, no, not at this point in my life.

Rosa Dixon: Um-

Scott Hammond: Your school's-

Rosa Dixon: I don't need to do it

Scott Hammond: … remote

Rosa Dixon: I- I've, I've learned all the things I need to learn at this point.

Rosa Dixon: I, I will, I will continue on the path I'm continuing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: At one point I did think, you know, as I started my business, like, "Why didn't I just go to business school? I wish I had done that."

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Rosa Dixon: And I talked to one of the advisors at Cal Poly-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Rosa Dixon: … and I was like, "Should I go back to business school?" And they were like, "Well, at this point you could kinda teach the business school."

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: So I learned, um, you know, all the things I needed to learn.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, I'm amazing at Excel and QuickBooks and all that stuff, and then the rest of it is just being an entrepreneur. It's about heart.

Scott Hammond: I thought it'd be fun to go to the Midwest and just live for two years and go to some little Midwest sleepy l- liberal arts school and just study something cool.

Rosa Dixon: Like, what in the Mis- Midwest?

Scott Hammond: I don't know.

Rosa Dixon: Like, are we talking Minnesota?

Scott Hammond: I-

Rosa Dixon: Where are we talking?

Scott Hammond: Who knows? Wiscon- I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Some-

Rosa Dixon: Wisconsin? Oh.

Scott Hammond: Some cool Midwest school that's-

Rosa Dixon: Have you ever been to Wisconsin?

Scott Hammond: I'm from Sioux City, Iowa.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, my goodness. You-

Scott Hammond: And the answer's no

Rosa Dixon: So you don't know about the Cheese State.

Scott Hammond: I really don't. I know there's cheese. I like the Packers. I don't know.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, that's a sports team, right?

Scott Hammond: Correct. That's football.

Rosa Dixon: Okay, good.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Rosa Dixon: Good, good. I'm, I'm on-

Scott Hammond: The Bangers are playing this Saturday

Rosa Dixon: … That's also a sports team, right?

Scott Hammond: Correct.

Rosa Dixon: Great.

Scott Hammond: Also-

Rosa Dixon: I'm winning.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Speaking of winning-

Rosa Dixon: Hey, can, can we hear a bell?

Scott Hammond: … uh, let's see what we have for you.

Rosa Dixon: I didn't hear a bell. Winning.

Scott Hammond: Oh, win- winning. Um-

Rosa Dixon: No, no, no. This one

Scott Hammond: … oh, oh, this bell. Go ahead.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You won. Hey, first of all, in the prize bag you win an authentic Scott Hammond State Farm emery board.

Rosa Dixon: For my nails?

Scott Hammond: Yes.

Rosa Dixon: Because you could tell how, how rancid they are?

Scott Hammond: No, they look fine.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: And, um-

Rosa Dixon: The nail… This is an odd thing for them to brand

Scott Hammond: … not necessarily local, but local feeling. Jill is very cool. Big sponsor.

Scott Hammond: A Dutch-

Rosa Dixon: Who is it?

Scott Hammond: … a Dutch Bros gift card.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, my gosh.

Scott Hammond: For cafe.

Rosa Dixon: My 16-year-old daughter is obsessed with Dutch Bros.

Scott Hammond: So cool.

Rosa Dixon: And I am gonna be the coolest mom ever. Thank you so much for this.

Scott Hammond: You can regift that. Do it

Rosa Dixon: I love it. I love it

Scott Hammond: No, it's funny 'cause there's one in Santa Rosa, and it's bigger than Chick-fil-A.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Chick-fil-A's like the hottest, or Traders or something. And Dutch Bros-

Rosa Dixon: That-

Scott Hammond: And on, in Medford where we go, where our kids-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … grandkids are, Rogue Valley, there's one on every corner. There's like-

Rosa Dixon: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … 75 Dutch Bros. It's like, yeah, cool.

Rosa Dixon: It's such a big thing that when we were in Tennessee on the farm this winter, my daughter was like, "Where's a Dutch Bros?" She found one.

Scott Hammond: Did she find… Really?

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Oh, they're that far back now?

Rosa Dixon: Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah. No.

Rosa Dixon: One. There was only one, but yes.

Scott Hammond: But she found one.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: In-N-Out Burger st- starting that way, too. They're in Texas already.

Rosa Dixon: I don't wanna really admit this on air, but I kinda like In-N-Out Burger. I love the lettuce wrap. It's so good.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah. You can admit that. It's, it's okay. No judgment, man. No judgment zone. And, um, no, thank you. Thank… You did good. So last question, and-

Rosa Dixon: I would like to say that he has a Dick Taylor bag, but I got these two things, so I'm kinda wondering what's left in the bag.

Scott Hammond: Well, you know, I gotta talk to Dustin and Adam about that.

Scott Hammond: Man.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, that's the gas bell.

Scott Hammond: Is that me again? That is so embarrassing. This never happened.

Rosa Dixon: I put my phone on do not disturb. I just would like to say that.

Scott Hammond: I thought, you know, I thought I would be getting gas by-

Rosa Dixon: Have we gone over on time?

Scott Hammond: No, we're fine.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: We're almost done though, so here, here we go.

Scott Hammond: Ready?

Rosa Dixon: Well, do you wanna hear the Julie story?

Scott Hammond: Really fast.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, I can't do it fast.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Rosa Dixon: It's a little… But it's such a good story.

Scott Hammond: I know.

Scott Hammond: Okay, go.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. So, um, they did the women's, uh, conference in Eureka.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: Where, um, not that I'm saying anything bad, but the, the keynote speaker was a man.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Rosa Dixon: Um, so that, so that happened. And so, uh, I was on a panel with these amazing women, and Julie was one of them. And there were lots of questions that were asked, and it was, it was just… It was so empowering. It was, like, Mary Keen, founder of Cypress Grove.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Sure.

Rosa Dixon: Meredith from 6 Rivers, now Arcata Chamber. Um, Alex Stillman was f- facilitating it, which I, I… On that panel, I did ask Alex if she would adopt me, and she said yes, so now I'm part of Alex's family.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Rosa Dixon: Um, and so it was, and it was just this amazing group of women-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Rosa Dixon: … that just would inspire anyone all the time. And so we took questions at the end.

Rosa Dixon: And at the very end, this woman asked a question about, "How do you balance work life with having kids? Because I'm about to have a child, and I wanna know how I could do the same thing."

Scott Hammond: And Julie said?

Rosa Dixon: Well, so there's only two of us that had children, me and Mary, and so we gave our thing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: And then at the very end when, um, they were like, "Okay, and time's up." It's kinda like this.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Rosa Dixon: "Time's up. You gotta wrap it up." Julie said, "Can I just add one other option?" And they said, "Sure." And she said, "You could be a lesbian and do it all." And I just… We just… Everyone just laughed, and it was just… It was amazing, and it was just so-

Scott Hammond: And she would say it with a smile on her face.

Scott Hammond: It was sweet

Rosa Dixon: … and it was just so awesome. Like, yeah, you could be with a woman and just do it all.

Scott Hammond: Julie. I did. Nine kids.

Rosa Dixon: Oh, there you go.

Scott Hammond: Look at, look at us go.

Rosa Dixon: I mean, I'm still looking for a wife, so.

Scott Hammond: Are you? Oh, hey.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Um, good luck with that. So last question.

Rosa Dixon: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Really fast.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Oh, I have another question.

Scott Hammond: In 10 seconds, what, what are we gonna say at your funeral, and what does it say on your gravestone?

Rosa Dixon: Oh.

Scott Hammond: What's your legacy?

Rosa Dixon: Oh, my goodness. Um-

Scott Hammond: Rosa Dixon legacy

Rosa Dixon: … these are really intense questions. And I already have two gifts, and I don't think there's any more, so I don't feel a lot of pressure. But I do think people would say that Rosa woke up every single day trying her best.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Rosa Dixon: Trying to help, trying to support, trying to love, and that's what I hope it would say.

Scott Hammond: Amen. I love that. That's good. Thanks for being here.

Rosa Dixon: Thank you. This was so fun.

Scott Hammond: It was so fun. This is the quickest hour of my week. Hey, uh, Scott Hammond, 100% Humboldt podcast.

Rosa Dixon: He says that to everyone.

Scott Hammond: He, I do. But I mean it. It's genuine. See us on all the, uh, platforms, all the pla- all the podcast platforms.

Rosa Dixon: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: On YouTube, on Access Humboldt TV, and in, in a store near you. And thank you for coming again. Appreciate you.

Rosa Dixon: Thank you so much. This was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it.

Scott Hammond: Me too.

Rosa Dixon: I love, I love podcasts, and I'm a little nervous that there was video. I forgot.

Scott Hammond: It, it'll be fine.

Rosa Dixon: Okay.

Scott Hammond: All right. Thanks again.

Rosa Dixon: Okay. Thank you.