Farmer Seth

Seth Combs spent his last day in CityBeat’s North Park office last Wednesday after 15 months as its arts and culture editor.

“There reaches a point where it starts to feel more like a job than a passion,” Combs says in a phone call. “I’m always going to be a music writer and an arts writer, but right now I feel a bit stifled and need to get back to a place where I really enjoy doing what I do.”

Combs, a North Park resident who has been in San Diego for over nine years, went on to emphasize that “CityBeat didn’t stifle me. It’s a personal decision of mine, and it doesn’t reflect on the paper...I love these guys. They’re like my family. This was a very, very hard decision for me.”

Combs will be moving to his mother’s farm in Maryland in order to actualize his dream of becoming a farmer.

“I’ve always wanted to start my own farm-to-table business, where you deliver fresh food to people. It’s sort of a hobby of mine. My mother lives in a part of southern Maryland where there are a lot of people from D.C. moving in and buying houses, and they all want fresh produce. My mom has a huge farm, so I figure I can do some farming for them.... If they want, I can plant a garden in their yard and cultivate it and get them doing a compost heap.

“As an indication of what the job was like here,” Combs continues, “they’re hiring two people to replace me.”

The arts and culture post will be resumed by music listings editor Peter Holslin and former CityBeat arts editor Kinsee Morlan, who is returning to San Diego from Colorado to write for the weekly.

Says Combs, “I want to start writing again, eventually, but I just need to clear my head a little.”

Go wish Seth the best in his future endeavors when he spins as DJ Meth Combz, Tuesday night, June 8, at Tin Can Ale House, with performances by Black Swans (Jon Piotrowski), Aaron Swanton, and Inkblot Propaganda (Jordan of Primitive Noyes). No flash photography.