The Thornburg Foundation and the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) invite you to an interactive discussion with Jim Habana Hafner, Executive Director at Land For Good, on farm and ranch land issues, including:

• Farm and ranch land access and affordability
• Farm and ranch succession and transfer planning
• Land Linking
• Other land issues facing new and beginning farmers (e.g., land search planning, gaining secure tenure, leasing, affordability, pathways to ownership, etc.)

Jim is particularly interested in learning about and from land access issues and initiatives in New Mexico: challenges and trends, service and policy gaps, and innovative responses. More about Jim and Land For Good below.

When: Thursday September 27, 2018, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Location: MRCOG Board Conference Room, 809 Copper Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
RSVP: by September 21, to: ASimon@mrcog-nm.gov

About Jim: A native of MA, Jim has worked with farmers, NGOs and researchers on land tenure, conservation farming, agro-forestry and watershed management, especially in the Global South. He has graduate degrees in International Agriculture (M.S. Univ. Calif. Davis) and Natural Resources (Ph.D., Cornell Univ.). He has over 20 years experience in program and fund development, outreach and research in international agriculture, community development, and public health. He's taught environmental studies, soil science, and geography at universities on both coasts. Jim joined Land For Good in 2015 as part of a planned leadership succession strategy.

About Land For Good (LFG): LFG's mission is to put more farmers, more securely on more land in New England and beyond. Founded in 2004, we are specialized in farmland access, tenure and transfer – and a national thought-leader on these issues. Working at multiple scales (individual/community to state/region). :LFG combines direct technical assistance with investigation, advocacy, education and capacity building. LFG field agents (current and former farmers) are on the ground across the six-state region, working with farmers, landowners and communities, building partnerships, and strengthening services.To achieve long-term solutions to improve farmland access, LFG develops, promotes and supports diversity and innovation around approaches that benefit farmers as well as landowners and the land. LFG has national presence through its resources, policy advocacy, program consulting, training and speaking.   

With a name like Brewer, he had to be involved in craft beer…at least somehow. In Tom Brewer’s case, the “how” was through production of a key ingredient of the beer making process, hops. I recently visited Tom’s test-plot of Neomexicanus and other standard varieties of hops and was intrigued.

Beer consists generally of three main ingredients, barley or other grain, yeast, and hops. And while local craft breweries have been creating wonderful varieties using interesting local ingredients, such as local honey (Marble’s Wildflower Wheat) and green chile (Sierra Blanca’s Rio Grande Pancho Verde Cerveza, Santa Fe Brewing Co. Green Chile, and Eske’s Taos Green Chile Beer), with few exceptions they not been using local hops.  

Hops grow primarily in cool climates. The Pacific Northwest, specifically the Yakima Valley in Washington State, produces hops varieties found in American IPAs; Germany and the Czech Republic produce hops for European ales and German lagers; and the UK produces hops that create English bitters. In fact, there are more than 200 varieties of hops now being cultivated all over the world—even in New Mexico.

Tom Brewer started his one-acre test plot in Albuquerque’s North Valley with four standard (European) varieties, and four varieties of Neomexicanus hops. The results were so good that he is now encouraging others to join him in the production of hops. He is currently developing a co-op of hops producers and cultivating relationships with craft breweries willing to experiment with local products. Next season he and partner farmers will have 10-12 acres in production.

What are his goals? In the short term he hopes to see more beer brewed with fresh, field picked hops or wet-hops, so called “Farm to Tap” beer. Down the road, perhaps, with enough success, he envisions equipment to dry and pelletize the hops for a more sustainable industry. For now, he is content to continue to grow and expand his test plot, enlist more growers, and promote New Mexico craft beer.

To sample an American lager made with local New Mexico hops see the opportunity here.

View this and other stories in the December 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

Check out the new Bulletin Board and post or browse for ag-related services or items for sale, trade or lease!

Browse the Bulletin Board

Visit and share www.LandLinknm.org. We look forward to seeing you on the site.

View this and other stories in the December 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

Lisa Powell
Resource Specialist, Bernalillo County

Eight full and part-time farm interns/trainees have been hard at work since March. We are nearing the end of our pilot year and looking forward to year two. Grow the Growers is a comprehensive, multi-year farm training and business acceleration program designed to attract new and emerging farmers into professional food production. Bernalillo County and its program partners are committed to strengthening the local food economy by nurturing the next generation of food entrepreneurs by providing the following support:

• EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
• IN-FIELD AND ON-FARM INTERNSHIPS
• PAID STIPENDS FOR FULL-TIME INTERNS
• SMALL BUSINESS MENTORING
• ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE LAND AND WATER

The Grow the Growers program is based at the historic Gutierrez-Hubbell House History and Cultural Center in Bernalillo County’s South Valley. In order to learn diverse farm production and business operation methods, Grow the Growers interns also work with partner farms to enhance their educational experiences.

Despite its rich agrarian history, the South Valley is home to many families in need of better access to locally-grown, healthy food. Grow the Growers interns grow food that is distributed to 350 local families through La Cosecha CSA, a community supported agriculture initiative of the Agri-Cultura Network. Sixty-five percent of families receiving weekly food shares do so at subsidized rates. Proceeds are returned to the Grow the Growers program to support future cohorts of the farm training and business acceleration program.

• BECOME AN INTERN & GROW YOUR POTENTIAL
• VOLUNTEER & SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY
• PRESERVE LAND & WATER
• GROW FRESH FOOD FOR LOCAL FAMILIES

For more information, e-mail or call Lisa Powell at lpowell@bernco.gov, 505.314.0399.

View this and other stories in the September 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

LandLink is a dating site for aggies. No, it’s not Farmers Only or Muddy Matches, it’s a site for lovers of land. The users of LandLink either love to farm and want to find places to carry out their craft OR they are landowners who love their land so much that they want it kept in agriculture production. Either way, they need a place to find each other and since meeting in a bar is hard enough what about on-line dating?

You may have seen or heard us talk about LandLink. Did you know, however, that you can use the site not only to post your land but also your work offerings? And, some new site improvements have made posting and viewing even easier.   

Of course LandLink remains the site for landowners who have land to lease or transition to new farmers or those wanting to expand their farm business. 

If this sounds like you, check out the Resource page and view a sample lease agreement, a sample memorandum of understanding and a great guide to farmland-use agreements in New Mexico. 

While on the site check out our new WorkLink page. This is a great place to post and view farm and ranch related apprenticeships, internships, jobs and business opportunities. 
Our community “bulletin board” is still under construction but once it is up and running it will be a great place for postings related to farm services needed or offered. Visit and share www.LandLinknm.org. We look forward to seeing you on the site.

Visit and share www.LandLinknm.org. We look forward to seeing you on the site.

View this and other stories in the September 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

According to the International Cooperative Alliance, a cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is an autonomous association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled business.

Cooperatives include non-profit community organizations and businesses that are owned and managed by the people who use their services (a consumer cooperative); by the people who work there (a worker cooperative); by the people who live there (a housing cooperative).

Can coops play a role in New Mexico where economic development has been hard to achieve and opportunities have been uneven? A team of speakers in the region last month to address cooperative-based economic development thought the answer was yes!

This work is meaningful for our Agriculture Collaborative as much of the discussion was based on self-reliance, equity, profit and community. All values that we hold dear in the agriculture community. In fact, we covered the topic of cooperatives at our Ag Collaborative back in 2014.

Coops are not new, in fact, they’ve been around since people began organizing into collectives—some say beginning thousands of years ago, others pointing to formalized coops like those in Benjamin Franklin’s days to provide fire insurance in Philadelphia and the Rochdale coop of English weavers in 1844. Today, the economic impact of cooperatives is over $3 trillion in assets and $654 billion in revenues. And that’s in the US alone. One of the largest coops is the Mondragon Coop in Spain which is highly diversified but collectively has 120 companies owned and run by their workers. There are over 100,000 employees and $25 billion in annual sales.

The philosophy in worker owned coops is that there is no wealth redistribution but rather earned profits by the worker-owners. A key tenant of traditional cooperative is economic participation, meaning that coop members share in both the profits and the losses. Other tenants include voluntary and open membership, education, and concern for the community. Can we pull this off in this region? What would be some areas that would be ripe for this kind of organization?

Thanks to Eric Griego, Fred Mondragon, Sandra McCardell, Tim Nisly and others for organizing a discussion about finding ways to implement the cooperative model in this region and using the tool to cultivate jobs and economic development. Thanks also to Steve Dubb, formerly with the Democracy Collaborative, and Michael Peck, from the Mondragon Corporation, for helping us explore this age-old model and how to apply it to meet our needs.

If you are interested in learning more about coops, and some areas we can look at (food aggregation, growing coops, infill development, urban farms, land grants, and other local food, farming and land-based sectors), please contact us asimon@mrcog-nm.gov.

View this and other stories in the May 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

Land is necessary for farming. That goes without saying. However, finding the right parcel, in the right area, with the right irrigation, and on land you can access or afford is difficult. Equally challenging on the landowner side is finding a trustworthy tenant farmer. And once the parties find each other, coming to mutually agreeable terms is yet another hurdle.  

Last month’s panel members: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, Quivira Coalition; Molly Booker, National Young Farmers Coalition; Brent Ricks, Landowner; and Rick Lopez, USDA, did a great job addressing those issues. The panelists discussed relationships and expectations between landowners and land seekers. We covered lease agreements, succession planning, land improvement/preparation and who benefits, duration of leases and their alignment with various funding sources and loans, and key questions to ask as both a land owner and tenant farmer. Questions to consider include information about water sources, water rights, soil types, soil conditions, accessory uses, hours of operation and most importantly expectations.

The information we learned will translate into improvements to the LandLink site. Thanks to everyone for attending and sharing so honestly.

View this and other stories in the April 2017 issue of Local Food Connections.

by Merritt Blankenau

A new food trend is taking place on college campuses throughout the nation: more sustainable, environmentally-friendly, local, cultural, and lifestyle options in the cafeterias. Sitting next to a student at just about any given school’s dining hall, you will most likely find an iPhone, scrambled chem flashcards, and a plate of food infinitely healthier than chicken nuggets or mac-n-cheese. In fact millennials today have increasingly adopted the philosophy, “you are what you eat” and are trading in the cheeseburgers for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and paleo options. 

For the first time many young adults are away from home making their own decisions, students are remarkably choosing to steer away from GMO’s to instead find merit in functional foods that foster a healthy lifestyle. This health movement is in great part implemented by university efforts to incorporate sustainable diet options for students of all backgrounds while bringing forth attention to the reality of the detrimental health dangers of the current Standard American Diet. 

Like fashion trends, the push towards a healthy lifestyle has sprouted along the, you guessed it, East Coast at many of the progressive-thinking universities. As a rising sophomore at decidedly western Texas Tech University, I have lifelong friends spread all over the map, with a good chunk of them attending school in various eastern seaboard cities. In fact, while visiting a friend in NYC in the fall of 2015, I not only found myself mooching off her exorbitantly priced meal plan, but while doing so, I stood in awe trying to decide whether to eat gluten-free fettuccine or soy orange chicken- options that didn’t currently exist at my school. 

Fast forward to present day fall of 2016, environment friendly choices that meet the needs of any health oriented individual are made readily accessible at various dining locations across Texas Tech’s main campus. According to Mindy Diller, the registered campus dietitian, the university’s Smart Choice Program has made “many strides in [their] nutritional support for gluten free and lifestyle choices for food and dining over the past three years” in addition to providing incoming freshman, “detailed menus and columns for quick references for vegan and vegetarian choices.” Thus, the sustainable health movement has made its way across the nation in an exceptionally short amount of time, hitting nearly every college campus in its path including right here in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico. 

Chanel Wiese, an operations specialist in the dining and food services department at UNM, notes that UNM is part of an action plan to significantly reduce food and trash waste in addition to implementing various plant based menus in dining halls throughout campus. These comprehensive efforts have in succession, turned the minds of my generation off to genetically engineered “foods” and on to a selection that will give us the nutrients we actually need to flourish away from home. 

By exposing youth to food grown organically, locally, and sustainably, college campus dining halls are breaking the traditional American eating habits. Instead, diet options that nourish both the mind and body in the best way possible are taking shape one dorm meal at a time.

View this and other ag news in the September issue of Local Food Connections

Interested in learning about a new way to share information and resources with other local food friends? App developer Charlie Wisoff has created an innovative social media platform that can help you do just that through a collection of community interactions to bring about critical attention and reform to the various pressing issues in the Albuquerque community.
Thanks to the creation of CivNet, Charlie has now made it possible for like-minded individuals to do more than just scratch the surface of imperative issues in the local food community in New Mexico. Among the many “action plans” found on the online podium, CivNet has a sector entirely dedicated to the local agricultural population titled “Local Foods Initiative,” where individuals have the opportunity to connect with one another, learn from each other, partner, and collaborate on all levels.

Considering New Mexico’s fertile landscapes and hard working local food vendors, it is no surprise the Local Food Initiative page has gained noteworthy attention by community members across the board. According to a native New Mexican farmer and member of the CivNet team, Xavier Barraza a platform like CivNet is precisely what the local civic community needs in order to make strides in union and thrive in today’s prospering local foods field.

By Merritt Blankenau

View this and other ag news in the July/August issue of Local Food Connections

Several years ago the La Montanita Coop created a micro-lending program to help small-scale New Mexico farmers, ranchers and local food producers access financial capital they couldn’t get from the bank. This fund, now called the “LAM Fund,” provides loans at affordable rates with great repayment terms. Projects can be anything from improvements to help farmers scale production, investments in new crops, or equipment purchases to facilitate the sales and production of new value-added local foods. 

The lending year is in full swing and La Montanita is accepting applications. For more information or to apply for a loan, call Robin Sydell at (505) 217-2027 or click here.

View this and other ag news in the June issue of Local Food Connections

If you think your farms are beautiful (and they are) others will too.

People traveling today want a more meaningful visitor experience and this does not have to mean an overnight stay. Walking through a farm field, helping to pick tomatoes or chile, packing a box for the farmers’ market, or simply enjoying a glass of lemonade on the porch of a farm house are within the realm of agritourism.  

I recently had a great conversation with Chris Goblet, former NM Beer Ambassador turned State Wine Steward. The vineyards in New Mexico, like most of the farms large and small, are full of charm, and many have views that inside establishments dream of. “As the oldest wine growing state in the country we have a lot to be proud of,” he told me. “Many of these operations have been around a long time and have views of the Sandia’s, the Jemez, and the Organ mountains. They’re gorgeous and visiting them should be a part of any tour of New Mexico.”  

In fact, engagement marketing, or advertising a more experiential vacation, is now a buzz word. And many farm operations are already taking advantage of it. Los Poblanos actively markets the Inn as a place pick lavender, walk the ditches and dine from the “purest field to fork menu.” 

On a smaller scale, Old Town Farm has been hosting Bike-In Coffee for several years now on the weekends with great success.

And what about all these pop-up dinners? A summer meal in the midst of an active farm is very appealing, for both out of towners as well as for locals. Dig & Serve has been successful in its pop-ups –targeting primarily locals who want a unique dining experience.   

Some things to consider when becoming a site for agri-tourists: 

• First, you must have a business license and NM Gross Receipts Tax ID number. This is really easy to obtain. Call the NM Tax and Rev Department (505) 841-6200.  Then, contact your local government to see what kind of license you need. If you live in the Albuquerque, click here. If you live in Bernalillo County click here.
• Then you might think about what your “experience” will be? If it is just walking, picking, or packing, you may only need to think about business strategies, like consistent visiting hours, a website with maps and directions, and liability insurance if someone trips and falls.  
• If you want to serve food or beverage, you’ll have to go through a food safety training and obtain an environmental health permit. You can learn all you need about the process when you get your business license.  

For more information on how to engage in agritourism the following are good resources:

1. New Mexico State University and the Department of Agriculture have been doing a lot of work around agritourism. Contact the Marketing and Development Division to learn about using the State’s branding on local food and agriculture products and get connected to their listing of agritourism sites.
2. New Mexico’s nationally-recognized tourism campaign, New Mexico True, can be a boon to your effort. Contact the NM Tourism Departmentto find out more about using the State’s branding.
3. The Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship did a study on agritourism with persuasive stats and terrific tips and pointers. Check it out here.  
4. If you want to co-market your agritourism establishment or experience, give us a shout out and we’ll try to connect you with others. Collective marketing and advertising makes budget sense.

View this and other ag news in the June issue of Local Food Connections

The Mid-Region Council of Governments has been managing the LandLink program for many years. In April of this year we are sending the following letter to nearly 1000 landholders in Bernalillo County to alert them of the program and ask them to assist in growing our local agricultural production capacity. If you know of someone who might be interested in the program, please forward our letter.

April 6, 2016

Dear Property Owner,

I am writing this letter because you claim an Agriculture Exemption on your County Property taxes. If you no longer farm your property but want to keep your land in agricultural production, you may be interested in the New Mexico LandLink program. New Mexico LandLink allows you to share or lease your property for farming purposes allowing you to keep your Agriculture Exception and see your property take on new life through others.

As you may know, with the average age of farmers being close to 60 years old, the agriculture sector is facing a real labor crisis. Fortunately we are seeing a strong interest in farming by young people and displaced workers wanting a career change. A new generation of farmers is returning to the land for many reasons; however, barriers still exist. The biggest among them is the inability to find affordable land for agriculture use. New Mexico LandLink hopes to address this barrier. 

Buying local food is a trend nationally and local agriculture producers in Albuquerque are seeing a spike in demand as well. One Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) operation selling weekly boxes of produce has tripled its clientele in three years (now serving 2000 families). The local natural food store, La Montanita Co-op, selling local and organic products, has seen sales climb beyond $1 million and memberships rise from 3,000 ten years ago to 8,000 today. And, the area’s Farmers Markets are thriving. Unfortunately, despite the rich land resources we have in this region, the supply of local food is limited by the small number of producers still farming. We are hoping to reverse that trend through LandLink.    

Would you be interested in mentoring a new farmer or one wanting to expand his/her farming operation? Or, are you interested in listing your property on the LandLink site as the venue for new farm businesses? Much like online classified ads, you would be in charge of listing everything you are wanting and your listing would be viewed by local agriculture producers hoping to find viable farmland.      

Participation is easy and free of charge. Simply log on to www.landlinknm.org. Create an account by clicking on the link on the lower right hand side. Create a listing and add your property.

If you want to create a listing but are having difficulties, please call Stephanie at 724-3657 or email her at strujillo@mrcog-nm.gov and she will walk you through the process.

Sincerely,

Ann Simon
Economic Development Program Manager

Visit LandLink >

By Tantri Wija
Reprinted with permission from the Santa Fe New Mexican

The holidays are upon us, and you know what that means: errands. Just as the roads get terrible, we all hop into our cars and start whizzing around town, fighting over downtown parking or tromping through slushy parking lots well after dark to stand in line at the post office, acquire decorations, dinner ingredients for dozens of guests and, of course, buy gifts. For people who normally like to put in the effort to buy fresh local produce at the farmers market or patronize Santa Fe’s ever-growing plethora of small food shops, the temptation this time of year to forget all that and buy everything at once at the grocery store can be strong. We want to buy local, but our kids are out of school, our relatives are yelling at us, and we’re busy.

Nina Yozell-Epstein has the solution to that problem, at least.

Yozell-Epstein is, in a way, Santa Fe’s farm ambassador, the personable, personal connection between farmers and those who seek their vibrant, crunchy, succulent wares. Yozell-Epstein is a bona fide, Santa Fe-bred young person, fresh-faced and earnest, but she knows more than many chefs about what goes into growing a great vegetable. Yozell-Epstein has been a farmer, ran the farmers market cafe for three years and was the director of the nonprofit Farm to Restaurant for five years, so she’s used to being the go-between between farmers and consumers. For Yozell-Epstein, business is personal.

“I know these local business owners and farmers. That’s how it started. They are really all friends and family,” she says.

While Northern New Mexico is not a “breadbasket” region, necessarily, there are a good number of small farms producing unique items, products that Yozell-Epstein is intimately familiar with.

“We are acequia-fed still, and farms are one to five acres,” explains Yozell-Epstein, “and that’s because of the landscape and how the farms were set up. Not all the farmland is being used, and that’s a shame, but the Santa Fe Farmers Market is one of the top 10 in the country. I think that’s because we have really unique crops that grow here. We have really traditional, heritage practices. Part of Squash Blossom’s mission is to protect [our farming] culture and preserve it, and keep farming as a viable income stream. The other part is to bring healthy food to our community really conveniently.”

Squash Blossom is Yozell-Epstein’s new venture, a company that incorporated in June and which, up to this point, has focused on bringing local wholesale produce directly from small farms to restaurants.

“It’s easier for the farmers, selling hundreds of pounds, and everything harvested to order for the restaurants,” says Yozell-Epstein. “A farmer will say, ‘Nina, I have a lot of cucumbers this week,’ and I’ll communicate this to restaurants.” Everything is then harvested to order and arrives at each restaurant within 36 hours of harvest, delivered by local company Just the Best, with which Yozell-Epstein has partnered. “And the farmers aren’t just guessing what restaurants want, so there’s no waste,” she adds.

Squash Blossom is truly a hometown business, built on Yozell-Epstein’s personal relationships with food producers and restaurants and, now, with the individual consumers who buy these items to take home. Starting this week, Squash Blossom will begin its direct retail service, allowing people to go to the website and order produce directly from Yozell-Epstein in “Blossom Bags” that can be picked up once a week.

This direct retail model is already going strong among foodies. The blooming popularity of direct-mail companies like Blue Apron (which ships people the aggregated ingredients required to make individual meals at home) and Naturebox (which compiles collections of mostly crunchy snacks to be delivered monthly) speak to the desire of food enthusiasts for fresh, varied foods that they can make at home, as well as their weariness at having to drive all over town to collect things, a pain that Yozell-Epstein knows well.

“I just really love food, and I find myself cooking a meal and driving to eight different shops to get the food. So Blossom Bags were, for me, like, ‘finally.’ ”

Blossom Bags are compiled once a week and are totally a la carte. Consumers can simply go on the website, peruse what is available that week from farmers and food purveyors, and add what they want to their bags. There is fresh, local produce available even in winter, as some of the 20-plus farmers serving Squash Blossom have indoor greenhouses.

“Lots of dark leafy greens can be fine in a greenhouse that’s not even heated,” Yozell-Epstein says. “They actually get sweeter after a frost. The same with some root vegetables. Kale is the yummiest then.”

Yozell-Epstein doesn’t require that her farmers be certified organic — that is, that they’ve gone through the paperwork and paid the fees — but, as she puts it, she “requires that they communicate their growing practices to me so I can educate the consumer, and that they be local.” This information she passes on via her website, so shoppers and restaurants have all that information too.

On the Blossom Bag side of the business, Yozell-Epstein will also be selling things besides produce, local products like pickles from Barrio Brinery, chocolate from Kakawa, coffee from Iconik, cheeses from Cheesemongers of Santa Fe’s local selection, and many of the sauces, mustards, breads and jams from companies like Heidi’s Raspberry Farm or Old Windmill Dairy that you’re likely to have sampled or purchased at the farmers market. If you’re a local food devotee, you’ll quickly realize this saves you an awful lot of running around. Yes, the resurgence of the tiny, one-ingredient local shoppe is a wonderful thing, but it can make for a lot of time in the car if you want to stock your larder with these things. That’s the problem Yozell-Epstein seeks to solve. Plus, she says that the markup is a bit less expensive than purchasing all of these things at the grocery store.

“The beautiful thing about this is that it’s all local,” she says. “It’s the best of Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.” Yozell-Epstein also happily includes products from the rest of New Mexico, and even considers southern Colorado part of what she calls our “food shed” (as in “watershed”). She also hopes to include local, natural beauty products in the bags as well, like soaps and lavender lip balm, further reducing the number of errands her customers have to run.

If you’re a carnivore, though, you’ll still have to run out for fresh meat. Yozell-Epstein says Squash Blossom does not currently offer meat because of “how intimidating the food safety is. It would have to be a whole new way of storing and freezing and aggregating food; I would have to have more freezers. It’s an option in the future, just not right now.” Cured meat products are available, sourced through Cheesemongers of Santa Fe.

Bags should be ordered by any given Sunday for pickup the following Wednesday at Verde Juice, 851 W. San Mateo Road (you can also order Verde Juice in the bags). Yozell-Epstein would one day like to deliver the bags, but for now, since she’s sort of a one-woman band, packing the bags herself, that’s enough to handle.

Squash Blossom will celebrate the launch of their Blossom Bags at a party from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Iconik Coffee, 1600 Lena St. There will be vendors there giving out samples of items available through the service.

Yozell-Epstein said Blossom Bags make great holiday gifts, in case your loved ones have enough scarves and ties — and you can potentially get your grocery shopping and your Christmas shopping done all at once. That, plus a bag full of cheese and jam and winter kale, can be the gift you give yourself.

www.squashblossomlocalfood.com

View this and other ag news in the December issue of Local Food Connections >

I recently returned from a meeting in New Orleans and came back inspired by the excitement and energy around entrepreneurship, including food entrepreneurs.   

Of course the city is marked by Hurricane Katrina in many ways. The pre-Katrina New Orleans had a lagging economy, high unemployment, high crime, and failing schools. Post Katrina, the city began to put itself back together by embracing entrepreneurship as a way to pull itself up. Entrepreneurs found needs in every sector, including the local food sector. Two examples of food-based businesses are Revolution Foods and Naked Pizza.  

Revolution Foods was founded by two moms wanting to address the nutrition value and affordability of healthier school meals.  While the two started by educating children about healthy eating in schools, the company has grown today to one of healthy food distribution for millions of children and families in Louisiana and around the country. These entrepreneurs found a way to address a critical need, while growing a sustainable business.  

The founders of Naked Pizza also sought to meet a need and fill a market niche, offering a healthier option to fast, highly processed delivered pizza with high-fructose corn syrup and other non-nutritious ingredients. This product, a pro-biotic, whole wheat pizza is made with locally sourced, natural ingredients and delivered to your door in under 30 mins. The company sought to support local farmers, employ local residents and provide a product that is delicious and good for you. It is now in countries throughout the world, including the United Arab Emirates and Ireland.    

We can learn from these entrepreneurs whose focus on food business makes economic and health sense. With the growing supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Albuquerque Metro region, ideas like these will be supported. And, the needs in our community include food storage, processing, packaging and delivery. Find support at the Agriculture Collaborative, or attend a 1 Million Cups session.

What’s your food idea?

View this and other ag news in the November issue of Local Food Connections >

by Oscar Perry Abello

La Montañita is a local and organic foods consumer cooperative with around 17,000 members and six stores in Albuquerque, Gallup and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“We do about $39 million a year in sales,” says Robin Seydel, director of membership and community relations. Of that, $6.6 million goes through the Co-Op Distribution Center, a statewide wholesale food hub La Montañita created a decade ago. It carries more than 1,100 local products from over 400 producers, all within 300 miles of Albuquerque. “We even deliver to Whole Foods,” she adds.

A few years ago, as the locavore movement started to take off, La Montañita, which was founded in the ‘70s, faced a new challenge. “Many of our local producers needed capital to scale up to serve the growing local foods movement in New Mexico,” Seydel recalls. Using a new model called co-op capital, which they helped design, producers have since accessed $160,000 in loans, including $75,000 currently outstanding, in amounts from $400 up to $27,000. “We’re now going into our fifth year with this,” Seydel says.

Whether it was because of a lack of collateral, no credit history or negative credit history, or fuzzy citizenship status, local producers simply weren’t able to access capital through existing channels (traditional banks or existing alternatives like micro-lenders).

Knowing full well which products were routinely selling out, La Montañita staff knew if they could find a way to get those producers access to capital, there would be more than enough sales for producers to earn more while still paying a return on the investment.

To address the need for capital, La Montañita found an eager collaborator in the Nusenda Credit Union, New Mexico’s largest not-for-profit credit union. Nusenda had already been thinking internally about the lack of access to capital for a surprisingly large chunk of the market.

“The bar was too high even for middle-income individuals,” says Robin Brule, senior vice president for community relations at Nusenda. “That really signaled something to us.”

In the co-op capital model, instead of producers needing to put up collateral (like a car title or land deed), La Montañita puts up a pool of deposits raised from its members as collateral to Nusenda for loans to individual producers with whom the co-op does business. In this way, co-op capital becomes as much about further empowering members to invest in the local economy as it is about getting the co-op’s producers access to the capital they need but can’t get any other way because of a lack of collateral or credit history.

The minimum investment is $250. As Seydel explains, “We really wanted to see that this was a grassroots effort. We didn’t want big investors. We didn’t want million dollar investors. We wanted everybody in the community to have a little piece invested in the local food system.”

Each co-op member who decides to contribute to the pool of deposits, up to a maximum contribution of $10,000, gets an annual share of the return on investment based on the size of their contribution. “We have paid an ROI every single year,” Seydel says. The first year, they paid a 2.1 percent return. Investors get a check usually the first or second week of February the year after they’ve bought in.

“So we’re not paying a huge amount of money,” Seydel concedes. “But this is nurture capital. Our people are not invested to make big returns, they’re invested because they don’t want to invest in companies that are not good for the environment, that don’t contribute to social justice, that are not local grassroots investing in the local grassroots economy.”

Co-op capital loans have gone for annual seed purchases, hoop houses, new cattle, refrigerated trucks and more. “There’s a wide swath depending on our relationship with those producers, how long we’ve known them, how much they sell to us, how much of their product we sell publicly, how invested they are in the community and how much we want to see them get to the next level in terms of food production,” Seydel says.

Nusenda doesn’t evaluate producers for loans. Instead, it relies on the co-op and its relationships with the producers. The co-op comes up with its own application process, and the co-op makes the final lending decision. Nusenda doesn’t pull credit reports of producers, but, crucially, it does report positive credit for them — helping to build or re-build credit histories.

Bottom line: Nusenda earns a small annual percentage of outstanding loans, producers sell more and gain good credit without having to put up collateral, and co-op capital investors get (mostly) tiny checks annually. La Montañita gets more of their best-selling products to sell or distribute.

“This is really the power of people and creating options for regular people when banking isn’t working,” says Robin Brule, senior vice president for community relations at Nusenda.

The credit union has already begun to replicate the model with other institutions in the Albuquerque area. Deposits from a union help members access loans to pay for certification classes or new equipment. A landscaping company’s deposits help employees access loans instead of having to use payday lenders. A university’s deposits help students access last resort emergency loans so they don’t have to drop out when faced with an unexpected situation.

Nusenda has made over 200 co-op capital loans so far, and the default rate for the model has been less than 1 percent, Brule says.

Currently, she’s serving as an executive on loan to the City of Albuquerque’s Living Cities Integration Initiative, where part of her work includes sharing the model with leaders from other cities in the program.

“We don’t know how big this could be for sure,” Brule says. “We believe this market could be huge, based on what we know from FINRA [Financial Industry Regulatory Authority] reports, what’s happening with people in precarious lending situations, and also how this can deployed in very different ways — business growth or startup, education, or the union-driven skills based/equipment upgrades. It’s very replicable.”

Do you, or someone you know, need help stretching your food dollars? Do you participate in the EBT or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?  If so, there’s a great way to get FREE food dollars for fresh produce at many New Mexico farmers’ markets!

The program is called Double Up Food Bucks and it provides SNAP participants with FREE match for whatever is spent from EBT cards at the farmers’ market. If you spend $20 from your EBT card, you get $20 FREE to spend on produce. If you spend $40, you get $40 for FREE produce. Some markets may have daily Double Up limits. Ask at the market information table!

Participating Markets in the ABQ Area

There are 34 markets around the state participating in Double Up Food Bucks. Find a Double Up location near you >

• Albuquerque Growers' Market at Presbyterian located at 1100 Central Ave. SE in the Presbyterian Hospital Parking Lot. They are open Tuesdays from 7am - 12pm.
• Albuquerque: Rail Yards Market located at 777 1st St. SW, Albuquerque. They are open Sundays from 10am - 2pm.
• ABQ Uptown Growers' Market located at 2200 Louisiana Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque. They are open Saturdays from 7am - 12pm.
• Albuquerque Downtown Growers' Market located at Central and 8th in the Robinson Park, Albuquerque. They are open Saturdays from 8am - 12pm.
• South Valley Gateway Growers' Market located at 100 Isleta Blvd. SW, Albuquerque. They are open Thursday from 5pm - 8pm.
• Armijo Village Growers' Market located at Isleta Blvd. and Arenal Rd. SW, Albuquerque. They are open Saturdays from 8am - 12pm.

Shop now for the best selection of fresh, locally grown produce and double your buying power! Most markets close at the end of October.

This program is brought to you by the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association.

Download poster >

Learn more at www.DoubleUpNM.org.

The Agriculture Collaborative (AC) this month spoke to Celerah Hewes-Rutledge from DNM about BALLE, an organization that works to identify and connect pioneering leaders, spread solutions, and attract investment toward local economies.  The lessons are relevant to entrepreneurs across the region, especially our local food and ag entrepreneurs. 

AC:  We heard that you recently returned from the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) conference.  What are some of the key take-away messages?

CHR:  My main take-away was a clear picture of how connected all of the parts of the local economy really are. Local food, entrepreneurship, opportunity, public policy, tourism, energy are all part of a thriving local economy. Because this year’s conference was in Phoenix, I came away inspired by the support system a state like Arizona has for their local businesses. There is no reason we cannot have a more cohesive local business voice in New Mexico as well.

I also returned with a real interest in exploring the opportunity to have more collaborative discussions about how businesses can work together, and how non-profit and economic development need to have more cross-industry communication. A truly successful local economy includes many pieces; fitting them all together is the challenge. 

Finally, showcasing our diverse local offerings helps New Mexico stand out and will continue to knit the community together.  If we can take on the challenge of how to steer visitors (and locals) to local establishments we make our diverse local offerings part of the collective reason our state is so unique.

AC:  What lessons can we apply to our local food-based businesses?

CHR: I think the main lesson is that food is at the heart of the local ecosystem, so food businesses are in an exceptional position to make real economic impact. While we love to talk about the large successful companies, the real driver of business are the micro businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Because food is such a huge part of our culture and tradition in New Mexico, cultivating more of these businesses makes good economic sense.

Food has the opportunity to touch a wide number of people. Most of our state is considered a food desert with access to healthy foods being a real challenge for many families. The more we can support local food enterprises, the more communities have access to food that is usually less processed, made with more care, and easier to distribute due to its geographic proximity. Local food does not have to mean expensive top-shelf items found only in specialty stores. It can also mean fresh, healthy, and accessible products. Also, local food businesses can make a real difference to a family’s income.  The stronger we make our support networks for local business development and promotion, the more we make real shifts in the daily lives of people all around our state.

AC:  You talk about the importance of networks.  Why are these important?

CHR:  When we talk about support networks for local business, we are talking about the creation of a community. Networks help people to come together, learn from each other how to be successful, share experiences and challenges, and promote their success. Business networks not only build a business, they help to grow it. Many people in food businesses are becoming entrepreneurs because of a passion for their product and since their background is not usually in business management or marketing, these networks are especially important to help them get access to skills and services. In addition, being able to talk with peers who understand their experience first-hand helps new entrepreneurs feel less isolated.

AC:  It’s a global economy.  Why is localism so important?

CHR:  Localism allows people to feel more connected to the place and people where they live and the places they visit. People tend to remember and return to the places where they feel special and local businesses have that built into their character. Customers inherently appreciate a meal that was made with care, seeing the proprietor’s family eating at the table near them, or that feeling of buying a product where you know the story of how it was made and what is in it. For local business owners their drive is often a passion to share something they care about with their customers or clients. With food, this can be even more personal as they are often sharing family recipes that have been passed down for generations or are sources of pride when enjoyed by loved ones.

BALLE demonstrates that local businesses help to build healthy neighborhoods by providing a connection to a community.  This is, in part, because local businesses circulate more of every dollar back into their local economy through local taxes, services, partnerships, and wages. The Institute for Local Self Reliance has shown that a marketplace of small businesses helps to ensure competition, innovation, and low prices over the long term.

AC: What else can we be doing to support our local businesses and does this help the overall economy? What is one small change that Albuquerque businesses can make that will have a positive impact on the local economy?

CHR:  The best thing we can do to support local businesses is to think local first.

Albuquerque businesses can help each other by thinking about other local businesses as potential clients/customers or services that will keep more money circulating in the local economy. Choosing to patronize other local businesses can also build your network of potential clients. Local businesses are more likely to be looking for and sourcing locally accountants, graphic designers, printing, legal advice, etc. while large chains often source all of those services out of state. Just one shift could help a small business make payroll or hire a new employee. As we think local first, we create relationships in our community that will build a sustainable local economy ecosystem.

View this and other ag news in the July issue of Local Food Connections >

Whiskey may be for drinking but here in the middle valley, water is for growing. And this year we may actually have water thanks to some epic spring rains brought to us care of El Nino. For our local food producers, water is key to economic success. The Ag Collaborative (AC) checked in this month with Utton Center Director and MRGCD Board Member Adrian Oglesby to find out what’s up.

AC:  You have recently been named Director of the Utton Center at the University of the NM School of Law. What are some of your goals in this position?

AO—The Utton Center has had some amazing directors, beginning with Al Utton himself, who was a beloved and well respected international law professor specializing in transboundary aquifers.  My focus will be more central to New Mexico’s needs, providing educational resources to the community on Western water law, and the impacts of water law and policy on rural economic development.

AC:  With all the spring rains, can we let down our guard on water conservation?

AO—While the drought appears to be lessening (only 12% of the State is currently classified as in Severe Drought) the rainfall we’ve been experiencing was considered “normal” only a few years ago. We’re likely to see more rainfall this year but our definition of “normal” is shifting. The new normal is less precipitation. The hydro-illogical model says it all.

AC:  What about water harvesting? We hear we can, we should and then we hear we can’t because of water delivery compacts. What’s the scoop?

AO—This is a very complex issue and one that hasn’t been fully resolved in New Mexico. It is true that we have water compacts with Texas and downstream users. To complicate matters, the US EPA has asked us to integrate water catchment mechanisms into our storm water drainage plans, a move that the NM Interstate Stream Commission just voiced concern over as it limits the amount of water we can deliver. More than residential rain barrels, this ambiguous policy makes it difficult for green builders to design large commercial developments with water savings components. It may be some time before we have a clear policy on water harvesting.

AC:  What about grey water? When is it safe and how can/should it be used?

AO—Grey water is really a water quality issue. The NM Environment Department allows up to 250 gallons of grey water per day without a permit.

AC:  You are also a board member for the MRGCD. What’s new?

AO—I am very pleased to be working with a new Chief Engineer Mike Hamman. Mike comes to us from the Bureau of Reclamation, he’s been involved in river restoration issues for many years, he’s worked for the Interstate Stream Commission, and he’s a Taos native. He’s been doing some strategic planning with the staff and has worked well with the board. Also, the election on June 2nd of new Board members will bring new ideas and energy to the Board. The best news is that the District will have water to deliver this year as the rains did allow for some long needed water storage.

View this and other ag news in the June issue of Local Food Connections >

The Street Food Institute (SFI) is an entrepreneur-focused culinary program dedicated to inspiring the success of small, local businesses in New Mexico. SFI supports the development of small business by growing the state’s local food economy and developing strong future business leaders. SFI trains its emerging business leaders to employ sustainable business practices that support local farmers, entrepreneurs, and families.

SFI believes that food has an amazing capacity to connect people. SFI is part of an evolving food culture that seeks to provide increased choices of nourishing and affordable food that are not only tasty, but also build community.

SFI’s purpose is:

1. To become a sustainable and effective catalyst for local economic revitalization in underserved areas; To increase access to nourishing and affordable local food by training entrepreneurs to provide it in smaller community-based venues such as trucks, carts and public gathering places;
2. To reduce some of the barriers to starting a food-related business for aspiring food entrepreneurs; and
3. To support the development of public food hubs that serve community members of all income levels.

SFI works with young adults and emerging culinary students and practitioners to develop the business and technical skills to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. SFI students begin with hands-on training at SFI Food Trucks, where they learn how to make delicious and healthy food using sustainable business practices. Students are then encouraged to employ their skills in the community to innovate their own small businesses that provide more choices for nourishing, affordable local food. By raising the bar for street food, developing local culinarians, and building a robust and active community around local food, SFI seeks to make New Mexico a culinary destination. 

Learn more at www.streetfoodinstitute.org! 

View this and other ag news in the May 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >

We are proud to announce the new Central New Mexico LandLink website! More user friendly, collaborative and statewide!

You can visit the new site at www.landlinknm.org. 

New Mexico LandLink is for people seeking agricultural and local food resources, such as: land for agricultural use, agricultural work or learning opportunities, or agricultural apprentices, interns, or employees.

Why Do We Need LandLink?

Without a doubt there is a growing market for local food in our state; however, New Mexico faces many challenges in meeting this demand – including an aging farmer and rancher population, loss of agricultural land, and soaring land values. Now is the time to create a plan for the future of agriculture in our region. Approximately thirty established land linking programs across the country have similar goals but offer services to meet localized needs. A number of regional partners have provided input on creation of this site and about the best ways to facilitate land linking for New Mexico. LandLink New Mexico seeks to link agricultural landowners and existing farm and ranch operators with the next generation of farm and ranch land stewards.

How Can This Program Help Me?  How Can I Help?

It is our goal to get the next generation of farmers and ranchers onto the land with the support they need to succeed! Support us by getting the word out about LandLink NM. Any feedback, or resources you feel we should know about? Please send them along. Help us make this a valuable resource and tool for our growing agricultural communities.

www.landlinknm.org

View this and other ag news in the May 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >

The Spring Markets have been open for several weeks now, and with so much rain the past couple of days the tents are sure to be filled with amazing produce and products.

The markets are a truly unique and wonderful tool to build both local food economies, and authentic communities. One of the struggles within the local food system is translating the many inherent and intangible benefits into a monetary mold ($$$). So many of the benefits of local food come in the form of things that money can’t buy. They manifest in the presence of community interaction and solidarity, in building person to person trust , in healthier diets, healthier mentalities, and in a population that has a grounded sense of where goods come from, and how the world works. Our farmers' markets are coming into full swing, so lets go support them!

Find a farmers' market near you >

View this and other ag news in the May 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >

All the right ingredients for starting a food business can be found at the Mixing Bowl Kitchen. Located within the South Valley Economic Development Center (SVEDC) at 318 Isleta Blvd. SW Albuquerque. The 3200 sq ft commercial kitchen has been the birthplace of numerous food businesses since 2005.

The Mixing Bowl helps budding food entrepreneurs as well as other community kitchens across the state of New Mexico. Information on how to navigate the regulatory process, educational resources for business planning, and peer to peer network support are all a part of what they do.Ernie Rivera, Kitchen Manager, has a vision for the future of New Mexico's community kitchens. Cooperation is the name of the game, and he is bringing local food experts around the table to form an advisory board for his organization. The goal of the board is to effectively understand what is in high demand within the local food market, and then connect that demand with a local producer (value-added or not). "Its probably not going to be your Grandma's salsa recipe", Ernie says as he explains what kinds of food could really take off in the state, "but a local granola isn't really being done, and that would fly off the shelves." The Mixing Bowl sees the undeniable trend and shift towards local food. "As we look for ways to be more self-sustainable, the food system is a huge part of economic growth, it is the foundation!" Ernie has worked in the food business in New Mexico his entire life, he sees first hand that the spirit to become an entrepreneur is strong here. He also sees many food businesses start up, then close within the year. The Mixing Bowl wants to give start-ups the resources, knowledge, and networks that it takes to get them to the next stage.

Down the road, the role of the Mixing Bowl will be:

• A hub of connections, innovative ideas, and of inspiration. They already have the ball rolling on this with their bi-weekly video conference calls and consistent food fiestas and workshops.
• They want to be a cheerleader and guide for innovators to come out and test their ideas in the market.
• Finally, they are one of the organizations striving to create new paradigms for success, they are actively creating the infrastructure and networks for tomorrow's local food systems.

If you like the stuff going on around the Mixing Bowl, here's a taste of their upcoming events!

The April 17th Statewide Kitchen Workshop Attendees will include active Community Kitchens from Espanola, Taos, Gallup and Silver City will be attending. Other community kitchens that are in the pre-startup phase include; Las Vegas, El Morro, Anton Chico, Ribera, Raton, Edgewood and Lordsburg. The day long conference will provide opportunities for community kitchens to learn how to provide all the right ingredients and inspire the startup of rural food business across the state using the Mixing Bowl model. Additionally NMSU Arrowhead Center has put together a great agenda for the afternoon of session. Pre Start up kitchens will be learning about the business planning side of starting and operating a community kitchen.

Bi-Weekly Video Conference Calls between kitchen statewide are happening. The calls are designed to share successes and challenges between community kitchens statewide.

Chile Fiesta 2015 The Mixing Bowl supports a  thriving food business community, providing growth opportunities and a path to success for entrepreneurs in 2014 the Mixing Bowl in partnership with the SVEDC, South Valley Mainstreet with the support of Bernallilo county held the first ever Chile Fiesta. This years event will be held on August 29 at Gateway Park on Bridge and Isleta. The Chile Fiesta promises to become international in size in the future. Community support was very strong the first year.

View this and other ag news in the April 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >>

To all you local food dreamers, good news: long time efforts to strengthen the local food system and increase access to fresh, locally produced food are showing tangible results. New commercial kitchens are popping up around the state. Culinary entrepreneurship opportunities for young people are expanding. New food trucks, breweries, cideries, distilleries and growers markets have found fertile ground to launch. All signs point to a New Mexico local food system that is deepening its roots. It is encouraging to witness this ongoing transformation. And, now’s a great time for new entrepreneurial foodies to jump in. If you are one of those on the sidelines, here are a couple of tips and resources to help ensure that your local food dreams—be they small farm, food truck, or canned product—get seeded, watered, and continue to thrive for years to come.

Have a plan.

Some small business owners jump in without a business plan. Though things might be booming initially, without a plan, it’s difficult to keep perspective and know when you’re on track to meet your projected goals or when you’re in over your head. Take advantage of the many organizations available to help you through this worthwhile process.  

Keep records.

Budgets, inventories, planting journals, expense logs… Set yourself up for success and know when you’re operating at a loss, just breaking even or really raking it in. Plus, those records help you build on all the knowledge you gain year to year.

Market your business.

Getting the word out about your business can be affordable and pretty simple with a little strategy and effort. There are free and low cost social media options plus organizations that help small businesses reach more customers.

Join the Agriculture Collaborative.

Coming together once a month with peers can be exceedingly helpful for an entrepreneur who is working by him or herself.  In addition to great programming, the Agriculture Collaborative can help forge contacts, connect to resources and answer questions. 
 
These are just a few foundational steps to help sustain your local food dream. Fortunately, there are more resources available to assist you than we can list in this article! But here are just a couple to get you on your way:

• NMSU Cooperative Extension Service—Check out the upcoming comprehensive producers workshop on Friday, March 13th! See the meeting details above.
• Holistic Management International
• Delicious New Mexico
• WESST
• ACCION
• The Loan Fund
• One Million Cups

Happy dreaming!

View this and other ag news in the March 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >>

We are proud to announce that Central New Mexico LandLink is on its way to becoming:

• more user friendly
• collaborative and
• statewide!

Pardon our dust

What changes are we making to achieve those goals?

First, we are creating a new website based on some really successful models from fellow LandLink programs (e.g., California FarmLink and Vermont LandLink).

The new website will include features like:

• search filters,
• verified user profiles that allow each user to create an online posting in real time and
• links to statewide partner organizations that can help users throughout the process and beyond.

Second, we are forming partnerships with service provider organizations around the state to help keep more agricultural land in production throughout New Mexico! Though more partners will join us over time, we are glad to begin this collaboration with:

• the New Agrarian Program out of the Quivira Coalition,
• the Rio Grande Farmers' Coalition,
• the New Mexico Acequia Association and
• the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

The new website will go live in March 2015!

In the meantime, you can:

• Join us on Feb. 20th at the Career Connections event

Learn more about LandLink and post your agricultural opportunity at our current LandLink website.

View this and other ag news in the February 2015 edition of Local Food Connections >>

At the Agriculture Collaborative, we have been blessed with phenomenal interns. We would like to take a moment to recognize some of our current and past interns:  Shade Brusuelas (Summer 2014), Sarah Shaw (2013-2014), Erin Jackson, (2013), and Erin Callahan (Fall 2012).These generous people have shared their talents, passion and energy to help the Agriculture Collaborative fulfill its mission of increasing local food production among small and mid scale growers in New Mexico’s mid-region.
 
Our summer 2014 intern Shade, pictured here, is an aspiring environmental lawyer who was born and raised in Albuquerque and is earning her undergraduate degree at Coe College in Iowa. During her summer internship here at the Ag Collaborative, Shade has been instrumental in reviving the Inspiration Garden, updating LandLink postings, planning the Local Food Festival and Field Day, as well as guest editing this August edition of Local Food Connections. We wish Shade the very best in her studies and beyond, and we are thank you for everything you have contributed, and we bid you a fond farewell, Shade!
 
Agriculture Collaborative internships provide unique experiences in bolstering the local food system here in New Mexico.

Interested in a Fall/Spring 2014-2015 internship with the Agriculture Collaborative?
Contact us at localfoodnm@mrcog-nm.gov or (505) 724-3619. We look forward to hearing from you!

Read this and other news in the August issue of Local Food Connections >>

Organic Farming Gains Momentum Among Traditional Bernalillo County Communities

 “We expect to create about 10 to 15 organic farming cooperatives in Bernalillo County over the next three years,” said CODECE Executive Director Arturo Sandoval. “There is great interest among local residents from traditional communities in organic farming.”

Combined, the three new coops include 27 farmers. Most of the prospective farmers already have deep roots in farming. “Several [of the farmers] have university degrees in agronomy and most grew up farming,” Sandoval said.

This cooperative model integrates organic agriculture, cultural tourism, affordable housing and other cooperative economic development initiatives into a comprehensive regional plan. This, he feels, is a strong approach in promoting and conserving the unique heritage and culture of Nuevo Mexicano families and other communities. It will also provide an economic base for long-term sustainability.

“We are re-focusing existing resources to achieve a 21st century income and sustainable lifestyles for traditional land-based communities,” Sandoval said.

The cooperative model has been an established form of working together for the common good among Nuevo Mexicanos and Mexicanos for several centuries. Communal land grants and acequias—community-owned irrigation systems—have been in place in New Mexico since Spanish colonization began in 1598.

In addition, Native American communities up and down the Rio Grande Basin and across New Mexico used communal irrigation systems for centuries before European colonization occurred. This communal model was, and is, also an integral part of Native Americans social and religious practices.

Sandoval noted that CODECE began operations in fall, 2010, across New Mexico. In that short period, CODECE has helped create 10 co-ops. 

About CODECE

The Cooperative Development Center of New Mexico creates and supports sustainable lifestyles for Nuevo Mexicanos and others through organic agriculture, heritage and cultural tourism and affordable housing. CODECE is the economic development arm of the non-profit Center of Southwest Culture (www.centerofsouthwestculture.org).

Expanded descriptions of Local Food Happenings

Inspire NM Youth! Ag Professionals Needed for Career Day

One Community at a Time:  A New Mexico Network of Food Hubs

If you attended the November "State of Local Food" Ag Collaborative Meeting, you may remember hearing from Sayrah Namaste about recent additions to New Mexico's growing collection of food hubs. Sayrah is the Co-Director of the American Friends Service Committee in New Mexico(AFSC New Mexico). AFSC New Mexico has been helping build the capacity for local food production and distribution through a variety of programs that have, rather organically, resulted in farmer-initiated food hubs. Farmers in four New Mexico counties (Doña Ana, Bernalillo, Mora and Rio Arriba), supported by AFSC, are working to formalize a statewide network to support the production, aggregation and distribution of local fresh food throughout the state.

Attend the upcoming January Ag Collaborative meeting (Jan 8th from 9am-12pm at MRCOG, 809 Copper NW) to learn more about this network of New Mexico food hubs, as well as AFSC New Mexico's programs like Farmer-to-Farmer Training with Sayrah Namaste, Don Bustos, fellow AFSC New Mexico staff and AFSC New Mexico's farmer graduates now participating in the statewide network. Then deepen the "food hub conversation" with a facilitated discussion from 10:30 until noon.

• Meeting pics now on Flickr!
• PDF of Nissa & Kendal's Presentation
• Albuquerque Growing Gardens Team (GGT) webpage
  • NOTE: you can download the "Growing the Outdoor Classroom: a handbook on gardening in APS" from this site.
• Coombes Primary School- England- video:  Coombes Primary School - Taking the curriculum outside the classroom
• Natural Play- UK- video:  6b Natural Play in Schools
• Asphalt to Ecosystems  book ( I also highly recommend their Facebook page):   http://www.asphalt2ecosystems.org/
• Kirtland Elementary School School garden blog (with pictures):  http://kirtlandgardens.blogspot.com/
• Albuquerque Soil and Mulch resources:
  • Soilutions. High quality compost for sale. soilutions.net/
  • City of Albuquerque compost and mulch. Compost  $7.50 per cubic yard, mulch  $5.00 per cubic yard.   http://www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/news/compost-and-mulch-for-sale-to-the-public   (NOTE: I have heard they will give it to schools for free- inquire with a supervisor there)
  • Water Authority compost  http://www.abcwua.org/content/view/87/75/, prices at http://www.abcwua.org/content/view/213/375/
  • Baca's trees. Free wood chips. Call them to get on their list and they will call you when they have available chips. 899-6666
  • Albuquerque Academy- if you are interested in mulch from AA email Kendal at:  kendal.chavez@foodcorp.org
  • Sarah Cobb has  large pile of mulch that is FREE to whomever will come get it. Contact:  sarah_cobb@tomudall.senate.gov,  346-6791
• APS Maintenance and Operations
  • Given staffing and equipment availability they can often provide a truck and driver to transport soil and mulch.
  • Contact Byron Booker, Grounds Manager at 765-5950 extension 358, booker_b@aps.edu

Presenters' Contact Info

Nissa Patterson-presenter:  nissapatterson@gmail.com

Kendal Chavez-presenter:   kendal.chave@foodcorp.org

Despite a few recent scattered thunderstorms, New Mexico continues to forge into uncharted territory in terms of drought and reduced water flow. Farmers and ranchers are trying to find ways to weather this extended drought and sustain their operations.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service helps America's farmers and ranchers conserve the nation's soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment.

CLOSED:  Rio Grande Community Farm AmeriCorps farm intern positions have been filled for the season. Please check back in March.

CLOSED:  ARCA Organics has filled the recent position that was posted here.

News on Local Food in APS

The Inspiration Garden:  A Family Affair

Some of you might have noticed the little plot surrounded by railroad ties, just next to the steps into the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) where the Ag Collaborative and our monthly meetings are housed. That, my friends, is our "Inspiration Garden". Like so many gardens, depending on the time of year and time available, the garden varies in its degree of inspiration. This year, it is transforming into something quite beautiful, and not just in the purely aesthetic sense of the word. A local family has made this tiny demonstration garden a family project!

Please enjoy the collection of '˜family photos' from this inspiring project on our flickr page.

The Ag Collaborative is so excited and grateful to have Erin and daughters Casey, Caitlin, and Cassidy on board as the keepers of the Inspiration Garden. 

Meet Erin Jackson and company. Erin is a UNM student in the Sustainability Studies Program. After a recent talk I had with a Sustainability Studies class, Erin connected with the Ag Collaborative about volunteering with the garden. Since then, the '˜Jackson Four' have dug up, dug in, seeded, transplanted and cultivated a burgeoning salad mix. Gorgeous greens are thriving now, and the next round of planting will involve some locally made ollas watering the three sisters:  beans, corn and squash. 

Erin, Casey, Caitlin, and Cassidy, thank you so much for this incredible contribution.

Warm regards,
The Ag Collaborative Team

Telling Stories

by Jessica Rowland, Lecturer & Education Support Coordinator, UNM Sustainability Studies Program

Everyone loves stories. Remember being a child and begging for just one more bedtime story? Well, at UNM, one of our goals is to encourage students to craft meaningful stories. From the Lobo First-Year Reading Experience to the Writing Across Communities initiative, a variety of campus programs are facilitating effective reading and writing skills for students in all disciplines.

In the Sustainability Studies Program, our aim is to authentically develop each student's effective voice through engaging written, oral, and hands-on projects. This semester's SUST-364 Growers' Market Practicum students had the opportunity to practice telling stories in their ABQ Stew blog pieces. From interviews of local foodshed heroes to '˜how-to' guides on sustainable topics, students shared their perspectives on sustainable food and agriculture in New Mexico.

In Biodynamics in New Mexico, Ian -- now an intern at the Nob Hill Growers' Market -- evocatively writes of his visit to Erda Gardens: "It's a cool but sunny day, and storms mill around the edges of the Rio Grande valley like cattle. Though I'm still in the city, the neighborhood feels like a rural village with its big yards full of old cottonwoods and acequia canals. The fences and stables and mailboxes have all seen several decades since they were new, but the area feels quietly alive."

Lydia -- an aspiring pastry chef -- describes the steps necessary to construct a functional wood-fired oven out of clay bricks. In Back to Basics, she reminds us that "bread has been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years and can be found, in one form or another, in almost every culture in the world. It is amazing to consider how such a simple and humble food, composed of only three or four ingredients, has transcended the boundaries of class, religion and culture. It is a food that has been consumed with equal vigor by both the rich and the poor." 

Benjamin -- a community garden advocate -- asks, "When was the last time you really talked with your neighbors? Do you even know their last names?" In Seeds of Connection: Benefits of Growing a Community Garden, he details how the East Central Ministries Growing Awareness Urban Farm and the Sawmill Community Land Trust garden can help bring people together and build stronger, safer neighborhoods.

The ABQ Stew blog serves as a web-based resource for campus and community members interested in learning more about New Mexico's foodsheds, as well as a hub of information for the Lobo Growers' Market. Let us know what you think about our stories, and don't be afraid to start telling your own!

Sol Harvest Farm:  The greens behind Farm & Table

Become a member of the farm's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). This year, the CSA offers new ways to subscribe:

• Weekly pick up (all 26 weeks of the season)
• Every-other-week pick up (or 13 weeks throughout the season)
• Weekly pick up for a month (just 4 weeks of the season)

See the payment plans online:  solharvestfarm.com.

 Visit the Farm Stand each week:  Wed 3-7pm and Sat 10am-2pm. It's located at 8917 4th St. NW (north of Paseo del Norte). Park at Farm & Table Restaurant. Or find Sol Harvest at the Los Ranchos Growers' Market. You can also volunteer; read about volunteer opportunities at solharvetfarm.com. The farm is on Facebook, too! Farm & Table, La Parada and Sol Harvest Farm often co-host events, so stay tuned to all of their websites for future fun!

03/07/2013

DUE 3/28/13: Farm to School Education Support

Once again, Farm to Table has been funded to help other groups develop their farm to school programs. These programs aim to further a student's curiosity in the world of horticulture and agriculture, and building the connection that eating more fresh fruits and vegetables has in helping their bodies grow strong and healthy.

Examples of these activities can include: school and community gardens, farmers visiting schools, field trips to farms, variety tasting events, creating pollinator-friendly garden environments, AND culinary, nutrition, and health education that have a locally-produced-foods focus.

Are you providing these or other educational opportunities to students in your area? Please let's hear from you! (Even if you are not seeking funding. Would you care to share your story with the rest of the farm to school community with a listing on our brand new website?) This project is supported by the Nirvana Manana Institute and First National Bank.

To apply: Please download the applicaton materials and follow the directions on the two forms.

Email these to Le Adams, Farm to School, by 5pm on March 28th, 2013: Le@farmtotablenm.org.

Questions? Contact Le.
Le Adams
Farm to School Program
Farm to Table
Regional Lead Agency of the National Farm to School Network
618 B Paseo de Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Tel: 505-473-1004 Ext. 10 - Fax: 505-473-3421
find us, like us on facebook: www.facebook.com/FarmToTableNewMexico
www.farmtotablenm.org

Other Farm to School/School Garden Related Funding Opportunities:

a) DUE 4/24/13: Funding-USDA Farm to School Grant Program.FY 2014 - Proposals Due April 24, 2013

Annually, USDA awards up to $5 million in grants for training, operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, and implementing farm to school programs. The USDA will be hosting a series of free webinars from March 5-7 to assist with the application process. More info here.

b) Due 3/15/13: Food Education and Food Day 2013

Food education and food literacy to reduce obesity and diet-related disease are major themes of Food Day 2013.

Food Day has teamed up with the National Farm to School Network and the United Natural Foods Institute Foundation to offer eight planning grants of $1,000 each to schools that are organizing Food Day celebrations during National Farm to School Month (October). Applications are due March 15, 2013 by 5pm EST. http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/apply-for-a-farm-to-school-month-planning-grant/

Reports from the Classroom:  Beyond Pesticides

Growing School Gardens, One Patch at a Time

The Agriculture Collaborate hosted a meeting on February 13, 2013 called Website on a Shoestring.  Local farmers and growers learned how to use free tools to market their products to customers.  Below are links and helpful resources for participants.

Tools:

Site creation:  Google Sites

Image editing and photo organization:  Google Picasa

Product sales:  Etsy or Local Harvest

News:  Facebook, Twitter

Calendar:  Google Calendar

Metrics:  Google Analytics

Other options, if you're feeling ambitious:

Blogging:  Wordpress (Offer RSS on your blog?  Burn your feed to Feedburner for metrics and email sign-up)

Electronic newsletter:  MailChimp

Tips:

Keep the design very simple! (think minimalist)

Content (writing and photos) is the most important and where you should spend your time.

Content tips:

• Include a photo!
• emphasize uniqueness: can't buy this variety in the grocery store
• tell a story about the product, how raised
• describe the flavor in detail, descriptive language
• don't be afraid to be casual: "these eggplant would be amazing with roasted with garlic"
• emphasize health value and educate the buyer in a friendly way (not condescending)
• get personal, talk about your personal experiences growing the product

Next Steps:

Look at the site in a couple different devices or browsers, if possible (Opera, IE, Chrome, Firefox, mobile device)
Email all your friends and tell them about your site, post to Twitter or FB
Print your own business cards and make sure your website address is on it
Edit your "signature" on your email to include your website address
Monitor your analytics, make changes
Set up publishing of photos/updates from your phone.  Check out Twitpic for images to Twitter.

Helpful Links and Resources:

Google Sites:

Google Sites Beginner's Guide

Printable guide on creating a Google Site

Google Sites Help

Configuring Google analytics

Mapping your site to your own URL

How to set up a Google calendar for public use

Sell Product Online:

Etsy

Etsy FAQ

Where to get the Etsy badge 

Example of a bread and jam seller on Etsy  

Local Harvest vendor registration

Where to get the Local Harvest banner, if you're accepted as a vendor

Articles and More:

10 Tips for Good Web Writing | 20 Tips for Writing for the Web

How to Write Good Status Updates for Facebook

How to Write on Twitter | Twitter Manners:  How to Write Good Tweets and be a Good Twittizen

Why Farmers are Embracing Social Media

Social Media for Farmers

Farmers on Facebook, Twitter, Defending Way of Life

YouTube videos of farmers telling their stories

Social Media Tips from the AgChat Foundation

Tamale Loco on Facebook

Great email newsletter example:  New Mexico Tea

Great writing: Monty's Farmer's Journal

Want to blog?  Here's some inspiration:

Farmgirl Fare

Skippy's Vegetable Garden

Tiny Farm Blog

Posie Gets Cozy (natural living)

Questions?  localfoodnm@mrcog-nm.gov

Friday, March 29, 2013 is the donation deadline for the Eagle's Nest Garden Project at Kirtland Elementary School.The Eagle's Nest Garden Project is an experiential learning program at Kirtland ES in which the school community learns about health, science, math, and language arts through the lens of the school garden. We plant, tend, harvest, and celebrate together around essential curricular concepts both during the school day and in APS after-school programing. We aim to reinforce natural patterns of inquiry, curiosity, and interconnection in our students through regular hands-on experience with the natural world.

With the increasing popularity of the garden project, we could use some help! Please donate gardening items from the list below by Friday, March 29th to help us make the most of the growing season!

Contact Kendal Chavez at (559) 972-8449 or kendal.chavez@foodcorps.org. Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday, between 8am to 4pmat Kirtland Elementary School (3530 Gibson Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87116) in Room 1, or in the large garden in the far SW corner of the school. To make weekend or evening deliveries, please make arrangements with the garden coordinator via the contact above. Thank you for your support!

Here is the list of current garden item needs:

• Spade shovels
• Sturdy rakes
• Digging trowels
• Spading fork
• Sturdy hoses and nozzles
• Watering cans
• Hay bales
• Potting soil
• Seeds
• Xeriscape plants
• Herb cuttings or starts
• Shade and fruit trees
• Baskets for harvesting
• Magnifying glasses
• Rebar
• Twine

Again, thank you for your support!

Co-ops Rock Practicum

by Jessica Rowland, Lecturer & Education Support Coordinator

The spring semester has just begun at UNM, and theSustainability Studies students are already hard at work! There is an exciting and relevant new course being offered in our program: Maggie Seeley'sCo-ops Rock Practicumpresents a hands-on exploration of New Mexico co-ops and their impact on the local and regional economy.

The course made its debut last fall, and is now back by popular demand. Last semester, students studied the cooperative business model - which is based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equity and solidarity - and explored how co-ops reinvest profits in their members, staff, organizational infrastructure and the community. Ultimately, students created 14 case studies on food, housing, electricity, farms, credit unions, schools, art, biodiesel and seed cooperatives. Some of the co-ops that were researched include:

• Fairfield Farm & Market, an Albuquerque-area farmer co-op that is comprised of five young growers who have found their land through theCentral New Mexico LandLink Program. See the feature article above for more on Fairfield Farm & Market.
• La Casita, a parent cooperative school in Santa Fe that provides a positive, creative learning environment for students in preschool and kindergarten
• Bountifuel Energies, a biodiesel co-op with 23 members who collect waste veggie oil from restaurants in Albuquerque, and recycle it into clean-burning fuel
• Yucca Art Gallery, a 40-member artist cooperative in Old Town Albuquerque that returns the majority of the art sales to individual artists
• Greenbriar Townhouses, a housing co-op in Albuquerque that provides quality, community-based, low cost homes
• CODECE, a northern New Mexico cooperative of about 70 families that promotes organic agriculture, cultural tourism and affordable housing
• The Permaculture Credit Union, a financial cooperative in Santa Fe that fosters sustainable lifestyles through low interest micro-loans for environmentally-friendly investments, educational opportunities, and farmer development programs

This semester, UNM Sustainability Studies students have been asked by theLa Montañita Food Co-op Board of Directors to first study a variety of international, national and state co-ops, and then provide some recommendations and market assistance to the UNM Grab & Go location and the Nob Hill store. Students are looking forward to being consultants, advocates and volunteers for La Montañita. The class is also planning aLocalization Campaign that will raise awareness of local products and services. The aim is to educate the campus community about the connection between co-ops,triple bottom line business practices, and permaculture principles -- as well as to underscore the importance of the economic multiplier of local business. Stay tuned for more details!

So a Turtle Walks into a Coop... A LandLink Success Story

by Mona Angel, Laughing Turtle Farms | Fairfield Farm & Market

Fairfield Farm & Market

Laughing Turtle Farms

Going Beyond Organic with Backyard and Schoolyard Farms

A Kickstarter Project that Brings a Mini-Farm to Your School

(12/4/2012) From Tierra Lucero...

"Farmer Bob" through Tierra Lucero, a Taos-based non-profit organization, recently launched a Kickstarter project that, when funded, will provide a mini-farm with a mini-sliding greenhouse for your school. These mini-farms give children the opportunity to learn about growing food, participate in the planting and harvesting of the produce, and bring the fresh veggies into their cafeterias to eat.

A RARE OPPORTUNITY!

Our project goal is to raise $36,000 by December 31st. The money that we raise will fund your school and five other schools in the region to receive the mini-farms and also provide us with the equipment to bring these mini-farms to more schools and backyards regionally and nationally. Taos and Albuquerque are our pilot projects for this new, growing movement of bringing school kids into the garden and fresh produce into their cafeterias. This is a rare opportunity for your school to be one of the first schools in the country to receive these unique, fully-installed mini-farm kits.

Let's create a thriving community here in Albuquerque and be the example for hundreds of other schools and communities nationwide!

A $10 dollar pledge (or more!) helps you to be involved in this dream of kids growing, harvesting and eating their own food, and to make it a reality --for your children and the children that benefit from this program for many years to come.

For more information about this project, watch our video, and pledge your $10 please go to: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2023463435/going-beyond-organic-with-backyard-and-schoolyard?ref=live

Cross-listed course: "Flagship Farm" - Imagine the day when UNM has a 2-10 acre organic, four-season urban farm to serve campus and neighborhoods -- big enough to feed the Lobo football team! Join this 3-credit class to organize stakeholders, assess sites, evaluate other campus farms, get the big picture, and dream!

Offered as: SUST 402*, CRN #45841 OR ARCH 462 / 562, CRN#45842

When: Thursdays

Where: George Pearl Hall (Architecture), room P139

Time: 2:00pm - 4:45pm

Instructors: Bruce Milne, Sustainability Studies Program, bmilne@sevilleta.unm.edu ANDNoreen Richards, School of
Architecture and Planning, noreen18@unm.edu

CLICK HERE to download the flyer.

New Mexico's newest agricultural festival is coming in August. The Peña Blanca Sunflower Project will host its first Sunflower Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25-26, at the community center on NM 22 in Peña Blanca.

"Since the [2011] Las Conchas Fire destroyed Dixon Orchards, we decided to offer an event where families may continue the tradition of an outing in the country," said Patrice Harrison-Inglis, coordinator of the project. "A field of sunflowers is a beautiful sight. I think people will want to put our festival on their annual calendar."

Harrison-Inglis envisions the Peña Blanca Sunflower Project
as an economic development vehicle for her community. With a grant from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, she planted a demonstration field in 2011 to show her neighbors the possibilities. This year, many neighbors have followed suit and planted either oilseed or confectionery varieties of sunflowers.

"I see Peña Blanca as '˜the sunflower place.' Kind of like Hatch is the green chile place," she said. "This area is the perfect location for a small-scale specialty crop and a beautiful festival every fall where people from Albuquerque and Santa Fe could come out and enjoy seeing the fields."

The Sunflower Festival organizers plan to have tours of the fields in the area. Activities also will include educational exhibits about the crop, as well as booths where people will sell their art, crafts and vegetable produce. And, of course, there will be sunflower products for people to buy and enjoy!

Directions:  To reach Peña Blanca, exit I-25 at the Santo Domingo exit and travel west to Cochiti Lake; signage will indicate the community center location.

Call for Vendors:  Art, craft and produce vendors, as well as food concessions and musicians are welcome to reserve booth space now at discount rates by calling the festival organizers at 505-917-8189.

Jr. Master's Gardening Program

Lettuce Grow Farms & Educational Center

El Prado, NM

This program is committed to helping young people become good gardeners and citizens
so they can make a positive contribution to the community farm and family.

This is a youth gardening project that teaches horticulture and environmental science education through fun and creative activities. It is modeled after the Master Gardening Program and they can begin to work towards becoming a certified Jr. Master Gardeners. Activities include making plantable greeting cards, create your own spiderweb, grow your own vegetables, discover the wonderful world of worms, and so much more!

Thursdays, July 5 - August 9

9:00 - 11:00 am | Bring drinking water and sun protection

$70.00 for 6 weeks including book, $12.00 drop in no book included

Click here to learn more.

Surprisingly enough, The Home Farming Revolution for Drylands, recently released by Zoe Wilcox and Melanie Rubin, had its origins at a MRCOG gathering. In March 2009, MRCOG held its monthly Agricultural Collaborative meeting. Zoe was in attendance, hoping to advertise the season's classes for her demonstration home farm, Mother Nature Gardens. Melanie, a business/marketing coach, writer, and trainer, was also there -- hoping to get ideas about how she could learn and then teach others to grow healthy food at home. When Zoe introduced herself to the group, Melanie realized Zoe had the expertise she was looking for. During a meeting soon afterwards, Zoe discovered Melanie could help with her workshop organization and marketing. The two became partners.

Zoe and Melanie launched a series of workshops together under the banner of "Albuquerque Backyard Farms," first at Melanie's Nob Hill residence, and later at locations around the city. Over the next three summers, the two designed and delivered dozens of workshops in collaboration with local experts. They used Melanie and her home as a public experiment in how to transform unused land into a micro-farm and a "city slicker" into an urban farmer. "If I can do it, anyone can do it," Melanie said.

From the beginning, the two envisioned a book that would develop out of the workshop series to provide a step-by-step transformation process for a broad, beginner-based audience.In fact, reading their book feels much like attending a series of interactive workshops. It can help you convert any plot of land into a micro-farm. Zoe's expert content, from Permaculture design concepts to irrigation systems to how to handle a chicken, is made approachable by boxed stories of Melanie's "beginner experiences" with exercises that will help you apply these ideas to your particular situation.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

The benefits of creating home farms in our towns and cities are as plentiful as the bounty they produce. We need healthy food in order to be healthy! Our country faces a growing number of health concerns ranging from degenerative illnesses, '¦ to mental and emotional conditions. These illnesses are often catalyzed or exaggerated by poor nutrition in this, the '˜wealthiest nation in the world.'

'¦We believe a person shouldn't have to be wealthy to eat healthy! Home farming provides healthy, organic food at peak freshness to all people despite economic status or location. Many unused plots of land in the city, suburbs, and country are just waiting to be used to grow produce. If we coordinate efforts, there can be land for everyone to farm, whether or not each person owns a home, or has a yard of his or her own.

The book is divided into four sections that present the step-by-step process for transforming a yard into a micro-farm:

Section One outlines the design process. It teaches you how to create your farm design in three steps:

1. Connect with your land by studying what already exists. You will look at how watershed, sun, wind, noise, buildings, trees, and existing soil affect your land. This is a "get-to-know-you" process imperative in a smart design.

2. Consider what you want to include in your home farm. Here you will define your personal needs as well as what you want to include in your home farm.

3. Blend what's already there with what you want to add in a functional and harmonious design using several design principles and techniques. This step teaches you how to place the desired elements you dreamed up in Step Two for maximum production and efficiency.

Section Two discusses outdoor living spaces, rainwater harvesting systems, and irrigation systems. These things are the structural part of the plan that creates the skeleton that supports the living garden. Once human spaces are identified and water has been planned for, it's time for the green stuff.

Section Three discusses food forests, building soil for veggie gardens, and how and when to plant them.

Section Four diversifies and interconnects your food production with information on raising chickens and taking care of honeybees.

The book released May 5th and is available for purchase at local retailer, Bookworks, and online.

Please visit www.homefarmingrevolution.comfor the latest news, including future book signing dates. To contact Zoe and
Melanie, please email info@homefarmingrevolution.com.

The August Agriculture Collaborative meeting will host Zoe and Melanie as speakers. Look for the meeting reminder coming soon for details!

Sol Harvest Farms in the North Valley is offering a CSA subscription for a weekly harvest box of produce from the farm. Each harvest box will feature 7-9 seasonal items. Pick-up starts May 2nd and continues each Wednesday from 1-7pm at the Farm Stand (8917 4th Street NW, north of Paseo del Norte). Space is limited, so sign up today! CLICK HERE to download the sign up form.

The Farm Stand is open to the public and will feature fresh, seasonal produce harvested that morning! Farm Stand hours are same as CSA pick-up, every Wednesday from 1 - 7pm. Sol Harvest farmer, Ric Murphy says, "It's a great way for people to literally see where their food is coming from, and meet the farmer who grew it! It's like a Farmers Market...with an actual farm attached to it."

Questions? Contact Farmer Ric Murphy at 505-306-1998 or ricmurphy@yahoo.com.

Article via National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

April 24th, 2012

Last Friday, April 20th, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the launch of USDA's online food hub resource guide. Food hubs, which can concentrate multiple producers' processing, distribution, and marketing efforts at a single site, attract local consumers and allow smaller-sized farms to compete in larger markets. The new guide acts a resource for small and mid-sized farm operators seeking to expand their market opportunities through a variety of means.

"The Regional Food Hub Resource Guide is an important tool to help promote local and regional efforts to support small and medium sized producers," noted Merrigan. "Food hubs play a critical role in developing stronger supply chains and addressing the infrastructure challenges while supporting food access, regional economic development, and job creation."

The guide explains how producers can develop and participate in food hubs, as well as acquire funding. Interested parties can use the tool to determine how this funding can expand regional economies and to locate food hubs in their area.

"The new guide is the most comprehensive handbook on food hubs ever available," said Merrigan. "Now farmers, buyers, researchers, consumers, or anyone interested in creating a food hub in their community can tap into a single resource to find the information that they need."

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), in conjunction with the Wallace Center at Winrock International, the National Good Food Network, the National Association of Produce Market Managers, and the Project for Public Spaces, developed the resource as part of the National Food Hub Collaboration. The resource is part of USDA's larger Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (KYF) initiative and can be found on the KYF Compass, a digital guide to USDA resources related to local and regional food systems.

URL: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-food-hub-resource-guide/

Be local, be Lobo.

Come celebrate Earth Day at the University of New Mexico's 4^th Annual Sustainability Expo and LOBO Growers' Market! This event will be held on Cornell Mall(just east of the Student Union Building) on Thursday, April 19^th from 10 am to 2 pm.

The LOBO Growers' Market will feature numerous local growers, value-added producers, prepared foods vendors, as well as arts and crafts. The market is organized by UNM students in the Sustainability Studies Program Growers' Market Practicum class who are passionate about promoting local farming and small business, and educating campus and community members about sustainable agriculture and healthy food choices.

The Growers' Market will be a great opportunity to pick up your weekly produce, get a delicious lunch, choose some plants for your backyard garden, or simply enjoy the fun, energetic atmosphere and learn about sustainability. There will be something for everyone. Bring your reusable shopping bags, and don't forget your cash!

In addition to the Growers' Market, the Expo will include an Alternative Transportation Fair and a variety of sustainability displays and activities. We invite everyone to join in the Earth Day-inspired festivities.

For those who are interested in learning more about sustainable food and agriculture in New Mexico, check out the Growers' Market Practicum class blog, ABQ Stew: New Mexico's Food for Thought. During the weeks leading up to the market event, students will post interviews of local foodshed heroes, describe successful New Mexico-based food businesses, discuss agricultural challenges the state faces (and potential solutions), and provide '˜how-to' guides on various sustainable topics.

Red Tractor Farm and Rio Valley Greenhouse have collaborated to bring you a local pesticide free source of spring baby lettuce greens.

The greens are a combination over 15 varieties of red and green lettuces including; Red Sails, Rouge De Hiver, Freckles Romaine, Lolla Rossa and Oak leaf, Bibb, Mustard, Sorrel, Corn Mache, Rainbow Chard, Tatsoi and Endive.

It is pesticide free and nourished only with sun, water and seaweed fertilizer. The lettuce is planted in a 10"x20" flat that is bursting with green lettuce ready for planting or for eating.

U- SnipIt -- You can snip the baby greens with a scissor and eat as it as it grows, it should have up to 3 re-growths if watered and provided adequate sunlight. This time of year you can keep them out all day and bring in at night or place in a window shelf.

U- PlantIt -- You can choose to plant this in your garden today. Just carefully take a 3 inch area of the tray and gather from the bottom of the tray and plant in your garden or raised bed. We recommend mulching with straw and covering with a fabric row cover like "agribond" or under plastic until the last chance of a freeze around April 18^th. You will get great lettuce through May.

Great for farmers, raised bed gardeners, the gourmet cook, the greens lover, and for teachers in experiential classroom learning.

Order or pick yours tray(s) up today - only a limited quantity is available!

Price: $20.00 per flat (please call for discounts on quantities)

Available for pick up: Monday -- Saturday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Where: Rio Valley Greenhouse 2000 Harzman Road SW, 87105

Directions: From I-25 take Bridge Blvd West to Goff turn right, then left on Harzman

Contact: Kathi Caldwell at 505- 242-4423 or Dory Wegrzyn, 505-604-5956

By Monte Skarsgard

From theJanuary 30-February 3, 2012 edition of the Skarsgard Farms newsletter

This last fall I took some time to do a pretty honest as-sessment of the state of our farm. Reflect back at where we have been over the years. And then refine a vision for the future.

The first thing I concluded is that we have been truly fortunate over the years both in the fields and in the marketplace. We have expanded our fields from 3 acres in 2003 to 35 acres this year, and our membership from 17 (many of whom are still with us!) to 3,800. Thanks to our members, sales volumes have grown at an annualized rate of 74% over the last 9 years. So there is no doubt in my mind that along with some good fortune, we are also getting a few things right.

As a part of this introspection, I thought deeply about how we could add more value to our members. Make your ex-perience better. That led to some newness to kick off 2012. Namely, different box sizes and flexibility to choose the items you want. Something our members had asked for many times.

I also spent a huge amount of time thinking about some-thing pretty important -- our name. Los Poblanos Organics.

I thought about how this venture started 9 years ago on the historic Los Poblanos Ranch, thanks to the generosity of the Rembe family who agreed to let me farm their land. The fact is the scale of our farm has expanded greatly since then and we now grow most everything on our South Valley farms. I grew up play-ing in the fields of the North Valley, so I loved being able to name the farm after my childhood stomping grounds. But now, our scope is no longer just one area in the North Valley. Our dreams and goals are larger than that.

So then you get to the obvious question: should we con-tinue to call our little enterprise Los Poblanos Organics? After pondering that question a good bit and having discussions with the Rembe family and other trusted friends, I decided that a new name might better reflect our future aspirations.

We chose a name that we hope exemplifies pride in local American farming, and recognizes my family'Ÿs century-long dedication to the land. I am honored to introduce our members to Skarsgard Farms.

In a nutshell, nothing will change for our members ex-cept the name. Our farm land has not changed. Nor have our ser-vices. We hope this will be a positive step that will highlight our farm as a unique undertaking. A farm not limited to one part of one town in this state.

The new name also speaks to my personal commitment to the local food and small farm movements here in New Mexico. Make no mistake about it folks; this farm is here to stay. And I could not be happier about it!

Ok, now on to arm you with the tools to dispel the im-pending rumor mill.

#1. LPO and the Los Poblanos Ranch did not get a "divorce." The relationship that we have and maintain with the Rembe family has never been stronger. They have been huge supporters of the farm (and me personally) over the last 9 years, and they will continue to be an integral part of our future. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Ranch and are forever appreciative of their help over the many seasons.

#2. We did not sell out to Wal-Mart...I know this sounds crazy, but people sometimes come up with some great conspiracy theories. And I can assure you this; I did not change the name of the farm to my last name just so I could turn around and sell it off to a box store. Or anyone else, for that matter.

#3. "They dropped 'žOrganics'Ÿ from their name. They must be a conventional farm now." This could not be further from the truth. Our commitment to Organic and sustainable agri-culture has never been deeper. I want to gain your trust in our stewardship of the land and not by a word we put in our name.

All in all, you will continue to be a part of an amazing local farm. You are going to see our Skarsgard Farms locally grown food choices continue to increase while maintaining ac-cess to a diverse offering from other local and regional producers.

As we weave this web of conscientious consumers com-ing together with sustainable producers, we will have a food sys-tem that we can all take pride in as well as enjoy on our taste buds. That is worth working for.

I want to take this opportunity to again sincerely thank our loyal members for your support and our dedicated employees for making Skarsgard Farms possible. Please do not hesitate to call or email with any questions that you may have.

Cheers to a new beginning,

Farmer Monte Skarsgard

New Mexico Department of AgricultureInvites You to

Food Safety/Traceability Workshops

WHY

• Benefits of a Food Safety/Traceability Program
• What you need to know about the future laws concerning Food Safety/Traceability
• Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI)
• What happens if you are inspected
• Address your questions and concerns

FREE WORKSHOPS!!

Dates with * please RSVP by February 28

Dates with ** please RSVP by March 2

RESPOND TO:

Elaine Padilla at: 575-646-2752, epadilla@nmda.nmsu.edu

This workshop is presented by International Agricultural Marketing Management and sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the Specialty Crops Block Grant Program through the United States Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crops Block Grant Program.

Village of Corrales Collaborates with Intel Employeesto Build and Test Small-scale Composting in Corrales

Corrales Parks and Recreation Department to Use the Compost

The Village of Corrales has collaborated with a team of 15 Intel employees to build and test the feasibility of small scale composting in Corrales. This project represents a three- to six-month partnership between the Village of Corrales Parks and Recreation Department and Intel employees to design, construct and pilot a composting facility on the grounds north of the Recreation Center Main building. The site will produce compost that meets the standards and guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] for use by the Village. The site will also serve the community by promoting and educating Corrales residents about the benefits of recycling through composting.

This composting project was one of nine Intel Sustainability in Action projects across the globe this year that received a grant. Intel SIA grants empower employee teams to pursue their ideas and exemplify Intel's commitment to environmental sustainability. The Intel SIA program is in its third year. This year, a selection team reviewed 44 proposals from around the globe and awarded grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Intel awarded this composting pilot project $18,000.

Village of Corrales Composting Facility Facts:

Facility Design Capacity:

'¢ Waste Diversion: 600 tons/year

'¢ Compost Production: 260 cubic yards/year

'¢ Green House Gases Emissions Reduction: 3,300 tons/year

Facility Design Features:

'¢ Passive Aeration System

'¢ Continuous Temperature Monitoring/Data Logging

'¢ Periodic Moisture Monitoring

'¢ Specialized Fabric Covers

'¢ Validation of USDA Composting Standards

For more information contact:

Juan J. Reyes

Municipal Clerk, Village of Corrales

jreyes@corrales-nm.org

505-897-0502

Valencia County Matanza Is Back On -USDA '˜top guy' gives annual event a pass, chamber official says

By Julia Dendinger, Valencia County News-Bulletin


BELEN - What organizers call the world's largest matanza is back on track in Valencia County.

But when and where is still up in the air.

This year's Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce matanza, which has drawn thousands each year for 11 years, has been given the green light by the USDA's "top guy," the chamber's president, Yvonne Sanchez, announced.

She made the announcement after a teleconference with Alfred Almanza, the administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service.

"In his words, he was giving us a pass," Sanchez said.

On Dec. 26, Sanchez announced that after much consideration, the chamber's board members voted to cancel the matanza because of an ongoing dispute over USDA regulations.

Sanchez said the U.S. Department of Agriculture had determined that the pork used at the matanza must be butchered and packaged at a department-certified facility - a request she says relegates the long-standing tradition to nothing more than a backyard barbecue.

Chamber board member Edward Calabaza said that during the conversation with Almanza on Thursday, Almanza chalked up the incident to "miscommunication and misinterpretation."

"Given that agency's size and bureaucracy, he alluded that going down a chain of command this long, things get misinterpreted," Calabaza said.

"It all comes down to a liability issue," Calabaza said. "There is nothing in writing, but Mr. Almanza said he was using his regulatory discretion in terms of allowing us to proceed. He did guarantee that the USDA would not show up. There will be no red tags or fines."

The chamber began hosting its matanza at the Sheriff's Posse in Belen in 2000. The event has traditionally been held on the last Saturday of January. This year's matanza was scheduled for Jan. 28, but Sanchez said the chamber doesn't feel it can get the matanza back on track in just three short weeks.

The chamber had hoped to push the event back to February, but the Casper Baca's Rough Stock Series rodeo is scheduled at the Sheriff's Posse every Saturday in February and early March.

Sanchez is hopeful that they can work out a compromise with Baca to have the event there.

"But we are looking for other locations," she said. "We will have a location for the matanza."

The chamber promotes the annual matanza not only as a way to preserve a way of life, but also to give local students a better education. All proceeds from the event go to fund college scholarships for local traditional and nontraditional students. To date, more than 200 students have shared in about $115,000 in scholarship funds.

Publication:Jnl Final Edition 8/2005-today; Date:Jan 6, 2012; Section:Front Page; Page Number:A1

Other suggested readings:

• USDA Scuttles Valencia Matanza 01/04/2012

• Chamber Says USDA Puts Kibosh on Matanza 01/03/2012

• 9:15am - '˜World's Largest Matanza' in Belen Saturday 01/28/2010

Saving the Ranch

By Donna Wells - Development Director, New Mexico Land Conservancy

"New Mexico Department of Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte speaks with forum attendees after the morning session."

New Mexico farmers and ranchers who attended the day-long Agricultural Lands Conservation Forum in Las Cruces in early October left with a new appreciation for the role of conservation easements in helping landowners continue to farm and ranch.

The forum, sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Rural Development Office and the New Mexico Land Conservancy, provided the participants with an overview of tools that can help landowners reduce their income and estate tax burdens, making it easier to stay on the land.

Dale Armstrong, who ranches in Socorro County with his wife Gale, summed up his thoughts about conservation easements: "If you are a landowner who wants to keep ranching, then an easement can help you do that while having no impact whatsoever on your ranching operations." Armstrong was joined by three other New Mexico ranchers on a panel discussion of the role of conservation easements in protecting traditional farm and ranch land.

"The purpose of our conservation easement is to protect family ranching," remarked rancher Sid Goodloe during the panel discussion. 

Between 1985 and 2010, over one million acres of prime agricultural and other rural land were converted to development around the state, making land conversion one of the greatest threats to New Mexico's farm and ranch heritage.

A conservation easement is a voluntary, legal agreement between a private landowner and a land trust to limit subdivision, development and specific uses on the property for the purpose of conserving certain conservation values, such as productive agricultural land, wildlife habitat or scenic open space.  Each conservation easement is tailored to the subject property and the conservation goals of the landowner.

In New Mexico, landowners who donate conservation easements can be eligible for federal income tax deductions as well as a transferable state tax credit.  New Mexico is one of only a handful of states across the nation that has such a transferable state tax credit.  Landowners can receive a tax credit for 50% of the value of a conservation easement donation up to $250,000.  Landowners can then use the tax credit to offset their state tax credit liability for up to 20 years or to sell them at a discounted rate on the open market and convert them to cash. This incentive, combined with the federal tax deduction, can make all the difference for a landowner considering a conservation easement.

Learn more about conservation easements at http://nmdaweb.nmsu.edu/natural-resources/apr-hidden-folder/conservation%20easement%20booklet_web.pdf or at www.nmlandconservancy.org.

Information:

http://sust.unm.edu/events/2011/11/transition-unm.html

CLICK HEREto download the flyer

Building Farmers in the West / Farmers Teaching Farmers - Via Farm to Table

Save the dates!

8 Tuesday Sessions in Espanola

Nov 15, 2011 to Jan 17, 2012

This program is sponsored by: Farm To Table - A regional Partnership to build community and share knowledge among farmers and support sustainable local food systems. Funded by the USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program. This program is a series of 8 evening sessions and dinners where seasoned growers will share their knowledge and experience of farming in New Mexico. Sessions explore content useful to all levels of experience and will help new and existing farmers create a successful business. After completing this program you will have the opportunity for personalized mentorship from experienced New Mexico farmers. Join us for dinner & learn something!

Topics include:

• Know where you are and where you are going - map your business for future success
• Expand your markets - wholesale farmers' markets, restaurants, schools, retail, value-added
• Alternative financing - how to secure land and labor
• Got cantaloupe - approaches to food safety

Comments from some 2010 participants:

"This class was immensely helpful, has gotten me motivated to organize, plan, and otherwise act to turn our farm into a profitable enterprise."

"(This has been good experience) to expose me to more growing styles, build connections, open me up to new possibilities I can use in my vision."

"Enjoyed this class and got a lot of great info and resources."

Cost: The 8-week program is offered for $100 fee to cover the cost of your meals at networking dinners. Scholarships are available.

When: 8 Tuesday sessions & dinner, November 15, 2011 - January 17, 2012, 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Where: Rio Arriba Health Commons 2010 Industrial Park Road Espanola, NM

How to Apply: Application forms are available online at: www.farmtotablenm.org. Applications must be received by Tuesday, November 1. Those awarded a certificate of completion may apply to a mentorship program.

Questions: Contact Shauna at Farm to Table, (505) 473-1004, ext. 15 shaunawoodworth@gmail.com

A Visit to the UNM Lobo Gardens - Growing Food, Students and Community:Join us for this exciting opportunity to see what's growing on the UNM Campus. We will visit two campus gardens where you will get to hear allabout the UNM Lobo Gardens program from Andrew Marcum, the current Lobo Gardens instructor, and Mona Angel, the Lobo Gardens Coordinator.Per the Lobo Gardens website, "the objective of Lobo Gardens is to provide the University of New Mexico students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to educate themselves and their communities about the practices and health benefits of growing one's food in sustainable ways." To learn more about the program andrelated activities, please visit their website at:http://unmlobogardens.wordpress.com/.

PLEASE NOTETHE LOCATION:This meetingWILL NOT be held at the MRCOG but will be on site at the UNM Real Estate Building (2811 Campus Blvd NE). The garden is on the back side of the building.CLICK HERE TO VIEW MAP

The meeting will be held onWednesday, September 14th, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. For more information, contact Ann Simon at (505) 724-3617 or atasimon@mrcog-nm.gov.

This just in from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC): More than 28% percent of households with children in New Mexico reported they suffered from "food hardship" (an inability to afford enough food) in 2009-2010.

FRAC announced the numbers in the latest report in its "Food Hardship in America" series, which analyzes data that were collected by Gallup and provided to FRAC. FRAC has analyzed responses to the question: "Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?"

Some food hardship details for New Mexico:

'¢In 2009-2010, 28.3 percent of households with children in New Mexico said they were unable to afford enough food. The food hardship rate for households without children was 16.5 percent.

'¢For the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the food hardship rate for households with children was 28.2 percent in 2009-2010, and 15.8 percent for households without children. The Albuquerque MSA ranks the 19^thhighest MSA out of the 100 largest MSAs for food hardship.

'¢Two of the three congressional districts in New Mexico had more than one in four households with children reporting food hardship in 2008-2010.

"The food hardship rate in New Mexico for households with children is far too high, demonstrating a significant need for increasing family access to federal food assistance services," said Meghann Dallin, manager of the New Mexico No Kid Hungry Campaign, project of the New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger. "In our state almost 40% of children eligible for free and reduced price school breakfast and about 70% of children eligible for summer food programming do not access these services. It is essential that state and local agencies and organizations continue to work collectively to decrease the barriers children and their families have in accessing food assistance services."

The food hardship data were gathered as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index project, which has interviewed more than one million households since January 2008.

Find out more at FRAC's websitehttp://frac.org.

Earth Care is still looking for two educators for our outreach and garden-based programs (detailed below). They are both AmeriCorps positions that offer a living stipend and educational award. If you know of a dynamic young person (between ages 22-35) with teaching experience who you think might be interested in these positions, please send them my way! More information about the AmeriCorps positions can be found on our website atwww.earthcare.org.

Educator positions:

Eco-Schools Educator/GYSD Coordinator: Teach Earth Care's Eco-Schools Outreach curriculum in 3 to 5 elementary SF classrooms. Eco-Schools is an international framework created by the National Wildlife Federation that engages students, teachers, and administrators in the evaluation of school facilities and efforts to reduce eco-footprints. Support teacher and fellow AmeriCorps members in organizing eco-schools service-learning project for Global Youth Service Days/Earth Day. Plan central GYSD event for up to 300 K-12 students.

Food & Sustainability Coordinator: Support teachers and students in developing garden and outdoor education programs and spaces at two local high schools. Teach environmental education to students in the outdoors and classrooms. Work with students, parents, and teachers at schools to grow gardens, maintain and schedule use of outdoor classroom space. Support service-learning initiatives that address the environmental impact of schools.

Rio Grande Commnity Farm hosts the 2011 Summer Concert Series:

Music at the Farm

DATE: August 10th

TIME: 7-9 pm

PRICE: $10.00 Adults $3.00 Children 3-12

Showcasing Local Musicians!!!

Wed. August 10th: Mala Maña - Global Rhythms, Drums & Vocal Cumbia

Bring a picnic & blanket or chairs. Soft drinks & snacks available. No alcohol please

Rio Grande Community Farm 1701 Montano Road NW, @ Los Poblanos Fields - Enter at Montano and Tierra Viva

WEBSITE: http://www.riograndefarm.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rio-Grande-Community-Farm/121105517904695

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is pleased to announce the release of the FY 2011 Request for Applications (RFA) for the People's Garden Grant Program (PPGP). The program is designed to facilitate the creation of produce, recreation, and/or wildlife gardens in urban and rural areas, which will provide opportunities for science-based informal education. This program is a joint initiative supported by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Forest Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service, in addition to NIFA. Successful applicants will provide micro-subgrant support to smaller local projects.

Please feel free to forward this announcement to those that might be interested in applying.

Deadline: Applications must be received by Grants.gov by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, August 26, 2011.

Interested potential applicants can participate on a teleconference to get details about the People's Garden Grant Program on Aug. 4, 2011 at 1 p.m., EDT. To participate, call toll-free (888) 858-2144; the access code is 1059897. For those unable to participate in the call, NIFA will post a summary of the questions and information provided to our website. Dr. Tom Bewick is directing the program and can be reached at tbewick@nifa.usda.gov or by telephone at (202) 401-3356.

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-OP-003503

NIFA Funding Opportunity Page:

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/peoplesgardengrantprogram.cfm. This page includes links to the request for applications (RFA), the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the application package, and abstracts of funded projects.

Grants.gov Synopsis Page:

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=KzYXTv7Q09w7VLvlxsh43vTsqnhLDwp10CGNxXsTQ1PGVLxSF4RX!751481409?oppId=108453&mode=VIEW. This page includes a synopsis of the funding opportunity, a link to the full announcement (RFA) and the application package.

Grants.gov Application Package:

http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/GetGrantFromFedgrants;jsessionid=tQ4bTv7Tjw2LQp8J2TwDlywV98z2McbzpGVmyF11K2xNr2pLxb2T!751481409?opportunity=USDA-NIFA-OP-003503&agencycode=USDA-NIFA. This page links to the application instructions and the application package.

If you have questions regarding the RFA, please contact: Dr. Tom Bewick, tbewick@nifa.usda.gov or (202) 401-3356.

If you have any questions related to Grants.gov content, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center:

Email: support@grants.gov, Phone:Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726, 24 hour support, excluding Federal holidays.

Useful Links:

NIFA Grant Application Information:www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/application_info.html;

Grants.gov Help: www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp.

TCEDC and WoogabooPresent: Kids Cooking Camp

Sessions:

August 1-5:Grades 6-9

August 8-12: Grades 3-5

Camp is from 9 am-3 pm

Cooking Class is at the Taos Food Center (9am-1pm)

Followed by an afternoon field trip to local gardens, ranches and more. (1 pm-3 pm)

Featured Chefs:

Leslie Fay-Graham's Grille

Chris White-Hotel St. Bernard

Damon Simonton-Chef Damon's

Heyam Khweis-Arabian Nights

Joe Verduzco-Pepe's Salsa

Patrique Yu-Hotel St. Bernard

Barbara Forsberg-Brett House Catering

Eduardo Gutierrez-Gutiz

Sophia Vigil-OBL

Benjie Apodaca-Taos HS, UNM Culinary

Space is limited , register your child early! Call or Email Rosey at 770-4764 or rosey@woogaboo.org

Register at TCEDC-Taos Food Center - 1021 Salazar Rd.-Taos, NM

WHAT: Pollinator awareness event

WHERE: Open Space Visitor Center | 6500 Coors Blvd NW at the end of Bosque Meadows Rd.

between Montaño and Paseo del Norte

WHEN: June 26 | 11:00 AM -- 4:00 PM

FEE: FREE

CONTACT: Jodi Hedderig | Parks & Recreation Dept., Open Space Division | 505-897-8831 | jhedderig@cabq.gov |

Albuquerque, NM-Imagine how bleak our diets would be without apples, melons, berries, carrots, broccoli, almonds, coffee, chocolate, and, dare I say it,chile. These foods and many other foods that nourish and comfort us depend on pollinating animals to reproduce, such as bees and wasps, flies, butterflies and moths, and beetles.But pollinators are threatened.Dramatic declines of pollinator species are being documented world-wide.The Sichuan Province of China is one of the world's largest apple producers and they manage this by pollinating every flower by hand -- by human hand.The heavy use of pesticides has eliminated the visitation of native pollinators and beekeepers refuse to bring their hives into the toxic environment.

Pesticide assault, loss and degradation of habitat, and the spread of disease and parasites are the primary threats to pollinators.But these threats can be reversed by sharing information with neighbors and the greater community on how each household can contribute to pollinator conservation.

We're getting the message out to as many people as possible by hosting an afternoon ofFREE bee awareness activities onSunday, June 26 from 11am-4pm during National Pollinator Week.

Activities include:

• HONEY TASTING: Is West side honey better than East side honey? What's the difference between local honey and store-bought honey? Come and sample honey from beekeepers in Albuquerque.

• BEES IN THE 'HOOD: Learn about how people keep bees in Albuquerque and how you can create a bee-friendly environment in your garden and community. Check out the parts of a bee hive.
• MEET BEEKEEPERS: Come and meet local beekeepers, ask questions, and try on their "bee hat."
• HONEY, THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT: Taste recipes made with local honey.

This program organized by the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division and sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Please join th New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger, in partnership with the USDA and CYFD, at a community event to announce summer food activities to reduce child hunger in New Mexico.

Friday, June 24, 2011 at 11:00am

Thomas Bell Community Center - 3001 University SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106

RSVP to Meghann Dallin at: mdallin@albuquerquefoundation.org

US Department of Agriculture Regional Administrator, Bill Ludwig, will discuss children's access to summer food in New Mexico and the partnership between USDA and the No Kid Hungry Campaign.

Guest apprearace by Orbit, mascot of Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball team.

Co-ops 101 - Get the Low-Down on How to Start a Cooperative (For Farmers, Value-Added Producers, Composters and More!)

Do you want to know more about cooperatives? Have you thought of starting one but aren't really sure where to begin? Susann Mikkelson, the Director of the Southwest Cooperative Development Center, will answer these questions and more. This informative presentation will help you understand the basics of a cooperative business or project, what you need to know to get started, and how the SW Center might assist members interested in pursuing a cooperative business.

The future holds more opportunity for those who work together, finding efficiency and creativity through partnerships.

About the Southwest Cooperative Development Center (SCDC): They are a new partnership between Farm to Table, La Montanita Co-op, and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. The SCDC is working to improve economic conditions in New Mexico's rural areas through the creation, retention, and expansion of sustainable cooperative and mutually owned businesses, particularly related to healthy food access, and local and regional food systems. Services of the Center include training and technical assistance, assistance identifying and securing funding, and referrals to other resources, among others.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 8th, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the MRCOG offices located at 809 Copper Ave NW. For more information, contact Ann Simon at (505) 724-3617 or at asimon@mrcog-nm.gov.

Next weekend is one of Albuquerque's local beekeeping traditions -- all-day seminar and potluck at Hays Honey Farm.

Time: May 14, 2011 from 9am to 6pm
Location: Hays Honey & Apple Farm
Organized By: Ken Hays

Event Description:
On Saturday May 14th 2011 the Hays Honey & Apple Farm will be hosting their yearly Introduction to Beekeeping Seminar and Potluck. The seminar will be held from 9am to dark, breaking for a potluck lunch around noon.
 
If you'd like to attend please RSVP by calling 505-869-2369. If you plan to take part in the after lecture hands on beekeeping experience be sure to bring your hats and veils. If you don't own a hat or veil there will be a limited quantity for sale.
 
Due to outstanding turn out in previous years they are requesting an entry of $10 per person in order to help pay for chairs, tables and porta-potties. Any remaining funds will be donated to the New Mexico Beekeepers Association.

Note:

I used all local or homegrown ingredients, with the exception of the polenta. You can make your own solid polenta by making soft polenta first, placing the soft polenta (like a porridge) in a bread pan and cooling fully in the fridge so that it solidifies. I've done this with standard yellow corn polenta, and have also tried it with New Mexico blue corn polenta (which I didn't have any of when I came up with this recipe).

Ingredients:

2 Tubes of ready-made polenta (I used one red & black quinoa and one green chile & cilantro, the brand is Ancient Harvest)

1 Jar El Pinto Medium Green Chile Salsa

2 big handfuls fresh spinach

2 cups shredded cheddar (I used NM sharp white cheddar)

1 cup Tucumcari cow's milk feta, crumbled

½ - ¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ cup fresh chives, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 8x13 glass baking pan. Slice both tubes of ready-made polenta in to approximately ½" thick slices. Lay all slices of the red & black quinoa polenta on the bottom of the pan. Then layer half of the salsa, half the spinach, 1 cup cheddar and ½ cup crumbled feta. The lay the chile and cilantro polenta slices on top and repeat the layering process. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. If you want a crispy top, broil on high for a couple minutes, or until top is browned. Sprinkle fresh chives and cilantro on top before serving.

Erda Gardens is a non-profit, biodynamic farm and CSA in Albuquerque's South Valley.

Visit us at http://www.erdagardens.org/ orhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Erda-Gardens-and-Learning-Center/121193651278847

Membership Structure and CSA Info

A brochure with the current membership structure has been attached to this message in pdf format. For those unable to view it but would like to see it,youcanreply to this message with your address and we'll be happy to mail you a brochure.

There are 3 tiers of membership;
(keep in mind our priceshave remained the samefrom last year, but due to rising fuel pricesit is anticipated that veggies will costmore in grocery stores this year).

$450 Working Season Share - requires 4 hours per month Farm work - total 24 hours May-Oct

This breaks down to about $17.00 per week to receive Erda's fresh seasonal produce for the entire growing season

$550 Regular Season share - no work requirement

That breaks down to roughly $21.00 a week to feed 4-6 people 8-12 different fresh, seasonal herbs, veggies and fruits each week of the growing season May-October.

Consider splitting a share with a friend or two!

Work Trade -SOLD OUT

A full-work trade is 4 hours of labor a week in exchange for a share. (Please call the Farm Phone to find out about available work trade positions 610-1538).

Opportunities to Get Involved

Erda has a small core group of about 13 people, including the farmers, all coming from diverse backgrounds, and all bringing special skills and talents to apply toward the same missionto keep the CSA thriving. We are always looking to expand our group of volunteerswithpeople who arewilling to share their own specific talents and ideas. Members are always welcome to attend our monthly core group meetings, which we announce in our newsletters and on online.Weare currently looking for someone that could helpas a membership coordinator and could contribute about an hour / week with support from the group. Please callthe Erda Farm Phoneif interested or for any questions - 505-610-1538.

Some folks might like to help by participating in our work with other
volunteers (groups and individuals) at the farm. Coming up are:

Ranchers across the western U.S. navigate a complex land tenure system comprised of deeded, privately leased, state, and federal lands for grazing. And, as such, their management decisions are shaped by the property rights and regulations associated with each land type.

Similarly, backyard farmers must also heed land-use regulations when raising livestock in urban or semi-urban areas. Zoning regulations vary by city and county, so discovering and understanding permitted uses can be a challenge. To simplify the process, here is a brief summary of Albuquerque's livestock-related zoning laws. Listed below you will also find links to other central New Mexico municipal zoning codes and further resources for raising urban ungulates (hoofed animals).

Link to the original article HERE.

The locavores are swarming and the popularity of local food is increasing across the nation. The number of farmer's markets has more than tripled since the USDA started tracking these numbers in 1994 - increasing from 1,755 to 6,132. In 2010, direct sales from farmers to consumers increased to over $1.2 billion. And consumers aren't the only ones with a rising demand for local food. More and more, organizations such as supermarkets, restaurants, schools and others are sourcing food locally.

To meet this burgeoning demand, local food distributors must scale up their operations from direct sales of small quantities to wholesale transactions. The problem, according to Michelle Miller of UW Madison's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, is that "a lot of the mid-scale distributors, the logistics people who used to consolidate produce, have gone out of business."

Local distribution networks, termed "food hubs," are trying to fill that void. Food hubs are like farmers' markets and distributors rolled into one. They surfaced to provide local farmers with the infrastructure to store, process, distribute, and market local food to consumers and institutions. The current demand for local food positions these hubs to expand their role in distribution. However, they lack the necessary technology to manage operations on a larger scale.

Mark Winne has been a community food activist and writer for over 40 years. On February 7th, he gave a talk at the UNM School of Architecture and Planning where he introduced his new book, Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin' Mamas: Fighting Back in an Age of Industrial Agriculture. That evening, he provided a lot of information on the state of affairs in the U.S. and offered some encouraging ideas to address the universal struggle between human freedom and authority in its relationship to food.

Mark began his lecture by asking how many of us were serious gardeners, bought food at our local farmers' market or belonged to a CSA program (Community Supported Agriculture). He told us that nationally, only 10% of our food supply comes from these sources. Last year Americans spent $1 billion at famers' markets, $5-7 billion on local food and $25 billion on organic food. This seemed impressive until he revealed that we spend $170 billion on fast food. Thirty-three percent of kids in the U.S. eat fast food every day and, on average, Americans spend only 15 minutes a day on food preparation.

What's the deal with "GE alfalfa?" Well, around 80% of U.S. alfalfa is currently grown without pesticides. But GE alfalfa (also called "Roundup Ready" alfalfa), has been engineered to resist Roundup, an herbicide produced by Monsanto, which leads to increased dependency on chemical companies, increased chemical pollution, and a loss of biodiversity. The potential impacts on the environment and our health are at great risk. Here on the New Mexico homefront, Save New Mexico Seeds is working hard to raise public awareness and implement legislation that protects farmers from lawsuits resulting from GMO contamination.

While this might seem to be an issue that doesn't directly affect you, whether you are an urban dweller or just someone without farm animals, be assured that this MOST CERTAINLY affects you already (without you even knowing it), or will likely affect you in the future, especially if you are concerned about what you eat.  

This is the time for making the most of your harvest, or of the harvest of other local growers, by preserving summer's bounty so that winter can be just as abundant. There are a number of ways you can preserve veggies, fruits, herbs, dairy products and meat, with very little time and energy.

Included in this article is an overview of the most popular methods (canning, freezing, dehydrating, pickling & fermenting, and dairying) with some resources to help you get started or expand your skill set. The National Center for Home Food Preservation and the NMSU Home Food Preservation website are great places to get reliable information, and in the case of NMSU, it is oftentimes regionally focused.

You won't find coupons for local food in the Sunday paper or weekly coupon mailings, but there are other ways to eat local and save money.  Whether you shop at a farmers' market or local grocery store, here are 6 simple ways to stretch you local food dollars.

Buy when in season, preserve for when it's not
Some fresh foods can be very expensive to buy when they are not in season here, and let's face it- tomatoes shipped from Florida or Mexico don't even compare to the tomatoes grown right here in our valley.  Keep that fresh flavor year round and save money by dehydrating, canning, or freezing your favorite local foods.

Seniors working on a gardening project at the Center for Ageless Living in Los Lunas, NM.

To learn more about their programs, we interviewed the Center's Director Suzzette Lindemuth.  

Tell us a little about the Center for Ageless Living?
The Center for Ageless Living is a six acre campus whose main mission is to reduce the isolation of aging by providing programs, services and therapies that help support aging gracefully.

This time of year you'll find me in the garden staring at the ground.  To the casual observer it would seem as though I was looking at bare soil, but I'm scanning diligently for a slight bulge in the surface or a tiny sprout breaking through towards the sun.  I then check soil moisture and temperature levels, apply water as needed, and pull a few weeds.  This is my life with direct seeding, although gardening was not always this easy or enjoyable.

Dirt, worms, microbes, Oh my!

You've probably heard of the Master Gardener program, but did you know that Bernalillo County will soon have a Master Composter program? Our region's program is now one of over 500 Master Composter training programs offered nationwide.

To learn more, we talked with John Zarola, avid composter and volunteer coordinator for the Bernalillo County Master Composter program.

Oyster mushrooms grown by Exotic Edibles of Edgewood, NM.

When you think of the word farm, it's doubtful that the image of a damp dim place lacking in photosynthesis comes to mind but it should, as mushrooms are a very important specialty crop in today's market. For example, the 2008-09 U.S. mushroom crop of 817 million pounds was valued at over $950 million dollars. That's no small potatoes (or fungi).

Although the majority of mushrooms produced each year come from very large growing operations, there is a great opportunity for farmers to get into small scale mushroom production. For current farmers who want to diversify or for growers with limited land access, mushrooms are a unique specialty crop that can expand your current market potential.   Mushroom cultivation is also a fun endeavor for hobby growers or as an educational experiment with kids.

 Will we be growing citrus fruit in central New Mexico?

Global warming, climate change, climate variability, whatever you call it, it all means one thing--the climate and the environment are being altered due to anthropogenic (human-caused) forces.   So what does this mean for New Mexico farmers?  Here in the southwest we should prepare ourselves for longer, warmer and dryer growing conditions.  This is what the MRCOG Agriculture Collaborative heard on an already blazing hot day this July.

Many small and medium sized farms need extra help during the busy growing season, but labor cost are often an issue.  Also, there are many young and aspiring farmers who want to gain more experience or knowledge, but there is limited formal training.   Farm internship programs can offer a great solution to both.

Community gardens are being cultivated nationwide in a way that is reminiscent of the Victory Garden era of the 1940's.  Although current levels of production are not as prevalent, the interest in community food production is definitely there! 

This was evident at January's Agriculture Collaborative meeting, The Buzz Around Community Gardens, which had a record turnout of over 80 people. Folks in the Albuquerque area want to grow food, and many want to grow it with others in shared community gardens.  

The meeting was lead by three expert speakers who shared their knowledge of community gardens in the Albuquerque area. 

Santa Fe Red Sorghum seedheads, grown in Albuquerque.

It's a warm day in January and you have a cup of hot tea in one hand and a seed catalog in the other. As you select this year's assortment of seeds, you dream of the endless possibilities for the upcoming growing seasons. Really, what could be better?

Well, what if you already had some of your seeds by practicing the tradition of seed saving?

McCall Land & Cattle Company is a visible landmark along Interstate 40 in Moriarty, NM.  Driving by you'll first notice the towering "goat bridge" and a variety of barns backdropped with fields of corn, oats and alfalfa.  Take a closer look however and you'll find so much more!

Sandra Pederson shows off her edible landscape at her 5th Street home near downtown Albuquerque.

Landscaping can be used not only to beautify the urban environment, but also as a source of food. Edible landscaping is increasing in popularity as urban dwellers look for new ways to grow food while at the same time beautifying their yards. I visited the yard of one Albuquerque resident to learn more.

Get those cold weather crops in the ground, such as kale, garlic, onions and other "roots and leaves".

It's prime time to plant native grasses, trees, and flowering perennials, and its also a great time to plan and plant your fall and winter vegetable gardens.  You can eat fresh year round by growing cool weather crops and implementing simple techniques that extend the growing season.

State Senator Dede Feldman joins members of RGCF as they celebrate the delivery of local tomatoes to APS.

Last week 5 flats of tomatoes were delivered to the Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) Central Kitchen loading dock. Now this may not sound like groundbreaking news, given that APS is the largest food provider in the State of New Mexico, but there was something very special about this tomato delivery. These tomatoes were grown in Albuquerque's North Valley and will be served in a cluster of APS schools within that same region, making a truly local connection between our farms and school lunch tables.

Chuck O'Herron-Alex is in the business of helping others grow their very own food. Whether you have a half acre property or a small balcony off your downtown loft, Veggiegrower Gardens of New Mexico, can get you growing your own fresh foods.

Chuck specializes in selling handmade micro-intensive gardens, as well as vegetable seeds, composts, and other gardening products. I visited his store located at 3211 Silver Ave SE, in Albuquerque's Nob Hill area, to ask some questions and learn more about his business.

Backyard Gardens Fun for the Whole Family 

As food prices rise are people changing their behavior? Is expensive food prompting veggie lovers to grow their own? One Albuquerque resident and 2008 Local Food Festival participant says "yes!"

Calling all chefs, caterers, and food service providers: Have you considered going local?  By serving locally grown foods on your menu you can enter the local food niche market while serving up some of the best and freshest foods around.  It's not only good for your business and your customers, but it also benefits local farmers while keeping our agricultural lands in production.  If you are not sure how to begin adding locally grown foods to your menu, we've found an informative guide that will help in your transition to local products.

How do you eat your figs?  Most Americans eat dried figs or fig cookies, but have never had the pleasure of eating a fresh ripe fig directly from the tree.  This joy of fresh fig eating however is not limited to those living in the tropics or the Mediterranean- but can be experienced right here in New Mexico.  You can have your own fig tree and the Fig Man of New Mexico, Lloyd Kreitzer, wants to show you how.

Lloyd Kreitzer has been cultivating figs for over 10 years at his nursery/home located in Albuquerque.  Through his business, appropriately named The Land of Enfigment, he offers a variety of trees and services including:

• Fig trees, featuring many varieties from New Mexico, the US, and abroad
• Chinese date trees, which are very nutritious and easy to grow
• Tree consulting and pruning, for both fruiting and non-fruit bearing trees

Sanchez Farms County Open Space in the South Valley near Albuquerque recently hosted a berry workshop.  Approximately 50 participants turned out for the hands-on education, and got their hands dirty planting two 100- foot rows of blackberries and raspberries. 

Dr. Ron Walser lead the workshop.  Walser is the urban small farm specialist and state fruit specialist from NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas.  The following insights and tips for berry production were presented at the workshop:

Eating locally grown foods is a popular trend, and many people are taking local food challenges in an effort to see just how much of their diet can in fact be locally grown.  Some people aim to eat everything local for one whole year, while others try to eat at least one local item each day.  Some define "local" as a specific region or their state boundaries, while other define it in distance ranging from 100 feet to 300 miles. 

Randy Burge, columnist for the Albuquerque Tribune recently acknowledged the effort underway to promote local food, and encourage and support local farmers.   The article discusses local farms, growers' markets, and restaurants choosing to offer locally-grown products.

He writes:

by Chuck Wellborn  

Where'd You Get That?

Remember how Mom would see you putting something in your mouth that she didn't give you and say that? She wanted to know where it came from.

Maybe moms should be saying that more these days, and maybe kids should be asking their moms the same thing.

There's an awful lot of unhealthy food out there that is contributing to the diabetes and obesity epidemic afflicting our citizens.

It's just another reason to be growing and producing more and more food locally and finding more ways to make it easily available to consumers.
 
What brought this to mind is King Corn, the documentary, that was shown at the local Guild Cinema in December. Sorry to say I missed it. (Put another one on the Netflix queue).

Local fresh produce and other local foods are available year-round in central New Mexico, even in the cold winter months. Eating with the seasons is a way to take advantage of what is produced locally for our climate.

There are many benefits when we choose to eat local seasonal produce over food that was grown in a different climate. Local seasonal food travels fewer miles to reach the dinner table, making it a fresher choice that uses less energy during distribution. Not only does fresh seasonal food taste better, it also supports our local agricultural economy.

By Chuck Wellborn

A lot has been said lately, both in the news and in books by Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) and Alice Waters (The Art of Simple Food) about the joys and rewards of eating locally-produced food. At the same time, the Mid Region Council of Governments has been hosting meetings of the Agribusiness Collaborative, an assemblage of local food producers, nutritionists, extension agents, restauranteurs and foodies for a couple of years. The Agribusiness Collaborative is all about support for the increased production of local food. So what's so great about local food?