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Learn how to protect your assets, provide for your loved ones, and understand what happens when you die. 1.
PROBATE: Avoid the courtroom. Avoid sensitive information from going public. Avoid the government’s estate plan for you. Avoid potential delays.
2. NURSING HOME COSTS: Protect your nest egg from nursing home costs, which average over $6,388 a month in Arizona.
3. DIVORCE: Preserve your children’s inheritance if they divorce. Ex in-laws could walk off with up to 50% of your assets.
4. REMARRIAGE & BLENDED FAMILIES: Prevent your assets from going to a stranger or future step-children instead of your children if your spouse remarries after your death.
5. CAPITAL GAINS TAX: Eliminate or minimize estate and federal capital gains taxes. 6. RETIREMENT PLANS: Choose the right option to preserve your IRA or 401(k). Take advantage of opportunities to minimize income taxes for your beneficiaries.
7. HEALTHCARE POWER OF ATTORNEY: Make your final wishes known with a Living Will and avoid the humiliation and expense of a guardianship proceeding if you become legally incapacitated.
8. COMMUNITY PROPERTY: Create necessary documents to take advantage of special community property laws available only in AZ and 8 other states.
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Reserve your seat now by calling 928.774.0333 or visiting www.morristrust.com/seminars All seminar attendees will receive a FREE one-hour, private consultation to see how proper estate planning can benefit you and your family ($400 value).
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Calendar
ABOUT TOWN
Favorites of the month from the area’s abundant offerings in art and entertainment
22-23 PRIDE IN THE PINES
9 MADE IN THE SHADE
Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill, 1-5 p.m. What’s better than drinking beer? Drinking beer for a good cause. The Made in the Shade annual beer tasting is locally organized and benefits Sun Sounds of Arizona, a nonprofit radio station with a mission to provide audio access and information to individuals who can’t otherwise access or read print media. Tickets: $55 at the door. www.azbeer.com
13 JOHN BUTLER TRIO Orpheum Theater, 7:00 p.m. Groovy. Roots rock. Enigmatic. Social activist. These words and more describe guitarist and singer John Butler and his music. The Australian group embarked on a two-month North American tour in anticipation of the release of Butler’s seventh studio album. The music is best described as elements of folk, funk, reggae and rock all drizzled through the 90s Seattle sensibility. Take a listen to their latest single “Bully” in which the songster chants, “The harder we become, the harder we fall.” Tickets: $33. www.orpheumflagstaff.com
Orpheum Theater and Thorpe Park, various times Celebration, acceptance and awareness is the focus of this annual festival highlighting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ ) community of Flagstaff. It begins Saturday night with a kickoff show at the Orpheum Theater. Catch a performance from Sante Fe’s Bella Gigante with Circus Bacchus, followed by a dance. On Sunday, see recording artist Mýa at Thorpe Park, and finish out the occasion back at the Orpheum with an after party hosted by Mya Mckenzie with Thorgy Thor from RuPaul’s Drag Race. www.flagstaffpride.org
FOLK 30-JULY 1 FLAGSTAFF FESTIVAL Coconino Center for the Arts and Pioneer Museum, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Two days, five stages and more than 150 folk acts, as well as workshops, jams and more, the Flagstaff Folk Festival promises all the folk music your heart can handle. Tickets: $5 per person each day, or $15 per family, per day. www.flagfolkfest.org
ONGOING MOVIES ON THE SQUARE
Flagstaff’s Heritage Square, Saturday evenings The Downtown Business Alliance hosts its annual movie series in Heritage Square. The lineup this month includes The Incredibles (June 9), Jumanji (June 16), Lego Batman (June 23) and Captain Underpants (June 30). Screenings are free and family-friendly with additional entertainment and fun starting at 4 p.m. Bring blankets, sleeping bags or low-seated camp chairs. Movies begin at dusk, around 7:30 p.m.
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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Homegrown Working to meet an expanding appetite for local farm-fresh food Article and photos by Nancy Wiechec
In
2007, the New Oxford American Dictionary made “locavore” its word of the year. The blended word was coined two years earlier to promote a month-long challenge to San Francisco residents to eat only foods grown or harvested within a 100-mile radius of the Bay Area. It was not at all a novel idea—historically plenty of people have lived off the land or farm-to-table. But the name was new, and urbanites and others looking to return to the fundamental nature of food embraced the locavore movement. Today, across the nation, there are cafés named Locavore, apps that point you to locally grown in-season food sources, and even a top locavore state—Vermont. But what about local locavores? Can Flagstaffians strive to eat foods grown and harvested in the region? They certainly can, say area advocates, farmers, gardeners and restaurant owners pointing to increasing interest in the grow local, eat local experience. “We are getting back to our agricultural roots as a community and working hard to have a healthy local food system,” says McKenzie Jones, president of Flagstaff Foodlink, a volunteer organization working to create greater access to local food and an equitable and resilient local food network.
Agricultural History Post-indigenous agriculture in Flagstaff has been documented since the early 1900s when potatoes were the top crop in Coconino County. In 1924 the town’s Agricultural Extension Office reported 250 farms in the area. Ten years later, more than 1,000 farms were making a significant contribution to the local economy. Besides the prolific potato, pinto beans, spring wheat, barley, oats and corn were grown. A pamphlet by the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, published sometime after the 1930 census, sought
to entice farmers to the area. “The cool climate of these higher altitudes makes Coconino County a pleasant place in which to work during the summer months. It also lends itself to the growing of potatoes and many other crops of exceptionally fine quality,” said the brochure. Naming only a few limiting factors to farming in northern Arizona, it mentioned great opportunities for small farms. Potatoes and pinto beans were said to be “cash crops.” To be successful, Flagstaff farmers had to battle some aspects of nature—
Left: Jamie, Rylan and little Erez pose among lettuce mix at their Forestdale Farm. Above: Rylan picks wild lamb’s quarter from beds of chard at the farm.
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Above: Tree A’Lolly Farm, run by Peggy Pollack, is among a few local farms selling at the Flagstaff Community Market.
a short growing season, high winds, dry air, disease, insects and foraging wildlife. And market factors, including burgeoning interstate commerce, began to impact their livelihood. By mid-century, farming diminished, and area farmland was sold to meet demands for housing. At the end of the 1950s, Flagstaff agriculture “had become less of a business and more of a hobby,” according to an article in Arizona Capitol Reports. New Growers Today, the focus is on sustainable and organic methods of growing and raising food. Resident gardeners, educational and community gardens and a handful of small farmers are working to fulfill local appetites for farm-fresh fare while overcoming some of the same challenges met by farmers more than a century ago. “It’s been a process, a learning process,” says Rylan Morton-Starner of Forestdale Farm, a family farm he owns and operates with his wife, Jamie Fredricks. Their farm and house encompass two acres in an area off Harold Ranch Road south of Butler Avenue. They’ve experienced ups and downs, like the hail storm that took out a third of their
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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
crops last year, but Forestdale Farm is thriving. In a backdrop of ponderosa, lettuce and greens show off bright hues of green, red and yellow, while other veggies display picture-perfect form. Born and raised in Flagstaff, Rylan went away to study English. He worked on farms in New England and in remote communities in Ecuador before returning to Flagstaff. “I was always growing things,” he says. “And when we got our land here, I went crazy, really crazy. We started just growing food for ourselves and giving away extra produce to our friends. Then, we established a small CSA [community supported agriculture].” From there, Forestdale Farm grew, and Rylan left his full-time job with the U.S. Geological Survey. Now firmly established, the farm has CSAs for garden starts and seasonal produce and a popular spot at the Flagstaff Community Market. A couple of local restaurants serve Forestdale salad greens, and Jamie, who also works as a nurse, started Forestdale Farmacy, a line of salves, deodorant, soap and other sundries handmade with organic ingredients. “Our business has grown every year, which is encouraging,” says
Learn More The Coconino Master Gardener Association and the Coconino County Cooperative Extension hold the second annual Plant Sale and Garden Festival at the fairgrounds at Fort Tuthill County Park, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, June 16 from 8 a.m. to noon. The free event includes demonstrations, workshops and activities for kids.
Rylan. “The interest in local and organically grown food has been very enthusiastic.” Like other small farmers in Flagstaff, Rylan and Jaime have learned to use methods that conserve water, maximize yield and protect tender plants from intense sunlight, potential storms and changing temperatures. They utilize raised garden beds, hoop houses and harvested water, and Rylan plants “densely and intensely” to best capitalize on limited space and to save water. He chooses crops carefully, relies primarily on greens that he can rotate within a season, and uses a lot of compost to keep moisture
in the soil. He interplants—planting different crop varieties together—for pest control and fertile soil. On the north side of Interstate 40 and a little further west of Forestdale Farm is Flagstaff Family Farm and Learning Center, a venture started in 2015 by Tyler and Patty Allenbaugh. When posed with the question, “Can we eat local?” Patty immediately responds, “We can. We do! A lot of our food comes from right here,” she said scanning their plot of land in Rain Valley. “We always make this joke that when the zombie apocalypse happens that all of our friends
are going to come here. Because we’re the most prepared for a zombie apocalypse.” Joking aside, the Allenbaughs admit there are not enough Flagstaff farms to meet the local demand for farm-fresh ingredients. “The amount of farms that are in Flagstaff cannot sustain the people who want local food,” Patty says. The Allenbaugh farm has a few pigs, goats and chickens. A fenced market garden with a couple of hoop houses contains a variety of produce that prospers in the mountain environment—potatoes, beans, small peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, greens,
Above: Different vegetables, greens and herbs grow together in a bed at Forestdale Farm.
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apple trees and more. Tyler said their farm is a place people can come to see what works and what doesn’t work. “ W hen I f irst started gardening, I would have learned a lot if I would have reached out and spent an hour in someone’s garden and see what they’re doing.” Desire and Demand Plenty of factors play into American cravings for homegrown food. Among them is that locally produced food is more healthy because it’s usually grown and harvested without the use of chemicals and is picked and sold at peak ripeness. Others include concerns about the larger carbon footprint of mass-produced food transported long distances. Backyard gardeners include environmentalists and ecology-minded folk as well as those that want to get their hands dirty for the reward of bettertasting, good-for-you sustenance. F l a g st a f f-ba s e d r e s t a u r a nt e u r Pa u l Moir of Slo Restaurant Concepts points to the recent romaine lettuce E-coli scare as another reason people seek local food. They want to know the origins of the food they eat. “With these prevalent issues, people start to pay at tent ion to where their food is coming from,” says Moir. H i s c o m p a n y ’s three local establishments—Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar, Criollo Latin Kitchen and Proper Meats and Provisions—serve up food made with ingredients from farms and ranches in Arizona and the Four Corners region. Slo Restaurant Concepts began 12 years ago with a commitment to sustainability and conservation, and Moir says it has been sourcing local produce from day one. But it’s not always easy. A fluctuation of growers and farmers who are at the mercy of the season and weather does not guarantee his restaurant will get the ingredients for any given menu item. Moir says this requires his chefs and staff to be creative and have great flexibility. 12
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Growing Resources Hattie Braun, a horticulture instructional specialist with Coconino County Cooperative Extension, has been a gardener in Flagstaff for 25 years and has taught a master gardening class for the last two decades. She said now
From forest foraging to backyard vegetable growing and harvesting rainwater, organizations and educational institutes in Flagstaff host a variety of workshops that center on local food. Northern Arizona University has four educational and research gardens, and the nonprofit Terra Birds oversees several gardens in the community. When local gardener Jackee Alston is asked if a Flagstaffian can be a locavore, she says, “Absolutely, we can! We are encouraging people to do just that.” In 2015, Alston started the Grow Flagstaff Seed Library, located at the cooperative extension office. She said a cache of locally proven seeds is crucial to maintaining plants that thrive in the Flagstaff environment. Preserving seeds this way ensures food diversity and food security not only locally but around the world. Residents may “borrow” seeds from the library for free. All the library asks is that they return to the library with seeds from their garden at the end of the growing season. The library includes 120 different seed varieties, mostly vegetables but also herbs and plants that attract native pollinators.
What it Takes Growing or raising food is time-consuming. For the inexperienced, there can be a long learning curve, and success usually only comes Offerings at the Flagstaff Community Market with knowledge and practice. include local greens and produce from farms One evening last month, in the Verde Valley and Phoenix area. Mike Popejoy joined Brian Moody at the O’Leary Street more than ever residents are seeking informa- Community Garden to plant seed potatoes. tion on how to grow food. Moody, a coordinator with Coconino County “We have more people in our master gar- Cooperative Extension, was leading a growing deners class who want to know how to grow workshop. Popejoy admitted to not knowing a food garden. In the '90s, it was more about anything about the cultivation of what once ornamental gardens and growing.” was Flagstaff’s most famous crop, but he said he The extension program hosted a five-week wanted to learn to grow food to eat more healthbeginning farmers course for the first time in ily and become less dependent on the industrial Flagstaff last year. It attracted 30 individuals food system. He started with beans, but his first attempt from the city, nearby Native communities and the Verde Valley, and Braun said the extension to grow vegetables produced only a tiny quantity office continues to receive requests for addi- of edibles. “I soon realized how many beans I ate tional farming and growing courses. a year and wondered how could I possibly grow
Above: A seed potato is ready for planting in a community garden. Right: Tyler Allenbaugh harvests cherry tomatoes last year at his Flagstaff Family Farm.
that many.” Moody says he runs into a lot of people who want to grow food, but most underestimate the time and patience they have to devote to the craft. “Many people want to grow. What it comes down to is a matter of time and how much they have to devote to it. And there’s a learning curve, knowing how to grow even on a tight budget and in potentially tough conditions.” Of course, the local farmers say it’s worth the time and energy. “Growing your own food is always rewarding,” says Rylan of Forestdale Farm. “It’s extremely satisfying to know what went into the food you eat.” Besides being personally gratifying, growing food and teaching others to raise food has a much more significant impact,
says Tyler Allenbaugh of Flagstaff Family Farm. “If people really put their minds to eating local, there’s no reason why we can’t grow enough food here to feed our animals and ourselves … But currently, we live in a time of convenience. Why would anyone go out of their way to do that, when they can just get on their smartphone and have groceries brought to them. “At the same time, everyone still has that thread in them. They want to go back to what their grandparents or great-grandparents did. And if we don’t have people in our society who are out there working in the fields and still learning the things that people before us learned, then a lot of these skills are going to be gone. And at that point, no, we can no longer feed ourselves.” april18 june18 namlm.com
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MATTERS OF TASTE
SPIRIT OF THE OLD WEST Mormon Lake Lodge Steakhouse By Gail G. Collins 14
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
IN THE PINES At Mormon Lake Lodge, the Summertime Blues are cured with a large dose of the cool northern Arizona great outdoors. Guests love our rustic and modern cabins (featuring kitchenettes) and exploring nearby forest trails on hikes, mountain bikes or horseback. Relax in the Lodge’s historic steakhouse and ease away your stress in our quaint, friendly saloon enjoying the company of family and friends. For the day, for a night, for a week—take the cure. � Cozy cabins & RV Park and Campground � Steakhouse & Saloon � Horseback, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Fishing � Events: Equestrian & Team Roping, Archery Tournaments, Motorcycle Rallies and Reunions
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BY THE BOTTLE
Beers to
SPRING & SUMMER! B
efore leaving the beauty of spring for the delights of summer, it’s time to revel in some brew styles that cross from one season to the next. Barbecue is the flavor of these longer days, and nothing pairs better with a cookout than delicious craft beer. Although spring remains a relatively undefined beer season, summer is naturally the domain of India Pale Ales, Pilsners and lagers. People say that a solid craft beer goes with anything, and there’s no wrong way to go about pairings. My take is to keep in mind the environment and activities when choosing a beer. A lazy afternoon barbecue is a perfect occasion for an India Pale Ale. The hoppiness complements the smoky flavor of brats, burgers and steaks. Flag Brew’s Bubbaganouj IPA and Mother Road’s Tower Station are local standards that pair perfectly. Then 18
By Mike Williams
again, many find the flavorful IPA to be a bit overpowering for lighter meats like chicken and pork or grilled vegetables. So, it’s a good idea to keep other varieties like fruity saisons or even lambics in the cooler. Red Rock Raspberry from Beaver Street Brewery is a great option for lighter fare and is also a welcome addition to a marinade. One of the most stunning local aspects of spring and summer is spectacular wildflower blooms. Around the Flagstaff area, fields and meadows explode with mini oceans of yellows, pinks, purples and oranges, making for breathtaking day hikes. On these adventures, the right beer makes it all the more special. The smell of flowers in the air goes magnificently with a floral brew, and the sight of a brightly colored beer poured fresh into a glass can further invigorate the senses.
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Familiar flower flavors that make their way into beer are chamomile, lavender, jasmine, elderberry, rose, hibiscus and dandelion. Dark Sky Brewing is the go-to spot for exotic floral suds, and their crowlers make for an eco-friendly portable option. With the milder weather, the call to outdoor sports is irresistible. There are hundreds of miles of biking and hiking trails just out the front door, and both locals and visitors alike flock to the trails that twist through the surrounding forest and high desert. Style-wise, an IPA might be a bit on the heavy side for strenuous activity, so stick with a decent pale like Lumberyard’s Knotty Pine Pale Ale or Historic’s refreshingly crisp Undercover Cucumber. And, if you’re starting an outing in the early hours, don’t underestimate how energizing a coffee-infused brew can be. Wanderlust’s Pan American Vanilla and Coffee
Stout, featuring locally roasted coffee from Late For The Train, has to be tasted to be believed. Most folks find themselves posted at their favorite watering hole at the end of a day of outside fun and touring. Ranging from the hip and youthful to quaint and rustic, the bar scene in Flagstaff has something for everyone. Many have happy-hour deals, and the local color always comes out. If you’re looking for some of the best selections of craft brews, check out Hops on Birch and Majestic Marketplace. The State Bar on Route 66 has one of the most varied beer menus in town and also a wide array of Arizona honey meads. Finally, for those with a hankering to see Flagstaff in its original Old West glory, mosey on over to the Weatherford Hotel or the Monte Vista for a glimpse into the past and something cold on tap.
THE ARTS
Landscape of
Drought
Inspiration
Tapestries by D. Y. Begay By Jennifer McLerran
H
istoric Navajo textiles fetch substantial prices. The most significant and aesthetically pleasing pieces are coveted by wealthy buyers and take pride of place in their collections. But the creators of the vast majority of these textiles are unknown. Weavings created before the mid-20th century are only rarely attributed to individual makers. Today, Navajo textiles bear their makers’ names, and weavings by the highest profile artists often surpass in monetary value the fine works of the unknown artisans of the past. One of the best-known and most widely collected contemporary Navajo weavers is D. Y. Begay. Recognized with every major award in her field, Begay’s works are in private and museum collections worldwide. From June 17 through November 1, the largest number of her weavings ever displayed together will be on exhibit at the Museum of 20
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Northern Arizona. Begay was born and raised in the small community of Tselani (“Many Rocks” in the Navajo language) on the Navajo reservation. After completing boarding school, she earned a bachelor’s degree in art education
from Arizona State University. But Begay’s education did not end at ASU. Throughout her career, she has traveled the world, seeking out other weavers and studying their materials and techniques as well as the cultural traditions and beliefs that shape their work. Like the weavings of both her Navajo contemporaries and her forebears, Begay’s work is highly eclectic. Navajo weavers have always drawn from a wide range of sources and influences. Longstanding tradition tells us that Spider Woman taught Navajo women to weave. Scholarly sources, on the other hand, trace the art’s origins to the Pueblo people who taught their Navajo neighbors to construct vertical looms and weave when the latter entered the Southwest hundreds of years ago. First weaving with cotton and then wool, which was introduced by the Spanish when they brought Churro sheep to North America, the Navajo soon became recognized as the finest weavers in the Southwest. Sturdy wearing blankets of elegant geometric design were woven of hand-spun wool. The earliest pieces featured yarns that were undyed or colored with plant-derived indigo and insect-based cochineal and lac. Chief Blankets, wearing blankets composed of simple horizontal stripes produced by highly skilled Navajo
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Mountains Behind Hogan
weavers, found their way to the Northern and Central Plains where they were especially prized possessions of high-status members of such tribes as the Blackfeet and Lakota. During the colonial period, Navajo weavers drew on the designs and dye sources of early Spanish settlers, producing a different form of wearing blanket that is longer than wide, the serape. Navajo serapes quickly surpassed in quality and durability the weavings that were brought into the Southwest from Mexico and became prized possessions in Mexican and Hispanic households. As the 19th century progressed, synthetic dyes and commercially processed yarns became increasingly available on the Navajo reservation, offering weavers a widened color palette. Designs also grew more complex, reflecting Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Western Asian textile traditions. The Euro-American market for Navajo textile grew significantly in the late 19th century, causing weavers to increasingly turn to the new artificial dyes and commercial wools to speed production. This increased weavers’ output and made their textiles more affordable. But, by most accounts, 22
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
the quality of Navajo weavings suffered a marked decline. Commercially processed wools and packaged dyes were no match for hand-spun Churro yarn and the subtle shades of plant-based dyes. From the 1940s to today, numerous efforts have been made to encourage Navajo weavers to return to non-chemical dyes, hand-spun wool and the
older, simpler designs that predominated before traders entered the reservation. Navajo weavers did not enjoy individual name recognition until relatively recently. Traders and weaving wholesalers, who dominated the Navajo textiles market from the late 19th century into the mid-20th century, bear significant responsibility for
this oversight. During this period traders seldom made efforts to accurately record the names of the weavers with whom they traded. They often kept account ledgers that recorded only the weaver’s first name or her husband’s name. It is not uncommon to find traders’ ledger entries that identify the weaver as, for instance, “Wife of Joe Curly” or “Manyhorse’s Wife.” Given the fact that many Navajo—both men and women—were married multiple times over their lives, it has been difficult to match such entries to individual women. Further, when traders conveyed weavings to wholesalers for distribution to retailers, weavers’ names did not accompany them. As publicity surrounding competitions at regional fairs and festivals such as the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial, and the Museum of Northern Arizona’s Navajo Festival of Art and Culture increased in the mid-20th century, individual prize winners rose to prominence and gained individual name recognition. Later, with the advent of the women’s and Native rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s and with the assistance of government agencies and philanthropic programs dedicated to the protection and welfare of Native craftspeople, individual name recognition for Navajo weavers became common. Also, university education of Navajo artisans in fine arts programs, which has risen dramatically over the past 50 years, has led to the empowerment of weavers, many of whom have taken on the task of marketing their own work. Internet marketing by individual artists has significantly raised weavers’ profiles and allowed them to propagate a loyal following of collectors. Ahead of the curve, Begay was one of the first Navajo weavers to market her work through her own website, obtaining the domain name navajo-indian.com in 1999. Begay is one of a handful of Navajo
Above: D. Y. Begay Below: Detail of Night Way
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weavers who she was awarded a has consistently Southwest Association maintained the use for Indian Arts of hand-spun wool Discovery Fellowship, and natural dyes which paid her travel derived from plants expenses to Peru to Tapestries of D. Y. Begay and minerals. This engage in cultural Runs June 17 through November 1 at the adherence to the exchange with Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N highest standards indigenous weavers and Fort Valley Road in Flagstaff. It features is evident in the to give a presentation more than 23 of Begay’s weavings quality of her work. at the Convergence inspired by the landscape of Tselani. A Begay’s beautifully Conference of the place of distinctive beauty, Tselani is crafted weavings Handweavers Guild laden with memories that have shaped demonstrate how of America. Begay Begay’s development as an artist and Navajo weavers have explains, “The purpose informed the aesthetics of her work. adapted to demands of the gathering was to of multiple and broaden and deepen an shifting markets. understanding between The influences that indigenous weavers have shaped Begay’s and forge connections work through travel and exposure to other among people who are passionate about cultures make their appearance in her weaving textiles.” After visiting Peruvian weavers, in varied and often subtle ways. she traveled to Guatemala and Bolivia to In Biníghádzíltł’óní (Woven Through, 2012) conduct workshops, participate in artist Begay explores both Hispanic and indigenous interchanges with local indigenous weavers, South American weaving traditions. In 2010 and to collaborate on an exhibition of Navajo
The exhibit Tselani/Terrain:
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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
and South American indigenous tapestries. After traveling to Peru, Begay was inspired to create a serape using techniques she had learned on her visit. She reports, “After my travel in Peru, I was very inspired by the Native weavers there. Many of the indigenous people still weave serapes for their own use. I designed and wove my Navajo version of a Peruvian serape. I hope Navajo weavers will be inspired to recreate our traditional serapes and return to wearing them too.” Begay’s cosmopolitan life may seem to deviate from our common conception of the reservation-based weaver, but she has much in common with her Navajo contemporaries. While she has worked and studied worldwide, Begay has repeatedly returned to the landscape of the Navajo reservation as her greatest inspiration. She spends much of the year at her home in Santa Fe, but she also maintains a hogan and studio at Tselani, where she immerses herself in reservation life, participating in traditional activities, enjoying family gatherings, and exploring the environs of her home. Many of the dyes she uses are derived from vegetal sources in and around Tselani, while other colors come from more distant sources. In Palette of Cochineal (2013) Begay colored her yarns with the rich red hues of cochineal insects, which are grown on row after row of prickly pear cactus on Mexican farms. She also used hand-spun wool dyed with the muted red-purple tones of brazilwood, which originates in the tropical regions of Asia and South America. The scarlet tones of madder roots and the subtle red hue produced by walnut hulls, both of which are locally derived, filled out her color palette. In another piece, Intended Vermillion (2015), Begay used vermillion dye, which entered Native North America via the Far East and is still imported from China today. In Landscape Blues (2017), she derived her color from indigo, a plant-based dye which made its appearance in North America via Mexican trade networks. Since at least the 1800s, Navajo weavings have been produced and appreciated at the intersection of complex and diverse cultures and multiple markets. Begay’s beautifully crafted weavings demonstrate how Navajo weavers have adapted to shifting market demands and the availability of new materials. At the same time, they show how their creator has perpetuated centuries-old traditions and practices. Jennifer McLerran, Ph.D., is an associate professor of Art History at Northern Arizona University and guest curator of Tselani/ Terrain: Tapestries of D. Y. Begay.
MIND & BODY
BE
SUN
SAVVY
By The Staff High altitude means greater amounts of ultraviolet radiation
I
t’s that time of year when nature calls us outdoors to enjoy mild temperatures and the beautiful surroundings of the mountains and high desert. So the start of summer is an excellent time to remind everyone that sun protection is of the utmost importance and even more so at high elevation. “At higher altitudes, more UV can get reach the earth's surface, because the atmosphere tends to be cleaner and thinner than at lower elevations,” says the National Weather Service about ultraviolet radiation in northern Arizona. Skin damaging and cancer causing ultraviolet light increases with altitude by as much as 5 percent for every 1,000 feet. For example, on the same day in June, the amount of UV radiation would be approximately 27 percent higher in Flagstaff (6,910 feet above sea level) than in Phoenix (1,086 feet). At the top of the San Francisco Peaks, a person would experience an increase in UV radiation of about 50 percent when compared to the Valley of the Sun. Summer days in Arizona often rate as “extreme" on the UV index of the World 26
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
OUTDOOR LIFE
Kendrick Mountain By Larry Hendricks
Life springs from the remains of a wildfire
B
ees buzzed over blossoming mountain flowers. Stellar jays screeched in the ponderosa pine canopies. Trees swayed in red-flag winds tickling the clouds as they whipped across the sky. Signs of spring prevailed on Kendrick Mountain even though a fire had scarred her in the past year. Friends Evan Burris and Kiril Kirkov joined me for a May hike up the Kendrick Mountain Trail. The footpath, which runs up the southeast side of the mountain, is a bit shorter than the Pumpkin Trail, which climbs the northwest side. The last time I’d been on this hike was during monsoon season in 2011. Much had changed. Last summer’s Boundary Fire chewed up about 18,000 acres around the mountain, including much of the 6,500-acre Kendrick Mountain Wilderness that straddles the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests northwest of Flagstaff. Although the lightning-caused blaze ate a lot of fuel, much of it was underbrush and duff, leaving the trunks of the ponderosas blackened but the 30
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
canopies green—a good thing for the health of a forest in northern Arizona. In the wake of the fire, the U.S. Forest Service closed the Kendrick Mountain Wilderness for safety reasons, including the possibility of falling snags and flooding. The area reopened in late September. As we hiked, evidence of the fire was very apparent, but it was also easy to see life returning to the soil. Purple, yellow and white flowers found purchase in the newly enriched soil, and the green of fresh grasses and aspen shoots poked through several spots above 8,000 feet. On my last hike up this trail, the forest was lush with vegetation and ferns grew among stands of aspen. The taste of dust marked this hike, and wind gusts were strong enough to push you off your gait. Signs of deer were plentiful along the trail, and we saw multiple squirrels and small chipmunks. We even made a friend of a horned toad sunning on the path. The hike is demanding, but the lungburning effects are manageable because of a gradual ascent and a well-kept trail. Stunning views of volcanic landscape,
including the San Francisco Peaks, treated us along the way. At the ridgeline, we made a short march to an early 1900s cabin that used to shelter people staffing the Kendrick lookout tower. The cabin was locked, and it appeared as though firefighters had wrapped it in a protective coating to save it from the possibility of burning during the Boundary Fire. We stopped for a break and to take some photos. The trail ends at the fire lookout on the peak. When we approached the lookout, U.S. Forest Service volunteer Suzanne Motsinger came out and invited us out of the unsettling wind. Motsinger, in her fourth year serving as a volunteer in the lookout, began her shift the previous Friday morning. She had come up the trail with her dogs Skeeter and Dylan and was scheduled to leave Monday. We looked out over the spectacular vista afforded us at 10,400 feet: To the south, the hint of the Mogollon Rim and Sedona’s red rocks; to the east, the San Francisco Peaks; to the north, the rim of the Grand Canyon; and to the west, Bill Williams Mountain and beyond.
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