June 2015 Green Fire Times by Sun Publishing

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Vol. 7, No. 6 • June 2015 Issue No. 74 Publisher Green Fire Publishing, LLC

Skip Whitson

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Contents

The Ever-Changing, Always Enduring Nuevo Mexicano Familia (Part 1) . . . . . . . 7 Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette: Vignette 2 – Hunting La Llorona ...9 The Southwest Santa Fe River Corridor (Part 2). . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .12 Agua Fría: History of a Traditional Community . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 13 High Road Community Comes Together to Share Traditions . . .. . .. . .. . .. 15 Everyday Green: Eating Seeds . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 19 Food Justice: An Initiative of the Santa Fe Art Institute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 |UN|silo|ED| SeedBroadcast . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 21 Leading the Charge Toward Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies . . 23 Op-Ed: Get Coal Power Out of your Home ➜ Go Solar Now!. . . . . . . . . . . 24 Op-Ed: Dear Santa Fe Neighbors .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 24 Designing Sustainable Neighborhoods Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Lore of the Land: Filters to Perception. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Coalition Building Supports Environmental Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 18, 31, 37 What’s Going On. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 38

Lisa Powers, 505.629.2655 Lisa@greenfiretimes.com Aurore Loranger, 505-699-0461 aurore@greenfiretimes.com Albuquerque: Shelley Shilvock, 505-492-5869, ShelleyShilvock@gmail.com

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c/o The Sun Companies P.O. Box 5588, SF, NM 87502-5588 505.471.5177 • info@greenfiretimes.com © 2015 Green Fire Publishing, LLC Green Fire Times provides useful information for community members, business people, students and visitors—anyone interested in discovering the wealth of opportunities and resources in the Southwest. In support of a more sustainable planet, topics covered range from green businesses, jobs, products, services, entrepreneurship, investing, design, building and energy—to native perspectives on history, arts & culture, ecotourism, education, sustainable agriculture, regional cuisine, water issues and the healing arts. To our publisher, a more sustainable planet also means maximizing environmental as well as personal health by minimizing consumption of meat and alcohol. Green Fire Times is widely distributed throughout north-central New Mexico. Feedback, announcements, event listings, advertising and article submissions to be considered for publication are welcome.

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Robert Redford and Mayor Javier Gonzales on stage at The Lensic for the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce and Santa Fe Forward talk on Activism, Arts and the Environment. (See SW Santa Fe River Corridor article, page 12)

COVER: The Santa Fe River (after rainstorms) flows through a section of the

Southwest River Corridor west of Frenchy’s Field on May 24, 2015. Photo by Anna C. Hansen Green Fire Times • June 2015

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Views from the field

The Ever-Changing, Always Enduring Nuevo Mexicano Familia Part 1

Article and photos by Alejandro López

t a recent family gathering, I was once again struck by the grand scale of the typical northern Nuevo Mexicano familia, whose homeland this semiarid upland has been for over 400 years. Within its endlessly unfolding and expanding pleats, it is not uncommon for 10 or 12 siblings to gather in occasional celebrations with an equal number of cousins on both their mother’s and father’s sides. If they are adults, add to this the spouses of each, their combined children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, and you are looking at some pretty hefty numbers to greet and feed. Fortunately for this culture, which greatly values get-togethers, a pot of beans and posole, together with numerous platters of enchiladas—red and green—and a huge salad, usually suffice to quell the hunger of any number of guests. At such a gathering, much time can be spent just familiarizing oneself with obscure relatives, learning their names and the relation one has to them. One might even learn a bit about their interests or professional lives before yet another relative happens to enter the lively mix, and the conversation invariably takes a different course. In this neck of the piñón-scented

woods, even one’s fourth and fifth cousins are acknowledged because bloodlines go back to readily traceable common ancestors, who lived not all that long ago and whose biographical footsteps can still be appreciated. With the acknowledgement of such ancestors comes all sorts of interesting revelations; two examples include the common great-great-grandmother,

The Nuevo Mexicano is the product of our region’s and hemisphere’s unique if tumultuous history.

a Montoya from El Valle, who was a prolific weaver of the brilliant and bedazzling vallero blankets, and the common great-grandfather, a “leathery” (correoso) and long-lived López from Las Truchas, who was both the village doctor and veterinarian and used to perform surgeries on human and animal subjects alike with a special piece of sharpened glass, followed by applications of healing herbs. Because the Nuevo Mexicano people used to marry within their own village or with people from neighboring villages, it is possible that you could be related

to someone on both sides of your family, and that that person could be both a close and distant relative. That person might also be your aunt—or uncle—through marriage on one side of your family and a bloodline cousin on the other side. However, given the existence of a limited number of old Spanish family names in New Mexico, as well as the longevity of this cultural and linguistic community, it is likely that, if one were to go back six or seven generations, one would discover that nearly everyone in the region is related in a multitude of directions to everyone else in a kind of unacknowledged tribe of mixed blood, mainly genízaro and mestizo people (native and Spanish-Mexican), the Hispanophiles notwithstanding. Too many historical records of the absorption by marriage or captivity of both native and Spanish people into each other’s vaguely defined societies over centuries in México and in the Southwest make it almost impossible for the Nuevo Mexicano to be of the same unaltered bloodline as that of the Iberian Spanish people, themselves a highly heterogeneous population. The clear advantage of this reality and realization is that the Nuevo Mexicano definitely belongs here and is the product of our region’s and hemisphere’s unique if tumultuous history.

A branch of a Nuevo Mexicano family comprised of at least four ethnicities (Nuevo Mexicano, French, Anglo and Colombian) gathers for a meal at Anthony’s at the Delta in Española.

Curiously, in our large Nuevo Mexicano families everyone is valued for who they inherently are, even if they are the last child—el chocoyote—in a long line of 12 or 13 children. Each person is valued for his or her special qualities as an individual and as a member of the community, as well as for the special kinship ties that one has with them. Rarely is one’s relationship with them predicated on the external considerations of beauty, wealth, status, continued on page 8

A Nuevo Mexicano family gathers to honor one of its members.

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Green Fire Times • June 2015

Nuevo Mexicano Familia

power or fame as might more often occur in mainstream society.

Family photos taken at the dawn of the 20 th century up to the present reveal much about our family structure and composition. Among the most memorable photos in our collection is a black-and-white print with crimped edges that poignantly captures one of our aunt and uncle’s wedding day in the 1940s.The bride sits demurely in her long flowing gown, while the taciturn groom stands stiffly behind her, looking dapper in his suit.They are framed by the massive walls of an adobe residence in Las Truchas in which the straw used for binding is clearly evident. Such a photo could hardly be taken these days—nearly 75 years later—because, first, no one builds in that fashion or with those materials any longer and, second, few weddings these days are as elaborate as the one captured on film. In another photograph, a large family gathers beside a bulky, two-toned Buick from the 1950s. Near the center are the grandparents and, radiating out like multiple branches from a tree trunk, are two or three generations of people. What is notable is the presence of individuals at nearly every stage of life, from newborns to the elderly. The profusion of young people is also a significant detail that reflects particular realities. In recent photos of the same family, the reverse is true; that is, nearly everyone is elderly, and there is a conspicuous lack of young people. The reason for this abrupt and radical change is that the young people who were born after the Second World War, during the largest population boom the country has ever experienced, have, by now, all grown fairly old.The families they, in turn, produced never numbered as many as the preceding generations.

continued from page 7

The reduction in family size was due not just to the passing of the population boom but also to the shift in livelihood from the ubiquitous ranchito, which required as many hands as could be had, to wage-earning jobs in mainstream institutions such as the laboratories at Los Alamos, state government offices in A coyotito (Nuevo Mexicano and Anglo offspring) finds his place in the midst of a Nuevo Mexicano family. Santa Fe or the lunch counter at the now-defunct Woolworth’s that now punctuates this once almost guiding principles of the Mexicanoon what was a much more welcoming and exclusively regionally defined population. speaking Nuevo Mexicano people from egalitarian Santa Fe Plaza. Those who migrated to the Pacific Rim the villages high in the Sangre de Cristo have introduced into northern Nuevo Mountains, which shaped my family, Mexicano society the cultures and still hold sway in these now-diverse bloodlines of Chinese, Hawaiian and households: véanse como hermanos (treat Samoan peoples, as well as descendants of one another as brothers and sisters); Irish, English, French, Italians, Jews and respeten a la gente (respect others); háblense Puerto Ricans, at least in my family.Those (greet one another); sépan perdonarse who headed north have forever bound our (practice forgiveness); ayúdense unos a los fate with the Mormons of Utah and the otros (help one another); no sean cuzcos Another force that has been shaping the tribes of the Great Plains. Meanwhile, (don’t be stingy); no anden ahí parándose character and structure of the Nuevo those who headed south and east brought el cuello (don’t boast); y aprendan a trabajar Mexicano family throughout the last with them—in body, mind, heart and (and learn how to work). With luck, these several decades has been the process of soul—the melodious South American human and humane principles, together schooling. Formal education has steered Spanish language and tropical qualities with ongoing interactions among familia, each successive generation of Nuevo of immigrant Colombians, as well as the if limited these days only to occasional Mexicano young people to colleges and southern accent and no-nonsense manner family reunions, graduations and funerals, universities and then onto the national of Floridians. Relatives who remained ought to serve as enduring binding job market, owing to New Mexico’s here have also added to the growing elements as strong as the glistening sputtering economy. Many graduates diversity of the family’s bloodline through narrow strands of straw embedded in our never returned home from their newly the procreation of part-Nuevo Mexicano old adobe homes that have withstood the adopted states or, when they did, they and part-Pueblo Indian children, as well test of time. i returned only for brief periods or for as offspring with strains of landlocked special occasions. Alejandro López, Scandinavians running through their a native northern veins. Gay people, fully integrated into Employment-motivated relocations Nuevo Mexicano the familia, have added yet another level combined with the enlistment of many writer and of diversity to this complex and endlessly young Nuevo Mexicanos in the armed photographer, is the unfolding human web. forces, and their subsequent dispersal chocoyote, or last throughout the world, have resulted in born, in a family Undeniable as these radical changes the dramatic rise of human diversity of 11 siblings. have been, some of the old customs and

Some of the old customs and guiding principles still hold sway in these now-diverse households.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

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Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette

Vignette 2–Hunting La Llorona Andrew Lovato

uring the glorious months of summer, the kids in Elvis’s neighborhood played hide and seek, tag and invented elaborate games. One game that they never tired of consisted of boys chasing girls and holding them captive inside a jungle gym at the local city park. The girls pretended to be horses, and the boys played the role of cowboys, with the most successful hombre being the one who possessed the largest harem of stomping and snorting ponies. After the sun went down, the favorite pastime was telling scary stories. Elvis and his friends never became bored with the tales that were recycled over and over again. They sat in circles on the green grass of a host family’s lawn as the nightly ritual commenced. Girls shrieked and the boys laughed nervously when the storytelling began. Ghosts and witches were popular topics of conversation, along with devils and graveyards. However, as far as terrifying characters were concerned, none rivaled the queen of terror, La Llorona. [pronounced “Lah Yoh-Roh-Nah”] La Llorona was a name that evoked fear in the hearts of all Santa Fe youngsters. Her legend had several variations, but the basic theme went as follows:

La Llorona was a beautiful woman who married a rich nobleman. She was very happy, and she gave birth to three radiant children. One day, her husband

left her for another woman, and she was so consumed with anger that she took her children and drowned them in an arroyo filled with water. After she realized what she had done, she went mad with remorse and drowned herself. Since that day, her ghost has wandered the arroyos of northern New Mexico wailing for her dead children. The story went on to warn that, if any child happened to be near an arroyo at night and was unfortunate enough to run into the weeping ghost, a horrible fate would await. Some storytellers claimed that her victims first saw a mysterious red light that hypnotized them. These unfortunate souls were not able to move, and La Llorona did away with them like she’d done with her own children. If she felt merciful, she might take an unlucky child prisoner and lead her captive to a demented fortress where she made the poor creature her eternal slave. These prospects were unnerving, and youngsters cringed at the idea of running into the weeping woman.

As far as terrifying characters were concerned, none rivaled the queen of terror, La Llorona.

Needless to say, kids took special precautions to avoid arroyos after dark, which pleased their parents greatly, and there was little done to discourage the legend. In a twisted way, getting scared was so much darn fun. Elvis never felt as alive as when his heart was pounding and he was peering around nervously, looking for a glint of supernatural light or the sound of a grieving woman in the distance.

Children play in a Santa Fe County acequia.

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One typical summer evening in late July, as dusk fell and the stars began

Dark lady of tears Weave the spell that stirs my soul But wander not too near

to peek out over the horizon of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, all the kids in Elvis’s neighborhood grew weary of tag and kick-the-can and headed over to Floyd’s front yard to see if they could muster up the thrill of delicious fear one more time. Of all the neighborhood kids, Floyd told the best stories. “If you look in a mirror while you hold a candle in a dark room, and you say three times, ‘El Diablo is my Padre,’ the devil’s face will appear over your left shoulder. I’m telling you the truth. You can try it yourself but remember when you see his face, make the sign of the cross and say, ‘In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, be gone!’ If you don’t do this right away, the devil will go down your left shoulder and into your heart, and you’ll have a heart attack and die instantly and go to hell and become the devil’s slave for all time.” The terror-stricken troupe sat quietly contemplating this fate, and not a sound could be heard except for the incessant chirping of crickets. “Let’s call the devil tonight,” Ramona impulsively suggested. Floyd seemed startled at the challenge, but then he upped the ante. “Let’s call La Llorona instead. We can head over

to the arroyo and do a ceremony to make her appear.” Floyd had done it again. Elvis felt a familiar cold sensation crawling up his spine just when he’d thought he was too jaded to have it happen once more. The adventurers’ numbers quickly began to diminish as soon as it was determined that the plan for the night would be conjuring up La Llorona. Several kids remembered that either their parents wanted them home early or some mysterious chore was still left undone and needed immediate attention. In the end, there were only four foolhardy madcaps left: Floyd, Elvis, Rudy and Ramona Jaramillo, who was never afraid of anything. The nearest arroyo lay across the neighborhood park near the school. The night was pitch black, so Ramona ran home and returned a few minutes later with a flashlight, and the brave troupe began its quest. “Did you guys check out the moon?” Rudy asked. Elvis looked up and saw a thin, silver sliver in the dark sky. “It’s a witch’s moon,” Floyd whispered. “It’s a sign for sure that she’ll be out wandering around the arroyos tonight.” continued on page 28

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The Southwest Santa Fe River Corridor The 20th Century (Part 2) Hilario E. Romero

n the official Topographical Map of Santa Fe County, in 1904, the same year that the Court of Private Land Claims concluded its adjudications, the Rancho El Pino in Agua Fría was no longer shown. The area’s boundaries are not shown. The 1919 Hydrographic Map of Santa Fe shows acequias, including the Acequia de Los Pinos, the San Antonio, Los Ojitos and Las Joyas. Families of original land grantees still live in Santa Fe, and many of them still live in the Southwest Santa Fe River Corridor. Since Agua Fría Village was contiguous with the southwest boundary at the Pacheco Grant to the Santa Fe League in the northeast, the Santa Fe County map, in 1938, shows connecting houses along the Camino Real—Agua Fría Road—to the area where Rancho El Pino was located. Oral accounts talk of the goat herds in this area and how the villagers bought or traded for “requesón,” cottage goat cheese. Keres Pueblo groups came and traded with Agua Fría Village. Rancho El Pino gradually split into family shares and later sold plots to new generations of families who wanted to live in the area.

Sotero Romero, an Agua Fría Farmer and Rancher

Sotero Romero was a landowner born in Agua Fría in 1866. He was farming and ranching in this area from the late 1800s until 1934. He owned several long strips of land—extending from today’s Cerrillos Road to the Santa Fe River—that are now La Cieneguita del Camino Real, Maez Road, Harrison Road, Boylan neighborhood and the Ecoversity land. Four acequias ran through Romero’s land, which was bounded on the southwest by the Camino de las Carretas (Cerrillos Road) and on the northeast by the Río Santa Fe. In the upper southwest area of the Camino Real was the Acequia de los Pinos (Acequia Madre), which is still in use today. In the lower area, northeast of the Camino Real and adjacent to the Río Santa Fe, was the Acequia de Los Ojitos, which was partially fed by several cold-water springs. It ran through the middle of this area (Ecoversity land) from the Río Santa Fe to near San Isidro Crossing on the Camino Real. (Hydrographic Map of Santa Fe, NM, including parts of Santa Fe County, State Engineer’s Office, 1914.) Also, the Acequia San Antonio ran from the gate of the Acequia Madre, on Santa Fe Indian School land, through the area now known as Casa Alegre, and down further into “el estanque” or “tanque” near the Camino Real. It then flowed to Sotero Romero’s lower lands (Ecoversity) and eventually back into the Río Santa Fe. These properties, from Las Joyas to Siler Road, were referred to “Las Cieneguitas,” according to David Baca of Las Joyas neighborhood. El Pino Ranch had approximately 1,200 acres that ran from the western boundary of the Santa Fe Grant to today’s Siler Road. Sotero Romero and his wife, Antonia “Tonita” Gonzales de Romero, ranched, farmed and irrigated with acequias that passed through his 40-acre strip of Agua Fría land. By 1900, they had two children: Alejandrino, 6, and Antonio, 2.The youngest, Francisquita, was born in 1906.They had a goat herd and traded and sold requesón. Romero pastured his goats in the lower portion of his land and grew alfalfa and corn on the upper portion. The Santa Fe County map of 1924 identifies both strips of that land as Sotero Romero’s, where today’s La Cieneguita neighborhood and Ecoversity land are located, on the Camino Real. Henry Culver, former owner/operator of Empire Builders lumberyard, would later buy the upper section of Sotero’s land, up to Cerrillos Road. Part of the lower land, running east of Romero’s land and northeast of the Camino Real to the Río Santa Fe, stayed with the Carrillo family. After the Hydrographic Survey Report of the Santa Fe River, in 1977, the map of the area shows these ditches clearly in the same locations as shown in the 1914 survey.

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1977 Hydrographic Map of Santa Fe

side of the Village of Agua Fría, they sold local cheese and groceries. By the 1950s, there were several houses along the east side of Maez Road, all belonging to the children of Tomás Maez, according to Lena Maez Valencia, Tomás Maez’s granddaughter. The 1977 Hydrographic Map of Santa Fe, #23, shows the houses. Valencia recalls that her father and grandfather referred to the land below Maez Road, which became Ecoversity land, as “la otra banda.” She remembers her father buying cheese from the family in la otra banda. They had a goat herd that grazed there from the 1950s to the 1980s. For the majority of the 20th century until the 1990s, individual landowners were still maintaining their rural way of life in this corridor. The Britos, Valencias, Romeros, los Sánchez, Montoyas, Gallégoses, Carillos, Gonzáleses, Bacas, Jiróns and Raels (on Camino Carlos Rael) continued to live, ranch and farm on parts of the land from Osage to Siler Road until the 1990s. Farm fields continued to grow continued on page 16

Tomás Maez, his wife Libradita Brito, and his family moved from Cañada de los Alamos to Galisteo in 1918. By 1920, he worked for the railroad in Lamy, where the family lived in the old schoolhouse. In 1939 or 1940, they moved to Agua Fría and bought the strip of land now known as Maez Road. They had 11 children, and their daughter, Eloisa, married Abran Valencia in 1943, before he went off to World War II. In 1947, Tomás Maez and his son-in law, Abran Valencia, built an adobe store and an attached home on what is now the corner of Maez Road and Rosina Street. There, on the easternmost

Green Fire Times • June 2015

The Story of Tomás Maez and the Road of His Namesake

L-R: San Antonio acequia at Pueblo Alegre continues across Agua Fría Road.

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Agua Fría: History of a Traditional Community

1914 artist’s rendering from the state engineer’s maps

n the occasion of the 375 anniversary of Agua Fría Village, it is worth reflecting on our area’s history and importance to the capital city of Santa Fe. We are investigating claims of Francisco de Madrid, who settled the Madrid, New Mexico, area in 1603 and may have settled in the Agua Fría area around the same time, prior to the establishment of La Villa Real de Santa Fe, circa 1604-1610. th

Agua Fría has always been considered an obscure place of settlement, living in the shadow of Santa Fe. However, without this tiny community, Santa Fe may not have prospered to the extent it has. Before 1945-1950, most of the wood that kept Santa Feans warm and many of the food crops that kept Santa Feans fed came off the backs of an Agua Fría burro or wagon. The land for the three major electric lines and the gas line entering Santa Fe, the major roads of Rodeo, Cerrillos, Rufina, Agua Fría, West Alameda, Zafarano and SR 599, as well as the sewer lines along Cerrillos Road, Rufina Street, Agua Fría Road and Santa Fe River north, were “donated” by the people of Agua Fría.

Monument by Tamara Lichtenstein

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The Village of Agua Fría became a place of modern recorded settlement when three officers in the “Reconquest” of New Mexico were given land grants, in 1693, by General Don Diego de Vargas for their service to the Spanish Crown. One specific grant was given to Captain—el Maestro del Campo and later Major—Roque Madrid for his service and because his parents and grandparents had farmed the Pueblo Quemado area prior to the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Figuring two 20-year generations back from 1680, we are calling the settlement date of Agua Fría as circa 1640.

A village with strong multigenerational attachment to the land and connection to the Santa Fe River Other land grants were given, and the acequias, or ditches, from the Santa Fe River were extended to carry precious water to the “flat lands” of Agua Fría, which became the “breadbasket” of Santa Fe. These flat lands sat on a natural alluvial plain—extending from present-day Paseo de las Vistas in the north and Cerrillos Road in the south—that the river carved out over millennia. It deposited rich topsoil and achieved a slight gravity flow, which made it perfect for farming. Acequia de la Agua Fría started at the present-day State Land Office, in downtown Santa Fe, and ran across the New Mexico Supreme Court building’s

grounds, where it is preserved today in a 12-inch-by-12-inch stone drainage channel, until the Santa Fe River diversion was obliterated by a huge flood in 1880 (the river channel was lowered some three to four feet in that area). The ditch ran on both sides of El Camino Real—today’s Agua Fría Street—about five miles into the Village of Agua Fría. To restore the water flow in the six acequias that served the village, resourceful Agua Fríans created three diversions of the Santa Fe River near present day Siler Road. Those diversions have all been obliterated by sand and gravel operations from the 1950s to the 1970s. The individual land grants of Agua Fría Village residents stretched from the Arroyo de los Chamisos—near today’s Santa Fe Place Mall—to the Arroyo de los Frijoles or Buckman Road/La Tierra subdivision, a distance of five to seven miles. Lots were narrower in width and

may have been only 600 to 900 feet, or 200 to 300 yards/“varas”). As people inherited their land, a tract of 600 feet was divided by the number of male or adult children into 100-foot-wide lots, so each had equal access to the acequia. The village population in 1776 was 29 families—257 people—according to a census by Fray Francisco Domínguez, commissioned by the Diocese of Durango, México, for purposes of church planning. The census identified the Village of Agua Fría as “Quemado,” which refers to the pueblo on the north bank of the Santa Fe River, about equal distance between Henry Lynch Road and San Isidro Crossing, and also identified active springs in the area. It was not until the 1800s, however, that the small village was referred to as Agua Fría (remaining are one document from 1820 and Territorial documents of the U.S. Army starting in 1846). The continued on page 14

Courtesy Baca Family of Agua Fría Village

Courtesy Santa Fe County Open Space and Trails Program

William Henry Mee

Circa 1919. Herminio Baca & boy behind with the López Lane Girls on a burro.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

continued from page 13

church of San Isidro was built in 1835 and derives its name from the patron saint of farmers, an appropriate icon for the area’s predominant profession. The people asked for a mission to be created because it took so long to drive a wagon to Santa Fe’s Paroquia (later Cathedral).

Agua Fría is located on two abandoned pueblos.

Courtesy Baca Family. Postcard by an itinerant photographer.

The state engineer’s 1914 acequia maps show that 170 fields were under cultivation, indicating that at least 170 families occupied the area, but 93 percent were less than five acres each of table crops, or vegetables. A complete survey of alfalfa and irrigated orchard grass areas shows some 3,500 acre-feet of water being used. The study entitled The Village of Agua Fría: Ours Today, Ours Tomorrow (May 12, 1983), by Jane Whitmore and submitted to the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division,

illustrated the traditional village’s strong multigenerational attachment to the land and connection to the Santa Fe River. These were a simple and humble people. They made adobes to sell in the summer. In the fall, they sold firewood and piñón nuts from the Caja del Río Grant to people in the Villa de Santa Fe. In December 2012, I submitted a final report, entitled Agriculture in Agua Fría Village: How a Traditional Community Was and Can Be Self-Sufficient, to the Northern Río Grande National Heritage Area for a grant. From oral-history interviews of residents, I was able to document some of the ancient farming techniques and technologies. Elders of the village knew how long to leave animals on fallow land to receive the right blending of horse-, cow-, goatand sheep manure, something totally lost to us today. The Spanish tradition of agriculture was completely lost during the 700-year Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula and had to be relearned after their Reconquest. This was documented by J u a n E s t é v a n Arrellano’s translation and republication of the book The Art of Agriculture (Obra de Agricultura) by Gabriel Alonso de Herrera in 1513. The Hispano experience of agriculture was indeed a blending of Moorish, Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Mayan methods.

Circa 1912. Agricultural workers pose after a harvest. Top row: (l-r) Tío Felipe Baca, Tío Gomerzindo Gonzales, Pablo Montoya, Federico López, Justo López. Bottom row: Urbano Durán, Manuel Gonzales, Rafael López, Grandpa José Hilario Baca, Dad Hermán Baca, and Victor Romero.

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Agua Fría

Annual procession of Agua Fría villagers from the San Isidro Church to bless the Santa Fe River

In the arid and challenging—that is, high altitude, short growing season with heavy frosts—areas of New Mexico and Agua Fría, agriculture must have also benefitted from the two- to four-thousand-year history of the Pueblo Indians. In fact, Agua Fría is located on two abandoned pueblos.The early settlers moved into the area where Native American irrigation systems were still in place and just needed some river diversions and ditch cleaning.

enabled this society to move away from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a permanent encampment. The photos in the December 2013 El Palacio magazine, in a story entitled Pindi Pueblo Comes Home to Roost by Stephen S. Post and Eric Blinman, show the 1930’s excavations of turkey pens. Archaeological digs are continuing today at the Agua Fría Community Water Association’s water tank.

The history of Agua Fría Village starts with the pre-Coloumbian era (“prehistory”). Native Americans inhabited two pueblos: Pindi Pueblo, at the present-day San Isidro Catholic Church property, near San Ysidro Crossing, abandoned circa 1250 A.D., a date that coincides with the regional drought that saw the abandonment of Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon and Bandelier; and Pueblo Quemado, at present-day Pueblo Quemado Street, off West Alameda, and west along the Santa Fe River (burned during a raid in 800 A.D.).

Native Americans chose this place of Agua Fría, originally named CaTee-Ka—“cold water” in Tewa and Tano—because of abundant water and the alluvial plain, which made irrigation easy. Overlooking the fields, at a site by the nearby mesa, was a torreón, or tower, made of rock, from which a signal, such as a smoke signal, could be displayed to get people to safety in the event of a raid.

Underneath Pindi Pueblo—which loosely translates to “Turkey Town” in English because it combines a Tewa word with a Spanish word—as found in the 2008-2009 archaeological dig, instigated by Santa Fe County’s sewer excavations down to a depth of 12 feet, were two earlier civilizations. Early reports stated that the oldest civilization dated to 3,000 B.C.E. and may be the “oldest, largest settlement in North America.” A 2010 presentation by Cherie Scheick’s Southwest Archaeological Consultants to Agua Fría Village residents included a photo of an adobe horno, or mud cooking stove. As it was excavated, they found a pot on top, and as they exposed more of it with small brushes—being ever so careful—there was a turkey in the pot! The domestication of turkeys

The people in Agua Fría were always connected to the abandoned pueblos in their midst. In pueblo mounds at Pindi Pueblo, some enterprising souls— suggested to be iterant sheepherders or Romani, also known as Gypsies—had cleared out one or two rooms to live in and then covered the structure with brush. The adobe dirt of the ruins and whole adobes sometimes were reused in the present village because this was the easiest thing to do when building. Both Native American and Spanish residents engaged in this practice, which would make them the original recyclers. i William Henry Mee, a retired state employee, is president of the Agua Fría Village Association and the Agua Fr í a Wellowners’ Association.

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High Road Community Comes Together to Share Traditions Celebración de Culturas — Estamos Aquí Peñasco is one of the largest of the culturally

diverse villages along the scenic High Road to Taos. For the first time, the community in the mountains south of Taos is coming together to share what makes the place so special. Their Celebración de Culturas will run from June 12–14. The weekend kicks off Friday evening, 6 p.m., at the Peñasco Theater, with northern New Mexico dance and music by Living Treasure honoree Cipriano Vigil, a native of nearby Chamisal. The theater is hosting two other events: a poetry reading by New Mexico Centennial Poet Laureate Levi Romero, June 13 at 7 p.m., and presentations and exhibits of community and family history, including genealogy, stories and photographs on June 13 and June 14, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Throughout the weekend, residents of Peñasco and nearby Local chapel in the Peñasco area. communities will open their homes to demonstrate traditional skills and crafts. Visitors can see willow basket weaving, soap making, storytelling, retablo painting, wood carving and turning, pottery, posole and chico making, adobe brick making and plastering, weaving, wool felting and colcha embroidery. Galleries Art for the Heart and Gaucho Blue will offer fine art and crafts by local artists.Traditional regional food will be available at Sugar Nymphs Bistro, Orphie’s Restaurant, La Jicarita Harvest and other local eateries. In addition, local conservationists will offer tours to explain forest conservation, and nearby Picuris will welcome visitors to its historic pueblo.

Building a traditional adobe horno oven

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Local corbel carver Joseph Luján

Parts of northern New Mexico, an area rich in history, have, until relatively recently, been isolated from the influence of the greater United States. As the villages’ children leave for opportunities elsewhere, their families feel the importance of ensuring that their traditions are not lost. Part of the Celebración de Culturas project is to record the skills and stories for future generations. The event is sponsored, in part, through a grant from the Northern Río Grande National Heritage Area, a Taos County Lodgers’ Tax grant, the New Mexico Humanities Center, individual donors, KCEC-Radio and Indiegogo. The residents plan to make it an annual event. For more information, visit www.PenascoNM.org. i

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Green Fire Times • June 2015

SW SF River Corridor

continued from page 12

alfalfa, oats, wheat, corn and other vegetable crops; goat herds were still in the area; and horses, mules and burros had space to graze. Eventually, developments made their way into this old land grant through land sales. Most years, the Acequia de los Pinos (Acequia Madre) ran and still runs through the entire area.

Ecoversity and the Struggle for the Future

In 2001, Frances “Fiz” Harwood had a vision to develop an educational institution dedicated to teaching sustainable agriculture on the Agua Fría land of Sotero Romero. She honored Romero and his family when she purchased the land and founded the Ecoversity. Along with Ecoversity, she created a nonprofit organization called the Prajna Foundation to provide funding for projects like hers. Ecoversity’s 11 acres were to serve as an example of how agriculture could be developed in a sustainable manner. As our neighbor, she brought in experts in the fields of sustainable agriculture and permaculture, wind- and solar energy, mini-greenhouses, and other state-of-the-art appropriate technologies that respected the land and honored the traditional cultures of the area. Ecoversity’s students benefited from the hands-on experiences that many of the instructors offered. Harwood’s vision for a sustainable future was shared by many residents of Agua Fría and Santa Fe. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer, and on July 5, 2003, she passed away. From that time forward, evidence of her vision slowly diminished and then disappeared. Ecoversity began to lose enrollment and by 2008 became an online institution, a website offering information on ecological practices. By 2010, Ecoversity and the Prajna Foundation were involved in a legal challenge by former employees and students, alleging mismanagement and fraud regarding how the Trust of Frances Harwood was being managed. A petition seeking an indictment went before the 1st Judicial District Court, where it was rejected. The case then went before the U.S. District Court of Appeals, where the petition was validated. Finally, it went before the Supreme Court of the state of New Mexico, where it was rejected. (Source: Santa Fe New Mexican, March 31, 2008, Feb. 25, 2010, and Aug. 15, 2013).

Ecoversity land. Two acequias and old adobe casitas are visible. El Río project developers are seeking approval for 399 apartments plus additional affordable housing.

The Ecoversity land is well suited for this type of tourism because it is rural, has the historical character to create a cultural center for ranching and farming, and is on El Camino Real National Historic Trail. It also has the continuity of history that can carry it into the future as a great example of sustainability, the green economy and cultural integrity. A living museum would educate young people to the long history of survival by the original inhabitants and their descendants, who trace their ancestry to the present day. Programs in permaculture and new innovative farming and ranching methods could be taught onsite. A new sense of community in our neighborhood would stimulate the corridor and, with a long-range plan, would generate economic stimulus. These sorts of attractions would also help the artist and entrepreneurial community that is being developed nearby, south of Siler Road.

The Developers and the Southwest Santa Fe River Corridor Residents

On Nov. 23, 2014, the city notified neighbors within 300 feet of the edge of Ecoversity property that an ENN meeting with the developers, Blue Buffalo/Tierra Concepts, was to be held. Most of the affected neighborhood was unaware of this meeting. Only a few residents attended and commented.Three months later, on Feb.19, 2015, it went before the Planning Commission. With a vote of 4-2, the commission denied the rezoning and plan amendment. The majority of the commissioners felt the project was out of character for that part of the Santa Fe River Corridor and its proximity to the historic Agua Fría Village on the Camino Real.They said that the criteria set forth in 14-3.2(E) for all General Plan amendments had not been met and that the proposal seemed to benefit a few landowners at the expense of the surrounding landowners. Further, they said that it is not an appropriate location in terms of its context and density and therefore not consistent with the Santa Fe General Plan, as noted in the report by the Long-Range Planning staff (city of Santa Fe, Planning Commission minutes for Feb. 19, 2015). The next hearing, before the City Council, will be on June 24.

The Future

Agritourism! Ecotourism! These are concepts of combining sustainable agriculture with tourism. Tourists visit working farms that produce vegetables, fruit, eggs, beef and pork and ranches that produce tack for horses, mules and donkeys and offer horseback riding and wagon rides.The tourists visit vineyards and wineries and dairies that produce milk and byproducts like yogurt, cream and cheese, and they participate in everyday activities, shop in local country stores, enjoy entertainment, eat meals and pay for overnight stays. Agritourism/ecotourism is more than just an experience of the great outdoors.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

In 2013, the city of Santa Fe, through the Extraterritorial Zoning Commission, completed Phase II of its annexation (from the county) of properties abutting the Santa Fe River. The easternmost part of Agua Fría Village was annexed with little awareness or involvement of the local community. Without Early Neighborhood Notification (ENN) public notice or city of Santa Fe sign notices, proposed rezoning began moving forward, but did not go before the city Planning Commission. The Ecoversity land was zoned into the city of Santa Fe as C-2 PUD. The east side of this land is R-1 Rural Mountain (one dwelling unit per acre) and most of the area near the river to the west on the Agua Fría/Camino Real is the same.

Last month, Mayor Javier Gonzales interviewed Robert Redford at the Lensic Theater. Redford reflected on his childhood in a working-class neighborhood of Los Angeles and how high-density development shattered neighborhood living. He talked about “indiscriminate development, the come-one come-all, like the gold rush” that occurred there. He said that New Mexico has “rich possibilities for the future but a balance must be struck that saves some of the land that would be lost to development.” Santa Fe is still the “City Different.” Redford spoke of the need for a different approach to sustain ourselves in this ancient community. At a time of decreased city budgets and without adequate studies looking at how growth can be best addressed in this area, the Southwest Santa Fe River Corridor will not grow economically and will become a burden for the city. Communities that fail to plan wisely in this time of climate change and unreliable water supplies will not grow and prosper. With the drought continuing in most of the Southwest for the last 20 years—most recently in California, where most of our produce comes from—the city of Santa Fe needs to set aside and preserve agricultural lands and begin to support local farming and ranching. i Hilario E. Romero, a New Mexican mestizo (Spanish/Basque/Jicarilla Apache/Ute), is a former New Mexico state historian. He has spent the past 40 years in higher education, as an administrator and professor of history, education and Spanish at the University of New Mexico, Highlands University and Northern New Mexico College.

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Food Entrepreneur Grants Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making $30 million in Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) funding available to farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs. The grants can be used to develop new product lines from raw agricultural products or additional uses for already developed product lines. Special priority for VAPG funding is given to several categories of applicants: military veterans, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers; operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches; farmer and rancher cooperatives; and applicants that propose mid-tier value-chain projects. During the 2013-2014 funding cycle, nearly half of VAPG awards went to farmers and ranchers developing products for the local food sector. VAPGs are a key element of the USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which coordinates the department’s work on local and regional food systems. T he deadline to submit paper applications is July 7. Electronic applications submitted through www. grants.gov are due July 2. Information can be obtained by calling the New Mexico Rural Development Business Program: 505.761.4956.

GMO-Free Foods to Get New USDA Certification

In the typical American grocery store, it is not easy to purchase items that are free of genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). Companies in the food and biotechnology industries have been fighting to keep consumers in the dark.

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Last month, the USDA, which is currently considering fast-track approvals for genetically altered crops, said that non-GMO foods will get a new, voluntary certification. That would, in the near future, make it possible to scan the grocery aisles and determine which products truly have no GMOs. Similar to what was proposed in a GOP-backed House bill introduced earlier this year, the certification will apparently override any state laws that require the labeling. Consumer advocates argue that labels on some foods but not others could create more confusion. Gary Hirshberg, chairman of the Just Label It campaign (www.justlabelit.org), said the USDA label will be a small step in the right direction but that “mandatory labeling of GMOs would allow consumers to vote with their dollars and have a say in the type of agriculture they would like to see in this country.”

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EV ERY DA Y GREEN

eating seeds

Susan Guyette

eeds are one of nature’s amazing gifts. Not only do seeds start plant life and sustain life, they also nurture our bodies in optimal ways. Eating seeds is a time-honored tradition in the Southwest. This article contains three nutritionally rich seed recipes—easy to prepare, make ahead of time and carry with you.

Nutritional Benefits

As Mother Earth’s plant starter, seeds contain all of the amino acids necessary to form a complete protein plus essential vitamins and minerals to nurture human life. Why are vitamins and minerals important? They are used for the 600-plus hormones created by the endocrine system—adrenals, thyroid, pancreas, pituitary and pineal glands, as well as sexual glands—to regulate all of our bodily functions. The high level of protein found in seeds is important for providing energy, as well as building and repairing body cells, and is part of various enzymes, hormones and antibodies that help prevent infection. Raw nuts and seeds are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA). Sunflower seeds provide protein, linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), dietary fiber, amino acids, vitamin E, several B vitamins—thiamine, pantothenic acid, folic acid)—and the minerals magnesium and copper, as well as cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas de calabaza, are rich in protein, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, potassium, B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin K. Additionally, pumpkin seeds have antiparasitic medicinal qualities. Chía seeds are abundant in omega-3s, the B vitamins riboflavin and folate, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Piñón nuts are actually a seed, making available oleic acid, pinolenic acid (LDL–lowering properties), vitamin E, B vitamins, and the minerals manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Pine nuts are recently recognized as a weight-loss food because pinolenic acid triggers the release of hunger-suppressant enzymes. Quinoa has become known as a superfood because of its high protein content and a rich source of the B vitamins and vitamin E, as well as the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Red quinoa is high in iron, and black quinoa is high in manganese. Rinse the quinoa before cooking, to remove the bitter saponins. Eating seeds in their raw form provides the maximum nutritional benefits. To take advantage of this, start germination by soaking seeds in filtered or spring water—no chlorine—overnight or for 12 hours. Then, rinse the seeds and spread in a pan to dry. This step is not essential but helps increase the availability of active enzymes, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.

Southwest Trail Mix

Package in small containers to carry with you. Ingredients: • 1 cup raw sunflower seeds • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds • ½ cup pine nuts • ½ cup currants or raisins Combine, store in a Mason jar and refrigerate.

Southwest Energy Bars

Turn trail mix into an energy bar. Ingredients: • 2 cups rolled oats

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• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds • ½ cup pine nuts • 1 cup sunflower or nut butter, softened • ½ cup currants or raisins • 1 tablespoon cinnamon • ½ cup barley malt syrup • ¼ cup raw honey

(L-R): Piñón nuts, chía seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and quinoa

Spread oats on a baking pan, and roast at 325° for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Mix oats, seeds, currants or raisins and cinnamon in a bowl. Warm the honey and barley malt syrup in a small pan until thinner. Mix together sunflower butter, agave syrup and honey in another bowl. Combine the seed and barley malt/honey mixture with the oats until thoroughly coated. Press into a 7½-by-11-inch oiled baking pan. Cool and cut into bars with a sharp knife. Makes 16 bars. Wrap individual bars or place in containers. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Variations: Mix chopped dried fruits, nuts, coconut or other seeds.

Eating seeds in their raw form provides the maximum nutritional benefits.

Quinoa Chía Burgers

Enjoy the earthy tastes of this veggie burger. Ingredients: • 1½ cups plus 3 tablespoons water • 3/4 cup red or black quinoa • 1 cup black beans, cooked • 1 tablespoon chía seeds • ½ red onion, finely chopped • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic • 3 tablespoon sunflower oil • 1 teaspoon cumin • ½ teaspoon salt

Cook quinoa in 1½ cups of water for 20 minutes. Mix chía seeds with 3 tablespoons water, and let stand 10 minutes. Sauté garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon oil. Mash black beans. Mix all ingredients well. Form into 6 patties (about ½ cup each). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan on medium hot heat. Sauté patties 5 minutes on each side. Serving suggestions: Top with green chile, cheese, onion, sliced tomatoes or avocado/guacamole.

Ancient Wisdom

These truly amazing foods have nourished peoples of the Southwest for thousands of years. Eating indigenous foods connects us to our ecosystem, gives us energy and builds a strong body on a daily basis. Discover the healing power of local foods! i Susan Guyette, Ph.D., is of Métis heritage (Micmac Indian/Acadian French) and a planner specializing in cultural tourism, cultural centers, museums and native foods. She is the author of Sustainable Cultural Tourism: Small-Scale Solutions; Planning for Balanced Development, and the co-author of Zen Birding: Connect in Nature. susanguyette@ nets.com

Green Fire Times • June 2015

FOOD JUSTICE: An Initiative of the Santa Fe Art Institute

ucked into the corner of the sprawling Santa Fe University of Art and Design campus stands an impressive building designed by noted architect Ricardo Legorreta. It is home to a small nonprofit that is a hotbed of creative activity: the Santa Fe Art Institute (SFAI). Here, under the directorship of Sanjit Sethi, a committed team of artists, educators and cultural workers addresses critical issues—local and global—explores diverse artistic practices and brings together dynamic thinkers to uncover ways in which creativity can drive social change. SFAI recently recrafted its well-known multidisciplinary artists’ residency program to take on alternating programmatic themes. These themes inspire much of SFAI’s education and community programming during each yearly cycle. SFAI’s first theme, starting in September 2014, was Food Justice. “Food Justice was a natural point of departure for SFAI’s desire to have an annual thematic focus. From local food deserts off of Cerrillos Road to seed saving and ‘precontact’ nutrition programs, many northern New Mexicans are incredibly passionate about this subject,” Sethi explained. SFAI solicited proposals from local, national and international artists-in-residence and asked them how communities in northern New Mexico could creatively confront and impact inherent social, cultural and economic problems in our food system. SFAI’s team worked with their artists-in-residence, alongside committed local individuals and organizations, to bring together insights from creative fields, environmental sciences, sustainable agriculture, critical theory and food studies. The following is a selection of images and descriptions from the Food Justice-themed programming they created.

RESIDENCY PROGRAM M12: Equine Anthology

M12, an interdisciplinary group based in the high plains of Colorado, is known for groundbreaking, award-winning creative projects that explore the aesthetics of rural cultures and landscapes. M12 creates context-based artworks-research projects and education programs. During their time at SFAI, they developed a book and limitededition LP entitled An Equine Anthology. This project stitches together nonlinear histories, testimonies and interpretations of equine culture from the American Southwest and beyond. Far from representing the familiar romantic and mundane, An Equine Anthology presents the reader with a broad topographical view of the horse, an image that reaches well beyond American mythology. M12’s anthology combines poetics with research methodologies that delve into the unseen, hidden and overlooked to create a work that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Holly Schmidt

Holly Schmidt is an artist and educator from Vancouver, Canada. She came to SFAI as a Food Justice resident in the fall of 2014 and began a larger project called “Till.” This work, a response to the dynamic changes happening in the Española Valley, focuses on the Hunter Arts and Agriculture Center that will inhabit the long-abandoned Ford dealership on the city of Española’s plaza. The facility will become a community center and will house both Moving Arts Española and the Northern New Mexico Food Hub. Anticipating these changes, Schmidt has been developing an installation that, in addition to

Green Fire Times • June 2015

prominent new murals on some exterior walls, will enliven and shift what, so far, appears to be an empty building with dark windows. Her luminous window collages will consist of large woven patterns inspired by the lines and shapes of growers’ fields, acequias, overlapping borders of land grants, pueblos and the city of Española. The windows will be unveiled on June 7 as part of the culmination of a three-day regional celebration, Festival of Diversity + Unity + Expression.

EDUCATION La Tierra Montessori School and Yoko Inoue

SFAI is committed to creating a cohesive, interdependent and groundbreaking relationship between its Education and Residency programming. As part of this endeavor, the institute has formed a broad partnership with schools and c o m mu n i t y - b a s e d organizations in the Española Valley. This exchange/response model allows for ongoing facilitated interactions between SFAI residents, students and community members in a specific, diverse region of northern New Mexico. SFAI Food Justice resident Yoko Inoue and intern Kione Kochi recently led an onigiri-making workshop at the historic Los Luceros ranch with students and faculty from La Tierra Montessori School of the Arts and Sciences. Onigiri, or rice balls, is portable, handmade and handheld Japanese “soul food.” Yoko and Kione worked with fifth- and sixth-graders, sharing stories and contemplating the symbolic values of staple foods from Japan and New Mexico. Students examined food as cultural identity and currency and debated current and future food-trade policy between Japan and the United States.

Working with communities to creatively impact social, cultural and economic problems in our food system Project 8: Food Justice

SFAI is invested in two important questions: how an arts-and-culture institution can positively impact graduation rates statewide; and how to create meaningful pedagogical tools from the work of artists-in-residence beyond the term of their residency. Because eighth grade is a known critical predictor of high school success, SFAI has chosen to focus there, through the curricular lens of creativity as a driver of social change. Project 8: Food Justice promises to provide eighth-grade public educators with a contemporary, multidisciplinary curricular guide and narrative on the social, cultural and economic challenges inherent within our food system. Christie Green, SFAI Food Justice resident and founder of the shop and exhibition space Radicle, in Santa Fe, is a landscape architect and designer who weaves “science with art and intuition with experience.” Her work on edible landscapes with local students from De Vargas Middle School and from La Tierra Montessori School of the Arts and Sciences will be showcased in Project 8.

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During |UN|silo|ED| SeedBroadcast will be mapping issues around the topic of Food Justice through inviting creative practitioners from diverse backgrounds to collaborate while demonstrating their own work with food, seeds, art, education, farming/ gardening, activism and policy making. This process will culminate in a collection of images, statements, words and actions, as well as a soundscape of voices talking about what Food Justice means. These articles of Food Justice will be presented in the Lumpkins room at SFAI as a public mapping space for cultivating an |UN|silo|ED| view of Food Justice in our region. i Artists/educators Jeanette Hart-Mann and Chrissie Orr cofounded the SeedBroadcast Collective. Hart-Mann is field director of Land Arts of the American West at the University of New Mexico. Orr is on the faculty at the Academy for the Love of Learning.

eedBroadcast is a collective of artists and farmers whose creative focus is to uncover the Culture of agri-Culture through broadcasting Seed Stories, while pollinating resource networks among grassroots communities in order to cultivate bioregional food and seed resilience. Since 2011, SeedBroadcast projects have fused art, farming, gardening, seed keeping/sharing, and education with open source creative knowledge building in order to stretch and grow grassroots agri-Cultural relationships and honor the spirit of seeds in our interdependent life ways. As residents of Santa Fe Art Institute Food Justice Programming, SeedBroadcast is working on a project called |UN|silo|ED|. Silos are meant to store massive accumulations of stuff. Specifically grain, as in Greek siros, or “corn pit.” Throughout history the silo as form and function has enabled seeds and food to be sorted, dried, packed, and contained in order to save communities from a future without. These storage solutions have enabled humans to stave off starvation by storing these resources for future use and withstand times of drought, floods, warfare, pestilence and decay. Yet, the silo of modernity has created a monolith of impenetrable walls which imprison not only our seeds of life as massifications of industrial germoplasm and monetary speculation, but also contains living knowledge

EVENTS/CONVERSATIONS @ SFAI

CONVERSATIONS @ SFAI is a series of critical conversations on complex topics that have local interest and national relevance and connect with SFAI’s innovative thematic programming. The participatory dialogues bring together internationally known artists and designers with gifted members of the local community to speak on issues that are both diverse and locally relevant. In April, SFAI brought together local chef, author, photographer and Native foods historian Lois Ellen Frank and the interdisciplinary collective M12. This Food Justice Conversation featured the release of M12’s LP, An Equine Anthology, and Dr. Frank’s research on Native food traditions.

Tiffany Singh: Cycles Eco-Mural Project at Los Jardines Institute New Zealand-based artist Tiffany Singh came to SFAI in spring of 2015 as a Food Justice resident. With the support of Creative New Zealand, Maclovia Zamora, and

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as isolated disciplines meant to be what they are said to be, specialized areas of expertise. In this isolation, food, farming and culture are seemingly unrelated, as is our subject of inquiry, Food Justice.

Plants of the Southwest, Singh collaborated closely with local muralist Nanibah (“Nani”) Chacón.Together, they are continuing a dialogue around our vital relationships with the natural world, the current commodification of natural resources and the intrinsic value of plant life. Pulling from their previous work, the collaborative is using ephemeral, often plant-based materials combined with the narrative aesthetic of murals, and is creating an Eco-Mural at Los Jardines Institute in Albuquerque. The image depicts a universal notion of Earth Mother. It consists of an assortment of compostable elements. The Eco-Mural will function as a living, regionalbased herb garden with a categorical reference to identify common plants that flourish in our lands and communities. The project illuminates the medicinal properties of the plants used, common names, ethnobotanical information and recipes for nutritious dishes. i For more information about the Santa Fe Art Institute, call 505.424.5050 or visit www.sfai.org Contributing writers: Sanjit Sethi, Nina Elder, Kira Jones, Robert Gómez Hernández

Green Fire Times • June 2015

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ June 2015

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Leading the Charge toward Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies The Example of Julie and Bob Dunsmore Article and photos by Alejandro López

t is not often that one comes across a couple as committed to radical social, economic and technological change as Vallecitos, New Mexico-based Julie and Bob Dunsmore. Although they are pushing 70, it is apparent by the challenging alternative-energy projects they direct and freely share that they are still very much in the prime of their lives and in the midst of realizing their dreams. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish in addition to their native English, the couple has spent the better part of their lives working in 20 countries, mainly in the developing world, where they have shared their expertise in appropriate technologies with communities of limited resources. They got their start in the often-frigid San Luís Valley of Colorado, where they learned to build low-cost, doit-yourself solar collectors in the 1970s. In El Salvador, where a particular outdoor toilet design resulted in the proliferation of infectious diseases and contamination of an unusually high water table, the Dunsmores developed

Julie and Bob Dunsmore

an alternative design that incorporated a shallow receptacle for the waste and the ability to move the unit to other sites. In other countries, where the people had nearly depleted available wood supplies for their cooking needs, the Dunsmores helped convert an abandoned machine into an instrument that pressed discarded sugar cane fibers into burnable logs. This device is now in use worldwide, where a similar need and similar resources exist. In places where high altitudes make for a short growing season and where fresh vegetables were always in short supply, the Dunsmores worked to help people extend the growing season by building relatively inexpensive greenhouses.

Relatively simple, inexpensive technologies that are in line with the region’s historical self-reliance In northern New Mexico, a part of the country that has much in common with the developing world (including a history of colonialism), the couple recently led a daylong community workshop on the use of solar energy. They outfitted the trailer house of Julie and Frutoso Martínez, residents of Española, with a solar-collector panel that will allow them to fully heat their home without utility bills. About 40 people participated in the pleasant and lively hands-on workshop. The Dunsmores have long dreamed of helping to inspire a popular movement in the use of renewableenergy technologies, a n d s o t h e y w e re happy to see that, in the few weeks since the workshop, many of the participants have proceeded to assist others by organizing comparable workshops, thereby building local grassroots capacity.

Dunsmore explains the solar energy storage battery unit.

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Although they believe that it is important to work on the adoption of government polic y on al l levels that would favor the use of generally f ree, clean Bob Dunsmore with Río Arriba County Economic and renewable Development Director Christopher Madrid sources of energy, food and water, the Dunsmores also believe that it is just as important to effect change in this direction through the implementation of these technologies in our own homes and communities at whatever level possible. To that end, they have demonstrated this by building their own comfortable and inviting passive-solar strawbale home for just under $40,000. The home’s energy is collected by a solar panel, converted into wattage and stored in batteries that drive all of their electrical appliances. Participants at a solar energy workshop, Indeed, in northern New Mexico and the Southwest, the application of the relatively simple and inexpensive technologies that the Dunsmores have explored is in line with the region’s historical self-reliance in harnessing existing resources to meet its needs. “It turns out,” Bob Dunsmore says, “that the ancient dwellers of places such as Mesa Verde were employing the same principles we are pioneering, such as the heating of south-facing surfaces during the wintertime. It is much more efficient and gratifying to partner with the sun in winter than to attempt to heat entire living spaces with fires or furnaces. In the summer, both the residents of Mesa Verde, whose homes were built beneath the overhang of a cliff, and the modern dweller of a passive solar house, are able to avoid the direct rays of the sun and stay cool.”

Española, New Mexico

Echoing their 17-year-old f riend, Malaya Peixinho, who says “We’ve got to do something to assure a clean and healthy world for the generations to come,” the Dunsmores insist that human beings need not be in the ecological predicament in which we currently find ourselves. Steam, solar and electric alternatives to the conventional gasoline automobile engine have existed for a long time, and so have trombe walls and solar panels that store the sun’s energy and generate electricity and heat. “It is now a question,” Bob Dunsmore says, “of whether or not as human beings we choose to exercise our collective will and widely apply our knowledge of these technologies to provide for growing human needs, or we continue to practice inefficient and ecologically damaging technologies, to our own detriment and possible demise.” continued on page 25

Green Fire Times • June 2015

OP-Ed: Get Coal Power Out of Your Home ➜ Go Solar Now!

Craig O’Hare

re you tired of dirty, coal-fired electricity and radioactive nuclear power coming into your living room every day? Then, go solar now! If you’re a PNM customer, about 90 percent of your electricity is coming from coal, nuclear and natural-gas power plants hundreds of miles away. Why not have most of your electricity come via the clean, renewable sun from panels a few feet above your head on your roof? Getting off fossil fuels has always been “the right thing to do” with respect to the environment, public health and preventing further global climate disruption. In the past, however, going solar was a pricey proposition viable, for the most part, only for the well-to-do. That’s no longer true. Solar electric, as in photovoltaics (PV), is about 60 percent less expensive than it was just five to six years ago. In addition, there’s a 40 percent—30 percent federal, 10 percent state—income-tax credit that makes PV generally cost-effective and viable for even middle-income households.

The biggest myth I encounter is that solar remains cost-prohibitive.

When you combine how inexpensive solar has become, along with the tax credits and the favorable financing that is available, solar can be cash-neutral or even cash-positive from the first month of having the system on your property. How so? The finances work out so that you’re basically trading your usual monthly electric utility bill payment for a monthly loan payment of about the same amount. For example, instead of making an average payment of $80 per month to your electric utility, you’re making a $70-to-$80 per month loan payment. If your gross household income is less than $104,000 per year, look into a loan from Homewise (505.983.9473, www.Homewise.org), a low- and moderate-income lender. Many solar companies also offer attractive financing. There are two additional financial benefits of PV to consider: 1) You’re immune to future electric-utility rate increases, which means that your financial benefit continues to increase over time; and 2) The resale value of your home is higher,

now that you have a solar electric power plant on your property. Both appraisers and the housing market have caught up to the fact that solar systems add true value to developed property. There’s something satisfying about not paying to bring fossil fuel-derived power into your home every day. I haven’t paid an electric bill in the four years that I’ve had my system on my roof. In fact, I get a small check from PNM every other month! I can’t overemphasize the point that the biggest myth I continue to encounter is that solar remains cost-prohibitive. On behalf of Santa Fe County, I’ve been promoting solar power to the public for over four years. The most common comment I continue to receive is, “I had no idea that solar was so affordable. I’ve wanted to go solar for a while now, but I thought it was still just for the wealthy.” As Green Fire Times readers and advertisers, I’m sure all of us are deeply concerned about the need to prevent catastrophic global climate disruption. It’s therefore important for all of us to “walk our talk” by lowering our carbon footprint in a variety of ways. Financially attractive solar power allows you to reduce your carbon emissions and make a smart investment. If you’re a two-car household, consider making one of your vehicles electric in the coming years. That way, you can have near-carbon-neutral, solar-powered transportation! This is the perfect time to pursue a solar system because the 40 percent income-tax credits—not a Schedule A deduction, but a full, dollar-for-dollar credit—expire at the end of 2016. Santa Fe County and the city of Santa Fe joined forces by resolution last year to create the “Solarize Santa Fe!” outreach and marketing campaign. Solar information and a list of solar businesses operating within the county are on the county website. Part of my job for the county is to provide free solar advice and technical assistance to businesses and homeowners, so feel free to contact me. It’s time to “Solarize Santa Fe!” To learn more, go to www. santafecountynm.gov/public_works/energy i Craig O’Hare is Energy Programs specialist with Santa Fe County. 505.992.3044, cohare@santafecountynm.gov

Op-Ed: Dear Santa Fe Neighbors

Tony Quilico and Mike Connolly

here there is a problem, there is an opportunity. Drought is the problem, has been for years and is not going away. With the water table dropping, we cannot afford to waste this vital resource, but we are doing just that by using coal- and nuclear-powered plants to produce electricity.

nature, used intelligently, can provide a higher quality of life. The idea is to install solar panels on all the county’s public schools, sufficient to provide all the schools’ current and future electrical needs. We need people who will join us in forming an organization to bring this to reality.

Not only do these plants waste water, they pose other problems for the environment, the economy and human life. Nuclear plants are sitting time bombs; their waste is costly to store and, even in storage, it is dangerous. Coal is inefficient as a fuel and pollutes the air and water. Strip-mining of coal is destroying mountains and results in miners suffering black lung disease and, worse, killing people who live in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arizona and New Mexico.

A call to install solar panels on county public schools, sufficient to provide all electrical needs

New Mexico has a great opportunity to use the natural resources we have in abundance: sun and wind. Great strides have been made in solar and wind production of electricity, making their use economically feasible and long-lasting. We believe we citizens can come together to begin changing how our public schools get their electricity. Schools are the place to begin because they would provide the students with a solid example of the power of the people and how

Green Fire Times • June 2015

If this interests you and you want to be a part of this effort, please contact Wayne Tony Quilico at 505.603.5341, tonyqyul@gmail.com or Mike Connolly at 505.660.9047, user970159@aol.com. We look forward to hearing from you. i

Tony Quilico is a retired, longtime resident of Santa Fe County who believes our highest priority is to respect all of nature’s freely given gifts. Michael Connolly, owner of Q, S, and V Electro/Mechanical, is a longtime Santa Fe County resident. He is active in solar design and installation and has been involved with renewable energy development since 1974.

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Designing Sustainable Neighborhoods Workshop • June 20

Wouldn’t it be great if we could live in a more affordable Santa Fe—a Santa Fe that had a simpler, walkable lifestyle that didn’t usually require a car? What if there were a neighborhood of folks who wanted to cooperate, have fun and a lively, creative lifestyle that has low ecological impact? Maybe you love Santa Fe but are tired of commuting because you live out of town. Maybe you’re tired of living alone and would enjoy being part of a friendly community with adequate privacy. Maybe you are hard-working parents and want a great place to raise your children—that is, a safe, walkable, child-friendly community where you can have more family time. Maybe you’re a graduating student and would like to stay in town, figure out how to turn your education into a career and need a supportive incubator/networking environment. You’d love a micro-unit, as long as there are other young adults around. Maybe you grew up in México or somewhere else in Latin America, and sharing was a necessity, a normal way of life. You prefer living in a more connected community where people naturally help each other.

Or you could be a Baby Boomer, ready to retire but not ready to die from boredom. You’re ready for a simpler, walkable lifestyle while you stay engaged in meaningful endeavors. Maybe you’re horrified at the way the Earth is being abused, hate being part of the problem, and the idea of collaborating with your neighbors to see how much you can conveniently share, reuse and reduce delights you.

I, for one, know that this is possible. All we have to do is do it. A group of us who share this vision are inviting others interested in this concept to help design— and move into—a mixed-use Sustainable Neighborhood Infill Courtyard Community somewhere in midtown Santa Fe. Together, we can change our lives and the planet, starting right here. We can be world leaders in vibrant, mixed-use sustainable neighborhoods that wisely integrate onsite food, water, energy, waste, transportation and Internet systems. Our next “Designing Sustainable Neighborhoods Workshop” is June 20, 1-5 p.m. at the Higher Education Center on Llano Street. Come and share your ideas. In the meantime, please go to www.SustainableSantaFe.com/survey-01 and complete the survey. See you there! i Brian Skeele, a general contractor for 25 years, has gathered great ideas for sustainable lifestyles from around the planet. 505.310.1797 or Brianvida@nm.net

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Leading

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Dunsmore is optimistic that we might be able to make these adaptations in time. “Already,” he states, “142 coaldriven power plants in the United States are being decommissioned, and plans for building 20 nuclear power plants that were slated for California have been nixed. The reason for this is that a whole lot of people, including many at the top, have recognized that solar and wind energy are much more efficient and, of course, far safer.

It is much more efficient and gratifying to partner with the sun than to attempt to heat entire living spaces with fires or furnaces.

“Another promising sign is that entire villages and regions of Africa and India are completely bypassing electrical power lines and, instead, are fully embracing solar and wind energy alternatives for meeting most of their needs. Not just that, people of these regions are discovering different

applications of these technologies than the people of the West might expect. For example, cell-phone technology is aiding the remote village dweller to relay both visual and spoken information about a patient to doctors at a distance, who are then able to prescribe a medicine or a procedure without ever seeing the patient. This and other ingenious adaptations of these sophisticated, relatively inexpensive technologies by the common person tells me that we may be on the verge of a whole new world, and a much better world at that.” The Dunsmores are in the process of designing a series of workshops at their Vallecitos home that have to do with low-cost, do-it-yourself greenhouse construction, trombe wall construction and the refurbishing of existing older solar-collector panels for installation on roofs throughout northern New Mexico. For more information or to support their efforts, email dunsmorebobjulie@ yahoo.com i

Alejandro López is a native New Mexican writer and photographer.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

James H. Auerbach, MD and Staff support Green Fire Times in its efforts to bring about a better world by focusing on the people, enterprises and initiatives that are transforming New Mexico into a diverse and sustainable economy. Some of the topics Green fire times showcases: GREEN Building, Products, Services, Entrepreneurship, Investing and Jobs; Renewable Energy, Sustainable Agriculture, Regional Cuisine, Ecotourism, Climate Adaptation, Natural Resource Stewardship, Arts & Culture, Health & Wellness, Regional History, Community Development, Educational Opportunities James H. Auerbach, MD provides dermatology services in Santa Fe, NM (Sorry, we are no longer accepting new clients.) 26

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LORE OF THE LAND

Filters to Perception

Jack Loeffler

Recently, I had the opportunity to look through my western window into the eyes of a bobcat whose range I share. This is a fellow creature, who is entirely at home in its habitat from which it finds sufficient food and havens for rest and protection. Its consciousness is not fettered by misconception but, rather, free to respond to the needs and opportunities of the moment without hesitation. It is the product of biological evolution over millennia—as are we humans. Our eye contact resulted in mutual awareness. I have no idea what went on in the mind of the bobcat, but I was drawn into some chthonic realm of the wild that was profoundly familiar yet lay well beyond my daily range of experience. Later, I watched the bobcat at play beside a large hollow log 40 feet beyond the window. It rubbed its cheek on the log and then walked back and forth along the outside of the log, stopping to peer into either end but never entering the wooden tunnel although there was sufficient space. Then, in an instant, it jumped to the other end as though it had spotted a lively prey. It looked into the log for several seconds before withdrawing its attention and sauntering off into other realms of its range of homeland. I admire that bobcat for its agility of presence. It is a creature of the wild whose perceptions are seemingly unfettered. I realize, as I write, that I am fettered by being restricted to the English language with a smattering of Spanish. I am restricted by the musical modes that remain embedded in my mind’s ear. I am restricted by my awareness of a body politic that is so centralized as to commit specific habitats—including entire watersheds—to legislation that terrorizes these habitats and destroys their ecological balance by virtue of the urge to pillage for natural resources. This is ecoterrorism at its worst, or such is my perception.

Legislation that terrorizes habitats and destroys ecological balance by virtue of the urge to pillage for natural resources is ecoterrorism at its worst.

I am alarmed by our prevailing cultural perspective that restricts its sense of spirituality to within crystallizing religions no matter their persuasion, religions that exclude intuition of the sacred within life-nurturing habitat, denouncing such leanings as heathen or pagan. Have these filters to perception of reality become so ingrained that current cultural attitudes are beyond redemption? Have we now so virtualized our perspective that we have rendered reality distasteful? My friend, José Manuel Abeyta, was born at the beginning of the 20th century to parents from Laguna Pueblo who later moved to Isleta. He was a wise man, the caretaker of religious paraphernalia sacred to Keresan-speaking people. One day in the mid-1980s, I visited him at his home in Isleta. He consented to let me record an interview with him, this ancient man who made his living by handcrafting moccasins of elk and deer hide that he then sold or traded to other Indians in the area. Every Saturday throughout the year, Mr. Abeyta would run to the top of a peak in the Manzano Mountains some nine miles to the east and then run back. Thus he remained youthful into his 80s.

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here are many hindrances to perceiving reality: politics, belief systems, mores, sensory apparatus, language and religion, to name but a few of the more obvious. So the question is, how to allow one’s consciousness to go feral without having to run naked into the wilderness to thus perish imminently from starvation, overexposure and polluted water? Even the feral human consciousness of distant yore was shaped by visions and nightmares featuring monsters and deified anthropomorphs that range through the psyche to perhaps take form as rock art hidden in caves or rendered on canyon walls. It would seem that, by our very makeup, we are sensitive to mystery. We run into trouble when our spiritual reflections become institutionalized.

I asked him about his beliefs. They [Indians] had a religion about how to make it rain. Some had a religion about how to make things grow. Some had a religion about how to plant and giving thanks for the harvest. Now, all of the Indians have respect for the Earth. The Indians have two religions here. Some are Catholic, which is all right. And then we have our own religion. But the Indians, they believe in what they see. They believe in the Sun, which they see with their own eyes, which gives us light. It warms the Earth, which makes things grow. That’s where they have their belief. They believe in the clouds because it makes rain and makes things grow. They see the rainbow. That’s where they believe, too. They believe in the ground because that’s where everything’s growing. They believe in everything they see with their eyes. And Catholic religion’s good, but we talk about Jesus, and we don’t know who he is. We see his picture, and that’s the way he looks. But we Indians, we believe in what we see. I have my belief in the Sun because that’s the way my grandfather and my grandmother, they taught us. But we have respect for the Earth because that’s where everything grows, and we feed and we eat out of that...Everything we see, we believe, in our Indian way. José Manuel Abeyta passed away nearing the age of 90 after he had broken his leg and could run no more. But I shall remember his words to me that afternoon when he taught me to believe in what I can see. His vision included both intellect and intuition. He was in tune with his place in Nature that he regarded as sacred. Science teaches us to accept only that which can be proven. Science has proven the fact of evolution but, as yet, not why life evolves or even exists. Science urges us in favor of fact over belief. But there is a vast region that is unknowable, at least within our current circumstances of limited perspective. That which is factually knowable was laboriously rendered over centuries by hardworking scientists for whom I have great respect. However, I have enormous respect for José Manuel Abeyta and those fellow practitioners of the sacred who take their cue from Nature and celebrate the mystery of existence by “believing in what they can see.” They are not blind to the miracle of life. Thus they comport themselves with great respect for their sustaining habitat and rue the dominant cultural practice of overindulgence and neglect of homeland. Speaking of belief, I believe there is a great cue to be taken from our neighbors who are indigenous to this homeland, this commons in which we are blessed to live. Theirs are systems of attitudes that are commensurate with the nature of homeland, that have evolved out of centuries, millennia of practice and reciprocity within homeland, within the commons. The commons does not exist solely for us to withdraw resources but also for us to nurture and sustain. Reciprocity with Nature—not our ill-advised attempt at mastery of Nature—is our reason to be. Thus we contribute to evolution, not just of our species but of human continued on page 28

Green Fire Times • June 2015

Hunting La Llorona They trudged silently in a tight pack, following the slim ray of the flashlight that shone on the grass until they had crossed the park and had reached the bank of the arroyo. “What do we do now?” asked Rudy breaking the silence in a solemn voice. “We wait,” said Floyd. “We wait and listen for the sound of her sobbing. Ramona, turn off the flashlight. We’ll sit in the dark and ask her to come. If anybody hears crying or sees a red light, that means she’s here.” Elvis suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and he had an unbearable urge to jump up and run for the safety of home. The only thing that kept him sitting there was the stronger fear of leaving the company of his friends and exposing himself to the evil spirit somewhere in the blackness of the empty park. He shut his eyes tightly, and his breath came out in short, shallow puffs.

An unmistakable wailing sound arose from the dark arroyo.

Floyd continued, “Remember not to stare at her red light or you’ll become paralyzed, and you won’t be able to run away when she comes for you. Stick your fingers in your ears, so she doesn’t hypnotize you with her voice and make you fall asleep. Just make the sign of the cross and say Hail Marys as loud as you can, so she can’t possess you. It’s your only hope.” Ramona responded to Floyd’s warning in typical Ramona fashion, “I’m not afraid of no pendeja, La Llorona. If she has the huevos to show up, I’ll shove this flashlight down her ugly boca!” Somehow, Ramona’s bravado did very little to reassure Elvis. He looked over at Rudy, who was holding his head in his hands and moaning softly. They sat on the edge of the ominous arroyo for what seemed like forever and waited for their impending fate. The minutes dragged on, but nothing out of the ordinary took place other than a couple of wandering dogs that came by and sniffed once or twice and went on with their business, whatever that was. Rudy had calmed down, and as Elvis’s eyes adjusted to the dark, the terror he felt began to ease away.

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Floyd let out a fart, and Ramona exclaimed, “Damn, cabrón, that smell is the scariest thing that’s happened tonight.” Everyone laughed in relief as they realized that she was probably right, and their reputations would be greatly elevated when they returned to the neighborhood in one piece. Already they were each privately elaborating their experiences in their own heads to make it seem like they had escaped from the evil clutches of the weeping woman by the skin of their teeth. Elvis and his gang scrambled to their feet, anticipating the warm tortillas and soft beds that were awaiting them, when an unmistakable wailing sound arose from the dark arroyo. It was the most mournful cry imaginable. Rudy let out a terrified whinny, and for the first time in Elvis’s memory he heard a tone of vulnerability in Ramona’s voice as she cried out, “Mamá, Mamá, I wanna go home to Mamá.” They stood frozen in terror. Floyd grabbed the flashlight and pointed it waveringly in the direction of the heartrending shriek. The courageous lot held each other tightly, contemplating their doom, when suddenly out of the darkness a pair of glowing eyes appeared and rushed toward them. Then, another pair of iridescent eyeballs flew out of the arroyo. Near their feet, two huge alley cats tumbled in a chaotic ball of flying fur and exposed claws. Screaming at the top of their lungs, the terrified kids ran like the wind across the park and straight to the safety of their homes and families. It was several days before anyone brought up the subject of that night, and by consensus they agreed it was best forgotten. i [Par t 2 of an intermittent series]

Through his writings, native Santa Fean Andrew Lovato, Ph.D., walks readers through an exploration of Hispanic and New Mexico cultures of yesterday and today. An associate professor at Santa Fe Community College, Lovato is the author of Santa Fe Hispanic Culture: Preserving Identity in a Tourist Town; The Year Zozobra Escaped: Featuring Zozobra’s Great Escape; and a contributing author of four other books. Andrew.lovato@sfcc.edu

Green Fire Times • June 2015

Filters continued from page 27 culture. Cultural evolution is considerably more rapid than biological evolution. Today, mainstream cultural evolution is far outstripping our capacity to recognize ourselves as born of and reliant on Nature’s flow through time within our solar system and beyond. If we maintain our current course, we as a species will speed out of existence.

Therefore, the time is upon us to reevaluate our ethical standards, to question our cultural mores, our beliefs and attitudes. I have come to perceive consciousness as a commons, and I rebel at those who would privatize these commons of consciousness for personal and collective gain at expense unto death of much of the rest of life, including that of our own species. Over the last century, we have “progressed” to the strong possibility of self-extinction. In 1900, the human population of the planet was estimated to have been about one-and-a-half-billion souls. Just over a century later, we have nearly quintupled—expanded our population by a factor of five. We as a species, along with our attendant accoutrements, have truly outstripped the carrying capacity of our planetary biotic community. If we do not immediately accept the necessity for wide-ranging reciprocity and vigorously stir that into the commons of human consciousness—and thence act accordingly—the planet will serve us our eviction notice. Our species will not even be remembered as a failed experiment.

Are current cultural attitudes beyond redemption? In 1968, poet Jerome Rothenberg published his book, Technicians of the Sacred, which is an anthology of poetry, truly a crystal of many windows revealing myriad facets of Indigenous Mind. It also reveals a perspective shared by those who have not forgotten their allegiance to the flow of Nature, their collective intuition of their place in Nature, their evolved sense of natural aesthetics that feeds the human soul like cool spring water on a hot day in the high desert. We are equipped to perceive the beauty of existence, not just the fact of that beauty. We don’t have to justify our recognition of that beauty but, rather, revel in the beauty itself and thus open ourselves to its natural relevance. Thus we become Naturists and take our spiritual guidance from the flow of Nature.

Pyotr Kropotkin, age 22

On page 300 of his magnum opus, Mutual Aid, first published in 1908, the great anarchist-philosopher Pyotr Kropotkin, who was also a world-class geographer and natural historian, wrote, “In the practice of mutual aid, which we can retrace to the earliest beginnings of evolution, we thus find the positive and undoubted origin of ethical conceptions; and we can affirm that in the ethical progress of man, mutual support—not mutual struggle—has had the leading part. In its wide extension, even at the present time, we also see the best guarantee of a still loftier evolution of our race.” Six or so decades earlier, Henry David Thoreau wrote: “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life Henry David Thoreau by conscious endeavor. It is something to paint a particular picture, or carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the atmosphere and very medium through which we look, which morally we can do.To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.” i Aural historian, activist and author Jack Loeffler was honored in April 2015 at the 15th annual Nuestra Música concert of traditional northern New Mexico music, presented by the Lensic Performing Arts Center and the Spanish Colonial Arts Society. Loe ffler ’s website is www.loreoftheland.org

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Coalition Building Supports Environmental Protection

Michael Coca

he Río de Las Gallinas Watershed is located on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico, on land settled by Pueblo, Comanche, Apache and Ute tribes. In the early 1800s, Spanish as well as Mexican land grant recipients settled in the area, along with tribal members from Zacatecas, México. Intermarriage resulted in a largely mestizo culture. After the Mexican–American War and United States government invasion in 1848, the area became a territory of the U.S. until statehood in 1912. More than 13 diversion dams were constructed along the river to provide irrigable land to cultivate crops for a selfsufficient, land-based economy. With the coming of the railroad in 1879, much of the irrigated land on the side of the river the Americans had settled was destroyed as right-of-way for the railroad. Thus began the degradation of the river and the watershed.

above its priority allocation, which has affected the ability of irrigators to cultivate their land. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service and logging companies have cut roads into the watershed, increasing sediment runoff, and cattle grazing has polluted non-fenced portions of the river.

Understanding the nature of a bioregion

Because both sides of my family were land-grant heirs, I was assigned the task of farming and overseeing irrigated land in three counties. In 1992, I was asked to teach a senior class in systems analysis in the Computer Science Department of New Mexico Highlands University. I saw it as an opportunity to address water issues, such as pollution and loss of land and water rights, facing our traditional communities. Students in the class took on the assignment of doing an analysis and designing a bioregional plan showing the importance of how biophysical

In order to maintain our traditional culture, water rights and water quality, a coalition was formed with the common goal of protecting the river. The Río Gallinas Watershed Partnership was comprised of the New Mexico Environment Department, federal agencies, Casa de Cultura, Río Gallinas Acequia Association and New Mexico Acequia Association. As a board member of Amigos Bravos, the mission of which is to protect and restore the waters of New Mexico, I requested assistance in presenting a workshop on the Clean Water Act. This served to educate acequia parciantes about water quantity and quality issues and helped the Headwater of the Río de Las Gallinas Watershed traditional water users make bettermine and restore the river, a process informed decisions about the future of the that is ongoing. Río de las Gallinas. Amigos Bravos was successful in testifying before the state In the Río Grande Basin, Amigos Bravos Water Quality Control Commission, was instrumental in organizing a coalition which then upgraded the water quality consisting of Tewa Women United, from recreational to bathing standard Honor Our Pueblo Existence, New because there are hot springs along the Mexico Acequia Association, Concerned river. The current watershed group is Citizens for Nuclear Safety, and Catholic monitoring temperature and pollution nuns to sue Los Alamos National sources, so remediation of the river to its Laboratory for allowing radioactive waste original state can take place. to flow into the Río Grande without a permit. The coalition won the suit and is In the 1980s, Amigos Bravos sued currently in the process of implementing Chevron for polluting the Red River, provisions of the cleanup settlement. a tributary of the Río Grande, with tailings from the MolyCorp mine in In the Somos Vecinos project, working Questa, New Mexico. After years of within the f ramework of customs legal proceedings, Amigos Bravos won and traditions shared by land-based the suit and lobbied for Superfund communities, Amigos Bravos worked status to clean up and remediate the as a catalyst to bring together opposing, continued on page 33

Acequia in Ribera, New Mexico

Adjudication entitled the state of New Mexico to retire water rights for nonuse. These were rights that had been guaranteed to land-grant heirs under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.The city of Las Vegas started taking water away from traditional water users and drained storm water into the river, which contained pollutants from automobiles.The city also drained water from the city sewer plant into the river, which increased nitrate levels that inhibit normal crop production. Las Vegas’ City Council still supports the diversion of water from the river over and

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attributes of a region influence the human dimensions of settlement and culture. To understand the nature of a bioregion, it is essential to recognize the importance of having a sense of place, realize that the river is the lifeblood of the community, define human and natural resources, and utilize culture and diversity as a powerful tool for community development. This requires an emphasis on the shared values of cultural competency, economic, environmental and social justice, clean air and water, land, customs, traditions, fine arts and music.

$1 Million in Federal Funding Allocated for New Mexico Acequias

Federal officials have agreed to allocate more than $1 million to northern New Mexico’s acequias to help revitalize the centuries-old community irrigation systems that deliver water from rivers and streams to farmers and ranchers. The funding is part of $9.5 million from the farm bill that will support four water-quality and conservation projects in New Mexico. Under the government’s new regional conservation partnership program, federal dollars are being leveraged with money from local and state governments, nonprofit groups and landowners. The head of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jason Weller, visited northern New Mexico last month to tour what he described as the oldest acequia in the nation and discuss ways the traditional water systems can be used as a hedge against drought. This comes at a time when there is renewed interest in locally grown food. To make the acequias more efficient, proposed work ranges from replacing rock and log diversion structures and installing pipelines in some areas that are too sandy to maintain.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

giggle. wiggle. groove. An eclectic mix of informative and entertaining programs await you on KUNM – your passport to the worlds of news, music, community and culture. Publicly supported. Publicly responsive. KUNM is an essential part of New Mexico’s day. KUNM 89.9FM | STREAMING LIVE 24/7 AT KUNM.ORG

Green Fire Times • June 2015

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Coalition

continued from page 31

diverse groups to support common environmental goals and cooperate to achieve them. In the Valle Vidal Wilderness of northeastern New Mexico, oil companies were poised to drill in a wilderness area. Amigos Bravos joined a coalition of environmentalists, hunters, local communities and livestock grazers to oppose the companies in court. The coalition successfully stopped this attack. In keeping with the guiding principles of honoring local culture and building on traditional lifeways connected to land and water, the Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance (HPWA) was organized to foster land stewardship to ensure the long-term vitality of human and natural communities of the Hermit’s Peak region, specifically the Gallinas, Sapello and Tecolote watersheds. Founded in 2008 by local landowners concerned about watershed health, HPWA has evolved into an established watershed group focused on restoration and management across ownership boundaries. HPWA offers environmental education and volunteer opportunities to monitor

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watershed conditions. They also work with federal, state and local agencies to provide guidance on policy and planning efforts. Amigos Bravos’ success in coalition building has been achieved by being flexible in modifying industrial operations, initiating a 5-year Strategic Planning Group, conducting culturalcompetency workshops, documenting oral histories, being conscious of historic cultural oppression, reaching out to tribal and community leaders and facilitating better understanding between environmentalists and landbased communities. We continue to work on projects to restore watershed health, hold polluters accountable and build community leadership and capacity. i Michael Coca, owner of the solar architectural design and construction company S an Miguel Sun Dwellings, is former president of Amigos Bravos. He also cofounded the New Mexico Acequia Association. mcoca44@comcast.net, www. amigosbravos.org

Green Fire Times • June 2015

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NEWSBITEs New Mexico’s Economy Supported by National Park Visitors

According to a National Park Service report, in 2014, visitors to New Mexico’s national parks and monuments spent an estimated $88.8 million in local communities while visiting NPS lands. According to the Park Service, that spending supported 1,400 jobs paying $36.9 million in wages and salaries to local workers and generated $107.7 million worth of economic activity. Of the 10 national monuments and one national park in New Mexico (not including the new Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, which is managed by the BLM), White Sands logged the largest number of visits in 2014, with 503,660 visitors adding $25.6 million to the local economy. Carlsbad Caverns was next, with 397,309 visitors. Although there were 106,351 fewer visitors to the caverns, they spent just $21,500 less in total than the more numerous White Sands visitors, perhaps because of higher lodging costs in the Carlsbad area. Fort Union National Monument was the least visited of the National Park sites in New Mexico, with just 10,934 people who spent an estimated $707,600 to support nine jobs and a $300,000 local payroll. Gila Cliff Dwellings was the second-leastvisited spot, with 31,136 visitors contributing $1.7 million to the local economy. At Petroglyph National Monument on the outskirts of Albuquerque, the Park Service estimates that 18,537 people, or about 16 percent of the 115,860 visitors last year, were locals, accounting for about $288,000 of the $6.5 million in visitor spending and supporting four of the 108 monument-associated jobs. The full report is available online at www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/

Northern NM Wilderness Bill Gains Momentum

A bill introduced by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Tom Udall (D-NM) to establish two wilderness areas, the Cerro del Yuta Wilderness and Río San Antonio Wilderness, within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument, northwest of Taos, received a positive hearing in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining late last month. The proposed wilderness areas would comprise 21,420 acres within the 242,500acre monument. The area boasts incredible wildlands and waters that sustain the surrounding communities and is home to elk, deer, bighorn sheep, golden eagles, sandhill cranes and other wildlife. It is one of the most stunning and ecologically significant areas in the state. Sen. Heinrich, a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said that the bill “helps further the community’s vision for this landscape.” During the hearing, Sen. Heinrich highlighted the bill’s support from northern New Mexico small business owners. Since the monument’s 2013 designation, reflecting the regional outdoor recreation economic impact, there has been a 40 percent increase in Taos area visitation and 30 percent increase in lodging taxes. “Designating the Cerro del Yuta and Río San Antonio areas of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument as wilderness will help permanently protect a critical watershed, boost tourism and create jobs throughout northern New Mexico, and ensure this incredible part of our state is protected for New Mexicans and visitors alike,” said Sen. Udall.

would require utilities to generate 30 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. The bill would create the first national threshold for utilities to provide a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources including wind, solar, biomass and others. It would set an 8 percent requirement by 2016, followed by gradual increases thereafter to meet the goal of 30 percent by 2030. More than half of the states—including New Mexico—already have renewable generation standards with specific timelines and target standards. The legislation would not preempt stronger standards already implemented by states. “A national Renewable Electricity Standard will help slow utility-rate increases and boost private investments in states like New Mexico—all while combating climate change,” said Tom Udall (D-N.M.), one of the bill’s sponsors. “Becoming a nation that relies more on clean sources of energy is critical if we want to create a healthier environment for future generations,” Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), another of the bill’s sponsors, said. “We’ve seen how successful RES policies are across the country, especially in New Mexico.” “Our analysis shows a 30 percent by 2030 national RES is achievable and would provide substantial consumer, economic, and climate benefits,” said Jeff Deyette, senior energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists. “The Udall/Markey proposal builds on the success of existing state policies to accelerate the innovation and investments needed for the U.S. to transition to a clean-energy economy.”

New york Times Cites Santa Fe’s Tiered Water Rates as Conservation Model

An article in last month’s New York Times credits Santa Fe’s tiered water pricing as an “audacious” response to drought that parched California cities can learn from. The Times recalls the drought of 15 years ago that left Santa Fe without enough water to fight fires: “Santa Fe, in addition to raising the basic cost of water, decided to make the heaviest users pay more for the water they consumed. Known as tiered pricing, the system wasn’t unique to Santa Fe, but in no major city today are the tiers so steep, with water guzzlers paying three to four times more per gallon than more efficient consumers,” the article says. According to the nonprofit news agency Circle of Blue, for those in the second tier, Santa Fe has the most expensive water out of 30 cities surveyed. Recent academic research suggests that because of the huge gap between tiers, the system is similar to market pricing to encourage conservation in that much of the burden is borne by those most able to afford it. Since 2001, Santa Fe’s total water consumption has dropped by a fifth, even as the population has increased by 10 percent. The city’s residents are among the thriftiest when it comes to turning on the tap. Per-capita water usage has plunged from nearly 140 gallons a day in 2001 to about 100 now. Santa Fe has also revamped its water system to rely less on its over-stressed aquifer. The city’s higher water rates, along with a major bond offering, helped fund a $220-million water-treatment project, which gets more than 75 percent of its water from surface sources like rivers and reservoirs.

Public Input Sought for Geothermal Development

Santa Fe Moving Toward Single-Stream Recycling

Senators Unveil New Renewable Electricity Standard

Eight new trucks equipped with long, side-mounted arms for lifting and dumping bins would be purchased at an estimated cost of $3.86 million, which includes the cost of 30,000 roll-away bins to be distributed to homes and businesses. Residential rates for the service may go up 12.8 percent, or about $1.50 a month, to help finance the program, which has been endorsed by the City Council’s Finance Committee. The agency, after seeking bids from private contractors, has decided it would be cheaper to keep the recycling operation in-house. The new changes may include revamped green-waste services and an expanded public education program.

The Bureau of Land Management wants to lease about 46,000 acres of the 195,000 acres that have been identified as having significant geothermal potential in the Santa Fe National Forest. The Forest Service is soliciting public input about the geothermal development. Written comments, due by June 12, will be included in the environmental impact statement for the project. They may be emailed to commentssouthwestern-santafe@fs.fed, faxed to 505.438.5390 or sent to Geothermal EIS Project, Santa Fe National Forest, 11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508.

National RES would pump nearly $300 billion into the economy, create tens of thousands of jobs, and help combat climate change On May 17, seven U.S. senators introduced a bill to create a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). The legislation, which would help the United States diversify its energy sources while establishing leadership in clean energy production,

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The joint city-county Solid Waste Management Agency, in the hope of boosting Santa Fe’s 56 percent participation rate and reducing costs may, by mid-2016, be moving to a single-stream recycling system. That would expand the recyclable materials collected to include plastics No. 1 through No. 7, which includes bottles, jars and deli clamshells, as well as rigid plastics such as laundry baskets and buckets. However, glass collection may be reduced to every other week or replaced by glass drop-off centers. Glass is harder to process, and there aren’t many buyers for it in New Mexico.

Green Fire Times • June 2015

What's Going On! Events / Announcements of working landscapes and people that produce local food. Examine historic and contemporary food cultures and food systems, tour farms, commercial kitchens and restaurants. College credit available. $905-$1,110. 505.277.1303, chwilsion@unm.edu

ALBUQUERQUE

June 3, 5:30-7 pm Green Drinks Hotel Andaluz, 125 Second St. NW

Network with people interested in doing business locally, clean energy alternatives and creating sustainable opportunities in our communities. Meet & greet with Steve Bauman, CEO, award-winning designer of healthy buildings and energy systems. Presented the first Wednesday of each month by the ABQ and Río Rancho Green Chamber. info@ nmgreenchamber.com, www.greendrinks.org

June 5, 5:30 pm Opening ID Stories Multimedia Exhibit Sundowner Community Room 6101 Central Ave. NE

Scholars will introduce the exhibit, host a Q&A and facilitate community dialogue in which participating residents will share stories. Exhibit connects people to the natural and cultural history of ABQ’s International District. Open to the public through July 27.

June 5, 6 pm Opening Reception Visionary Concepts: Genres of Pueblo Art Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Exhibit spotlighting Pueblo artists who depict pride in culture and tell a story of cultural perseverance. Free. www.indianpueblo.org

June 6-7, 10 am-10 am Createathon NM So. Valley Economic Dev. Center 318 Isleta, SW

NM chapter of AIGA 24-hour creative marathon in which professionals and students will create solutions to address communication needs (website design, brand identity, fundraising campaigns, advertising, etc.) of nonprofit partners on a pro bono basis. Liz.brown@new mexico.aiga.org, CreateAthonNM.org

June 6, 10:30 am-11 pm ABQ Folk Festival ABQ Intl. Balloon Museum

Music, song, dance, storytelling, workshops, demonstrations, performances, crafts, food, kids activities. 120 non-stop events at 15 venues. Tickets: $20 adv/$15/$5/under 12 & military free. Info: 505.301.2822, www.abqfolkfest.org

June 6, 2-4 pm Home Composting Basics Taylor Ranch Library, 5700 Bogart NW

Learn the science, materials and methods of improving your garden soil. Free. Registration: 505.897.8818, register@nmcomposters.org

June 8-12, 9 am – 6 pm Eating NM: Agriculture, Food & Community Development

UNM School of Architecture & Planning SW Summer Institute for Preservation and Regionalism course offers an exploration

June 15-19, 9 am – 6 pm Preservation and Design in Traditional Communities

SW Summer Institute for Preservation and Regionalism course explores approaches to preservation and infill design that mediate community values and participation with federal standards. Guest speakers and field trips. Instructor: Shawn Evans, AIA. College credit available. $905-$1,110. 505.277.1303, chwilsion@unm.edu

June 20, 10:30 am-12:30 pm Eating for Your Health Highland Senior Activity Center 131 Monroe NE

Community-based workshop led by Susan Clair, covering elements of a healthy lifestyle, plant-based and animal proteins, organic vs. conventional, antioxidants and systemic alkalinity, health benefits of herbs and spices, refined carbs and sweeteners, healthy fats. Free or by donation. 505.281.9888, clair@nmia.com

June 20, 11:30 am-2:30 pm World Refugee Day Cesar Chávez Community Center 7505 Kathryn SE

Naturalization ceremony (noon), food, music, dance, art, soccer, info tables and more. Global 505 Coalition and Littleglobe. valerie@littleglobe.org

June 30, July 25, Aug 22 Landscape Irrigation and Drip Irrigation Central NM Community College Workforce Training Center 5600 Eagle Rock NE, Room 101

Free Water Smart classes sponsored by the ABQ Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. 9-10 am: irrigation landscape classes; 10:30-11:45: drip irrigation classes. Advance registration not required. 505.888.1772

July 10-12 NM Women in Film Fiesta Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe www.nmwif.com

Aug. 23, 11 am-3 pm Tomato Fiesta ABQ Garden Center, 10120 Lomas, NE

Classes and garden tips from Master Gardeners and tomato experts. Trade fair, music, kids activities. 505.292.7144, www.albuquer quetomatofiesta.com

Daily, 10 am-6 pm Wildlife West 87 N. Frontage Rd., Edgewood (30 miles east of ABQ)

122-acre park/attraction with educational programs dedicated to native wildlife and ecology. $7/$6/$4/ children under 5 free. www.wildlifewest.org

Daily Our Land, Our Culture, Our Story Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Historical overview of the Pueblo world and contemporary artwork and craftsmanship of each of the 19 pueblos.Weekend Native dances. 866.855.7902

Green Fire Times • June 2015

SANTA FE

June 2, 7 am-1 pm Tuesday Farmers’ Market Kickoff 1607 Paseo de Peralta

Fresh cooking demo with Roland from Joe’s Dining. Music. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

June 3, 11:30 am-1 pm Coalition for La Bajada Mesa SFAHBA, 1409 Luisa St.

The SF Green Chamber of Commerce presents a “Green Lunch” talk by Dianne Elise Strauss, the coalition’s executive director. $20/$15. Reservations: 505.982.1774.

June 4, 6 pm People vs. Monsanto Downtown SF Public Library Community Room

Discussion about consumer anti-trust action challenging the possible merger of Monsanto and Syngenta. 505.467.8288, jfw@jfwlaw.net

June 5, 5-8 pm New Deal Public Art Benefit Scottish Rite Center

Live/silent auction featuring over 100 shovels and trowels painted by local artists. Benefits Preservation Association’s work conserving New Deal public art around NM. 505.690-5845, newdeal@ cybermesa.com, www.newdeallegacy.org

June 6, 9 am-3 pm Trail Restoration Work Windsor Trail, SF National Forest

Volunteers will gather at Norski Trailhead below the ski area. Wear long sleeves, long pants, above ankle non-skid boots and leather gloves. Bring backpack with lunch and at least 2 quarts of water. Info/signup: 505.753.7331, jasublett@fs.fed

June 6, 10 am-4 pm Earth, Straw and Salvage Building Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center, Cerrillos, NM

An overview of earth building techniques from foundation to roof. Learn what loadbearing walls require, when to use insulating materials rather than thermal mass. Handson with cob, strawbale and earthbag. Details/ RSVP: Ampersandproject.org

June 8, 7 pm The Yes Men Are Revolting The Lensic

Screening of the new Yes Men film. A fundraiser for KSFR Public Radio. $15-$100. Premium tickets include reception with the Yes Men at La Fonda Hotel, 5-6:30 pm. ticketessantafe.org/

June 9, 4-6 pm Eldorado/285 Recycles ECIA Conference Room, Eldorado, NM

Monthly meeting open to all. www.eldor ado285recycles.org

June 10, 5:30-7 pm Green Drinks

Network with people interested in doing business locally, clean energy alternatives and creating sustainable opportunities in our communities. Speakers have included innovative leaders and business people. Presented the second Wednesday of each month by the SF Green Chamber. glenn@nmgreenchamber.com

June 11, 6-8 pm LaDonna Harris: Indian 101 Jean Cocteau Cinema 418 Montezuma Ave.

Benefit screening includes reception with Ms. Harris, a renowned civil-rights activist, and others. Benefits the Native American Advised Endowment Fund at the SF Community Foundation. Limited seating. $50.

June 12-28 Currents New Media Festival Citywide Venues

6/12: Opening at El Museo Cultural and Railyard Plaza. International roster of 124 new media artists from 18 states and 21 countries. Groundbreaking works transform technologies into provocative and beautiful expression. IAIA Digital Dome programs, multimedia performances, experimental documentary series, panels and workshops. All are free. connect@currentsnewmedia.org, http://cur rentsnewmedia.org/festivals/currents-2015/

June 13, 10 am-4 pm Arid Land Restoration Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center, Cerrillos, NM

June 6, 12-5 pm Johnson St. Experience

An introduction for healing degraded landscapes through mulching, seeding, erosion control and water harvesting. Learn to read storm water flows and how to create microclimates for regenerative vegetative growth. Details/RSVP: Ampersandproject.org

June 6 HawaH

June 13, 5-10 pm Kritters & Kids Fandango Quail Run

2nd annual block party. Street merchants offer fun, food, art making, music and more. Free.

4 pm: booksigning at The Ark, 133 Romero St; 7:30 pm: Screening of “Fly by Light,” award-winning film directed by HawaH about training inner city kids. Center for Spiritual Living, 505 Cam. de los Márquez. www.BlueEarthHealing.com/events

June 6, 6-11 pm Fresh Santa Fe 2855 Cooks Rd. (Lower Siler Rd. District)

Launch party for public multimedia art space. Performances by Jill Love, Cy McCray and many others. Outdoor monumental sculpture by Don Redman. $10 suggested donation but no one turned away. Blue Jean Project will collect jean donations for charity repurposing. 505.231.2342, Gregory@waitsstudioworks. com, www.facebook.com/freshsantafe

Anniversary dinner, dance, silent auction benefits nine local groups. Music by the Rifters, Bill Hearne Trio and Steve Rose. 505.995.9659

June 14, 1-5 pm Holistic Healing Fair 2nd St. Studios, 1807 2nd St. #84

Metaphysical practitioners work by donation.

June 17, 6-7:30 pm NM Solar Energy Association Chapter Meeting Whole Foods Community Room 753 Cerrillos Rd.

SF Sustainable Everything Advocates’ mission is to make living sustainably the accepted norm and to establish SF and NM as leaders in this effort through outreach, education, participa-

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tion and volunteerism in organizations and events. Presentation by Jeremiah Kidd: “An Oasis in Your NM Backyard.” SFSEA meets the third Wednesday each month. Claudia@ solarlogicllc.com, www.nmsolar.org

June 19-21, 27-28 SF Studio Tour

A free, self-guided tour. 76 artists, 48 studios. Discover original art: paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics and other unique works. Preview party/group show 6/19 at the SF University of Art & Design. Info/map: www.santafestudiotour.com

June 20, 2 pm; June 24, 6:45 pm Movies That Matter Jean Cocteau Cinema, 418 Montezuma

“The Apple Pushers” follows immigrant street vendors rolling fresh fruit and vegetables into inner cities. Examines issues such as food access, obesity crisis, immigration, entrepreneurship, etc. Presented by the SF Farmers’ Market Institute. Tickets: Weds: $10/$8/$6; Sat: $7/$5/$6. 505.466.5528 or www.jeancocteaucinema.com/buy-tickets/

June 21, 8 am-12 pm Leonora Curtin Wetlands Preserve Outing South of Santa Fe

See diverse plants, wildlife and habitats. $6. Presented by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. Register in advance: www.losalamosnature.org

June 21, 2-3 pm Santa Fe Concert Band Federal Building, east side

Free Father’s Day concert. Bring a picnic lunch.

June 27, 10 am-4 pm Rain Harvesting and Greywater Systems Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center, Cerrillos, NM

The basics of rain collection systems. Paired with the essentials of greywater. Details/ RSVP: Ampersandproject.org

June 28, 2 pm Fearless Vegetable Gardening Modern General, 637 Cerrillos Rd.

Presentation by Erin Wade. $10. Reservations: sundayafternoons@moderngeneralnm.com

Through July 26 “Fire Season” NM Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace

Photography exhibition $9/$6/under 16 and NM residents on Sunday free. 505.476.5072, nmartmuseum.org

Aug. 8, 10 am-4 pm Kindred Spirits Art Show 3749A Hwy. 14

Fundraiser for animal sanctuary/hospice for dogs, horses and poultry. Visit with the animals, meet the artists. Free. 505.471.5366, kindredspiritsnm@ earthlink.net, www.kindredspiritsnm.org

First Saturday of Each Month, 10 am-12 pm SF Citizens’ Climate Lobby Various Locations

Sundays, 10 am-4 pm New Mexico Artisan Market Farmers’ Market Pavilion

Molly. Workshops, on-site camping, vendors and kids activities. Festival site is walking distance to hot springs. 877.472.4672, www.folkwest.com

Become a Site Steward Santa Fe National Forest

June 7, 9 am-4 pm Corrales Garden Tour Corrales, NM

www.artmarketsantafe.com

Monitor archeological and historical sites on a regular basis for evidence of natural deterioration or vandalism. www.sfnfsitestewards.org

Santa Fe Creative Tourism Workshops, Classes and Experiences http://santafecreativetourism.org/

Santa Fe Recycling

Make 2015 the year to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as you can. City residential curbside customers can recycle at no additional cost and drop by 1142 Siler Road, Building A, to pick up free recycling bins. At least 50 percent of curbside residential customers recycle now. Let’s take that number to 100 percent. For more information, visit http://www.santafenm.gov/ trash_and_recycling or call 505.955.2200 (city); 505.992.3010 (county); 505.424.1850 (SF Solid Waste Management Agency).

TAOS

June 13, 10:30 am Taos River and Land Cleanup St. James Episcopal Church Parking Lot, 208 Camino de la Santiago

9th annual. Free lunch and snacks for volunteers. Bring water, sunscreen, work gloves, hat. 575.758.3874, juliapyatt@gmail.com, amigosbravos.org

June 25, 8 am-6 pm Raffle for the Río

KTAOS Solar Radio 101.9 or www.ktao.com Amigos Bravos annual fundraiser in support of helping communities throughout NM with emerging water issues in their rivers, streams, groundwater systems and watersheds. Prizes include 7-day trip to Machu Picchu, Perú, $3,000 cash or an acre of land. Info/tickets ($25 ea. or 5 for $100): 575.758.3874, www.amigosbravos.org

August 1, 9 am-4 pm Taos Home & Garden Tour

Four venues highlight integration of architecture and gardens. See local artists at work at each home. LJTaosNM1942@gmail.com, www.gardencluboftaos.org

HERE & THERE

June 3, 9:30 am Green Hour Hikes Pajarito Environmental Education Center, Los Alamos, NM

Gardening & farming, ecology, fiber arts, cooking and more. Classes for ages 7-9 and 10-12. $200/wk - $350 both wks. Some scholarships. Van transportation to/from Santa Fe. 505.231.2819, caminodepazschool@ gmail.com. Presented by Española Valley Fiber Arts Center and Camino de Paz

June 9, 7 pm Bidder 70 Screening SWEC, 275 Main St., Las Cruces, NM

Documentary about climate justice activist Tim DeChristopher. Presented by the SW Environmental Center. $5/family. www.wildmesquite.org

June 10, 6:30 pm Family Evening with Wolves Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Rd. Los Alamos, NM

Meet wolves from the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. $5/family. www.losalamosnature.org

June 11, 5:30-7 pm Green Drinks/NMSEA Little Toad Pub, 200 N. Bullard St. Silver City, NM

10th annual all-ages festival featuring nationally touring folk, bluegrass, Celtic and Americana musicians. Headliners are Noam Pikelny & Stuart Duncan, Solas and Red

Each retreat, designed by four professional women, is unique. Horses, yoga, visioning, creativity, self-nourishment, healthy food. 415.377.5424, www.DancingwithNature.us

Through Sept. 30 Ancient Native Farming Techniques Exhibit Colorado Plateau Intertribal Learning Center, Tuba City, AZ.

Exhibit showcases efforts by elders and community leaders from 12 tribes across the Colorado Plateau to preserve dry farming practices that have allowed native peoples to flourish for thousands of years. Open by appointment. alicia.tsosie@foodcorps.org, www.grandcanyontrust.org/blog/preserv ing-our-seeds-and-farmer-knowledge

Oct. 23-24 Traditional Agriculture & Sustainable Living Conference Northern NM College, Española, NM

10th annual. International keynote speakers, panels, workshops, hands-on activities, vendors, info booths, heritage seed exchange. 518.332.3156, fourbridges@live.com, http://4bridges.org/educational-programs/ annual-conference/2015-conference

Navajo fancy or Sunday saddle blankets of the 19th and 20th centuries. Music by Wes Studi’s Firecat Allstars and traditional Navajo singers and dancers. 505.789.3267, www.toadlenatradingpost.com

June 16, 7 pm Bees: Midwives of Agriculture Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Rd. Los Alamos, NM

June 17, 6:30 pm Family Evening with Wild Birds Los Alamos Nature Center, 2600 Canyon Rd. Los Alamos, NM

June 5-7 Pagosa Folk & Bluegrass Festival Reservoir Hill, Pagosa Springs, CO.

June 25-28; Aug. 26-30 Dancing with Nature Retreats Sulphur Springs Ranch, La Veta, CO

June 13, 11 am-5 pm Saddle Up! Toadlena Trading Post & Weaving Museum, Newcomb, NM

June 3-19 Hummingbird Living School Programs Mora, NM

Tuesdays and Saturdays, 7 am-1 pm Santa Fe Farmers’ Market 1607 Paseo de Peralta (& Guadalupe)

Judy Liddell and Barbara Hussey, authors of a new book on the subject, will share tips and info. Free. www.losalamosnature.org

Monthly meeting of the Southwest NM Green Chamber of Commerce and the NM Solar Energy Association-Silver City Chapter. Held every second Thursday of the month. 575.538.1337, swGreenChamber@gmail.com

Beekeeper Melanie Kirby will highlight connections between landscapes and pollinators. She will bring an observation hive and honey for tasting. $8/$6.50.www.losalamosnature.org

“Creating political will for a livable world” santafe@citizensclimatelobby.org

www.GreenFireTimes.com

June 8-12, 15-19 Summer Camp Camino de Paz School & Farm, Santa Cruz (near Española) NM

Meandering hikes where kids set the pace and decide the activities. Free. www.losalamosnature.org

500-acre ranch with fields, gardens, healing center, meeting areas. June 3-7: Living CoCreation; June 10-14: Coming Home Together; June 17-19: Writing Retreat/Workshop. http://hummingbirdlivingschool.org

Northern NM farmers & ranchers offer fresh greenhouse tomatoes, greens, root veggies, cheese, teas, herbs,spices,honey,baked goods,body care products and much more. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

Six gardens with water-wise plants. $10 benefits village landscaping project. Sponsored by Corrales MainStreet and Sandoval Master Gardeners. Corralesgardentour.com

June 23, 7 pm Birding Hot Spots in Northern New Mexico Los Alamos Nature Center 2600 Canyon Rd. Los Alamos, NM

NM Wildlife Center will have owls, hawks and more. $5/family. www.losalamosnature.org

June 19-21 Ecological Restoration Volunteer Project Near Questa, NM

Join the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation for a weekend in Midnight Meadows in the Carson National Forest. Volunteers will build restoration structures and plant vegetation to improve wildlife habitat. For details: rioscial@gmail. com, http://abq.nmwildlife.org/

Green Fire Times • June 2015

ROMANCE, DRAMA, FUN!

JULY 3 – AUGUST 29

2015

... all at THE SANTA FE OPERA

THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT RIGOLETTO SALOME

Donizetti

Verdi

R. Strauss

LA FINTA GIARDINIERA COLD MOUNTAIN

Mozart

World Premiere

Composer Jennifer Higdon Librettist Gene Scheer

First-Time Buyers who are NM Residents:

Save 40% Call for details!

Robert Godwin photo

Arrive early with a tailgate supper to enjoy the sunset and mountain views.

OPENING NIGHTS SPONSOR

855-674-5401 www.fourseasons.com/santafe

Green Fire Times • June 2015

SantaFeOpera.org

800-280-4654

Ask our partners about a special offer for Opera guests.

800-955-4455 www.eldoradohotel.com

800-727-5531 www.innatloretto.com

800-378-7946 www.druryplazasantafe.com