January 2013 Green Fire Times Edition

News & Views

B uilding a R egional F ood S ystem January 2013

from the

S u s t ai n ab l e S o u t h w e s t

H ealthy K ids – H ealthy E conomy

New Mexico’s Fifth Largest Circulation Newspaper

Vol. 5, No. 1

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

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Vol. 5, No. 1 • January 2013 Issue No. 45 Publisher Green Fire Publishing, LLC

Skip Whitson

Managing Editor Seth Roffman Art Director Anna C. Hansen Dakini Design Copy Editor Stephen Klinger Contributing Writers

Le Adams, Juan Estévan Arellano, Nelsy Domínguez, Kathleen González, Tawnya Laveta, George Luján, Anne Morse, Alena Paisano, Amelia Pedini, Seth Roffman, Pam Roy, Ricardo Salvador, Mark Winne

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Le Adams, Anna C. Hansen, Seth Roffman

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Winner of The 2010 Sustainable Santa Fe Award for Outstanding Educational Project

Contents Farm to Table: Solving the Food System Puzzle. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .5 Healthy Kids – Healthy Economy . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..6 Farm to Table Collaborations . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..7 Major Policy Accomplishments. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ..8 Food Choices: Modernity and the Responsibility of Eaters . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 11 Cooperating Our Way to a Better Food System . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 14 Santa Fe Food Policy Council . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 15 Red Willow Farm. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 16 Project Feed the Hood . . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 17 Fresh New Mexico Apples in School Lunches. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 18 Farm to School Solutions: The Power of a Local Pear. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 19 Statistics: The Bad and the Good . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 19 Local Fruits and Vegetables for Lunch in Our Schools — What It Takes . . . 20 Getting NM Foods into NM Schools . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 20 The Farm to School Program. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 24 New Mexico FoodCorps. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 25 Farm to Restaurant . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 26 Farmers Teaching Farmers. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 31 Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute’s Micro-Loan Program . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 31 Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 37 What’s Going On. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 38

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c/o The Sun Companies PO Box 5588 Santa Fe, NM 87502-5588 Ph: 505.471.5177 Fax: 505.473.4458 info@sunbooks.com www.GreenFireTimes.com © 2012 Green Fire Publishing, LLC Green Fire Times provides useful information for anyone—community members, business people, students, visitors—interested in discovering the wealth of opportunities and resources available in our region. Knowledgeable writers provide articles on subjects ranging from green businesses, products, services, entrepreneurship, jobs, design, building, energy and investing—to sustainable agriculture, arts & culture, ecotourism, education, regional food, water, the healing arts, local heroes, native perspectives, natural resources, recycling and more. Sun Companies publications seek to provide our readers with informative articles that support a more sustainable planet. To our publisher this means maximizing personal as well as environmental health by minimizing consumption of meat and alcohol.

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From the Editor

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number of articles in this edition of Green Fire Times make clear that our predominant food system needs some major re-invention. And so, thanks to a collaboration with the Farm to Table organization, we have provided a glimpse into many of the efforts being undertaken statewide to provide affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food to our region; food that is seasonally grown and raised with eco- and climate-friendly methods; and processed and distributed as close to home as possible, benefitting both rural and urban communities and revitalizing agrarian communities with legacy-defining crops and cuisine.

Communities in our region were once intensely focused on their agriculture. It was the source of livelihood for a majority of residents, either directly as producers, or as providers of supplies. We have now raised generations of children who have no idea where their food comes from and who have never visited a producing farm or livestock operation. Farm to Table and its partner organizations

are actively working to change this. Of particular note is the “Healthy Kids-Healthy Economy” legislation that is pending in the 2013 New Mexico Legislature. Passage of this bill would give our public schools additional funds to buy New Mexico-grown produce for school meals and benefit our communities at many levels.

What is clear is that all of us as “eaters” are the critical component of this change. Our food choices have an impact that reaches across the planet. By buying local we support the livelihoods of our neighbors, the preservation of farmland and our local ecology, our own health and the health of our communities. From the flowering fruit trees in the spring to the aroma of roasting chiles in the fall, our food is, of course, essential, though we often take it for granted. Take notice and know that by buying a local apple you are supporting everything you love about living here in New Mexico.

– Seth Roffman

COVER: Farm to Table painitng by April Martínez and Ivan Concha (Taos Pueblo) Green Fire Times is not to be confused with the Green Fire Report, an in-house quarterly publication of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. The NMELC can be accessed online at: www.nmelc.org.

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Solving the Food System Puzzle

Kathleen González

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ince 1997, Farm to Table (FTT) has worked to create a robust local food system. However, when Pam Roy and Le Adams created the nonprofit organization, they were not thinking of changing the food system; they just saw a need for children to have the opportunity to taste and eat fresh-picked food and to experience the joy of watching a seed that they planted grow. They also saw a need for everyone, not just folks who could afford to pay two dollars for a tomato, to be able to enjoy the extra flavorful, nutritious and abundant fruits and vegetables grown on nearby farms.

What they found, as they pursued ways to get these needs met, was that they were looking at the food system–a food system that didn’t work for everyone.

Our food system is like a jigsaw puzzle with no picture and about half of the pieces missing. If you have money, a car and live near a city, you can go to the store and buy almost anything you want, year round. That is pretty amazing. But, if you don’t have money or a car, or you live out in the country or in a part of the city without a grocery store, you may not be able to buy food at all.

© Seth Roffman

If you are a big lettuce grower in California, you can ship your produce all

over the world. That part of the puzzle is solved. But if you are a small farmer in northern NM, just getting your product sold and delivered before it spoils is a huge challenge. Another missing piece.

The work of FTT is to get the food system to work for everybody. And that entails finding those missing puzzle pieces and putting them together until the puzzle is solved. It’s an ambitious goal, and no organization can do it alone. So, since 1997, FTT has cultivated partnerships with farmers, eaters, organizations, agencies, public servants and communities. Together with our partners, we have begun to add some of the missing pieces to the puzzle.

How We Work

Farm to Table bases its work upon collaboration and empowerment. It is a practical approach. Because we work with partners, everyone benefits from our pooled resources and expertise.

For example, in our Farmers Teaching Farmers program, knowledgeable farmers host “Quality Management System Trainings.” During these events there is usually a lot of discussion, as farmers take the opportunity to share what they know. And from within this community of farmers, others will have the opportunity to host events.

Instead of creating a small team of “experts,” everyone involved becomes an expert and is asked to spread their expertise throughout their community.

As Tawnya Laveta, our program director says, “It would be a lot easier to solve the puzzle if there was a picture of what it should look like. Sometimes, you come across one by accident, but usually it takes a long time to find those missing pieces.”

Our work occurs on Northern New Mexico chile growing near an apple many levels: from orchard in Embudo

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one-on-one assistance to farmers, to providing opportunities for experienced farmers to teach others.

From on-farm training sessions to sponsoring several conferences a year, including the Southwest Marketing Conference and the NM Organic Farming Conference with over A visit to the farmers’ market made possible by the Children’s 400 attendees. Nutrition Program of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute From helping a that we all have a shared responsibility. farmer sell nine pounds of lettuce to a We have a role to play, so that everyone local restaurant, to getting NM apples to in our communities has the ability to eat 50 schools and school districts serving well, to nourish their bodies and care for over 234,000 students. our planet.”

We help schools set up gardens and We also affirm that access to regionally­ Farm to School educational programs grown, healthy and culturally relevant by mentoring key school personnel, profood is paramount to the well-being and viding funds, hosting FoodCorps and vitality of our communities. As such, our AmeriCorps service members as garden work is centered on investing in NM’s managers and nutrition educators, and communities, farmers, children and the by working with the National Farm to environment. Nelsy Domínguez, direcSchool Network to successfully advocate tor of Community Engagement at Farm for a nationwide Farm to School grant to Table, sums it up like this, “Food is at program. the epicenter of our well-being; to know food—fresh, local food—is to cherish ourselves, our families, our communities.”

Your actions make a difference.

We help community members make a difference by training them how to set up working groups and policy councils that advocate for the health and food— security needs of their communities. We link up those local community leaders so they can make a difference at the state level through the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council, and we then take their concerns to our national partners and our US Congressional delegation.

Every meeting, every phone call, is one more piece of the puzzle in place, taking us closer to a robust local food system.

All this activity is rooted in some basic values. We firmly believe that access to food is a basic human right. As cofounder Le Adams says, “I really believe

What we do know is that you, the community member, the citizen, the eater, are the most important piece of the puzzle.

Your actions make a difference. When you choose to “buy local,” whether by eating at a restaurant that purchases from area farmers, purchasing produce from the “local bins” in your grocery store, or frequenting your local farmers’ market, you are sending a message that good, local, fresh, healthy foods are important to you. And that’s a big piece of the puzzle. i Kathleen González is a former Mora County farmer and rancher. She is now communications coordinator at Farm to Table. kathleen@farmtotablenm.org

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Healthy Kids—Healthy Economy It Takes a Village of Advocates Pam Roy

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n 2005 several community members and I arrived at a high school in Albuquerque for a meeting about childhood health and beneficial community programs.

The main entrance was lined with 26 soda and snack food machines. We recognized that each day every student walked though this entrance and was immediately bombarded with advertisements encouraging them to eat the most unhealthy options. These foods were competition for the school meal programs that provided a nutritious lunch (by USDA standards), and with fruit and vegetable snack offerings. It didn’t take us long to decide that we had to do something about the situation.

In a state where childhood obesity and diabetes are epidemic, it does not make sense to tease children with junk food. Even more ironic, the more soda and candy a school could sell, the more funds they would have for athletic programs.

We knew it was time to investigate the school policies that allowed for these foods. Through our research we found that both state and federal policies drive school food and nutrition programs.

The NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council

In 2002, through the efforts of Farm to Table, the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council (NMFAPC) was formed, and chose to address health issues as one of several priorities. The Council consisted of a diverse group of organizations and agencies in-state and across the country, representing health, hunger, nutrition, agriculture, economics, environment, education, tribal communities and more.

Students, teachers, school food service directors, parents and pediatricians joined the Council, seeking to minimize “competitive foods” in the schools and maximize opportunities for children to access nutritious meals and snacks.

can facilitate collaboration and coordination—among the different governmental entities whose laws, rules, regulations and health/economic development programs impact the food and agriculture system—and between agency representatives and other food system stakeholders such as community organizations, agricultural producers and other food entrepreneurs.

The NMFAPC researches policy issues Second graders from Bayard Elementary in Grant County visit Townside Farm and educates state and federal policy makers about key priorities. Through a campaign launched by the NMFAPC in 2006, NM was one of the first states in the US to change its “school nutrition rules,” effectively eliminating the majority of snack foods in school corridors. Since then, the Council has worked at both state and federal levels to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools, implemented a statewide “farm-to-school” program, advocated for a federal “Farm-to-School” grant program, and worked to change rules to make continued on page 7

Healthy Kids–Healthy Economy Legislation: NM-Grown Produce for School Meals Have you eaten in your local school cafeteria recently? If you have, you may have noticed a change in the menu. There are more fruits and veggies on the plates, whole wheat pasta and less chocolate milk. Due to new federal school nutrition rules, schools are now required to serve twice as many fruits and vegetables.

These rules were put in place to help stave off the growing obesity epidemic. The challenge is that these federal rules were put in place without enough money to pay for the required increase in fruits and veggies.

© Seth Roffman

To combat the problem, in the current session, the NM State Legislature is being asked to invest in the school lunch program with a bill requesting $1.44 million to support the purchase of NM-grown produce. This “Healthy Kids-Healthy Economy Bill” is a “win-win-win.” Students will enjoy fresh, juicy apples and watermelons, ripe tomatoes, crisp carrots, salad greens, sprouts, fresh corn on the cob and more, our farmers will benefit economically, and schools will have muchneeded funding to meet the new federal rules.

Anthony Wagner, of Wagner Farms in Corrales, NM and Pam Roy at a presentation before the Water and Natural Resources Committee of the state Legislature

HOW WE ACHIEVE OUR COLLECTIVE WORK: POLICY COUNCILS AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

Because none of our federal, state or local governments have a “Department of Food,” food system issues are handled by various agencies. Food policy councils

What Is Food Policy?

Food policy is defined as “any decision made by a government agency, business or organization which affects how food is produced, processed, distributed, purchased and protected,” according to Neil D. Hamilton in Putting a Face on Our Food.

What Is Advocacy?

Advocacy is speaking up, drawing attention to an important issue and directing decision-makers towards a solution.

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

Great partnerships have been developed to make the program work. FTT, the American Friends Service Committee and other organizations provide training and technical assistance to farmers, the NM School Nutrition Association provides educational programs to school food service directors, and the departments of Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Services Bureau provide critical support.

Sounds great, but keep in mind that this won’t be the first year the Legislature has heard this bill. “Healthy Kids-Healthy Economy” will once again be sponsored

by Sen. Pete Campos of Las Vegas, and it has broad support, but has not been funded to date. Senator Campos, president of Luna College, is a true advocate for health, education, agriculture and local economic issues. He is a steadfast champion of this legislation.

Nineteen percent of our children in NM are considered obese by the age of eight, and in some areas of the state it is as high as 50 percent. One in four children is considered food-insecure. School meals can be the most important meal of the day for these children, and healthy meals in our schools teach lifelong healthy eating habits. Our children deserve our support for this legislation.

During the legislative session (beginning Jan. 16) you can call your legislators at 505.986.4600 and ask that they support the “NM Grown Produce for School Meals” legislation—also known as “Healthy Kids-Healthy Economy.” To learn more, contact the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council at 505.473.1004 x11.

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it easier for schools to purchase locally grown produce from farmers. All of this has come to fruition in less than a decade (see timeline on page 8). It has taken concentrated, deliberate effort among dedicated organizations and agencies that, through the NMFAPC, are committed to working together.

Farm To Table—Providing Training and Technical Assistance

In addition to its advocacy at the state and federal levels as part of the NMFAPC, FTT provides training and technical assistance to assist the development of city/county community-based food policy councils or task forces. FTT is working

with groups in Bernalillo, Grant, McKinley, Doña Ana, Taos, Socorro and Santa Fe counties, as well as a Navajo group in Tohatchi. Along with the Río Arriba Food Policy Council, these groups have emerged to address local food system issues and work on “community food assessments” to identify what kinds of foods are available to community members and how much of that food is grown nearby.

The Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Grant County Food Policy Councils/groups gained support from their cities and counties for the Healthy Kids-Healthy Economy Bill, a 2013 state appropriation request to increase the purchase continued on page 8

Farm To Table Collaborations The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council (www.farmtotablenm.org/policy/) focuses on key food and agriculture policy issues and opportunities that are affected by government and legislation, and strengthens advocacy among agencies, organizations, individuals and communities for NM food and agriculture.

The Southwest Marketing Network (www.swmarketingnetwork.org/) At its annual conference, the SWMN brings together folks with successful “on-the-ground” food and farming projects in the region to share what they have learned. The relationships fostered and resources provided serve to increase regional marketing expertise and opportunities for farmers and ranchers in the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

The New Mexico Organic Conference (www.farmtotablenm.org/fts/) Each year, over 400 farmers, ranchers and gardeners gather to learn about the latest developments in organic farming and livestock production. Presenters range from national experts to local farmers. Thirty-six workshops will cover a wide range of topics. The 2013 conference is February 15-16 in Albuquerque.

Farm to School Programs (www.farmtotablenm.org/fts/) connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities, and making school gardens a wonderful way to learn.

The Farm to Cafeteria Program works with farmers to help them sell their produce to schools, senior centers and other institutions, and helps buyers, such as school food service directors, find farmers who can supply produce in the quantity and quality they require.

The Farm to Restaurant Program (www.farmtotablenm.org/266/) promotes a viable food system by helping farmers sell their fresh goods to restaurants and by helping restaurants find farmers who can supply them with fresh, locally grown produce.

Farmers Teaching Farmers trainings provide opportunities for farmers to gather, share expertise and serve as mentors.

Trainings in 2013 are scheduled around the state for farmers to learn how to ensure the quality and safety of their produce, especially if they are interested in selling to local schools.

Ranchers Teaching Ranchers trainings focused on tribal communities provide opportunities for Native ranchers to share expertise with each other on rangeland management and restoration, and on cooperative herd management and marketing.

The Community-Directed Development Program provides leadership development training, mentoring, resources and networking opportunities at the request of communities who have an interest in working to create permanent access to affordable, nutritious and culturally-appropriate foods for their communities.

The Food Policy Program (www.farmtotablenm.org/policy/) addresses laws, rules and regulations that affect how food is produced, processed distributed, purchased and protected, from local zoning laws to the federal Farm Bill. FTT works on the federal level as members of several national coalitions, including the National Farm to School Network; on the state level as a member of the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council; and on the local level as a member of the Santa Fe City/County Food Policy Council. FTT also provides training for communities around the state who are interested in forming food policy groups or councils.

The Enterprise Development Program provides assistance to farmers, groups and organizations (especially Native American and Hispanic) in accessing federal programs, private funding, and in developing their business or expanding their markets.

For more information on Farm to Table’s programs, visit www.farmtotablenm.org or call 505.473.1004.

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Healthy Kids continued from page 7

of NM-grown fruits and vegetables for school meals. The appropriation would address the impact of new federal rule changes increasing fruits and vegetables in school meals, and at the same time, economically benefit NM farmers.

Administrative Advocacy

Once a law is passed, FTT works closely with organizations and agency representatives at state and federal levels to help develop policies and rules that can be enacted at the administrative level to maximize its impact. For example, in 2006, when the NMFAPC worked to pass legislation to eliminate or significantly restrict junk food in NM schools, a strong partnership was built within the NMFAPC. As part of the NMFAPC, FTT, the Departments of Agriculture, Health, Human Services, Action for Healthy Kids, the NM Pediatric Association and the NM School Nutrition Association all rallied together to create these changes.

In 2007, these groups again worked together at the federal level. The Council helped the New Mexico Department of Health obtain $600,000 in federal funds for WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, providing tens of thousands of seniors and low-income families in NM increased access to fresh, local produce and putting all that money directly into farmers’ pockets. In 2010, the Council also collaborated with the NM Farmers’ Marketing Association and the NM Environment Department to change administrative rules, allowing residents to produce low-risk food products in their home kitchens for sale at farmers’ markets.

Farm to Table and the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council Major Policy Accomplishments 2002

2006 2007

2008

© Seth Roffman

2009 Wagner Farms stand at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market

FTT has also engaged with state and federal agencies in collaborative problem solving. For example, FTT is working with USDA Rural Development to get more funding to NM for work on rural food system infrastructure such as storage and distribution and for supporting rural food enterprises. This ongoing work will likely include legislative advocacy for changes to USDA funding programs to make them more adaptable to the unique circumstances of NM and other Southwest states. In addition, FTT is working with the Interagency on Obesity Prevention to assess how well schools are implementing healthy eating programs and coordinating these with their School Wellness Plans.

Tying It Together

As more and more families, businesses, nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies recognize the important links between food and health and between local agriculture and rural economic development, the need for coordination and the opportunity for successful advocacy grow. Policy councils at the state and local levels ensure that these issues are addressed in a systemic manner and that those who are most impacted by food, nutrition and agriculture policy understand the issues and are empowered to present their perspectives to policy makers and agency representatives.

Farm to Table’s goal for the next three years will be to press for full coordination of public and private programs, to improve our children’s health, our environment, and the ability of all our communities to provide accessible, healthy, affordable foods to all their members. i Pam Roy is executive director of Farm to Table and coordinator of the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, which is based in Santa Fe.

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2011

2012

• NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council (NMFAPC) created • NM Farm to School program created by legislative memorial • NM becomes a trailblazer among states as the NMFAPC takes action in support of children’s health through minimizing junk food in schools.

• W ith the strong backing of Sen. Feldman, $85,000 in recurring state funds are secured for the purchase of NM-grown fresh fruits and vegetables for school meals. This benefits 12 schools, serving 6,000 students in the valley cluster of the Albuquerque Public Schools district.

• The state provides $150,000 in recurring state funding to promote the development of farmers’ markets.

• The NM Legislature passes a memorial requesting the formation of the NM Food Gap Task Force. The Task Force develops recommendations focusing on food access and food retail in rural and underserved urban communities.

• NMFAPC leads the way to obtaining increased federal funding for Southwest states for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. $300,000 of annual federal funding is then supplemented by the states, up to $200,000.

• $162,000 in recurring state funds are secured to supplement federal funding for the Women, Infants and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

• The governor-appointed NM Food Gap Task Force presents its findings to the governor to improve healthy food access and promote foodbased economic development.

• Farm to Table becomes a Regional Lead Agency, working with four Southwest states, for the National Farm to School Network.

• Farm to Table and national partners advocate for changes to the Federal Farm Bill: • The Healthy Urban (and rural) Food Development program is created.

• USDA allows schools to prioritize buying local produce using a geographic preference.

• Funding for the Fresh Fruit/Vegetable Snack Program increases, bringing $5.5 million over five years to NM schools.

• The $40 million competitive Farm to School Grant Program is created.

• Farm to Table helps create the Santa Fe City and County Food Policy Council and Grant County Food Policy Council.

• NMFAPC advocates for an amendment to NM Local Economic Development Act to include retail rural food.

• NMFAPC develops and advocates “Local Food Procurement” state legislation, which is then passed by the NM Legislature and vetoed by Gov. Martínez.

• NMFAPC successfully advocates for the “In-State Business Preference Act” to support local food, agriculture and many other state businesses.

• NMFAPC successfully advocates for securing NM School Food Delivery Funds, totaling $600,000 in recurring monies.

• NMFAPC continues to advocate for the Healthy Kids–Healthy Economy initiative “NM Grown Produce for School Meals,” a $1.44 million request.

• NMFAPC works on Farm Bill priorities and provides the NM delegation with those priorities.

• Farm to Table applies for and is awarded close to $100,0000 from the new Farm to School Competitive Grant Program.

Ongoing Advocacy

• Advising policymakers and local and state organizations on improving NM’s procurement code to support local food purchases.

• Providing advice on the development of a federal Healthy Food Finance Initiative.

• In support of the NM Food Gap Task Force recommendations, focusing on amending the state’s Local Economic Development Act to include rural grocery stores. This would allow small communities to apply for funding assistance to increase economic activity and access to affordable healthy foods.

• Work with national and regional groups to focus on and advocate for federal programs that could expand access to affordable food in rural, tribal and underserved communities.

• Ongoing advocacy on a federal Farm Bill that supports local producers and consumers.

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Food Choices

Food Systems

Modernity and the Responsibility of Eaters

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lmost a billion people on the planet—one in eight of us—are hungry. It is meaningless that global food production is sufficient for all of us to eat well (in fact, it is nearly twice the necessary amount) because the fact that food exists doesn’t mean that it is available to all. To understand why, consider this example: The Republic of the Congo is one of a dozen countries with an extreme incidence of hunger. More than 35 percent of the population is undernourished. The World Food Programme and dozens of charities operate extensive food relief programs in the country. Since hunger results from lack of food, you might suspect that lack of productive capacity, roads and infrastructure explains the nation’s hunger.

Now imagine that deep in the swampy heart of that country a massive oil deposit is discovered, and that an oil field is established. Finally, imagine that the CEO of the global corporation extracting this oil visits for a few hours to inspect the firm’s investment, and that this visit occurs around a mealtime. You will have no trouble imagining that this magnate and her entourage will enjoy whatever food they desire, and as much of it as they please, roads or not, and that (to ensure this) much more food than actually necessary will be shipped in for the meal and disposed in its aftermath.

This is the globe’s food reality in a microcosm. We live in times where food is an indicator of economic power. Wherever you see hunger in “modernity,” you will see people with limited economic power. Which explains why in the United States, the world’s largest national economy, more than 50 million people are hungry. They are the nation’s poor. This is one in six of us, and represents a greater rate of hunger than for the world as a whole. It is a hungry population equal to the entire populations of Kenya and Haiti embedded within the US. Clearly they aren’t hungry because there is insufficient food in the US. They are hungry because we have created a modernity where food is not a right, where food is manufactured and delivered through a mighty investment that must be recovered and turn a profit, and where food therefore flows to those with economic power.

Good Food: healthful, green, fair and affordable, is simple to communicate and powerful in its reach.

This will run counter to the cant you are accustomed to hearing about food in the US, the one about this nation enjoying “the cheapest, safest and most abundant food supply in the world,” and will therefore require explanation. But first, let’s establish the following things about your food choices. They reflect how busy, educated, thoughtful and healthy you are. But ultimately, the range of food choices actually available to you reflects how wealthy and powerful you are. Such a reality

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is a human creation. Consider that at present, your food choices are not determined primarily by ecology, demographics, or even by whether your region or country is an agricultural powerhouse. For example, South Sudan is a country with enormous agricultural assets. Ninety percent of its area is suitable for agriculture, with 50 percent of it being prime agricultural land, yet nearly 5 million people, primarily rural (almost half the population), are hungry.

By contrast, in the desert country of Qatar, where there is scarcely an agricultural acre and the population is mostly urban, hunger is unknown. Where there should be plenty of food and no hunger, there is insufficient food and rampant hunger.

And where there should be little food and therefore hunger, there is luxurious consumption. Qatar, in fact, is the fattest nation on Earth, where half the population is obese. The difference is that Qatar is the world’s wealthiest country as measured by gross domestic product per capita ($98,948), whereas South Sudan is among the poorest ($2,134). Wealth and purchasing power trump hunger and biophysics in the wondrous modern food system.

Although individual Americans are on average only about half as wealthy as individual Qataris, 83 percent of us are able to eat as Qataris. That means that for us the principal food choices revolve around what we are in the mood to savor.

We can opt for whatever food we desire, whether it is native to our region or not, whether it is in season or not, and whether we have time or the skill to prepare it for ourselves or not. Enabling this is a complex web of global logistics, encompassing mining, production, processing, transportation, packaging, preservation and the service sector. The end result is that food and resources from all corners of the world flow to us, the wealthy and powerful, to be served ready-to-eat in restaurants (where we take half our meals), or to retail grocery outlets where we purchase ready-to-assemble components that we can put on the table at home (for the other half of our meals), usually within five to 20 minutes of having conjured on a whim the particular food we desire. continued on page

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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11

© Seth Roffman

Ricardo J. Salvador

Food Choices continued from page 11 This system is a deliberate creation, dating at minimum to 1862, and the establishment under President Lincoln of the Department of Agriculture and of the Land Grant system. This network of colleges (now universities) undertook systematic research to understand the biophysics of crops, livestock, soil and climate, and developed the basic and applied knowledge that has boosted agricultural productivity. The formula has been mechanization, specialization and intensification of agricultural processes, overcoming ecological limitations via energy subsidy, paired with commodification of the resulting bounty of basic materials for the processing and manufacture of novel food products. This process coincided with the rise of the petroleum era and the wave of industrialization of the US economy, encompassing the industrialization of agriculture and the food system, including such features as substitution of capital for labor, automation and standardization.

suits, and do not respond to threats that we cannot see, or which are so complex that we cannot comprehend them.

Any possibility of reshaping the food system and this current state of affairs can only begin with eaters obligating the change. This means we can no longer afford to not pay attention.

In my prior position as Food & Community program officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we sought and supported communities that were designing and experimenting with food system innovations to improve the well-being of their whole communities. Out of the multiple proposals and strategies we examined from social entrepreneurs pursuing this objective, a pattern emerged. Four basic characteristics subtend the food necessary to meet this comprehensive goal. Food should be nourishing and wholesome, in such a way that when eaten over a lifetime it generates health and well-being, rather than chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

It is a damning reflection on industrial food systems that this characteristic of food should even need to be stipulated.

Additionally, food that conditions community well-being should be produced without exploiting nature or people. Finally, food should be economically and physically available to all, and not be (as Angela Glover Blackwell has put it best) “precious.” We referred to such food as Good Food, with full claim on the multiple entendres, and to its four essential characteristics in shorthand as: healthful, green, fair and affordable. These four characteristics are not only compatible; there is a food system that can address them simultaneously, and thus generate Good Food.

Food marketing, at present, is for those who are not paying attention to how that food materializes in restaurants or grocery stores.

Agricultural industrialization is often represented as an unmitigated triumph of economic development, in that those of us who are its beneficiaries have the luxury of going about our daily concerns without giving much thought to our food: where it is produced, how it is produced and whether there will be enough. So thorough has been the apparent success of this approach that it has spread globally within the past half century. This is lightning speed, particularly remarkable when contrasted against the 10,000-year backdrop of humanity as agriculturists, and is broadly understood to have ushered an era of modernity that freed humanity from drudgery in the fields, unleashing creativity and technological advancement in other areas of human endeavor. Because industrial agriculture seems to have successfully answered the question “How shall we ensure a stable food supply?” most of us, according to this view, needn’t concern ourselves with food or agriculture. It is the natural and expected result that we should therefore be unaware and uninterested in the details of how agriculture is conducted. Why would any who perceive themselves as citizens of a sparkly, successful, highly technological lifestyle care to dwell on how dirt, petroleum, fertilizers and sunshine are fashioned into food?

There is, actually, ample reason for concern: This mode of agriculture can’t go on forever. Or even another century. If we were paying attention, that isn’t something we would even desire. Modern agricultural systems feed some people very well while making others hungry. These systems are not designed to address hunger, but rather to meet “effective demand” for food. These are not the same in modernity. The difference between hunger and economic demand is power. It is not simply a tragic oversight that hunger persists amidst the bounty of the most productive agricultural era the planet has known. This is because these systems function as efficient mechanisms for appropriation and transfer of wealth, in the form of land, water, minerals, energy and labor, leaving in their wake poverty and (perversely) hunger among those unable to compete in the high-stakes global speculative shell game. Further, these agricultural systems degrade the very natural capital that is necessary for them to perform. Finally, as the entire world is discovering, the output of the food machine, predicated on accelerating a perpetual cycle of ever-greater demand and ever-greater productivity while disregarding our actual nutritional needs, pleases our palate and fills our belly but also slowly poisons us.

If a foreign terrorist organization devised a strategy to rob the US of a share of its natural resources, pollute its main sources of fresh water, starve a portion of its population, seed cancer bombs, and limit the capability of the country to feed itself in the future, this would surely be considered a threat to national security of the first order. A vigorous debate about appropriate countermeasures would ensue. Yet even though these are the very threats that the nation (and the globe) now face, very little mainstream conscious reaction has yet to develop. The reason is simple: Those of us who benefit from the system (ranging from eaters to investors with an economic stake) appreciate its undeniable benefits, convenience and comforts. And, as we casually choose from the menu, or rush our cart down aisle four, we carry on with our lives, absorbed with our professions and personal pur-

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

A Good Food system consists, above all, of people fully aware of and engaged with their food, health and well-being, whether they are eaters or actually involved in some aspect of food production. When this is true, eaters monitor and direct the functioning of their food system. Contrast this to the passive role of a “consumer” in the industrial framing, who is there to buy and to be sold to. After all, how much time can a busy doctor, teacher or factory worker devote to thinking about food, beyond the time and money they have and what they like? This imperative of the industrial system is transparently described in Brian Wansink’s entry in the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink: “Food Marketing brings together the producer and the consumer.” On this definition an entire sector is necessary to persuade and steer consumers in particular purchasing directions, and notice who defines choices for whom.

Marketing is, in fact, the largest expenditure of the modern food industry. And how does the industry “compete” to get its consumer to prefer one generic pizza joint over another? Or one generic loaf of bread over the next? The tools of the food marketer are promotional advertising, price and product characteristics.

When “the consumers” responds to the coupon campaigns on their Facebook page or in their email, or to the paid testimonials of the charismatic celebrities on their favorite YouTube channels or cable TV, they have been targeted with expensive, finely-tuned algorithms that have analyzed Big Data on their individual shopping and browsing behaviors, so such consumers are therefore responding to marketing budgets. Thinking that they are buying something better, they may be favoring large companies over small or startup enterprises. When the consumers respond to price, they may be supporting companies that do not offer their employees full-time employment to keep operating costs low by avoiding carrying health and retirement programs. And when the consumers respond to “product characteristics,” they may be responding to meticulously formulated and tested “food textures” that are deliberate payloads of salt, sugar and fat, in effect buying sensory pleasure today, nutrition (if any) only incidentally, and long-term dietrelated chronic disease.

In any case, paying for one thing while “getting” or conditioning other things that one would normally not condone is an archetypal example of not paying continued on page

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Report Says 40 Percent of US Food Wasted

According to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council, as much as 40 percent of food in the US is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in waste.

More than 20 pounds of food is wasted each month for each of 311 million Americans, amounting to $1,350 to $2,275 annually in waste for a family of four. The report points out waste in all areas of the US food supply chain, from field to plate, farms to warehouses, and school cafeterias to restaurants, where 17 percent of meals are not eaten.

Most of the waste occurs in the home. “Food has been so cheap and plentiful that Americans don’t value it properly,” the report says. “Americans waste 10 times as much as Southeast Asia. Waste is up 50 percent since the 1970s. This issue of wasted food is simply not on the radar of many Americans, even those who consider themselves environment- or cost-conscious.”

The common retail business model views waste as part of doing business and a sign that the store is meeting quality control and full-shelf standards. Stores overstock displays of fresh produce to give the impression of bounty, leaving items at the bottom bruised and unsellable.

Approximately 7 percent of fields planted in the US are typically not harvested. Growers sometimes can’t get a good enough price for their crop to make harvest profitable, or they overplanted and have more than there is demand for, or the food is of edible quality but not marketable.

All that wasted food takes a toll on the country’s water resources and significantly increases greenhouse gas emissions. Food production accounts for 80 percent of the country’s fresh water consumption, but because of wasted food, 25 percent of the fresh water is actually wasted. Food rotting in landfills accounts for 25 percent of US methane emissions. Methane is 20 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, according to the EPA. The report recommends standardizing date labels on food because many people misinterpret a “sell by” date as a “use by” date. Another key recommendation: the economic model of the food chain needs to change. “There is the plain economic truth that the more consumers waste, the more those in the food industry are able to sell.

If these problems are fixed, the nation’s hungry could benefit. Reducing losses by just 15 percent could feed more than 25 million Americans every year.” To read the report, visit www.nrdc.org/food/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf

NMCF Announces First Chispa Awards

The New Mexico Community Foundation has presented its new Chispa Awards to 12 organizations. Chispa means “spark.” The award recognizes nonprofits across the state that accomplish a lot with very little in helping to improve New Mexican communities. The awards, which will be given annually, include a $7,000 unrestricted grant.

Nominations were made by community leaders.

The Permaculture Guild (www.permacultureguild.org) is one of the Chispa Award recipients.The Guild encourages the growth and distribution of healthy foods and supports rural independent farmers throughout the state with a program of micro-loans. Partnering with the Permaculture Credit Union, the Guild puts up collateral to ensure a low interest rate on the loan. The process for farmers happens easily and without complexity.

Some of the other recipients: Cochiti Youth Experience (cochitiyouth.com), which encourages young people to make healthy choices on Cochiti Pueblo; Taos County Economic Development Corporation (tcedc.org), which supports the food, land, water and cultures of northern NM; Enlace Comunitario (enlacenm.org), which works to eliminate domestic violence in Latino immigrant communities and to promote healthy families. For more information on the Chispa Awards, visit www.nmcf.org

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January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Cooperating Our Way

to a

Mark Winne

“I

’d be dead if it wasn’t for my neighbors,” was the way Genevieve Humenay acknowledged the most important tool in her rural survival toolbox. You can be smart, resourceful and even courageous, but when something goes really wrong and you live in sections of Cibola County, NM, where many services are 50 miles away, it could take a long time for the cavalry to ride to your rescue. Just ask the residents of Queens and Staten Island, New York, standing neck-deep in Hurricane Sandy’s rising waters.

Who were the first people to snatch them from the jaws of doom? Their neighbors.

Genevieve is one of 183 members of El Morro Valley Cooperative fighting to restore some health and vigor to what can only be described as a rural food desert. There are vast tracks of the county where residents must drive 100 miles round-trip to get to a supermarket, which at the IRS-approved motor vehicle rate of 55 cents per mile, adds

$55 to one’s weekly food purchases.

Yes, there are supermarkets in Grants at Cíbola’s northern border, but going south there are only a few small stores scattered across a county nearly twice the size of the state of Delaware. And unfortunately, those stores are limited in selection and fresh produce, and high in price.

Heading down Highway 53 from Grants, I could see why this might not be prime supermarket territory.

The scenery was spectacular, but there weren’t many people–six per square mile according to the US Census— and though there was no official count, the elk were so numerous they would certainly rule if only they could vote.

Given this limited marketplace, it’s no surprise that Albertsons and Whole Foods are not tripping over themselves to open stores in El Morro Valley. It would take a crafty merchant to make a buck in a place where humans are few and far between, and

La Semilla Food Center ­— Doña Ana County

There are some new kids on the block, and they go by the name of La Semilla Food Center. They’re young, brash and eager to change the world, but smart enough to know they should probably start with their home community. Though still wet behind the ears since their official start in 2010, this collaboratively led nonprofit organization has carved out a place for itself from El Paso to Las Cruces with community gardens, greenhouses, farm-toschool programs, food policy and advocacy. And it’s all informed by a healthy dose of youth development and leadership, because, as we know, youth are our future.

As good as they are—they’ve already secured a resolution from the city of Las Cruces to establish a local farm-to-school program, and they are on track to have the city ordain a food policy council this winter—they readily acknowledge, as Aaron Sharratt, one of La Semilla’s co-directors, bluntly put it, “Our existence is due to Farm to Table. They enabled us to secure our 501(c)(3) designation [the Holy Grail of certifications for nonprofit groups] from the IRS and got us thinking about public policy work as well. Without them, we would still be struggling, and we would certainly have never engaged the Las Cruces City Council.”

Most of La Semilla’s staff is in their 20s and 30s, which accounts for their energy and idealism, but it doesn’t explain their willingness to seek counsel from their so-called elders. That tendency suggests a higher wisdom that may be derived from their own collaborative leadership approach, one that doesn’t depend on the usual hierarchical management styles. “With Farm to Table,” Aaron suggests, “we could talk through the options and models—what’s worked and what hasn’t—and then they gave us the space to determine what’s best for us.”

Bold enough to push the envelope; wise enough to seek advice from others.

That’s how La Semilla sows and nurtures its seeds of change.

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Better Food System

Green Fire Times • January 2013

where the customer base is surprisingly diverse. A Mormon community known for its frugality and the enviable practice of producing and storing their own food, three different Native American tribes—Acoma, Zuni, and the Ramah Navajo Band—and an assortment of back-to-the-landers, urban transplants and multi-generational ranchers presents a “market basket” that would challenge the merchandising skills of the most able grocer. For these reasons and more, the good food enthusiasts of the El Morro Valley realized early in their quest that the food cavalry was not likely to show up anytime soon.

There is a retail food industry gap in rural America “We feel like this is a community where we can work together,” was how Kate Brown, El Morro Valley Cooperative’s president, addressed the 25 people in attendance at a recent membership meeting. Glasses perched on the tip of her nose and a rich, brown braid draped over her right shoulder, by both demeanor and tone she reminded me of one of my favorite high school science teachers, an occupation she has indeed pursued. Kate’s pitch to her fellow cooperators was less about brick-and-mortar achievements—the co-op does not yet have a building of its own—but more about the ties that bind a people who are working toward a common purpose.

Yes, they have a farmers’ market in Ramah, and the co-op has organized a “buying alliance,” which pools household orders for a monthly pick-up in Albuquerque. But in the way that baseball players throw balls and swing bats before the game, these activities are merely warm-ups for the big contest of cooperation that lies ahead. As Kate made it clear, how well they cooperate as a community will ultimately determine how successful they are as a co-op business.

Friends

In spite of Margaret Mead’s muchquoted pep talk to “never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world,” El Morro Co-op knew that commitment alone would not be enough. They knew they didn’t have all the skills, connections or capacity to organize a corporation, setup bookkeeping systems or seek the loans and grants they would need to establish a good food store in the Valley. They realized early on that they needed a little help from their friends.

The good news for those who want to cooperate is that there’s no lack of those who will cooperate with you.

El Morro reached out to the wellestablished La Montañita Co-op in Albuquerque as well as the Dixon Co-op, about 20 miles south of Taos, whose story of a struggling, up-bythe-bootstraps rural community food store matched their own. They tapped into the US Department of Agriculture and NM State University’s Arrowhead Center, which provides small continued on page 22

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Santa Fe Food Policy Council

Working Together for the Health of Our Community Alena Paisano

N

ew Mexico currently ranks seventh in the nation for food insecurity. Many individuals in our communities have difficulty obtaining food or providing balanced, nutritious food for their families on a regular basis. In Santa Fe County, obesity and diabetes levels are above the national averages, and pressure for development threatens agricultural land and water resources.

The best ways to address these issues is through a coordinated approach— one that provides an opportunity for both the public and private sectors to participate—one that results in meaningful solutions. A proven way to do this is through a food policy council.

The Santa Fe Food Policy Council (SFFPC) is devoted to developing and promoting laws, rules and regulations for the city and county that create and maintain a food system that nourishes all people in our community in a just and sustainable manner.

Some of the council’s recent policy accomplishments include completing an assessment of the city and county’s foodshed (the area where our food comes from) to give us information on our community’s food culture and access issues from which to make recommendations for institutional changes.

We have collected information that provides a picture of the health of our community members. We’ve also collected statistics related to hunger and observed how many residents get support from local food banks or shelters.

We have held community conversations and focus groups with our seniors at city and county senior centers to hear from them directly about the needs and challenges related to food and food access.

We have also been busy working to support the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council through our endorsement of the Healthy Kids-Healthy

Economy resolution, a proposal to allot funding for NM-grown produce in our school meals. This would improve the health of our children, support NM farmers and create a positive impact on our state and local economies.

With our support and the hard work of many committed individuals, the resolution passed unanimously at the county level and has been endorsed as a legislative priority for the 2013 session by the city of Santa Fe. This year we are embarking on the development and implementation of a Food Plan and Food Action Plan for the city and county of Santa Fe. We are working on a community research process to collect information to help us direct our efforts and ensure that our work upholds the priorities determined by our community.

Through this process we are aiming to promote equity and sustainability within our food system that will help improve our community’s relationship with food on collective and individual levels.

If you are passionate about strengthening our local food system or looking to share your creative ways to support our mission, we encourage you to get involved with our efforts. Our 13-member council meets the fourth Thursday of every month (except in November and December, when we meet on the third Thursday) at 8:30 am at the Food Depot, 1222 Siler Road. Our meetings are open to the public. To learn more about our work and current initiatives, visit www. santafefoodpolicy.org i Alena Paisano is an AmeriCorps service member working with the Santa Fe Food Policy Council to promote equity, cultural competency and social justice. She graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Community Development last spring and is looking forward to building a career working to strengthen and empower communities in New Mexico.

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Call Skip Whitson 505.471.5177 or Anna Hansen at 505.982.0155

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15

Red Willow Farm

A Navajo Community’s Quest for Water to Grow Food Tawnya Laveta

D

orothy Bitsilly, president of Tohatchi Red Willow Farm, motioned us to follow her as she slid into her pickup and headed down the dirt road to Chuska Lake, the reservoir for the cooperative farm. A couple of months before, the small Navajo grandmother stood in front of 250 participants at the Southwest Marketing Network conference in Durango, asking for help to establish a water well for the 938-acre farm. The farm, located in Tohatchi, 25 miles north of Gallup, is divided into plots that are allocated to Navajo families in the area.

Several years of drought and the consequences of overgrazing in the upper watershed had reduced the reservoir to an inch-deep swamp—not enough to supply the Red Willow Farm, three miles away, with irrigation water. “If we’re lucky, we get one call for water in April or May. That’s it,” explained Dorothy, who has been on a quest to find money for the well water project for the past eight years. I asked her how long the call for water lasted, a couple of weeks? She held up one finger, “No, just one day.”

How does our resource consumption in cities affect our rural neighbors?

As we followed Dorothy out to the 1934 dam, a convoy of pickups and cars followed, carrying farm members who were proud to show off the “lake” and the farm on that hot June afternoon in 2009. Our organization, Farm to Table, had arranged to bring two funders, representatives from national charitable foundations, out to see the farm as part of a three-day tour of food and farming projects in northern New Mexico. The Red Willow Farm Board and members welcomed us at the chapter house when we arrived, straight from the Albuquerque airport. They were eager to tell their story to us newcomers.

Tohatchi means “water running from the mountain” in Navajo, water that used to be plentiful from the near-

16

by Chuska Mountains. As we approached the lake, we saw the extent of the drought and climate change.

Tamarisk was squeezing out the cattails and red willow, fighting for the last puddle. “I can’t believe anything grows out here,” exclaimed one of the funders from Michigan as we drove through landscape dotted with sagebrush and tumbleweeds. Our convoy kicked up a plume of dust that could be seen for miles as we arrived at the reservoir. Dorothy pointed at the dam and waved for us to follow. She began ascending the maintenance road onto the dam, a track barely wide enough for a small vehicle. Our van-load of visitors grabbed onto their seats and seatbelts as I kept up with Dorothy, bouncing over rocks and dips.

We stopped on the dam and carefully got out for a view, mindful of the steep drop-off. Dorothy said, “People used to fish out here, bring their whole family and stay all day long. Not any more.” She pointed to the opposite side of the dam, across the vast sage land beyond, and explained how the gate and pipeline worked to send water to the farm, some three or four miles away… if only there was water.

Dorothy motioned for everyone to turn around at the end of the dam and follow her down to the farm, another 10 miles on dirt roads. Our Michigan guests white-knuckled it as I gunned the van through sand-blown sections and crept along arroyo banks more fit for a jeep. Our “shortcut” was an adventure, but highlighted the layers of challenges that face communities in rural areas, especially on remote reservations where a paved road is a luxury.

Dorothy’s son, Elvis Bitsilly, said the estimate for bringing in phase-three electricity, enough power to run a pump for the future well and irrigation system, was $230,000. That’s how much it would cost to trench and lay line for the two miles needed to hook up the farm. Drawing power is a cost above and beyond the initial $580,000 price tag for drilling the well. And no one knows how much the farm’s monthly electricity bill will be once all the infrastructure is installed—some day.

Green Fire Times • January 2013

Dorothy Bitsilly at the New Mexico Organic Farming Conference

It’s one more thing that Elvis and the Farm Board can research while they continue to pursue funding sources from Navajo Nation’s Capital Improvement Office, New Mexico’s Tribal Infrastructure Fund, McKinley County, and NM State Legislature’s capital outlay. Elvis joked that Red Willow might get their well and water on the farm before Gallup completes the pipeline for their domestic water supply from the San Juan River near Shiprock. Even with millions of dollars and several years of negotiations, the pipeline construction work had just begun and is expected to take years to complete. “Out here, everything seems to take longer,” Elvis paused, “…a lot longer.”

Elvis knows firsthand how this work is more than a full-time job for several people, who mostly volunteer, to deal with all the red tape. This past year, as part of his work with Farm to Table, he has been coordinating funding applications and the required environmental and archeological studies, and keeping the farm board’s paperwork current with the Navajo Nation. Elvis’ mother, Dorothy, and her fellow Farm Board members make weekly trips to Window Rock to advocate for the well project. They rally other Tohatchi residents to get involved while continuing to approve farm plot applications from residents who are interested in “getting back to farming.”

We could see why this tenacious group of people continued the quest for almost a decade once we arrived at the entrance of the farm. Several plots had sprouted hardy corn stalks as high as your ankle in the midst of windblown sand. Twenty families are actively farming their 2-to-5-acre plots, sometimes driving 45 minutes from their house to care for their crops. A corn plant in the desert with only 4-6 inches of rainfall is a miracle to behold. Our convoy of trucks and cars pulled over to admire family plot after plot and share stories about that man or woman or organization who faithfully tended their land, what kind of corn or squash they planted this year, whose tractor they borrowed, when they came back to the reservation from their life in some big city, and whether or not they also raised Navajo Churro sheep. Our van of visitors took some pictures, but mostly they listened to the people and the land until almost sundown, standing in the wind, shading their eyes, ignoring the deadline to return to Albuquerque.

“It’s a life-changer going out to a place like Red Willow Farm, seeing how people come together to do the impossible,” said our guest who came from verdant farmland in the Midwest.

Although the funders did not have grants for this type of infrastructure project, their tour of NM influenced how they thought about food-system continued on page 35

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Community Projects

Project Feed the Hood

Albuquerque Neighborhood Gardens Support Local Food in the Schools George Luján

P

roject Feed the Hood has spent the last three years expanding across Albuquerque, working with schools and neighborhood groups to educate on food issues and promote healthy practices. Working with Farm to Table on the Healthy Kids - Healthy Economy initiative to bring NM-grown produce into school meals is a perfect evolution of the work we do, and will bring us much closer to our vision of a healthy, happy New Mexico.

Project Feed the Hood, an initiative of the SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP), began with a “pilot” community garden in Albuquerque’s International District. This area of the city qualifies as a “food desert,” a place where healthy foods cannot be reasonably purchased—either because they’re too expensive or they’re just not available. Our organizers turned a harsh plot of dirt filled with trash, glass and concrete into a thriving garden that produces a host of vegetables.

Top: First day of garden preparation; Pumpkin Smashing Festival; Drigo teaches planting

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The International District Community Garden has served as a space where different groups can come and learn about gardening and build a relationship with the land. Hundreds of kids have made their way through to participate in workshops, and for two straight years the garden has hosted Project Feed the Hood’s Pumpkin Smashing Festival, where kids come and smash pumpkins to create compost.

Much of the project’s most fruitful work has happened in local schools, including Van Buren Middle School, Kirtland Elementary, Wilson Middle School, West Mesa High School, Edward Gonzales Elementary and Helen Cordero Elementary. Teachers and administrators have been incredibly motivated and effective at creating these gardens and encouraging their students to get their hands dirty. Parents at Edward Gonzales Elementary have created their own group, Madres Naturalezas, which has worked to

make their school garden flourish and to help the school administration bring healthy food options into their cafeteria. The Madres are very excited to support the Healthy Kids – Healthy Economy initiative at the NM Legislature this year.

“As a parent and member of the Madres Naturalezas of SWOP, I think it’s very important to involve principals, teachers and especially parents in school gardens. These gardens provide support for development and an opportunity to teach our children early the broader concept of what nutrition is, how to eat healthy, and how to know where the produce we eat comes from. In turn, sharing the natural, organic food we grow not only contributes to a more healthy planet and a more healthy way of living, it’s a way to share with our community and grow stronger together with our children and be more involved in their schools,” says Crimilda Colunga. “That is why we invite all NM schools to participate in this important program that SWOP coordinates so well.”

In 2012, Project Feed the Hood Farms was born in the Riverside neighborhood of Albuquerque’s South Valley.

A 50-foot-long hoop house was erected on-site so that produce can grow year-round and be sold to sponsor Project Feed the Hood’s community outreach. It was built thanks to the hard work and expertise of community volunteers, whose contributions form the foundation of our work. It boasts seven raised beds and a drip irrigation system. Right now, lettuce, spinach, radishes and turnips are inside, basking in the NM sun. The organizers are working on a video that explains the process and benefits of building a hoop house.

Corn overflowing

This season, Project Feed the Hood has also expanded work in the Westgate neighborhood on Albuquerque’s West Side. Our organizers are helping build raised beds and teaching families about backyard gardening.

The Westgate Heights Neighborhood Association has become very involved in the garden project and in engaging community conversations on health.

Everywhere Project Feed the Hood works, we hope to incite larger conversations about food and health systems, and to encourage community members to continue the work on their own initiative.

Project Feed the Hood often encourages communities to ask, “Where does our food come from?” We support the Healthy Kids - Healthy Economy initiative to get locally grown produce in school meals. Linking local farmers with schools will benefit the gardening work and education that is already happening, and will further empower communities to promote healthy lifestyles for themselves and their children. i George Luján is the communications organizer of t h e S o u t h We s t Organizing Project. In high school George expanded his awareness of social issues through the S WO P Yo u t h Group, and after receiving a Media Arts Degree at UNM, he returned to SWOP to work on issues affecting disenfranchised communities in NM. Email George@swop.net, call 505.247.8832 or visit www.swop.net

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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del are llano / From the Arid Land

Fresh New Mexico Apples

This Is One Place They Come From

in

School Lunches

Juan Estévan Arellano

Suddenly, in the ‘60s, the school lunch bureaucracy became impossible for the small farmer and producer to navigate. As a result, all the food served at school came from afar, and though there was still plenty grown in the area, there was no market. So from the mid-‘60s to the ‘90s there was a total disconnect between what was served in the schools and what was grown in the area.

Today things are changing. This year Fred and Ruby Martínez, from Cañoncito, in the fertile Embudo Valley, sold about 1,400 boxes of apples to schools throughout the state, thanks in part to the work done by Farm to Table, a nonprofit organization based in Santa Fe. Each fall, people from Albuquerque, Río Rancho, Santa Fe and other places mistakenly descend upon Dixon,

north of Española, looking for the famous Dixon’s Orchard apples. (Dixon’s Apple Orchards near Cochiti was, unfortunately, destroyed by fire and flooding in 2011.) They ask the local residents, “We are looking for Dixon apples. Where can we buy some?” And since almost everyone in Dixon has apples, they reply, “We have some,” or, if not, they send them to Fred and Ruby Martínez’s orchards a short way down the road.

Since Fred and his dad installed wind turbines in 1964 to heat their orchard, the Martínezes have had a crop every single year, though in 2011 the harvest did not compare to this year’s crop of 7,000 boxes. Fred farms about 23 acres in Cañoncito, where he has 3,500 apple trees and about 350 peach trees.

Because he grows many different varieties, the fruit ripens throughout the summer, spacing out his harvest. Fred’s father, Delfín, started the orchard in the 1950s. Throughout the past 60 years, the family bought more and more land. What began as a modest orchard, planted in standard trees with the common varieties (mostly Double Red Delicious and Golden Delicious), is now a very modern operation.

The Martínez family irrigates their orchard from the Acequia Arellano y Martínez, aka Acequia Leonardo Martínez, one of the 10 acequias off of the Río Embudo. Their acequia, the first to draw water, is one of the smallest in terms of acreage, but it is probably the one that produces the most fruit. In order to make sure his fruit is pollinated, Martínez rents bees, usually around 30 boxes, that he places throughout his orchard for a couple of months each spring when the trees start to bloom.

These days, semi-dwarf varieties that make it easier for Martínez, 70, to maintain and harvest, have replaced the standard size trees. He also has replaced some of the old Red Delicious with more modern varieties such as Gala, Arkansas Black, Fuji and others. Today he has Wind turbines at Martínez’s orchard can 16 varieties of apples. Each differprevent fruit from freezing.

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

© Seth Roffman (2)

W

hen I was in school in the ‘50s and ‘60s, schools used to buy fruit and produce directly from our parents, since at that time most everyone still did some farming. In the mid-‘60s, when I attended McCurdy School in Santa Cruz, NM, the school still had an active farm with chickens, milk cows, hogs and a garden. But by the time I graduated, the farm was a thing of the past.

Fred Martínez (l) at the Dixon Farmers’ Market

ent variety is planted in what he calls “a separate block.” He also has eight varieties of peaches and five of cherries. His cherries ripen starting in early May to mid-July. “In this business you constantly have to be changing. I plant about 200 trees every year,” says Fred, whose family has been in the valley since 1715. “Varieties that don’t sell, I remove and plant what consumers want.”

At a meeting last October, held at his manicured orchard at the mouth of the Río Embudo canyon, Fred stressed that today he uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control pests. This approach allows him to only spray the orchard once in the spring when the trees start to leaf.

Other apple growers who still use the old method spray upwards of 10 times during the summer, dumping a lot of pesticides, not only on the fruit, but also on the ground, which eventually makes its way into the river and the water table.

Farm to Table staff members were present at the meeting on the Martínez farm, as were several chefs and school food service directors from as far away as Los Lunas. Martínez announced that a NM Apple and Fruit Growers Cooperative had recently been formed, and that he would be serving as president. Danny Farrar from Velarde, whose father was a pioneer in the apple business, is serving as vice-president. Robert Naranjo

is secretary and Gene López from Lyden is treasurer. Other board members are Rick Romero, Longorio Vigil, Tim Martínez, Norman Medina and Chris Bassett.

Martínez is happy that he is able to sell his apples to schools across the state. The Farm to Table program not only helps the local small farmers like Martínez sell their products to schools by helping them “navigate bureaucratic and transportation issues,” the program also helps schoolchildren enjoy the flavor of locally grown fruit—just like the old days.

Fred, Ruby and their family also participate in several farmers’ markets throughout northern NM, including the one in Dixon on Wednesdays from June through October, and they sell their fruit at the Dixon Co-op Market. During the annual Dixon Studio Tour, held every year on the first weekend in November, Ruby offers her homemade apple pies and cider. Their enterprise has been featured in numerous magazines throughout the nation. Fred was recognized as Farmer of the Year in 2008, first by the Embudo Valley Acequia Association and then by the New Mexico Acequia Association. i Farmer, researcher and community leader Juan Estévan Arellano has devoted most of his life to documenting the traditional knowledge of the Indo-Hispano in northern NM. He is translator-editor of the book Ancient Agriculture. 505.579.4027, estevan_2002@ yahoo.com

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Farm to School

Farm to School Solutions

The Power of a Local Pear Le Adams

I

t was a very good year for pears and the other tree fruit. The grower picked them, and after careful cleaning, sorting and packing, they made a short trip to a snack program in an Albuquerque school. They arrived ready, as a special treat for everyone in the school.

Seven-year-old María was enrolled in Mrs. Sánchez’s first grade class at a South Valley school. She was a good student and always ready to learn. She was very happy to get a morning snack in class. Breakfast was so long ago, and that bin of beautiful yellow fruit looked good.

The class was quiet except for the comments of “Yummy!” and “It’s so juicy!” and “It’s so sweet!” Mrs. Sánchez shared all the information that she had about those pears—who grew them and how full of nutrition they were.

When the rest of the class was cleaning up, Mrs. Sánchez noticed that, unlike the rest of the children, María had not eaten her pear. “What’s the matter, María? Don’t you want to eat your pear?” she asked. María answered quietly because she knew she was doing

something against the rules. “Please teacher, I would like to take this pear home to share with my little brother.

He has never seen a pear before, and I know that he would like it too.” Mrs. Sánchez did some rule-breaking of her own. She let María take the pear home. For after all, isn’t learning to share with and nurture others one of the very important life-lessons we want to teach our first graders?

programs. Farm to Table, as lead Farm to School organization in the Southwest, sponsored 32 programs in the past two years.

These programs are popping up everywhere.

The Challenge—There are food needs in every community. Most children (and their parents) don’t eat the suggested number of fruit and vegetables per day—that’s five to eight, or half of every meal plate. Many adults really don’t do much cooking at home.

The overweight and obesity numbers in our country are at crisis levels, and dietrelated diseases in children are skyrocketing. It appears that this may be the first generation of children whose lifetimes will be shorter than their parents.

What is “Farm to School?”

The Solution—Solutions such as Farm to School initiatives are now happening throughout the country.

In part, with the aid of the National Farm to School Network, over 12,000 schools in the US have Farm to School

Farm to School has two parts: the eating part and the education part. Some farm-to-school programs are focused only on the eating part. That is, farmers, school food service personnel or even groups of people work together to bring locallyproduced foods to school cafeterias (See article on page 20).

The other part of Farm to School is made up of a myriad of educational possibilities. Whether it is culinary education (great local programs such as Cooking with Kids and Kids Cook), nutrition education such as ICAN and KidsCAN from the County Extension Service, pro-

Top: Community-supported Zuni waffle garden; Farm Camp at the Rio Grande Community Farm

gramming from the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, school gardens organized by PTAs, local community continued on page 35

Statistics: The Bad and the Good Negative:

• New Mexico is in danger of raising the first generation of children with a lower life expectancy than their parents.

• More than one in four children in NM are considered food insecure and many depend on school meals for their main meals of their day.

• Thirty-two percent of NM children are either overweight or obese.

• NM ranks 33rd in children’s health and 32nd in education. The prevalence of overweight and obese children in the state has risen since 2003.

• One in every three children in our country is considered overweight or obese.

Obesity rates in children tripled over the past three decades.

• The new USDA federal rule, based on legislation, and requiring more servings of fruits and vegetables, is estimated to cost an additional 10 cents for each reimbursable lunch and 27 cents for each reimbursable breakfast. Yet, the anticipated federal share for this food cost is six cents per meal.

• The food and beverage industry spends $2 billion (out of a $10 billion advertising budget) marketing food to children.

• Kids aged 2-11 see an average of 13 food ads per day, mainly promoting unhealthy foods.

Positive:

• The more we eat fruits and vegetables, the less likely we are to be overweight, obese and develop diet-related diseases like diabetes.

• There are close to 328,000 NM children who have the potential to benefit from participating in the school lunch program; 237,450 NM children have been served NM-grown produce in 2012.

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• W hen schools purchase NM-grown produce, they are helping local agriculture by enlarging the market for fruit and vegetables here in the state.

• Currently, 60 schools and school districts purchase NM-grown produce. This number has more than quadrupled in 2012.

• If every student in New Mexican schools ate two servings of NM-grown produce per week, about $6 million would go to NM producers.

• For the 2012 school year, Farm to Table alone has been instrumental in selling over 200,000 lbs. of produce to schools, totaling about $110,000 in sales to farmers. NM growers have cumulatively sold an estimated $500,000 of produce to schools.

• Already, almost half of NM’s 108 school districts are purchasing from NM farmers.

• In 2007 and recurring in subsequent years, legislation provided $85,000 annually for NM-grown produce for school meals for the Valley Cluster schools in Albuquerque, serving approximately 6,000 students in grades K–12.

• W hat produce are students eating that is NM-grown? Apples, bell peppers, cantaloupe, cucumbers, honeydew, onions, peaches, plums, potatoes, salad greens, spinach, tomatoes, watermelons and zucchini.

• New Mexican farming families are primed to provide additional produce to the schools. Schools provide a stable, consistent market, providing farmers with a reliable source of income.

• State and local economies will benefit from these purchases, as with every dollar earned by a NM farmer, another $1.80 is invested in the local economy.

• This is a win-win for NM—as the market develops for NM-grown produce in schools, fruit- and vegetable-growers’ incomes will rise and our children’s overall health and academic performance will improve.

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Local Fruits and Vegetables for Lunch in Our Sch

Kathleen González

A

hayride might sound like an odd way to get local produce on the plates of schoolchildren. However, it has become very popular and effective! Last October, food service directors from Taos Municipal Schools, Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) and Los Lunas Schools climbed onto bales of hay and rode around Pat Montoya’s Family Orchard in Velarde, north of Española.

Food service directors are responsible for ordering the food and creating the menus for all the school meals served in their districts. The tour was held to introduce them to local apples and the farmers who grow them, such as Montoya, Anthony Wagner of Wagner Farms in Corrales, Fred Martínez of Fred and Ruby Martínez Orchards near Dixon, and Danny Farrar of Rancho La Jolla in Velarde.

Statewide, school food service directors run the biggest “restaurants” in their communities—serving up to 328,000 breakfasts, lunches and snacks, daily. For them, ordering from national distributors is easy. One phone call gets you what you want—if you don’t mind food picked long ago and shipped from very far away. More of these directors are becoming com-

mitted to purchasing from local farmers, which just isn’t so simple… yet.

“It is important to see the farm and meet the farmers, to put a face to the product. Picking the apples and tasting them… that is what sells them,” said Mary Ann McCann from Taos Schools, between bites of apple from the Martínez Orchard. Shauna Woodworth, director of Farm to Table’s Farm to Cafeteria program, agrees that these USDA-funded tours she coordinates have proven to be a great way to build the relationships necessary for food service directors to feel confident in ordering produce from NM farmers. “It is essential for them to have an opportunity to talk directly with the farmers, away from their busy offices and ringing phones,” she said.

In 2012, the farmers who work with Woodworth and the Farm to Cafeteria program sold over 220,000 pounds of produce to over 50 school districts across NM, serving 234,067 children. This is an increase from 60,000 pounds sold in 2011. It’s a win-win for NM: Our children get healthy, fresh food in their school meals, and our farming communities have an injection of much-needed income.

Getting NM Foods

Will It Really Take 20 Years?

into

Marion Kalb

M

ark Winne, a New Mexico-based food activist, once said that it takes 20 years to build a movement. In considering the work of Farm to Table (FTT), let’s put his theory to the test—with a specific focus on FTT’s efforts to establish and support programs that bring local food into our schools and educate children about food, nutrition and health.

During the last decade, FTT has taken tremendous strides. In 2002, NM was one of the first states to create a Farm to School Memorial that required, through state legislation, the departments of agriculture and education to work together and provide administrative support for farm-to-school efforts. This kind of partnership is crucial, since farm-to-school programs engage multiple agencies as they address multiple issues both in and outside the school system.

Complementing this legislative victory were the actions taken by the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) in 2002. After an inspirational visit to the Farmers’ Market Salad Bar in Santa Monica, Calif., Lynn Walters, executive director of Cooking with Kids, arranged a field trip that would forever alter school meals in Santa Fe. Judi Jáquez, director of School Nutrition Services in Santa Fe, Betsy Torres, the Farm to School Coordinator and Craig Mapel, Marketing Specialist with

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

“There is a huge potential to increase sales,” said Woodworth. The farmers are willing to grow more if the schools are willing to buy.”

Taking food service directors on farm tours is not new. Today’s directors and farmers are benefiting from the foundational “meetyour-farmer” tours that Le Adams of Farm to Table and Craig Mapel of NM Department of Agriculture established in 2000… long before the local food movement even had a name. The earlier tours were successful and several schools began purchasing local food back then; however, it became obvious that there were problems.

Most farmers were not familiar with the sizing and packing speci- Top: Anthony Wagner of Wagner Farms in Corrales, NM delivers apples and watermellons to the Santa Fe fications the schools required, School District distrubition center. nor the bidding and invoicing Photos ©Anna C. Hansen

NM Schools the NM Department of Agriculture, accompanied Walters to Santa Monica. This group came back ready to work, and very soon SFPS was offering locally grown produce in school lunches, and baking breads with locally grown organic wheat.

2002 turned out to be a banner year for NM—not only at the state level, but at the federal level as well. The 2002 Farm Bill included funding for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program, which offered free fruits and vegetables to students, outside of meal times (e.g., snack time, after school, on the bus ride home, etc). This pilot began in four mid-western states and the Zuni Tribe in NM. This was a definite coup for NM. US Sen. Jeff Bingaman was largely responsible for NM’s participation.

Together with the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council (NMFAPC), FTT fought to get junk food out of the schools, and in 2006 NM was one of the first states to take action in support of children’s health by legislating a change in school policies. continued on page 23

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hools — What It Takes systems between farmers and buyers and to continue to expand the program and the tours.

process. And most school food service directors were not used to buying directly from farmers, which requires extra phone calls, paperwork, and knowing what crops might be available throughout the season. The farmers were used to packing their produce for the farmers’ market. Cucumbers could be big, small or odd-shaped. Boxes were recycled, of different sizes and packed at different weights. The food service directors were used to calling their national distributor and ordering 600 pounds of eight-inch cucumbers packed in boxes that weighed 40 pounds each. Adams and Mapel spent most of their time helping farmers and food service directors learn about each other’s operations and figure out ordering and delivering challenges, like the cucumber dilemma.

© Seth Roffman

As the Farm to Cafeteria program developed, there needed to be someone who could take on these challenges fulltime. Two years ago it became Woodworth’s job to do just that—to keep developing relations and

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When conducting farm tours, Woodworth has also been focusing on “food safety,” a hot topic in the news. Food service directors get to see the farm and learn from the farmer how he or she handles the food to ensure it is safe, and how they keep it as fresh and clean as possible, all the way from the farm to the kitchen’s back door. Several food-safety farm tours around the state have been scheduled in 2013 for farmers to learn from other farmers how to ensure the quality and safety of their produce, especially if they are interested in selling to local schools.

The growth of the Farm to Cafeteria program has been exciting. That growth is due, in part, to the leadership of food service directors McCann, Angela Haney of Los Lunas Schools, Mary Swift and her procurement manager Juan Saiz of APS, Judi Jáquez and her Farm to School coordinator Betsy Torres, of Santa Fe Public Schools. With their example and the help of the NM School Nutrition Association (NMSNA), the word is getting out to food service directors across the state about how to order and prepare fresh, local food.

And, thanks to Laura Perea and Mary Oleske of the NM Human Services Department (HSD), local produce is now on the same trucks that deliver USDA Donated Foods. This means any public school in the state can order apples from northern NM, for example, and the apples will be delivered by HSD along with the monthly USDA order. This service has expanded the number of school districts purchasing local food from 11 last year to at least 50 this year.

It is difficult to gauge the exact amount of local food being served in NM schools. There are farmers in

Farmington and other areas of the state who have been selling to their local school districts for years. There is a burgeoning Farm to School program in Las Cruces, where Rebecca Wiggins, co-director of La Semilla Food Center is working with farmers and food service directors in the southern part of the state to get local food into nearby school districts. And in the Albuquerque area similar organizations have been supporting the Farm to School connection—making sales of over $65,000 to APS, the largest school district in the state.

This month, both Woodworth in the north and Wiggins in the south are setting up pilot programs where participating farmers will meet with food service directors to plan for the year.

These farmers will have a better idea of what and how much to plant, and the directors will know what produce to expect and approximately when.

“Forecasting is key to our operation,” says McCann. “If we know what’s available we can forecast our costs and buy more efficiently. It’s difficult to find out that something like squash is available next week. If it is not already on your menu, you just can’t buy it.”

If everything goes as planned, farmers will develop their own relationships with food service directors and, like Anthony Wagner, continue to sell produce to the schools on their own. Farm to Table will then tap experienced farmers like Wagner, Fred Martínez and Danny Farrar to be the teachers, to show the next wave of farmers how to grow and sell to the schools and other institutional markets that Woodworth and Farm to Table are working on opening up to local farmers—such as senior centers, prisons, hospitals and other cafeterias.

“I get just as excited selling one box of fresh-picked apples to Wagon Mound as I do selling 350 boxes to a larger district,” Woodworth says. “The best part of this work is giving children the entirely new experience of tasting fresh local produce.”

To build on the success of the program, Farm to Table and the NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council, with the support of NMSNA, are working on continued on page 23

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Food Rebels, Guerilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas Fighting Back in an Age of Industrial Agriculture

by Mark Winne, Beacon Press, 2010 www.beacon.org, www.markwinne.com Despite the increased number of communities adopting programs to help support local agriculture and nutrition education, the majority of the food consumed in the US is still highly processed, poorly regulated, and manufactured through unsustainable methods.

In Food Rebels, Winne covers everything from urban farming in Cleveland and buffalo restoration on Native American reservations, to food-education classes in diabetes-prone neighborhoods. He shows how people are reclaiming their connection to their food and their health. “Food Rebels tells the stories of unsung heroes in the food movement—everyday people who realized that they had the power to change the way food and farming work in their communities and in the world, and did something about it,” says Josh Viertel, president of Slow Food USA. “With these stories, Mark Winne inspires us and challenges us to take a stand for good, clean, fair and affordable food for all.”

Winne challenges the reader become part of a larger movement to reclaim food sovereignty. Invoking the philosophies of great writers and thinkers, he writes about the importance of nourishing the body and the soul. The best way to do that, he says, is by becoming connected to your food source.

The Volunteer Center of Grant County

Amid the open-pit mines of Grant County and the douglas firs of the Gila Wilderness lies the gritty town of Silver City. A bit of the Wild West lingers here in the form of people who refuse to accept the status quo. One such person is Alicia Edwards, director of the Volunteer Center, who started her work in 2004 with the intention of “ending hunger and poverty in Grant County, not with Band-Aids, but systemically.” No small ambition, given the region’s precipitous economic ascents and descents that mirror the fortunes of the extraction industries.

The task Alicia outlined for herself was a big one, but she knew from the start that the process would have both short- and long-term elements—and she knew that “food was the common denominator that the community could work on together.” To that end the Volunteer Center has organized a Community Food Pantry Project that distributes food to needy people once a week, as well as community gardening and food education projects. But Alicia knew all along that these community-run initiatives weren’t enough, so when she hooked up with Farm to Table in 2010 she began to see what the long-term elements looked like.

“Grant County is far from the ideas and conversations that take place in Albuquerque and Santa Fe,” she said, “so the Farm to Table connection has been fantastic.” Grant assistance, networking and community facilitation provided by Farm to Table’s staff proved essential to the progress that Alicia wants to see in Grant County. Among other things, it helped them to enter the food policy arena by establishing a county food policy council and beginning work on a comprehensive food plan. But perhaps her biggest “Aha!” moment came when Farm to Table found some funds for Alicia to attend the BALLE conference in Washington State. It opened her eyes to how food could become an economic engine to revitalize a community. That is where the soon-to-be-opened Commons Center for Food Security and Sustainability comes in. The brand new facility at the corner of 13th and Corbin in Silver City will soon house many of the Volunteer Center’s programs, including a commercial kitchen and retail space. In her vision for the future, Alicia sees the Commons “as a physical manifestation of what we can do as a community, and maybe one day we’ll no longer need the food pantry because Grant County has become economically resilient.”

It takes one big-picture thinker like Alicia—and a whole lot of community partners—to one day end poverty and hunger.

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Cooperating Our Way continued from page 14 business planning assistance. But it was probably their relationship with the Santa Fe-based nonprofit organization Farm to Table that yielded the most fruit.

plication to USDA’s Rural Business Enterprise Grant, which was later approved.

Equipped with a feasibility study, business plan and community survey, the co-op was now prepared to choose.

What Farm to Table does is capacity building, a term that’s wormed its way into the lexicon of nonprofit and government agencies. It’s best understood by thinking how you might instruct someone in a skill they don’t yet command. You can extend the idea further to include the sharing of your list of resources and colleagues with someone so

Choices

A hybrid solution embodied the best ideals of El Morro Valley that they can also benefit. It’s this attitude of empowerment—me sharing my power with you—that best describes the relationship between Farm to Table and organizations like El Morro Valley Coop (see sidebars, pgs. 14, 23).

Farm to Table began working with El Morro community in 2010 to enable them to formally establish a co-op corporation. In the process of doing this, they helped the new members sort out their dreams, which included a bakery, a livestock slaughtering and processing facility, a community farm and a hub for the gathering and distribution of locally produced food. The business options and models were nearly as numerous as the ideas for making their little corner of NM bloom. They could buy an existing store, build a new store from scratch, lease a building and convert it to a store, or work with the small stores now operating in Cíbola County to expand and improve their limited selection.

You could say it was a rich moment of “stormin’ and normin’” that needed some structure and focus. Farm to Table was able to channel the members’ energy to evaluate the options and assess their relative strengths and weaknesses.

To help the Co-op make the best business decisions, Farm to Table connected El Morro to NMSU’s Arrowhead Center.

The resulting business plan gave the co-op a roadmap for how to purchase the Lewis Trading Post in Ramah and operate it as their long-sought-after co-op store. Farm to Table also helped them prepare an ap-

What did all of this preparation and analyses show? After reviewing the menu of choices it was clear that there were several ways to increase the availability of good food for the valley’s residents. The survey data found that the community was generally supportive of a number of these options and could be counted on as “a receptive market and customer base.” The so-called “Cadillac” option, buying the Lewis Trading Post and operating it as a co-op, was feasible but expensive.

While the members were warmed by the prospect of owning their own store, they nearly froze in their tracks when they heard the price tag —$750,000—a number that one member characterized as “staggering.” To make that deal work, not only would co-op members have to come up with $200,000 of their own equity; they would have to operate the Trading Post at a higher sales volume and/or better margin than it was currently operating.

What emerged from all the culling and mulling was a hybrid solution that was not only innovative, but perhaps embodied the best ideals of the wider El Morro Valley. The co-op has dubbed the idea “Co-op Corners,” which, in its simplest form, utilizes the county’s six existing small stores as satellite minico-ops. These stores would receive weekly deliveries of natural food items, fresh produce and locally produced food from El Morro Valley Co-op. The co-op, in turn, would pool the orders of these stores to achieve enough buying power to purchase and receive goods from the region’s larger suppliers. The start-up and operating costs are low, there’s no need for a fixed wholesale or retail site, and perhaps most important, Co-op Corners builds on what’s already there.

The elegance of the solution lies in the last point—it supports local businesses, which gives it the potential to reach a larger market share while building on the co-op’s biggest asset: community and cooperation. While Co-op Corners is not quite shovelcontinued on page 35

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Local Fruits and Vegetables continued from page 21

securing $1.4 million from the state to enable NM food service directors to buy more local food (see sidebar on page 6). Farmer Anthony Wagner recently testified in favor of the bill. He told legislators, “This year I grew more food because Shauna told me she could sell it. And she did. If the schools are willing to buy more, I have even more land I can put in production.”

It starts with a hayride.

For more information, contact Farm to Table: 505.473.1004, info@farmtotable.org or visit www.farmtotablenm.org i Kathleen González is a former Mora County farmer and rancher. She is now communications coordinator at Farm to Table. kathleen@farmtotablenm.org

NM Foods / NM Schools continued from page 20

One of FTT’s most significant achievements was securing $85,000 in recurring funds to be used at schools in Albuquerque’s South Valley. State Sen. Dede Feldman was key in securing these funds, which were used for purchasing local fruits and vegetables, benefitting over 6,000 students. FTT continues to advocate for additional funding for all NM students to have New Mexican-grown produce on their plates.

In 2011 attempts by the NMFAPC to provide more locally grown fruits and vegetables to the schools and other public institutions made it through the legislative maze, only to have Gov. Martínez fail to sign them. There is a rule of thumb in advocacy work—the first time, you’re educating legislators, the second time, you’re answering their concerns and the third time, you win. Legislative work is not for the faint-of-heart.

Sometimes success is advocating getting back what you previously had. In 2012, one of FTT’s highest priorities was requesting state transportation funds to deliver USDA Donated Foods and other food products to all schools in the state. The irony was that these funds had been inadvertently taken out of the budget.

FTT and the NMFAPC spent an entire legislative season trying to correct an administrative oversight. Their eventual success was due, in part, to their partnering with the NM School Nutrition Association on the effort.

While FTT has been in the forefront of statewide farm to school programming and legislation, it has also played a very active role at the federal level. It has consistently supported two legislative proposals relating to farm to school: to allow food service staff to prioritize serving locally grown products; and to establish a competitive farm-to-school grant program. The good news is that, after eight years of advocacy, both of these proposals are now a reality! The great news is that in 2012 FTT was a recipient of almost $100,000 from the new Farm to School Grant Program.

During the coming years, FTT will expand this work by continuing to:

• Help shape the new federal Farm to School grant program • Advocate for NM-grown produce in all schools • Support the myriad of educational programs that link students with locally grown produce • Work closely with food service directors to improve local purchasing practices • Identify opportunities to help farmers access additional markets

With the success of the past decade and the national momentum that has gathered around farm-to-school programs and purchasing local food, there are still many challenges to overcome before we can say we have a movement. But we have a great start.

So, considering Mark Winne’s theory that is takes 20 years to build a movement—20 years sounds about right. i Marion Kalb organized farmers’ markets in California for 10 years before she co-founded the National Farm to School Network in 2001. Kalb is now a policy specialist with Farm to Table.

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January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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The Farm to School Program

Fostering Fun Learning Experiences Between Kids and Local Foods Nelsy Domínguez

Farm to Table’s 2012 Farm to School Programs

T

here are few things as natural as children digging in the dirt. Witnessing the delight of my six-year old and her friends playing in the garden attests to the significance of this simple joy. Gardening and culinary arts combine fun with purpose. At any age, gardens are a funfilled educational cornucopia.

When schools and after-school programs create opportunities to extend the classroom outside and incorporate a school garden, culinary arts and nutrition as part of the experience, the impact is both immediate and long-lasting. A prime example of this is Farm to Table’s Farm to School program, which, in recent years, has taken place at schools and learning centers in many regions of New Mexico. The program fosters the development of healthier eating habits by supporting activities that make critical links between children, their families, schools and agriculture.

“We envision vegetable gardens in every schoolyard so that all children have the opportunity to experience the joy of planting seeds and nurturing them into healthy plants—real live food—that they can pick and eat,” says Le Adams, who directs Farm to Table’s Farm to School program. In the past two years, FTT provided $26,000 to 32 educational projects that tackled diverse activities such as designing fruit and vegetable beds, soil preparation, digging, planting, watering, cooking, tasting and preserving, along with field trips to local farms. Besides facilitating healthier eating habits, these activities are entryways to build core competencies in areas such as chemistry, biology, math, language arts and environmental science.

While the value of the program is clear, finding resources to make it possible is a yearly challenge for the nonprofit organization. “We’ve been very fortunate that the Nirvana Mañana Institute has supported this project for the last two years,” says Elizabeth Hetrick, Farm to Table’s chair. “Looking forward, we continue to seek donor-partners to invest in making a difference in how kids experience the growing and tasting of food that they themselves have a hand in growing.”

Nelsy Domínguez is the director of Philanthropic and Community Engagement at Farm to Table. nelsy@ farmtotablenm.org, www.farmtotablenm.org

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

Acequia Madre Elementary School (Santa Fe) – School garden

Apple Tree Educational Center (Truth or Consequences) – School garden and nutrition program

Earth Force Summer of Service (Albuquerque) – Students conducted local food surveys to research ways of connecting neighbors to locally grown foods, explored the ecosystem of the bosque and learned about the watershed and what they could do to improve it.

Earth Force Summer of Service (Belen) – students served Valencia County by working with the Corazon de Belen Community Garden and school gardens, developed a website and a Facebook presence.

Eastern New Mexico University (Roswell) – farmers shared their experience in classrooms and students planted container gardens.

Española Farmers Market (Española) – Nutrition and culinary workshops at the farmers’ market

Growing Up Montessori Pre-School (Santa Fe) – This gardening project with pre-schoolers inspired observation, teamwork, experimentation and communication among students.

Healthy Kids Healthy Communities Grant County (Silver City) – The 745 students at four elementary schools were served locally grown snacks for three days, went on a field trip to a small farm in the area, and incorporated reports and other activities in their curriculum.

La Semilla Food Center - Gadsden School District (Anthony/Las Cruces) – Forty-three new garden beds were developed in five new school garden sites. This program functioned in seven schools with over 850 students, providing nutritional education and after-school garden and cooking clubs.

Mark Twain Elementary School (Albuquerque) – The program significantly expanded the space for garden activities by building or re-habilitating five bed areas and holding a fall festival.

Mesilla Elementary School (Mesilla) – The program provided three field trips to the farmers’ market, the Southern NM State Fair, and to the NM Ranch & Heritage Museum, exposing 354 K-5th-grade students to a full array of the agricultural pursuits.

Mesilla Valley Youth Foundation (Las Cruces) – At the Court Youth Center and two other school sites, participants built gardens, attended workshops, started a youth apprenticeship program, ran culinary classes and developed community partnerships.

New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom (Las Cruces) – Agriculture literacy program

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Summer Food Service Program (Clovis) – The program purchased peanuts, pecans and watermelon from local producers to add to the breakfast and lunch programs served as part of 2,950 meals per-day to children in Clovis, Texico and Ft. Sumner. A nutritionist from the county extension service provided education.

Placitas Elementary School (Placitas) – A greenhouse was built and used in a variety of educational programs.

Río Grande Community Farm (Los Ranchos de Albuquerque) – The Farm Camp served 62 children with agricultural and cooking activities.

Salazar Elementary School (Santa Fe) – A greenhouse and garden washing station was built, educational activities and a community harvest festival were held.

Santa Fe High School (Santa Fe) – A school garden

Taos Academy & Taos Middle School (Taos) – The program partnered with Tierra Lucero Farm for plantings on campus, field trips to the farm. The produce was used in culinary arts classes.

Taos Pueblo Day School “Working on Wellness” (El Prado) – Several beds were planted by 30 students, who grew and consumed veggies and berries.

Wilson Middle School (Albuquerque) – School garden

Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (Zuni) – The summer camp was kicked off with a grand community gathering in which elders and youth shared ideas and stories and planted the gardens together. There were 60 young campers and 17 camp counselors. Campers participated in gardening, nutrition education and physical activities, while learning about Zuni culture and traditions.

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Service Learning

New Mexico FoodCorps

Growing the Next Generation of Foodies, Farmers and Healthy Communities Amelia Pedini

I

f you live in Gallup, you might know him simply as “the baker,” or if you’re a student in Gallup’s elementary schools, you probably know him as that friendly “smoothie guy.” Joshua Kanter brought his baking skills all the way from Wilton, Conn. to New Mexico with a mission to share the joys of growing and eating good, wholesome food.

Now in his second term as a FoodCorps service member, Kanter teaches in school gardens and organizes monthly family food nights where children invite their parents to sit down for an evening of “slow food.”

Every Friday he invites anyone in the community to join him in an evening of bread making with easily identifiable ingredients. “I’ve brought the hands that have shaped thousands of bâtards, demi-baguettes and boules,” says Kanter. “It’s bread foreign to this land, but it’s taken hold in many homes here. It’s an expression of my outlook on food: fresh, real, slow, loved, and above all, delicious. And it sparks conversation. People ask about my bread, ‘What’s so special?’ I tell them about my gardens and this whole thing

Success Stories from the Field: NM Guide to Business & Financial Resources for Food System Entrepreneurs

I’ve called Crumby Bread Company, which is actually a fundraiser.”

“This year we brought FoodPlay, a traveling theater troop, to perform at one of our schools,” Kanter beams. “And we bought $120 worth of garlic seed for planting at a new community educational farm outside of town, where the kids do all the planting.

Next year it (the garlic) will enter school cafeterias, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture FoodCorps-New Mexico service member Joshua Program) shares, market Kanter with students in Gallup shelves, and maybe even your cast- iron skillet. It’s Kanter sells his bread at Saturday all way too much fun to get paid for.” markets and the local co-op in order to raise funds for his service program.

FoodCorps sponsors a nationwide Last year, his sales supported a breakteam that currently includes 80 serfast smoothie project at two elemenvice members and 12 Fellows in 12 tary schools. Using his trusty Vitamix states. The organization provides blender, he introduced the delights of real-life experiences for young adults eating plenty of fresh fruit every day seeking to live their values through by selling smoothies for a dollar each. addressing some of our country’s Aside from being a massive hit with most pressing needs. They come from the students, it also served as a deliall over the nation and are dedicated cious and nutritious way to fund stuwholehearted believers in the power dent field trips. of real, healthy food for all. The service members dedicate an entire year of service, providing gardening, cooking and nutritional education to youth and communities in underserved areas. They receive a yearly $15,000 stipend (not including room and board), an amount that puts them at about the same economic living standard

This is Farm to Table’s latest publication. Several of NM’s food and farming entrepreneurs in our regional food system tell their stories about facing their challenges with innovations. The Guide features NM’s pilot micro-lending programs, alternative financial institutions, transferable tax credits for agricultural lands placed into conservation easements, and business development services specifically for farmers, ranchers, value-added producers, processors, distributors and retail food stores. Also included are state and federal food and farming grant and loan programs, “how to” guidance for developing business, marketing and financial plans, and a directory for finding the right person or organization in the state to assist with your enterprise development needs.

To order, visit the Farm to Table website: www.farmtotablenm.org . Hit the “Donate” button and make a credit card payment of $15. Then email tlaveta@gmail.com with your request, shipping information and email address or phone number.

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as the low-income communities they work with.

Kendal Chavez, who works at Kirtland Elementary in Albuquerque, says, “Despite the hurdles and uncertainties of traveling an unbeaten path, connection, awareness and endless learning are at every corner. This is why I serve for FoodCorps New Mexico.”

The nonprofit builds collaborative networks with local nonprofits and schools, and hopes to continue to expand across the country. In NM, FoodCorps is partnered with the Santa Fe-based Farm to Table and the NM Acequia Association; La Plazita Institute, Kirtland Elementary and UNM’s Community Engagement Center in Albuquerque; Connections, Inc. in Gallup; La Semilla Food Center in Anthony; and the Peñasco School District.

To learn more, visit www.foodcorps.org.

To keep up to date with their local efforts, visit Facebook at FoodCorps New Mexico. i Amelia Pedini joined Fa r m t o Ta b l e i n August 2012 as the NM FoodCorps Fellow.

She supports all Food Corps service members throughout NM, helps to identify e ffective initiatives for replication elsewhere, and supports the efforts of Food Corps co-host sites, FTT and the UNM Office of Community Learning and Public Service.

What can I do to help promote Farm to School activities in my community?

Contact your neighborhood school to find out what types of programs they are already involved in. Those that might know include: the nurse, the principal, teachers, the PTA group, the school garden coordinator.

Outside of Your Neighborhood School—Here Is a Short List of Resources: • The National Farm to School Network: http://www.farmtoschool.org/ • Farm to Table’s Farm to School Pages: www.farmtotablenm.org/fts/ • Farm to Table’s Policy Pages: www.farmtotablenm.org/policy/ • Cooking with Kids (Santa Fe area): http://cookingwithkids.net/ • The Kids Cook! (Albuquerque area): www.kidscook.us/ • Santa Fe County Extension Service — for ICAN resources: 505.471.4711 • Santa Fe Public Schools home page: www.sfps.info/ • Albuquerque Public Schools Growing Gardens Page: www.aps.edu/coordinated-school-health/wellness/growing-gardens • Albuquerque Public Schools home page: www.aps.edu/ • Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute www.farmersmarketinstitute.org/programs-and-resources/childrens-nutrition-program/

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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we benefit from their prosperity.” This connection to the local community is reflected in The Shed’s participation in Farm to Restaurant (FTR), a 4-yearold program of the Santa Fe-based nonprofit Farm to Table, which works with communities and small-scale farming initiatives in various regions of New Mexico. Carswell was one of the first chefs to purchase produce from FTR. This past season, The Shed and its sister restaurant La Choza were two of 24 restaurants that purchased produce from the 18 local farmers who currently work with the program.

Chef Josh Carswell at The Shed in Santa Fe

Before FTR, Carswell found it difficult to establish a direct relationship with farmers. He would occasionally get farmers coming to the restaurant to sell produce, but there was not the consistency in pricing or the quality control necessary to make regular purchases. Nina Yozell-Epstein, director of FTR, works with farmers to determine a balance in price that reflects their costs, but is manageable for the restaurants. Yozell-Epstein says the program helps meet the farmers’ needs by assisting them in selling to a diverse marketplace to increase their sales.

Carswell’s strong support of local farmers is influenced by The Shed’s business model. “We believe in developing family relationships with our growers, suppliers and delivery people.

We know that if they are doing well,

Farmer Paul Cross of Charybda Farm said that his sales to FTR doubled this year, and thanks to distribution services such as FTR in Santa Fe, the Taos Economic Development Center, La Montañita’s Central Distribution

Funding the Farm to Restaurant Program For the past two years, Lisa Oppenheimer and the Oppenheimer Brothers Foundation have been among the primary funders of the Farm to Restaurant program.

“It was Lisa’s support at the crucial time of our transition to our new home at Farm to Table that insured our continuing success, and quite frankly, the survival of our program,” says Nelsy Domínguez, director of Philanthropic and Community Engagement at Farm to Table.

Oppenheimer’s generosity is due to her appreciation of the challenges of farming in New Mexico. In trying to make her 5-acre farm viable, she grew food for restaurants, the farmers’ market, her family and a food shelter. In the process she gained enormous respect for small-scale NM farmers. “This land is a hostile environment for growing food,” she says. “Having programs like FTR that act as informed brokers and outlets for marketing helps sustain farmers so that they can participate in the local economy.”

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

Center and Fresh Produce ABQ, 80 percent of his sales are distributed by someone else. “We can always grow more than we can sell,” Cross says.

“Having these programs to help with sales is key.”

Participation in the FTR program provides the extra benefits to farmers and chefs of production planning and advanced ordering. For the farmer, this can increase efficiency and eliminate waste, in addition to providing a reliable revenue stream. For chefs, this process streamlines the procurement system, making it as easy to buy local as from another source. FTR handles all the marketing, bookkeeping and delivery, which allows the farmers more time on their farms.

Farmers like Danny Farrar of Rancho la Jolla and Roni Stephenson of Stephenson Natural Farm agree that selling produce through FTR saves lots of time and labor. Stephenson says, “Because of sales to FTR, we didn’t waste any product and we didn’t have to be at (farmers’) markets five days a week hoping to sell our produce.”

Carswell appreciates the marketing that FTR does on behalf of all the restaurants that participate. The Shed also educates their servers about what is fresh and local on the menu, so that they can communicate that to the customer. “This dialogue is critical,” says Yozell-Epstein. “The best thing patrons can do to support the local food movement is to ask the question, ‘What’s local on the menu today?’

When chefs buy local and train their servers and staff about where the ingredients are coming from, it builds a relationship in the restaurant that has a ripple effect, benefitting our community, economy and environment.”

Besides making financial sense for the restaurant, there is a quality about local food that is indescribable. “The excitement that it generates with staff is something special,” says Carswell. He encourages customers to express their specific desires regarding the food—where it comes from or how it is prepared. In recent years, he has witnessed an increasing appetite for local ingredients.

Yozell-Epstein has also witnessed this growing desire for local food. In the early stages of FTR, she had to reach out to restaurant owners to get them excited about participating in the program. Now that it has become more established, she is flooded with requests from both farmers and chefs in Nina Yozell-Epstein the community who want to participate. “Our biggest challenge is securing sufficient cold storage space and delivery vehicles to meet the increased demand.

It’s what you might call a good sort of problem.” She says, “We are currently looking to partner with other local organizations to share these resources so we may all operate more efficiently and reduce our impact as we grow.”

Although Carswell would like to purchase local produce from FTR for a longer period of the year, he understands the challenges of farming in NM and he knows the current weather pattern has been really hard on farmers. While the local variety of blue corn is bred to withstand the harsh climate of the Southwest, continued on page 35

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© Anna C. Hansen

N

ow under the management of a third generation of Carswells, The Shed restaurant has been part of the Santa Fe community for nearly 60 years. The family’s devotion to quality and consistency in their menu is rewarded when a customer says, “The Shed hasn’t changed since I was a kid,” a statement that co-owner and head chef Josh Carswell claims is the ultimate compliment.

© Seth Roffman

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Food Choices

Food Systems

continued from page 12

attention. The remedy is to stop being a consumer and to become an eater. That simple switch can leverage the tremendous economic power described earlier, redirecting it from a focus on an apparently simple and immediate transaction into a life- and world-transforming force.

An eater can be that same busy doctor, teacher and factory worker, convinced that they aren’t just “consumers” of food, but determinants of their own well-being for the long term, as well as that of others. And well-being is composed of many dimensions, physical and social, including whether there will be a planet worth living on for any of us. This is not an especially novel notion. Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement, refers to eaters as “co-creators” of the food system with farmers. Even business lore lionizes the power of “consumer choice” to determine whether companies will be successful. But as long as consumers are content to giddily and passively choose from just among what is offered them, the image of “customer is king” is but a cynical marketing ploy itself. Instead, eaters must specify to the food system the choices they want to make, and the formula of Good Food: healthful, green, fair and affordable is ready to hand, simple to communicate and powerful in its reach. Even so, it would be foolish to believe that the minority of people who today see themselves ready to step up as eaters could successfully challenge the power of billion-dollar enterprises. For one thing, it is problematic at present to glean from food labels whether a food article is truly Good Food. There is too much economic fortune at stake in the

infrastructure of the industrial food contract, since lack of investment in system, and we have seen in the recent the future and in society as a whole is struggle over California’s Proposition self-limiting. Arguably, the US is cur37 that this industry will go to exorrently experiencing the early phases bitant lengths to haughtily defend its of this phenomenon. The picture that right to withhold information from emerges is that the business model of its customers about the way their food big ag and big food will fail, for all is produced. The role of consumers is its present power and sway, in direct just to buy from the choices offered proportion to its inability to foresee, to them. At presrespond and meet ent, there is a marthe absolutes of the Public institutions ket for food, but not future. As the world that have been for healthfulness, shifts, the industrial sustainable envi- appropriated to support food system will osronment and fairthe industrial mindset sify in its tracks in a ness through food. doomed effort to fit must be recaptured and Therefore food reality to the busimarketing is about repurposed to serve the ness models of the selling as much past. Eaters can acgreater public good. food as possible, celerate this process whether actually by shifting support needed, healthful, environmentally to the entrepreneurs whose business sustainable, fair or not, for those who plans are designed to meet the inargucan afford it and are not paying attenable demand of the future: food that tion to how that food materializes in is healthful, green, fair and affordable. restaurants or grocery stores.

Here is a vision for a Good Food sysFortunately, eaters can choose to sidetem: a globally interlocked network of step this apparently intractable power local and regional food systems dedynamic. We are learning that whether fined along “foodsheds” bounded by rich or poor, we are reversing the gains ecological zones and resource flows, of over a century of sanitation and imthat are operated on ecological prinmunization programs, which extendciples, that are biologically diverse and ed lifespans and quality of life through trade fairly among one another. As the elimination of infectious disease, we at the Union of Concerned Sciand we are replacing this with diet-reentists, and others, have documented, lated chronic disease that is foreshortsuch systems would offer more ecoening and reducing the quality of life. nomic opportunities for more people The world and its resources are finite; and communities, cycle wealth locally therefore any industry dependent on and produce a wide and abundant vaconsumptive use of natural resources riety of healthful foods. Value chains will literally exhaust its raw materiwould be shorter by design, preserving als. Social scientists, most recently more value for producers and primary Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, have processors, and offering fresher, less documented that inequitable societies refined food. In addition, such sys-

tems would be more resilient than the tightly coupled systems of the present, where a disruption or insult at one point of the system propagates rapidly and extensively throughout the system (e.g., E. coli infections) because regional systems are inherently limited in extent. This vision makes it realistic to expect that eaters can effectively monitor and direct the functioning of their food system, since their immediate relationship to the food system would be of a comprehensible and tractable dimension, fleshed out by actual personal and social relationships binding people to one another’s wellbeing in concrete ways.

There is no reality-based counter to this emerging vision of the necessary contours of the viable food systems of the future, though of course there are predictable red herrings with which to contend. The most laughable of these is the sanctimonious appeal for evergreater productivity to sate the hunger of the poor. There is already more food produced than necessary for the purpose, yet we see that livestock, biofuel refineries and American trash bins have priority for this food over the hungry. The most effective way to address hunger is to support the selfdetermination and economic development of the poor. Another common critique of alternatives to the brute force of industrial agriculture is that these would “send us back to the horse era.” First, the undeniable research triumphs that helped establish the industrial system were gained in no small measure because there was investment to generate that knowledge and optimize its application. There is ample indication that investment continued on page

33

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Santa Fe Farmer’s Market Institute’s Micro-Loan Program

Farmers Teaching Farmers

Sharing Knowledge to Build a Strong Farming Community

Earl James

Kathleen González ers about their EQIP reimbursement program, which can assist with the expense of building hoop houses, installing irrigation systems or planting pollinator-friendly hedgerows. In addition, Sam Baca, of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, and Steve Vigil, of Siete del Norte, spoke about their respective loan programs.

Baca said that many farmers were unable to take advantage of the EQIP grant program because the NRCS only reimburses the expense of Roni Stephenson explains how things a project once it is comare done at Stephenson Natural Farm pleted and passes inspecn a warm December morning tion. “One way farmers in the Española Valley, a group can take advantage of the of growers gathered around farmer Institute’s loan program Roni Stephenson, of Stephenson is with a ‘bridge loan’ to Natural Farm, to hear about how she cover the upfront costs harvests the food she grows and sells of these projects,” Baca at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market. The said. “We recently had a farmers ranged from grandpas, who farmer who had an EQIP Farmers David Frésquez and Salvador Corona have been farming all their lives, to contract for a high tunnel Stephenson’s interns—new farmers hoop house, and they borrowed the Although the USDA does not require just learning the ropes. They were all money to buy the kit. Once the hoop “small” farmers to be certified in food there to learn and share best practices house was built and inspected, they safety, the restaurants and schools to continue to ensure that the food used the EQIP reimbursement to pay buying the produce want to be assured they grow is safe for their families and off the loan.” that food safety protocols are in place. their customers.

Although very few food recalls have “In these farmer-to-farmer events led back to farms (most problems oc“We’ve done everything we can think we can learn a lot from each other,” cur in processing plants, such as Sunof to make the food we grow be as says David Frésquez of Monte Vista land, Inc. in eastern NM, which was clean and healthy as it can be.” SteOrganic Farm. “As farmers we have found to be the source of an outbreak phenson said. “I love farming, and a figured out our own ways of doing of salmonella in peanut butter), there big part of what I love is teaching it.” things. Sometimes it turns out that are some simple procedures that can Stephenson told the group where to others have a better idea. One of be followed to ensure food safety on buy food-grade plastic bags and what the many positive outcomes of these the farm. kinds of soap are the best to clean trainings is that farmers find ways to equipment. She showed them the work together.” Frésquez and SteStephenson and her husband atwalk-in cooler that she and her farmer phenson have agreed to combine their tended a training given by the NMSU husband, George, built on their back purchases of organic fertilizer to save Cooperative Extension Service last porch. For $350 worth of materials, money. Additional trainings for farmyear, and it prompted them to set up the Stephensons have a cooler that alers are scheduled around the state in protocols, such as the requirement for lows them to safely store their harvest, 2013. i everyone to tie their hair back; not just preserving the freshness and flavor on harvest day, but anytime they are Kathleen González used to farm and ranch until they head out to the market. working in the fields. Also nail polish in Mora County. is no longer allowed, and strict handShe is now the Shauna Woodworth and Nina Yozellcommunications washing rules have been established.

Epstein of Farm to Table organized coordinator at this “Farmers Teaching Farmers” preAfter the discussion on safe harvestFarm to Table. sentation, with the support of USDA kathleen@ ing, Thomas González and David farmtotablenm. funding. Yozell-Epstein sells SteGriego from the Española office of org phenson’s “better than organic” lettuce the National Resource Conservation to restaurants in Santa Fe. Service (NRCS) talked to the farm-

O

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icro-Loans for Farmers, a program quietly lurking among a long list of programs and resources on the SF Farmers’ Market Institute’s website, is making a big difference in the lives and livelihoods of many of the farmer-vendors at the Market. It may be the secret ingredient—or at least the yeast—that swells the offerings northern New Mexico’s family farmers provide.

While micro-loans have gained great admiration as tools to enable individuals with no other means to open a small business (especially through the work of Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, which pioneered the micro-credit movement), little attention seems to have been paid to this empowering practice in the low-income state of New Mexico. The big exception to this rule is the Institute’s program, where over 108 micro-loans averaging $3,000 each have been made since 2008, with only one default. Take that, Wall Street!

In 2008, the SFFM Institute raised $200,000 and deposited it in the Permaculture Credit Union (PCU) as collateral for the micro-loans. The PCU manages the loans and receives 6 percent interest, but the Institute’s Loan Committee accepts applications and approves the loans.

Many farmers initially reluctant to take on debt, will—after a visit from Sam Baca, program director at the Institute—put their toes in the waters of micro-credit for the first time.

Baca’s role is to educate farmers about the leverage the micro-loan program can give them in expanding production—and therefore sales—with little risk. Many take out a small loan at the beginning of the year, then retire the entire loan before the end of the year, even though they have up to 40 months to repay.

Key elements that make this program successful include: • No credit check or collateral is required of applicants, as generous local donors have funded collateral at the PCU; • Loans are confidence-based, which means the Institute’s loan committee (two Institute staff, three SFFM vendors and three community members) knows who these members of the market are, and that they are rooted in their communities and have good reputations; continued on page 33

January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

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Micro-Loan Program continued from page 31 • There are no prepayment penalties, no application fee, and funds can be used for expansion, seasonal labor, repairs and certain capital expenditures; • The Permaculture Credit Union, a local business managed by directors schooled in the values of sustainability and local economies, manages the loan program for the Institute.

“The loan program is a great resource,” says Baca, “because for a relatively small amount of money, farmers can often accomplish projects that greatly improve their operation— projects which they could otherwise have not afforded. Everyone wins, because the result is not only more income and a better livelihood for the vendors, but also more and better offerings for farmers’ market shoppers.

“One recent loan recipient wanted to obtain a $3,000 Environmental Quality Incentives Grant from Natural Resources Conservation Service to construct a hoop house so she could expand her growing season, but the grant was only available as a reimbursement, so we loaned her the $3,000 upfront, and when the grant came through, she paid off her loan.”

Sam Baca can be contacted at sam@farmersmarketinstitute. org or visit www.farmersmarketinstitute.org Earl James is nonprofit fundraising consultant and the author of the award-winning eco-novel Bella Coola: The Rainforest Brought Them Home. Read excerpts at www. earldjames.com. Contact him at earldjames@gmail.com

Food Choices continued from page 29 in learning about agroecological approaches will generate equivalent and vastly untapped knowledge about more sustainable systems. The public institutions that have been appropriated to support the industrial mindset must be recaptured and repurposed to serve the greater public good.

Secondly, the more credible probability is that mindless devotion to extractive agriculture will send us all back, past the horse era, all the way to the stone age, when oil, water, soil and minerals are exhausted or degraded without hope for regeneration. Finally, a population of agrobiologically sophisticated farmers, supported by engaged eaters, has much greater chance of creating and sustaining a Good Food future than today’s highly deskilled corporate farmers, who themselves have few viable choices and have been converted into consumers of proprietary technologies that lock them into highly vulnerable and leveraged positions.

Most importantly, the artifact of food accruing to economic power, and hunger being a marker of poverty, must be eliminated. The Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a foundational human rights treaty, proclaims in its Article 11 the “fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger.” Accordingly, signatory nations agree

to apply knowledge and practices to reform “agrarian systems,” and through consideration of trade needs among food exporting and importing nations, to ultimately “ensure an equitable distribution of world food supplies in relation to need.”

This might mean, broadly, that it is more important to support self-provisioning farmers than to support policies and practices that would convert those same people into landless laborers plying in plantations serving the global industrial system, in such a way creating the poor and hungry that such a system would ostensibly serve, had those laborers but a fair wage to buy what they might better produce for themselves. The US is not a signatory to this Covenant because the Senate has refused to ratify it, due to concerns for protecting American sovereignty and its free market system.

Eaters have a responsibility and the power to create a Good Food system through uncompromising demand. Because the viability of the planet’s natural, economic and social systems is at stake, there is no greater responsibility for eaters in the 21st century. i

Ricardo J. Salvador is director and senior scientist of the Food & The Environment Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

yvonne bond transcription services experienced – literate – reliable – affordable specializing in interviews, documentaries, oral history Recommended by Jack Loeffler and William deBuys

505-454-8831

ybond@desertgate.com

960-C Highway 550 Bernalillo, NM 87004

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January 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

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Red Willow

continued from page 16

During a Shiprock Farm Tour in 2010, Dorothy Bistilly marveled at all the water available to farmers in the Shiprock area and hoped that one day they would experience the same in Tohatchi.

work. Water, essential and precious, is the basic need for many communities in the Southwest who are continuing, or beginning, to take responsibility for growing their own food.

Many of us living in cities or far away from this region have a hard time imaging how you grow food without the twist of a valve to access water. We also have little idea about how our states, tribes and federal government

Farm to Restaurant

prioritize the uses of water, choosing between allocating for commercial purposes and allocating to meet food sovereignty goals. How does our resource consumption in cities affect our rural neighbors? How do decisions in Santa Fe, the capital city, determine the destiny of small villages like Tohatchi and their ability to grow food for their families or future enterprises? We continue to learn from people like Dorothy how complex the projects become and how our historical baggage hinders a community’s ability to take care of themselves and the land and water as their relations… as all of our relations.

For more information about supporting the Red Willow Farm and water well project, their efforts at the 2012 NM state Legislature, and application for capital outlay funds from the Navajo Nation, contact Elvis Bitsilly at egbit1@yahoo.com or call 505.203.7290. He’d be happy to introduce you to “grandmother” Dorothy Bitsilly to recruit you into this “generational project.” i Tawnya Laveta is programs director at Farm to Table. tawnya@farmtotablenm.org

continued from page 26

Carswell says the drought has negatively affected its quantity, quality and price.

The uncertainty of farming is something FTR also understands. The program provides production training support to assist farmers in improving, increasing and extending their harvest. Additionally, by assisting with marketing, distribution and bookkeeping, FTR seeks to relieve some of the burden from the farmers. “I see how crucial it is for both farmers and restaurants to have a reliable and available contact person to keep things straight and to accommodate their personal needs and schedules,” says Yozell-Epstein. By acting in this role, the FTR program has become a valued asset in the local food movement in Santa Fe. With FTR, local restaurants like The Shed have the opportunity to support their local farming community, purchase produce of high quality and good value, and fulfill the increasing demand for local food. They also have the opportunity to help develop the sense of New Mexican food identity that regional ingredients can provide. The farmers that participate in FTR also benefit from the longstanding loyalty and continued feedback that the program receives from local restaurants.

According to Carswell, “We really appreciate the mutually beneficial relationship that we have with FTR. Again, we can all benefit from each other’s prosperity.”

To find out more about the Farm to Restaurant program, contact Nina Yozell-Epstein: nina@farmtotablenm.org, 505.819,3518 or visit www.farmtotablenm.org i Anne Morse is a part-time grants manager for Adelante Mujeres, a community-based nonprofit in Forest Grove, Ore. She spent time in Santiago, Chile as part of her undergraduate work in Politics and Latin American Studies at Oberlin College. Morse volunteers at Farm to Table.

www.GreenFireTimes.com

Farm to School

continued from page 19

groups, volunteer groups, afterschool groups and others—or farmers visiting classrooms, field trips to farms, and school or community events that focus on healthy eating—all of these types of programs help raise awareness of where our food comes from, what is a healthy diet and the importance of agriculture to our future.

These two halves are the essence of Farm to School programs. Combine educational events with the tasting of fresh local produce; do this as often as possible, and we will change the way children relate to the food that sustains them. Just like the incredible increase of farmers’ markets in this country reflects a real desire to eat well and connect to our farming roots, this rise in Farm to School programming speaks to many of the same deep needs.

Programs that include time for children to work in school or community gardens, or time to go on field trips to nearby farms can and do inspire a new generation of farmers. These programs can teach proper nutrition and provide children with an opportunity to experience the wonder of watching a tiny seed burst with life and grow to be something to nurture and to eat. Where better than a school garden to explore science, math, culture, language arts and life? Farm to School programs in our schools and communities can teach us all to make better food choices, find the skills to

cook fresh healthy food, and get on a healthier path to the future.

How can you get involved? Contact any of the many groups and individuals in NM who are focused on improving our children’s health (See sidebar on pg. 25). State agencies, policymakers and policy councils are making this a priority. Many community service organizations, local and national funders have declared that improving children’s health is their main priority. There are citizen groups in almost every community striving to “bring the farm to the school” in a myriad of ways. Now is the time to get involved in the issue of our next generation’s health. Our future really does depend on it.

And it could all start with just one pear—perfectly ripe, juicy and sweet. i Le Adams is a farmer and educator. She founded Farm to Table with Pam Roy and directs the nonprofit organization’s Farm to School Program. She also focuses on liaison work with FoodCorps and the National Farm to School Network, and provides training and technical assistance to groups just starting their farm to school programs and to farmers in business planning and marketing.

Email: le@farmtotablenm.org

Cooperating Our Way ready, it is the choice that garnered the most enthusiasm at the November member meeting.

“We want better quality food. That’s the big motivator for us,” was how Genevieve represented her community’s most fervent wish. In effect, the people of El Morro Valley are expressing the same desires that have driven millions of American consumers away from the processed, one-size-fits-all industrial food system to one that offers food that is good-tasting, has a known place of origin, and respects human and environmental health.

And what’s more—and unlike most of us—the people of this valley are willing to struggle for what they want, take personal and financial risks, and

continued from page 23

blow the rallying bugle of “cooperation” to achieve what the retail food industry has failed to do across rural America. i Mark Winne, a Santa Fe resident, speaks, writes and trains nationally on community food system and food policy topics.

He is the author of two books: Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and S m a r t - C oo k i n’ Mamas and Closing the Food Gap, both published by Beacon Press. For more information see www. markwinne.com.

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JAIN STUDY CIRCULAR THE JAIN STUDY CIRCULAR HAS BEEN POSTED AT WWW.JAINSTUDY.ORG.

Please go our website and study the articles presented in the new issue.

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

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NEWSBITEs

PRC Ruling on Renewable Energy

On December 18, the NM Public Regulation Commission, in a 4-to-1 decision, approved a plan that establishes how much electric utilities can spend and what renewable energy sources they can use to comply with state mandates. The ruling set an annual cost cap that limits utilities’ renewable energy expenditure to 3 percent of customers’ bills, up from 2.25 percent. Utility company rates must now also account for the savings in fossil fuels and purchased power costs from using renewable energy.

It took the PRC more than 17 months to issue the rule. Commissioners Jason Marks and Douglas Howe were determined to put the issue to a vote before they left office but needed one more vote to get the rules heard. That vote came from Commissioner Theresa Becenti-Aguilar.

The decision provides greater certainty for renewable energy companies seeking to grow their business. The Commission voted to keep NM’s solar diversity target at 20 percent.

Several interveners–including Attorney General Gary King and NM Industrial Energy Consumers had advocated for reducing or eliminating solar in the renewable energy mix.

The Commission also decided: • to increase the wind diversity target to 30 percent and reduce the “other target category for biofuels, geothermal and biomass from 10 percent to 5 percent.

• to keep the Reasonable Cost Threshold at 3 percent for 2013 through 2015.

• to require utilities to account for savings from avoided fuel and purchased power costs.

“Maintaining the current mix of renewable energy is important in that it allows consumers to participate in renewable energy power generation and allows the renewable energy industry to create local NM jobs,” according to Odes Armijo-Castor, Chief Operating Officer for Sacred Power, a Native American owned utility-scaled solar provider in NM. “Commissioner Becenti Aguilar articulated it best when she described this vote as a vote for economic development in our state,” said Allan Oliver, CEO of the NM Green Chamber of Commerce. The NMGCC spearheaded efforts to get the rules heard and generated hundreds of signatures from businesses that support clean energy in NM.

Schott Solar Plant Deal Falls Through

In September, McCune Solar Works announced that it would be taking over the Schott Solar plant at Mesa Del Sol in Albuquerque and hiring 130 of the 200 workers that had been laid-off last year.

Drought in the Southwest: The Outlook Every farmer and rancher seem to agree that assumptions about what the weather will be in any particular season no longer serve as a guide for planting, irrigating and harvesting.

Recent studies indicate that we may be entering a period of severe drought.

Other workshops: Managing drought; Chickens; Pests and Diseases; Pollinator Habitat; The EQIP Program; Avians; Top Bar Bees; IPM for Rodents; Herbal Products; Produce Buyers: What They Want; Livestock Disease; Favorite Vegetable Varieties; Nematodes and Biofumigation; Nuts; Home-based Canning; Storing; Pollinator Conservation Strategies; Organic Inspections; Acequias; Cover Crops; Organic Weed Management; Technology for Farmers; Goats; Alternative Health Care for Ruminants; Successful Season Extension; Fruit Production; Preparing for Food Safety Regulation.

The conference is sponsored by Farm to Table, the NM Department of Agriculture and the NMSU Cooperative Extension Service. For more information, call 505.473.1004 x10, visit www.farmtotablenm.org or find conference brochures at La Montañita Co-op in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Amendment to Label Genetically Engineered Food in NM Filed

State Sen. Peter Wirth has pre-filed a proposed amendment to the NM Food Act to require the labeling of genetically engineered food and feed. The amendment (SB 18) was drafted with the support from the consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch (www.foodandwaterwatch.org) and is strongly supported by many national and local organizations and individuals, including food cooperatives, organic farmers, environmentalists and food justice proponents.

“New Mexicans deserve the right to know what’s in the food they are eating and feeding to their families,” said Sen. Wirth. “Labeling GE foods will empower consumers with basic information to help them decide for themselves the types of food they want to buy.”

GE foods have not been tested for long-term impacts on human and environmental health and safety. Over forty countries have mandatory GE food labels, including Japan, China and Russia. “We need the research of genetic engineering to be expanded beyond the companies who own the seeds and stand to profit, and labeling will allow this to happen,” said Eleanor Bravo, of Food & Water Watch NM.

However, late last month CEO Chuck McCune stated that his negotiations with Schott had broken down and that he and his investors are looking at other New Mexico locations. “Our plan is not dependent on acquiring the Schott facility,” McCune says. McCune also has a nonprofit organization, the Prizm Foundation, which has worked in Haiti and provided job training assistance in New Mexico.

The amendment would change the law to include a label on genetically modified food and feed products that are composed of more than 1 percent GE material.

Since most processed foods and feed products contain some derivative of GE corn, soybean or cotton, they would need to be labeled, as would foods that include alfalfa, canola, papaya, squash and sugar beet.

Navajo Nation to Take Over Coal Mine

2013 Sustainable Santa Fe Awards Nominations

BHP New Mexico Coal is San Juan County’s largest private employer. The tribe says that the deal will preserve 800 jobs at the mine and nearby power plant, which is operated by Arizona Public Service Co. APS plans to decommission three of the plant’s five units by spring of 2013. The 2,100-megawatt power plant is a key supplier of the West’s electricity.

Nominations will be accepted until March 15. A link to the nomination form can be found at www.santafenm.gov.

An Australian company that has owned the Navajo Mine southwest of Farmington, NM since 1963 has reached a preliminary agreement to sell the mine to the Navajo Nation. The tribe hopes to take ownership the 33,000-acre coalmine from BHP Billiton in June, though BHP will continue to operate it through July 2016. The mine produces about eight million tons of coal per year, and is the sole supplier of the Four Corners Power Plant.

The agreement comes at a time of a sharp decline in coal production due to economic and regulatory pressures. A Navajo tribal spokesman has said that controlling its own coal could open the door to shipping coal to China or to reviving the stalled Desert Rock Energy Project, a project that some Navajos and environmental groups have opposed.

NM Organic Farming Conference February 15-16

Join organic producers, researchers and those who help move food from farm to fork for this popular annual conference at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid on Feb. 15-16. The event will offer practical information for farmers, ranchers and market gardeners on a wide range of topics. In addition to the keynote address, “On Pollinators” by Mace Vaughn of the Xeres Society, 36 workshop sessions will cover a wide range of topics. A few highlights: Low-Stress Livestock Handling Dr. Temple Grandin will present a discussion of low-stress livestock handling.

Grandin is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University.

She is also a best-selling author and a consultant on animal behavior.

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Award nominations are being sought for the 2013 Sustainable Santa Fe Awards and Sustainable School Awards for projects that either were launched, completed or had a significant milestone in the 2012 calendar year. The purpose of the awards is to recognize model projects that are helping Santa Fe reduce its ecological footprint, mitigate carbon emissions and build resilience in the face of climate change in accordance with the Sustainable Santa Fe Plan.

The Sustainable Santa Fe Awards will be given in a wide range of sustainability areas, including these types of projects: Renewable Energy or Energy Conservation; Water Conservation; Low-Carbon Transportation; Green Building; Ecological or Other Climate-Change Adaptation; Solid Waste Reduction; Food System; Youthled Sustainable Initiative; Community Outreach; Sustainability Journalism; Environmental Justice; Green Economic Development; and Other (an outstanding project not covered under the other categories).

Sustainable School Awards are non-competitive awards recognizing school-based projects that engage students in the reduction of a school’s impact on the environment.

Public, private and charter schools may apply. Awards will be given in the nine Sustainable Schools Pathways, and schools are being encouraged to pursue projects in each category. The categories are: Water; Waste and Consumption; Energy; Transportation; Food; School Grounds & Outdoor Habitats; Health; Global Dimensions; and Climate Change.

The 2013 Sustainable Santa Fe Awards are sponsored by the city of Santa Fe’s Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Fe Public Schools. Award winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on the evening of April 27th at the Eldorado Hotel.

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What's Going On! Events / Announcements

Jan. 31-March 14, Every Th. from 3:30-5 pm La Montañita Co-op Veteran Farmer Project 2013 NMSU ABQ Campus, 4501 Indian School Rd. NE, Rm. G106

ALBUQUERQUE January and February Retrofitting Commercial Buildings for Water and Energy Efficiency

Certificate course offered by UNM’s Division of Continuing Education in partnership with Global Energy. Designed for building and facility managers, building owners, contractors, engineers, architects and the trades that support them. How to analyze a building and its systems, how to identify the best savings opportunities, how to write a retrofit plan. Free to most trainees.

For eligibility and enrollment, contact Julie Kare: 505.277.2382 or jkare@unm.edu

Through Feb. 2013 100 Years of State & Federal Policy: Its Impact on Pueblo Nations Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Exhibition reflects on the human experience behind enacted policies and laws, adding to a well-documented history of Pueblo resilience since the time of Emergence.

Indianpueblo.org/100years

Jan. 2, 11:30 am-1 pm US Green Building Council-NM IPCC, 2401 12th St. NW

Monthly luncheon meeting. LEED strategies and Initiatives by Nicole Seguin of Nrs-Ting Consulting LLC. $25 USGBC members, $18 emerging green builders, $30 others. Info/ Registration: www.usgbcnm.org

Jan. 9, 9-10:30 am Agriculture Collaborative Meeting Mid-Region Council of Governments of NM, 809 Copper NW

Topic: Marketing for Local Growers.

505.724.3617, asimon@mrcog-nm.gov

Jan. 9, 5:30-7:30 pm Green Drinks Hotel Andaluz, 125 Second St. NW

Networking event for people interested in local business, clean energy and other green issues. 505.244.3700, stacy@nmgreenchamber. com, http:/www.greendrinks.org/NM/ABQ

Jan. 15, 7-11:30 am 8th Annual Economic Outlook Conference Crowne Plaza Hotel 1901 University Blvd. NE

A morning devoted to the latest information concerning the US and NM economies. Recent history, current state and future paths of each of these economies will provide the business owner or executive with relevant information for the coming year. Cost: starting at $55. Info/Registration: 505.348.8326, w w w. b i z j o u r n a l s . c o m / a l b u q u e r q u e / special/2013/EconomicOutlook

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These courses provide technical and business planning resources to new and experienced farmers growing diverse produce at a small scale. All veterans, active service and National Guard are welcome to come to these free farming and gardening classes.

Rides available. Contact Robin Seydel at 505.217.2027, toll free: 877.775.2667 or email robins@lamontanita.coop or contact John Shields at the VA at 505.256.6499, ext.

5638 or email John.Shields2@va.gov

February 15-16 NM Organic Farming Conference Mariott Albquerque Pyramid North

A gathering of organic producers, researchers and those who help move food from farm to fork. Presented by Farm-to-Table (www. farmtotablenm.org), NM Dept. of Agriculture (www.nmda.nmsu.edu), NMSU Cooperative Extension Service (www.aces.nmsu. edu). Registration: $100 (2-days) or $65 (one-day). Info: 505.473.1004, ext. 10 (Santa Fe); 505.889.9921 (Albuquerque)

Feb. 28, March 1 Land Ethic Leaders Workshop Bachechi Environmental Education Center, 9521 Río Grande Blvd. NW

Building leaders, connecting to nature and each other, recognizing common values across divides. Presented by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and the McCune Foundation. Registration: $200. Info/Registration: www.aldoleopold.org/Programs/lel.shtml or 608.355.0279, ext. 28, anna@aldoleopold.org

April 5-6 Beyond Pesticides: 31st National Pesticide Forum

“Sustainable Families, Farms and Food: Resilient Communities through Organic Practices.” Co-sponsored by UNM Sustainability Program, Beyond Pesticides and La Montañita Co-op. Info: www.beyondpesticides. org/forum or contact Robin Seydel: robins@ lamontanita.coop

Daily Degrees of Change: NM’s Climate Forecast NM Museum of Natural History & Science, 1801 Mountain Rd. NW

With a focus on NM and the SW, this exhibit reveals current and predicted impacts on humans, landscapes and ecosystems. Tickets: $7, $6, $4. Info: 505.841.2800, www.nmnaturalhistory.org

Xeriscape Guide Available

A comprehensive list of plants and trees best suited to the climate and soil of the Middle Río Grande region including the East Mountains. Revised by landscape designer Judith Phillips. How-to info on garden planting, plant selection efficient irrigation, rainwater harvesting, xeriscape basics, etc. Available at local libraries, nurseries, home garden centers and community centers or by calling 505.245.3133. More info: 505.768.3655.

Green Fire Times • January 2013

Southwest Barter Club

Healthcare using Barter Bucks instead of cash or insurance. Access to acupuncture, chiropractic, eye care, fitness and more.

505.715.2889, www.southwestbarterclub.com

Beneficial Farms CSA

Weekly distribution at La Montañita Co-op Warehouse, 3361 Columbia Dr. NE. This CSA works with up to 40 regional farms each year, and offers abundant, affordable shares of fresh fruit and vegetables and other local and regionally produced foods year round.

All produce is grown with sustainable chemical-free methods.

SANTA FE Jan. 2 5:30-7 PM Santa Fe Green Drinks BODY of Santa Fe, 333 W. Córdova

Informal networking event for people interested in local business, clean energy and other green issues. A mixture of people from businesses, NGOs, academia and government. Find employment, make friends, hear presentations, develop new ideas. Meets the first Wednesday of every month at different locations. Hosted by the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce. Info: 505.428.9123 or Glenn@nmgreenchamber.com

Jan. 5, 10 am-12 pm Citizens Climate Lobby Joe’s Diner, 2801 Rodeo Rd..

Monthly meeting, first Saturday of every month. Help create the political will for a stable climate. 10-11 am: discussion of local actions; 11 am-12 pm: Citizens Climate Lobby conference call with guest speaker Dr. Robb Willer. Info: 505.570.7586 or maria@ myearthprints.com

Jan. 7, 6 pm Shifting Baselines Exhibition Opening SF Art Institute

Gallery talk and exhibition opening for residency project curated by Patricia Watts. Portrays the shift over time in the expectation of what a healthy ecosystem looks like. Opening $10. Exhibition through Jan. 25 (M-F): free. www.sfai.org/index2.html

Jan. 8, 3-5 pm Eldorado/285 Recycles Eldorado

Eldorado area recycling advocacy group monthly meeting. All welcome. Info: 505.570.0583, joseigner@gmail.com

Jan. 11, 7-9 pm Sustainable Tourism Lecture SF Community College, Jemez Room

Public lecture by Daniel Mirabal and María Boccalandro. $10. Workshop on Jan. 12-13.

505.819.3828, www.carboneconomyseries.com

Jan. 12-13 Responsible Models for Tourism and Development Workshop SF Community College, Jemez Room

Sustainable tourism, global trends and strategies for how services and products can meet the triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.

Presented by urban planner Daniel Mirabal and sustainability project coordinator María Boccalandro. One day: $175; Both days: $300.

505.819.3828, www.carboneconomyseries.com

Jan. 15 Children and Youth Day NM Legislature – State Capitol

The NM Forum for Youth will host youth from across the state to give young leaders a chance to see how they can make their voice heard. Info: moneka@nmforumforyouth.org

Jan 16, 5:30-6:30 pm Railyard Explorations: History, Culture and the Santa Fe Railyard Railyard Park Community Room

Enrique Lamadrid will discuss Nuevo México and the Coming of the Railroad: Dreams of Steam and Nightmares of Getting Left Behind. Free. Info: 505.316.3596 or info@ railyardpark.org, www.railyardpark.org/ events-calendar

Jan. 16, 6:30-9 pm Drawing from Experience Academy for the Love of Learning, Seton Village A free evening of exploration in interactive art making with Academy faculty Chrissie Orr and Jessica Lawless. RSVP to programs@ aloveoflearning.org or 505.995.1860. www. aloveoflearning.org

Jan. 17, 8:30-11 am NM Angels Women’s Entrepreneurial Education Workshop SF Business Incubator 3900 Paseo del Sol

Learn from industry experts how to ensure your company stands out in the marketplace and how to define your strategic advantages.

Having the right business model and learn how to build a finance team. $25. RSVP: www.nmangels.com/events

Jan. 19, 1-3 pm “Food Justice” for Thought Warehouse 21, 1614 Paseo de Peralta

A free, open and thought-provoking community dialogue with NM food lovers and activists. Support GE food labeling and other sustainable food initiatives in the January-March NM legislative session. Info: RioGrandeFoodRevolution@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/events/400708063341354

January 19-20, 2013 Art and Social Transformation Intensive SF Art Institute

A two-day workshop exploring best practices in planning and leading community engagement through creative and artistic practices.

Intended for artists, organizations, cultural workers and community members. Facilitated by Molly Sturges and Chris Jonas.

Presented by Littleglobe and the SF Art Institute. $125 sliding scale. 505.424.5050, ckosak@sfai.org

Jan. 21, 8 am-12 pm NM Local Food Day NM Legislature – State Capitol

Join Farm to Table and many others at the 2013 Legislature in support of local foods and products. If you are interested in participating, contact Kathleen González at Kathleen@farmtotablenm.org

Jan. 21-Feb. 13, 5:30-8 pm Business Development

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Workshop Series WESST Enterprise Center 3900 Paseo del Sol #361

Eight 2 ½ hour sessions offering start-ups and existing businesses expert guidance in starting smart and planning for growth. $159 for the entire series. Info: 505.474.6556, rperea@wesst.org

Jan. 24 Local Food Feast El Piatto, 95 W. Marcy St.

Celebrate local food and break bread with your farmers. A benefit for the Farm to Restaurant program. Info/tickets: 505.818.3518, www.farmtotablenm.org

Feb. 2, 10 am-12 pm Pinon and Juniper Ecosystem ½-mile N. of Cerrillos on County Road 59

What at first glance may appear to be barren hillsides and washed-out gullies is actually home to a surprising diversity of plant and animal life. Join Park Manager Sarah Wood for a look. Free. Parking: $5 per vehicle. Info: 505.474.0196, www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ SPD/cerrilloshillsstatepark.html

Feb. 6 School Nutrition Day NM Legislature – State Capitol

Join the NM School Nutrition Association and others for a celebration of our school meal programs and nutritional education programs in our schools

Feb. 7, 5:30-6:30 pm The Historic Ties between the Jicarilla Apache and Santa Fe Railyard Park Community Room

A presentation by Dr. Veronica Tiller. Free.

Info: 505.316.3596 or info@railyardpark. org, www.railyardpark.org/events-calendar

Feb. 8 COAL, A Musical The Lensic

A staged reading, inviting wisdom, heart and courage into the story of climate change.

Presented by Littleglobe Center for Community Engagement. Tickets: $10. www. coalmusical.com/COAL.html

Feb. 9, 10 am-12 pm Animal Superpowers ½-mile N. of Cerrillos on County Road 59

Explore the link between superheroes and wildlife. Learn about animal adaptations and how they are the basis for comic book superpowers. Free. Parking: $5 per vehicle. Info: 505.474.0196, www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ SPD/cerrilloshillsstatepark.html

Feb. 19, 6 pm New Mexico AgFest SF Convention Center

An opportunity for legislators to learn about NM agriculture. AgFest was created over 20 years ago by the NM Farm and Livestock Bureau for producers and agricultural groups to mix and mingle with legislators in a relaxed atmosphere. Approximately 800 people attend annually. There will be 45 agri-producer and educational organization booths. Tickets limited. For info, contact Benjamin Segovia: benjiesegovia@nmfarmbureau.org

www.GreenFireTimes.com

Feb. 20 James Hansen The Lensic

Climate scientist Hansen will present the latest climate information and the movement for the revenue-neutral carbon tax.

505.988.1234, www.ticketssantafe.org

Feb. 20, 12-1:30 pm Westward Ho! Lives and Diaries of Women Going West NM History Museum 113 Lincoln Ave.

Brainpower & Brownbags lecture. VanAnn Moore recreates historical characters.

Enter through Washington Ave. doors. You can bring a lunch. Free. 505.476.5100

Feb. 21, 6:30-8:30 pm Beyond “Normal”: Why “School Smarts” Isn’t the Only Way to Measure Intelligence The May Center for Learning, 460 St. Michael’s Dr., Ste. 603

Come discuss your interpretation of “normal” when talking about student achievement. Community members invited.

505.423.2384, www.maycenter.org

Tuesdays and Saturdays, 8 am-1 pm Santa Fe Farmers’ Market 1607 Paseo de Peralta (& Guadalupe)

Northern NM farmers & ranchers bring you fresh greenhouse tomatoes, greens, root veggies, cheese, teas, herbs, spices, honey, baked goods, Southwestern body care and much more.

Sundays, 10 am-4 pm Railyard Artisan Market Farmers’ Market Pavilion, 1607 Paseo de Peralta

Live music, food and over 30 artists. www. artmarketsantafe.com

Saturdays, Approx. 2 pm Meet Your Farmer Joe’s Dining, Rodeo & Zia

A lunch experience. An opportunity to ask questions about farming, enjoy a local meal and meet farmers who grow NM foods. Vendors from the farmers’ market have an aftermarket lunch and meet the community. Info: Sheila@joesdining.com

Saturdays, 4 pm Unicopia Green Radio KTRC - 1260 am

A weekly show with Faren Dancer. Our culture is requiring a major shift in how we relate to the Earth. Our fossil fuel-based economy is poised for transition to a renewable future. Each show explores the issues, politics, science, and the evolution of consciousness impacting the balancing of life on our planet.

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

Designing Your Well-Lived Future Workshops

Are you a single, working parent or retiring Boomer looking for community and a simpler, walkable lifestyle? Join a series of planning/design sessions aimed at developing floor plans, shared amenities and clus-

ter possibilities where residents get more from sustainable designs. Tour a cohousing community and develop ideas of alternatives to current suburban choices. For more info, contact Brian Skeele: 505.310.1797, brianvida@nm.net or visit www.sustainablesantafe.com

7th Edition of “Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area”

Features 56 destinations, new reconfigured hikes with maps and photos, safety tips, resource guide. Available in local bookstores.

Unwanted Mail and Phone Books

Opt-out of unwanted phone books, catalogs, credit card solicitations. Free service will help SF shed thousands of pounds of waste and dollars in costs. http://santafe/catalogchoice.org

Borrow a Kill-A-Watt Device

Main Library and Southside Branch Electricity Measuring Devices may be checked out for 28 days www.santafelibrary.org or call any reference desk.

Save A Ton Recycling Campaign

The city of Santa Fe and the SF New Mexican have launched a campaign to double recycling in Santa Fe in one year. Santa Feans score way below state and national averages.

For a city with its own recycling facility that envisions becoming a Zero Waste community, we can do better! Find info on the Save A Ton campaign at www.sfnewmexican.com and click on Green Line or on Facebook.

505.955.2209

Sustainable Growth Management Plan for SF County

Hard copies $20, CDs $2. Contact Melissa Holmes, 505.995.2717 or msholmes@ santafecounty.org. The SGMP is also available on the county website: www. santafecounty.org/growth_management/ sgmp and can be reviewed at SF Public libraries and the County Administrative Building, 102 Grant Ave.

HERE & THERE Jan. 23-26 Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference Little Rock, Arkansas

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s annual conference focuses on practical tools and solutions to build the necessary bridges between farmers, marketers, ag professionals and local food system advocates. Info: www.ssawg.org/January2013-conference/

Feb. 9, 10 am-4 pm Sustainable Homes Tour Las Vegas, NM

Self-guided tour sponsored by Sustainable Las Vegas highlights a passive solar residence, photovoltaic arrays, a geothermal heating and cooling system, domestic water heating, energy efficiency measures including LED lighting, and financing options. Experts will be on hand to explain systems. For info, contact Emelie Olson: 505.454.3920, eolson@ desertgate.com, www.nmsea.org/Chapters/ Las_Vegas.phpwww.synergyfest.com

March 1-3 Organic Beekeepers Meeting Oracle, Arizona

Topics to be covered: breeding, field management, microbial conditions in the hive, top-bar beekeeping, warre hives, apitherapy, mead-making and more. Contact Dee Lusby: 520.398.2474

March 2-3 Global Acequia Symposium Convention Center, Las Cruces, NM

“Acequias and the Future of Resilience in Global Perspective” Project partners include NMSU, UNM, Sandia Laboratories and the NM Acequia Association. Info: 505.995.9644

Llama Rescue Adventure Raffle

Contribute funds for unwanted or abandoned llamas. Only 100 tickets available. $100 donation. Win a 5-day/4-night Taos Adventure Vacation Package (value: over $2,000) that includes 3-day llama trekking, 1-night stay at the Taos Inn, 1-night stay at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort/Spa. Drawing on Jan. 15. 800.758.LAMA, www.

LlamaAdventures.com/llama-rescue.html

The Home Farming Revolution for Drylands

New book by Zoe Wilcox and Melanie Rubin is now available. A step-by-step guide to help you convert any plot of land into a microfarm. Email info@homefarmingrevolution. com or visit www.homefarmingrevolution. com to download the book’s introduction for free. Available at Bookworks in Albuquerque and online.

Incubating NM Rural Food Producers

Free one-year project aimed at helping small food producers looking to expand. USDA and South Valley Economic Development Center have partnered to help small food producers in NM gain access to larger markets, received business training and assistance. Benefits of the program include: Access to SVEDC partners in areas such as marketing, distribution, micro-lending and business assistance; Access to SVEDC retail buyers such as Whole Foods, John Brooks and more. For info, contact Brandom@ svedc.org, 505.301.3689. www.svedc.org

Veterans Green Jobs Academy Northern NM College, Española

Workforce training and specific degree programs to support military veterans in fully accredited academic certificate and degree programs in areas of environmental science related to renewable energy, hazardous materials response, forestry, sustainable agriculture, wildland fire science, construction trades and others. A partnership with the NM Dept. of Veterans Services. For more info, call Dr. Biggs at 505.747.5453 or visit www.nnmc.edu/vetacademy.htm.

NM Green Chamber of Commerce

The NM Green Chamber of Commerce, with chapters around the state, has a business directory that is a great resource for conscious consumers looking for locally owned and environmentally friendly businesses in their area. Contribute to a sustainable future by supporting businesses in your city/town that are striving to be leaders in green business practices. Info: 505.859.3433, info@nmgreenchamber.com, http://nmgreenchamber. com/members?page=2

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Green Fire Times • January 2013

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