Family Promise Founder to Speak at Grand Opening of New Day Center in Albuquerque

Karen Olson, the founder of Family Promise, is the featured speaker at the grand opening of the new home for the organizations Albuquerque affiliate on Sunday, November 1, 2015, at  3:00 p.m. You are invited to come hear her amazing story and to celebrate Family Promise of Albuquerques new space and expansion at 808 Edith Blvd NE (map).  For more information, call 505-268-0331.

Below is a speech that Ms. Olson gave at the  University of Arkansas Clinton School of Service in May of 2011. 

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Rev Scott Anderson to Keynote New Mexico Conference of Churches event on Oct 24

My ecumenical vocation began when I helped organize a CROP walk as a high school junior. That experience gave me a larger vision of the church beyond our denominational tribalism. Jesus’ prayer for his disciples ‘that all may be one’ (John 17:11) defines ecumenism as both gift and task.   -Rev. Scott D. Anderson

Rev. Scott  Anderson, executive director of the Wisconsin Conference of Churches since 2003, will be the keynote speaker at day-long event sponsored the New Mexico Conference of Churches. The event will be held at St. Johns United Methodist Church,  2626 Arizona NE (map), Albuquerque, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 9:00-3:00 p.m.

Rev. Andersons work in Wisconsin is focused on strengthening the public policy witness of the Council and initiating a new area of ministry focused on equipping congregations to engage the mission field that is now at their doorstep. See his full biography

His talk in Albuquerque is part of the NMMCs Congregational Vitality Series. In addition to a keynote address by Rev. Anderson, the program will feature large group presentations and small group discussions about the practical "nuts and bolts" in our community.  The cost is $35 (includes lunch)

And Rev. Anderson will be on hand Friday for an NMCC fundraiser and open house. He will  discuss the Wisconsin Council of Churches project with Parker Palmer, “Season of Civility.”  This event will take place at the New Mexico Conference of Churches office, 1019 2nd St. NW (map). The cost  is $50.00

Click on this link to purchase your tickets online for either the Friday fundraiser or Saturdays event or both.

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Documentary Follows Refugee Students at New York City Summer Program

A new documentary, Refugee Kids: One Small School Takes On the World, made its debut in many communities around the U.S. this fall. The documentary, by award-winning filmmakers Renée Silverman and Peter Miller, follows students at a New York City summer program for children seeking asylum from the world’s most volatile conflicts.  Below is a trailer, followed by more information.


from Renee Silverman on Vimeo.

The film presents an intimate, emotionally gripping account of the students’ stories of escaping war and conflict and resettling in America, chronicling their triumphs and setbacks as their lives unfold over the course of one formative summer. Refugee Kids humanizes complex geopolitics and depict the challenges and urgency of immigration to America in an increasingly dangerous – and interconnected – world.

To find out if the film is showing in your community or if your group or coalition wants to help bring the documentary to your city or town in the near future, contact Kari Steeves (kari@refugeekidsfilm.com). No showings are yet scheduled in New Mexico,

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Urge the New Mexico State Legislature to Increase the SNAP Supplement to 30

Photo: Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM

The short (30-day) session of the New Mexico State Legislature is generally about budget and money matters. And there is an important budget issue that could help alleviate hunger in New Mexico: an opportunity to increase the SNAP supplement that seniors and many people with disabilities receive to $30. 

Background: This state program, which uses an appropriation from the General Fund, was created in 2007 to supplement the minimum amount from SNAP ($16 per month) that many seniors and people with disabilities receive to $25. In March 2009, funding was appropriated to increase the $16 minimum to $30 per month. Due to budget constraints, the minimum amount was decreased to $25 on January 1, 2011.

Senate and House Committees are Important
There are proposals in the 2016 session to increase the amount back to $30. To bring the State SNAP supplement back up to $30, an appropriation of $400,000 is required. The Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations and Finance Committee play a key role in this decision. If your representative or senator is on one of the two committees, please take a moment to send him or her an e-mail urging them to appropriate $400,000 to SNAP state supplement program so that the minimum amount received could be $30. (There is a willingness to increase the supplement. Even Gov. Susana Martinezs budget proposal includes funding to raise the supplement to $28).

We can contact our own legislators about this issue, but the members are those two committees are key in this effort.  "It is especially important if folks can contact their own legislators, particularly if they are members of either of these committees," said Ruth Hoffman, director of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico, which provided information for this post. Follow this link to find out who represents you in the State House and Senate.

Senate Finance Committee (links have contct info): Sens. John Arthur Smith (chair), Carlos Cisneros (vice chair), Sue Wilson Beffort (Ranking Minority Member), William F. Burt, Pete Campos, Carroll H. Leavell, Howie C. Morales, George K. Muñoz, Steven P. Neville,  and Nancy Rodriguez.

House Appropriations and Finance Committee: Reps. Larry A. Larrañaga (chair), Paul C. Bandy (vice chair),  Jimmie C. Hall (deputy chair), Sharon Clahchischilliage, Doreen Y. Gallegos, Stephanie Garcia Richard, Conrad James, Patricia A. Lundstrom, Sarah Maestas Barnes, Dennis J. Roch, Nick L. Salazar, Tomás E. Salazar, Jeff Steinborn, Christine Trujillo, Luciano "Lucky" Varela, Monica Youngblood, and John L. Zimmerman. 

The two committees have already been meeting ahead of the full session, which begins on Tuesday, January 19.

Here are some talking points:

• Increase the State SNAP Supplement to $30
• Because of the way income is counted under the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), many seniors and people with disabilities are eligible to receive only $16 per month in federal SNAP assistance.
• Over 11,000 of New Mexicos seniors and people living with disabilities now receive this much-needed benefit.
• Funding to increase the minimum amount received to $28 was included in the Governor’s 2017 budget recommendation.

It may not seem like much but an additional $5 can buy:

• 2 loaves of whole wheat bread
• 2 dozen eggs
• About 3 lbs of chicken
• About 4 lbs of apples
• At least a gallon of milk

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Interfaith Hunger Coalition Participates in End Hunger in New Mexico Summit

The Interfaith Hunger Coalition was present at the End Hunger in New Mexico summit this past Wednesday and Thursday.  Ellen Buelow (Holy Rosary Catholic Community) led a workshop  with the help of Judy Messal (All Saints Lutheran Church) and Kathy Freeze (Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico). The workshop presented the history, goals and mission statement of the IFC as well as some data on hunger in New Mexico (courtesy of our partner New Mexico Voices for Children.

While most of our work has been in Albuquerque, many of the participants in the workshop were from communities elsewhere in New Mexico, including Roswell, Ruidoso, Cloudcroft and the Navajo Nation. In addition to learning about the IHC, participants shared their experiences and challenges working with people who are vulnerable to hunger.  For the members of the Chaves County  J.O.Y. Centers (pictured at left), a main concern was hunger among seniors.

 We also had a display table coordinated by Bert Scott (Central
United Methodist Church). Most of the materials for the display were designed by Jeanne Elmhorst (Albuquerque Mennonite Church).  Many people volunteered to staff the table, including Joy Dinaro (Immaculate Conception Catholic Church) and Ian Wood (Archdiocese of Santa Fe), pictured at left, Carole Everton (Holy Rosary Catholic Community), Kathryn Arndt (Community of Hope) and others . We hope that our presence at the summit allowed more people to know about us, which is an important step in the growth of our coalition.

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A Short Video from the New Mexico Faith Coalition on Immigrant Justice

Archbishop John Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe has scheduled an immigration symposium at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Wednesday (tomorrow) evening.  The audience will almost certainly include members of the New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which put together this short but powerful video with a message from an immigrant family.

A full version of the video will be shown at the Circo for the Community fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, which benefit the NMFCIJ as well as New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light, the New Mexico Conference of Churches, La Mesa Arts Academy and the Albuquerque Aerialist Collective.  (We posted a video from the NMFCIJ earlier this week).Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on the NMCC site or at the door (you can write a check for any of these organizations). The cost of the ticket includes dinner and a reception.

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Fourth Annual New Mexico Food and Farms Day Scheduled for Wednesday February 3 in Santa Fe

The New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council invites you to the Fourth Annual New Mexico Food and Farms Day at the State Capital.  The event is held in conjunction with  New Mexico School Nutrition Day, Cooking With Kids Day and the New Mexico Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Day at the Legislature.

"New Mexico has a vibrant food and farming culture that is significant to our rural economy and provides employment opportunities on farm; in direct, wholesale, and retail opportunities; in food processing, distribution, value-added businesses," said Pam Roy, coordinator of the NMFAC and Farm to Table.

"As a broad based group of partners and participants, were highlighting the Farm to School movement in New Mexico and the many schools that buy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers, school food service who care about providing meals with New Mexico grown produce, and most important, students who learn to incorporate fresh produce in their diets and enjoy experiential learning through programs like Cooking with Kids, Kids Cook, school gardens and more," added Roy. "Our children have the opportunity to enjoy New Mexico grown fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals and snack programs."

The day will include:
8:00 - 9:00am
Education Through Advocacy, room 324 at the State Capital - Participants will get a brief overview of the New Mexico legislative process before launching into a morning of fast paced activities. By Invite Only

8:30 - 11:00am
In the East Wing of the Capital (next to the Rotunda), organizations and agencies will share information and educate the public about their programs and their relationship to each other and the goals and purpose of the Day and beyond.

9:00 - 9:45am
Celebrate the 1st Annual Farm to School Award Ceremony and Press Conference. At the Rotunda, this special awards ceremony will recognize key individuals and their organizations for their work in creating educational programs in schools for children to learn about the world of food and gardening; food service and food entrepreneurs who have, through innovation and policy, changed the rules to be able to partner with local farmers to buy the freshest local produce for school meals; and, farmers who have been on the front lines for change by building partnerships with schools to purchase locally grown produce and paving the path for others. This will be the first on many occasions to honor leaders, risk takers, innovators, and believers.

10:00 - 12 noon
The New Mexico Legislature will honor New Mexico Food ad Farms Day, New Mexico School Nutrition Day, and Cooking with Kids Day in both the House and Senate Chambers. Policymakers will highlight the importance of these events and most importantly will recognize individuals and organizations for their efforts in building an important aspect of food, farming, and health initiatives in New Mexico.

12:30 - 3:00pm
Round Table celebration, discussion, and next steps by all of the groups and individuals involved. We ask ourselves what we learned, how it builds relationships and coordination, and what we commit to doing moving forward. Our discussion includes providing lunch. Venue TBD (more information forthcoming)

The organizations joining in the celebration include: New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, Farm to Table, New Mexico School Nutrition Association, Siete Del Norte, Cooking with Kids, Mid Rio Grande Council of Governments, New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico Dietetics Association, New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association, Santa Fe Food Policy Council, FoodCorps, Community Outreach Patient Empowerment (COPE - a Navajo Nation Coalition and youth group NCHO), Dine Food Sovereignty Alliance, and more.

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New Seafood Blog

Aqua Farming and Seafood are two subjects I enjoy writing about. When I write about one subject it usually leads to thinking about the other. So in order to do a better job on each I decided to focus this blog on Aquaculture and Aquaponics and to use a new blog for the Seafood subjects.

The new blog is titled Health and Seafood. It is also located on blogger.com The first real post is called My Mother told me to eat fish. I hope you find it interesting, I plan to post once or more per week on it.

Expect more posts here on Aqua Farming. Thanks.

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Into new territory

After meeting a good friend for lunch today and telling her all about my latest and greatest events in my life she has insisted that I start a blog and log my journey with everyone else on the planet as a witness. What she seems so interested in was our new greenhouse and growing system that we put in.

What I have come up with was a combination of a Walipini (underground greenhouse) and an Aquaponic system. The walipini was a no brainier for us as we live out on the prairie. Wind and hail are a norm for us. All the normal greenhouses that you can buy from box stores and such are just no match for what mother nature has in store for us out here. Sure I could buy one, but a day later someone in Kansas would be happy with my new purchase! Therefore after lots of searching and research we decided that a walipini was right for us.


Our Walipini has an inner dimention of 20x36 and is 6 deep. We also added a ramp big enough for a bobcat in case we ever needed to get something big down there. Yes, we live on acreage in case you were wondering. :)

Post holes down the middle

Set the 12 4x4 posts. 3 in the ground 9 above

Added a middle beam 2x6s

12 2x4s going from middle to the sides

 The outer dimensions are 24x40 The rafters span 2 over the ground on all sides of the walipini.

I found some used doors on craigslist for $60 and 3 used small windows for $60. Also, we added some used mulch from the city to add a nice cushy layer on the bottom before we put the top on.

 For now the top on the walipini is a clear greenhouse tarp I found online at Farmtek. Great store and very helpful if you call in to chat with them about your project.

Added another 2x4 to the top of the tarp to hold in place

For the sides above the ground we used the clear poly roof material for now. It works and does what we needed it to do...let in sunlight!

We put back our wood fencing around it to add a little more protection from the wind. The top middle line only is about 3 off the ground. You cant see this unless you are close to it or in a plane.

The inside is cozy and we love it!

From start to finish this only took us about 2 weeks to put together.  All posts down the middle and sides were concreted in. We made the frames for the doors on either end. On the warmer days all windows and doors are open to allow for a draft. This last photo was taken in the AM just as the sun was coming up.


Hope you enjoy our journey as much as my friends and family have so far. It seems we are always trying and coming up with new things to try. I will post more about our Aquponics system in the next blog.

Kaydi

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Part I Aquaponics in New England

Part I of Aquaponics in New England discusses how aquaponics can supplement the offerings of traditional farming and fishing where they have limits. A PDF of the entire paper (Parts I-III) can be downloaded here, including a full list of sources referenced by footnotes.

Supplement Traditional Farming & Fishing

 

First, it is important to understand the current state of agricultural affairs in Massachusetts. After a precipitous decline in the 1960s, the number of farms in the state is now on the rise (see Figure 1). As of 2008, the state had more than 7,700 farms (including aquaculture and nurseries).¹ Many of these farms have hit on effective and profitable strategies, such as Community Supported Agriculture, farmers markets, and/or organic certification. The growth is fueled significantly by organic agriculture. Between 1997 and 2008, the number of farms in Massachusetts increased 28% while the number of organic farms increased over 3,000% (from 3 to 103).¹

Traditional Farming

Despite the growth, traditional farming has limits in Massachusetts. Whether organic or not, traditional farms have a limited growing season. Many cold hardy species...

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New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps to Host World Food Day Dinner

Mark your calendars. This great event is only about a month away!

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New FAO Aquaculture Website

Toady I had a chance to check out the new website of Aquaculture Conservation and Management Service (FIMA)FAO. Here is part of their new release

"""Wednesday, 23 May 2007
GISFish is a brand new Web site of the Aquaculture Conservation and Management Service (FIMA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and a number of collaborating institutions.

It is evident there are many opportunities to use GIS, remote sensing and mapping to improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries, but the more widespread use of these tools is impeded by a limited of awareness of their benefits and a lack of access to experience on how they can be deployed. GISFish was created to overcome these impediments. It is aimed at GIS practitioners and fisheries and aquaculture professionals in developing countries."""



Read Full Story

The new website can be accessed From This Link

The mission for this site, as well as its overriding goal, is "Solving problems in inland fisheries and aquaculture using GIS, remote sensing and mapping". Specifically, the objectives of GISFish are to:

* Improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries by promoting the use of GIS, remote sensing and mapping
* Facilitate the use of GIS, remote sensing, and mapping through easy access to comprehensive information on applications and training opportunities.

Sounds like a worthwhile mission. I am going to test run it. Ill post with more thoughts later.

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Report Examines Impact of Proposed Food Tax on Health and Hunger in New Mexico

Reinstating a tax on the sale of food for consumption at home could harm the health of New Mexicans who are already food insecure—meaning they don’t always have enough to eat. And while the revenue generated from a tax on food could be used to mitigate some of the damage the tax would do, the report finds that it is unlikely governments would spend the new revenue toward that end. -New Mexico Voices for Childrens report“A Health Impact Assessment of a Food Tax in New Mexico

There are many efforts underway to examine the relationship of health and nutrition to hunger. This week, the Bread for the World Institute published a comprehensive report on this issue, entitled The Nourishing Effect.  On Tuesday, we posted a piece about this report earlier this week.

The New Mexico Voices for Children also published a report on the same topic this week. The report, funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts, is more specific to New Mexico.  This report examines how proposals to reinstate a tax on the sale of food for consumption at home could harm the health of New Mexicans who are already food insecure. 

“When all is said and done, taxing food will hurt those New Mexicans who are already hurting the most,” said Veronica C. García, Ed.D., executive director of NM Voices. “Almost a third of our state’s children don’t get enough to eat—even with school meals, SNAP benefits and food banks. How can we, in good conscience, expect them to do with even less food?"

The report looks at three possible outcomes of a food tax: that families would maintain their current food purchasing patterns, leaving less money for other necessities such as medication and health care; that families would spend the same amount of money on food, but be able to purchase less of it (or substitute less-expensive, less-nutritious foods); and that state or local governments would collect more revenue, which could impact their spending patterns.

Health Impacts of a Food Tax on Family Economic Security: Taxing food would cost each New Mexico household around $350 per year, or $29 per month, on average. Highest-income earners in New Mexico would spend about one-half of 1 percent of their income on a food tax, while the lower half of New Mexico earners would spend around 1 percent of their income on the food tax alone—double the rate that high earners would pay. Research and calculations show that a food tax would exacerbate the tax system’s regressivity—that is it would hit low-income earners harder than it would hit high- income earners—and could harm family economic security, which could have negative impacts on mental health and stress levels, income available for other necessary purchases besides food, need and demand for public assistance, childhood development, ability to pay for health services and medicine, economic equity, and the ability to manage chronic conditions through diet.

Health Impacts of a Food Tax on Food Security, Diet, and Nutrition:Taxing food could also have an adverse impact on food security, diet, and nutrition by prompting purchases of less food or cheaper, less nutritious food. This could have important and harmful implications for health, particularly nutrition-related chronic conditions, the ability to manage chronic conditions through diet, childhood development and learning capacity, malnutrition issues, the incidence of low birth-weight and/or preterm babies, and the need and demand for food assistance from public, private, and nonprofit sources.

Health Impacts of a Food Tax on Government Spending: It is also possible that the negative health impacts of taxing food could be mitigated by how that revenue is spent. If food tax revenues lead to overall increased government spending on direct health services, food assistance and nutrition programs, programs that provide recreational opportunities, and education, then the food tax could have positive implications for health, or at the very least have no net negative implications. However, it is more likely that food tax revenue would be used to make up for decreasing revenue and so be used to maintain current service levels. Though it is possible that any increases could be spent on the programs noted above, for most program areas, it is unlikely, particularly at the municipal level.

Here are links to the executive summary and the full report

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New Mexico Conference of Churches Building Bridges

The Circo for the Community fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, will benefit five organizations, including the New Mexico Conference of Churches. Here is a preview of a full video that will be shown at the fundraiser, which will also benefit  New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light (NMIPL). La Mesa Arts Academy, the New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice (NMFCIJ) and the Albuquerque Aerialist Collective.  (We posted videos from the NMFCIJ and NMIPL in recent days).Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on the NMCC site or at the door (you can write a check for any of these organizations). The cost of the ticket includes dinner and a reception.

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Part III Aquaponics in New England

Part III of Aquaponics in New England discusses how aquaponics can fuel a significant increase in the region's food production. A PDF of the entire paper (Parts I-III) can be downloaded here, including a full list of sources referenced by footnotes. 

Help Scale Up Local Food Production

Scaling up refers to significantly increasing food production to a level well above the status quo, dramatically altering the ratio of imported to in-state/region produced food

 

Why Scale Up?

Aquaponics offers the potential to scale up local food production for Massachusetts and New England. But first, why is scaling up production important to the region? As discussed previously, locally produced food tends to produce less GHGs. It also provides an opportunity for local employment, helps to reinvest money in the state or local community, and preserves open space and rural character of the region, supporting tourism and real estate values. Local food often tastes better, too, because varieties are cultivated for their flavors. In contrast, most commercial varieties are cultivated for their ability to withstand the assault of freezing, packing, and shipping hundreds or thousands of miles.

In addition to growing demand for local food, climate change presents a major economic argument for increasing local food production. Most of the extremely high risk areas for water stress in the Tetra Tech study are in America’s major agricultural areas: the Great Plains and Southwest, including California.¹³ Globally, climate change will have an overall detrimental effect on agriculture, too.¹⁰ This means prices for imported food will...

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Fresh Produce Initiative Serves 33 Counties in New Mexico

For 15 years, the state of New Mexico has partnered with the New Mexico Association of Food Banks (NMAFB) on the Fresh Produce Initiative.  Here is more information on the scope and impact of this program. Thanks to Kathy Komoll, executive director of the NMAFB, for providing the images and the information below.
 

• The funding allows food banks to distribute fresh produce to all 33 counties, over 500 local service partners, and 70,000 New Mexicans every week. 
• The food banks belonging to the New Mexico Association of Food Banks distributed 9.7 million pounds of produce in FY 2015 or 271 semi-truck trailers. That is up from 4 million pounds in FY 2008. The network accomplished this increase by expanding its collaborative network and heightening its food rescue efforts across the state. 
• The cost last year was $0.07 per pound (not including labor and services provided by our member food banks) versus the retail comparable of $0.23 to $2.39 per pound. "At this time, no other organization in New Mexico could match our ability to acquire and distribute produce in the same way," said Komoll.
• Of the people that are served, between 30-40% are children under the age of 18, and 21% are seniors over the age of 60. 
• Those who suffer from hunger are 2.9 times more likely to experience poor health. Fresh produce provides needed nutrition to those who may be struggling with chronic health issues related to poor nutrition. 
• The NMAFB continues to work to ensure that every agency in its network that chooses to distribute fresh produce has access to fresh, healthy food. For more information, contact NMAFB Executive Director Kathy Komoll at info@nmfoodbanks.org or call 505-217-1066

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Wishes for an Abundant New Year

As the pages of the calendar turn to a new year our tendency is to wish our friends and family a Happy New Year.  And if you are in Latin America and other places around the world, the wish is for a Prosperous New Year.  Happiness and prosperity are good things to wish for our relatives, friends and acquaintances. The symbolic transition, however, gives us a great opportunity to make an alternative kind of wish: an Abundant New Year. On this day we celebrate Gods abundant love for us (Isaiah 49:15-16 and Jeremiah 31:3) and we resolve to share this abundant love with others (John 15: 9-14)

So, as 2016 begins, I wish everyone Gods abundant love in our hearts, our minds to guide us as we live our lives in the coming year.

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Offering of Letters Churches in New Mexico

TheByteMan (via OpenClipArt)

Please join us on Saturday, March 12, for our 2016 Offering of Letters workshop, at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 5301 Ponderosa NE (map) 9:30 - 12:00 Noon.

This years letter-writing campaign, entitled "Survive and Thrive," urges Congress to prioritize support for maternal and child health programs, emphasizing nutrition.

Here are the 18 churches  in New Mexico that participated in last years Offering of Letters. We are thankful to the organizers at each of the congregations and those who assisted them. (We apologize for any names we might have left out).

Albuquerque
Albuquerque Mennonite Church (Jeanne Elmhorst), All Saints Lutheran Church (Lucretia Tippit), Central United Methodist Church (Dodie Hawkins), First Congregational Church (Erik Medina), First Presbyterian Church (Kirsten Marr), Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (Rena Dragoo & Pat OMeara), La Mesa Presbyterian Church (Marlys Lesley), Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Community (Ellen Buelow), St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (Patty Emord), St. John XXIII Catholic Community (Angie Schaefer, Kate Parton, Mellie Meyer and Carlos Navarro),  St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Terese Bridges),  St. Paul Lutheran Church (Karla Ice),

 Elsewhere in New Mexico
First Presbyterian Church-Santa Fe (Jane Hanna), Peace Lutheran Church-Las Cruces  (Ellen Young), St. Johns United Methodist Church-Santa Fe (Pastor Greg Kennedy), Smith Memorial Presbyterian Church-Truchas (Mary Singleton), Westminster Presbyterian Church-Gallup (Kathy Mezoff),Westminster Presbyterian Church-Santa Fe (John Singleton and Barbara Medina),

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New On Our Reading List Critter Tales

Leigh Tates new book, Critter Tales, is out! 

In it, she chronicles her first-hand experiences with many types of livestock on her five-acre quasi-rural homestead in the southern Appalachian mountains. If you read Leighs blog, you know that she is working to maximize self-sufficiency for herself, her husband, and their animals. Most of her livestock-related posts are on goats, chickens, and more recently, bees, but the book also covers llamas, pigs, guinea fowl, guard dogs, and farm cats.  

Were regular readers of Leighs blog because she does very good research and combines that research with valuable insight from her own experiences. Were definitely looking forward to reading her new book.  

In the interest of full disclosure, were helping her promote the book partly because were hoping to win a copy.  The other part is because we dig her stuff and think you would, too.  If youre interested in winning a copy yourself, check out her announcement post for more info.

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An Action Plan for Healthier Farms and People in New Mexico

New Mexico faces a stark paradox: ranking close to the top of the list in food insecurity and child and senior hunger, while about one-quarter of our population suffers from obesity and numerous diet-related chronic diseases. Public meal programs are critical opportunities for addressing the health and well-being of New Mexicans and there is real promise for those fruits and vegetables to be provided by New Mexico growers. -from The Power of Public Procurement: An Action Plan for Healthier Farms and People in New Mexico,September 2014

Cover: Seed Art Mural, Bernalillo County Youth Detention Center
Photo Courtesy of: Jade Leyva, Curator for SEEDS:A Collective Voice Multimedia
Exhibits, Community Seed Mural Projects Co-Artist & Coordinator

Over the past week we published blog posts on the links between health and hunger from the Bread for the World Institute, New Mexico Voices for Children and and First Choice Community Health Care. An important aspect of providing healthy food to the population, particularly low-income communities, is to ensure that fruits and vegetables are available at affordable levels. The produce does not need to be trucked from California. Rather, there is an abundance locally.

A little more than a year ago (in September 2014), Farm to Table and New Mexico State University (via the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business, the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences and half a dozen agricultural extension offices) published a report that attempts to identify and understand the potential and current barriers that New Mexico farmers and New Mexico’s public institutions face when trying to sell and purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables for their respective meal programs.

The report, entitled The Power of Public Procurement: An Action Plan for Healthier Farms and People in New Mexico, recognizes that a potentially significant market exists for the sale of New Mexico grown produce to the State’s public institutions. This is particularly true for the school districts’ food service programs.

"A large, and until recently, untapped, commercial exchange may be fostered between fruit and vegetable growers and the public officials who administer the procure-ment systems of public institutions," researchers said in the executive summary of the report. "Yet, practicalities and barriers currently impede the process."

The authors of the report make a number of recommendations at various agency and inter-agency levels, placing a strong emphasis on schools, but also on senior centers, state corrections institutions, and farming and agriculture.  Read the executive summary and the full report.

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