AFSC Statewide New Mexico Farmer Gathering 2020 Angelina Lopez-Brody / AFSC
“The best part is always seeing familiar faces and connecting with many new people.”
That was the sentiment of one of many small-scale family farmers from around New Mexico, including three tribes, who came together recently at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque to participate in the 8th annual AFSC Farmer Gathering.
The purpose of the gathering is to create a space for farmers to learn from each other about their sustainable agricultural practices, build relationships and find ways to cooperatively work together to feed our communities. The multicultural gathering brought together new farmers in their 20’s with seasoned farmers in their 70’s, and every age in between.
Year after year farmers tell us their favorite part of the gathering is being able to share photographs of their farms and discuss their growing season. Hearing each other’s challenges is one of the things farmers appreciate the most as they realize the common difficulties they have. They troubleshoot issues like drought, grasshopper infestations, and climate change—and ask each other about the best places to get chicken manure or the best prices for product liability insurance.
photo: Sayrah Namaste
A panel of farmers and a teacher from the Native American Community Academy reflected on their experience with a pilot project AFSC started last year called the Great Carrot Crunch. The campaign connected local farmers with young children in preschool and HeadStart programs to get them to eat a carrot.
An enthusiastic conversation followed the panel with farmers wanting to expand the pilot project in 2020, adding new crops. Now AFSC is working with them to create a Terrific Turnip Tasting and a Cherry Tomato Chomp along with a 2020 Great Carrot Crunch Campaign. Stay tuned as kids keep eating what these small farmers keep growing.
Many of the farmers at the Gathering sound like poets as they share the lineage of traditional farming in their families going back centuries, the teachings of their elders about caring for seeds and for the land, and the visions they hold for the future. This year the oldest farmer stood in front of the circle and offered this powerful prayer:
Plant 3 rows of peas:
Peas of mind
Peas of heart
Peas of soul
Plant 4 rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
Plant 4 rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce by patient
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce really love one another
No garden is without turnips
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
A garden must also have thyme:
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
For more information or to get involved, contact Sayrah at SNamaste@afsc.org.