The 2010 March edition of Green Fire Times includes the following articles: Dreaming New Mexico: Local Foodsheds & A Fair Trade State, Farmers’ Markets – The Public Face of Local Food, Improving Children’s Health and the Farming Economy, The Landrace Peppers of NM and Familia, Save NM Seeds Coalition and the Farmer Protection Act, Paternity Suits and Native New Mexican Peppers, Genetically Engineered Alfalfa in NM, Cuatro Puertas and the Arid Crop Seed Cache, Corrido del Chile Nuestro, La Guerra de los Chiles, Sostenga! The Value of our Food System, Awake to Change with Scott Pittman, North and South Come Together to Teach, My Own Garden – Compost Black Gold, Children Explore Farm Food, Newsbites, Desalination: More Issues Emerge, Toast Pancakes & Waffles: Off-Grid Design & Loads, Biofuels for World-Record Driving Attempt, What’s Going On!
40 Pages, 18,000 copies printed.

Download the 2010 March issue here!

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We are so far ahead because we are so far behind. – Ted Trujillo, Esq. Chimayo Chile Farmer

Any credible discussion involving how people relate to their food systems must include critical dialog regarding the foundations of how people establish their value for nature. These conversations should include reflection on the dichotomy between intrinsic and instrumental value, where intrinsic value is defined as having value “in itself,” or “for its own sake,” and instrumental value is defined as the value placed on a thing because of its usefulness.

It is hard to digest for some, and sometimes even incongruent to basic beliefs, that we as humans are part of an ecological system. We often overlook or refuse to acknowledge that the food systems on which we rely for our nutrition and existence lay within our natural environment.

Philosopher Lynn White Jr. wrote in his 1967 article “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis” about the consequences, both intentional and unintentional, human activity has had on the environment. As our human species progressed we developed “the science, art and business of cultivating soil, producing crops and raising livestock,” which is a widely accepted definition for agriculture. White notes the unique influences of Western culture and our relationship to science and technology, best recognized by the definitive influences of the 18th Century Industrial Revolution and the advances to “power machinery, labor-saving devices, and automation.” Over the past several centuries, industrial processes easily integrated to food systems, lessening workload, increasing yields and providing more with less effort, initially in the interest of feeding the people. In pre-historic Northern New Mexico the stone hammer, horn spoon, and Atlatle point provide evidence of early technology.

According to the Las Vegas Citizens’ Committee for Historic Preservation, the impetus for the use of the acequia (ah-say-kya) in late 18th century Spain was the desire for larger grain harvests that “resulted in bulkier revenues.” When brought to the New World, the introduction of metal expanded on the irrigation systems of the indigenous peoples – making it possible to divert water from innate water channels otherwise formed by geography to support communities. By 1905, the territory of New Mexico established an office for an Irrigation Engineer to further manage the marketable use of what became a commodity. For some, water still holds the value of community identity, sustenance, ecological integrity and spiritual meaning. For all its utility, water is still valued as sacred and the lifeblood of Northern New Mexico food systems – it is ceremonious, blessed and necessary.

A leading principle in evaluating the sustainability of a food system is access to healthy, local ingredients. It has not gone overlooked by First Lady Obama that diversity of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes is the makeup of a healthy diet. Yet according to the EPA Ag 101 website, the US agrarian structure shows that corn and soybean are far ahead as the leading food commodities. Corn peaks at a majority use for high-fructose corn syrup and ethanol, and both corn and soybeans are the leading technologically modified crops. With genetic manipulation these and other crops are modified to provide protection from insects, herbicides and other things that aid in productivity. There is little by way of published data with regard to potential health effects of exposure to genetically modified food crops, so we can not adequately ascertain these potential influences on our assured access to local, healthy ingredients.

According to the World Health Organization, risks to humans for genetically modified foods is assessed by: 1) direct health effects (toxicity); 2) tendencies to provoke allergic reaction; 3) specific components thought to have nutritional or toxic properties; 4) the stability of the inserted gene; 5) nutritional effects associated with genetic modification; and 6) any unintended effects which could result from the gene insertion.

WHO further identifies existing concern for the potential impacts of GMO to environment to include: “the capability of the GMO to escape and potentially introduce the engineered genes into wild populations; the persistence of the gene after the GMO has been harvested; the susceptibility of non-target organisms (e.g. insects which are not pests) to the gene product; the stability of the gene; the reduction in the spectrum of other plants including loss of biodiversity; and increased use of chemicals in agriculture.”

For New Mexico farmers, particularly those who plant native and heirloom seeds, this discussion presents a different concern – now that genetically engineered alfalfa and corn are in NM, what are the threats to heirloom and native seeds and to the farmers if crops are contaminated by the genetically modified organism by wind, bees or other animals? At the instrumental level, what does this mean to NM’s thriving organics industry or the potential for patent infringement if any particular patented genome is identified in a farmer’s crop due to migration? At the intrinsic level, how does the indigenous blessing of the seed and prayer in gratitude for what it will provide change when that seed has become part of identity and spiritual nourishment?

The food systems of the northern Rio Grande have been the sustenance that has defined sustainable agriculture for centuries, and have only tampered with certain Western traditions of technology and science over the past 60 years. For many, we are still evolving to an understanding of the harmful effects of certain herbicides and pesticides, and this is leading to adoption of less harmful and more acceptable products. The charms of Northern New Mexico have never been elaborate or sophisticated and yet the “style” has been adopted and mimicked.

The ongoing assumption that the farming practices of the north have been merely subsistence is somewhat of a misnomer – these farming practices define the social makeup of the community, provide a diversity of food and some economic structure. Because these systems have almost exclusively served to provide for family and local community, impacts to the environment have been relatively lessened compared to other parts of the state and world. The shorter growing season and erratic weather conditions in the north have kept the farmer closer to the natural systems, and possibly less anthropocentric. Subsequently, decisions relating to food and water are influenced by both instrumental and intrinsic factors.

Camilla Bustamante, Ph.D., MPH is Chair of Math and Sciences at Northern NM College. Email: cbustamante@nnmc.edu.

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Simply put, there’s nothing like compost if you want to build healthy soil. Making compost is recycling, it’s “free,” and your plants and soil will love it. Let’s take a look at what makes compost happen, and how it benefits you and your soil.

What Makes Soil Healthy
Humus is the end product, the transformation product, of composting by microorganisms, insects (e.g. beetles and termites) and worms in nature, or with your assistance in a well-maintained pile. Soil is fertile because of the presence of humus that is generated by the community of soil organisms. Humus gives soil its dark brown or black color and crumbly soft texture. When the organisms in the soil decompose plant and animal material, humus is the material that remains with their droppings and decayed bodies, along with the partially or completely decomposed plant and animal material. Humic substances, the active materials in humus such as humic acids and fulvic acid, capture nutrients and allow the nutrients to be available to plant roots. These compounds transport micronutrients into plants. Humus also increases the ability of soil to retain water, and can bind up toxins. Compost provides this life-giving humus to the soil.

Compost in the Soil
Compost provides microorganisms, organic material and nutrients to the soil. Compost is layered on the surface up to 2 inches deep or worked in. Mulch applied one season becomes compost for the next season. The amount of compost added into the soil depends on the desired goal and plants involved. For example, a mix of equal amounts soil and compost may be used for veggies that have a quick and short growing season. Less amendment, 20–30%, is adequate for larger plants like trees and shrubs. A shallow layer of compost may be spread on the surface several times during the growing season.

Building a Compost Pile
FOUR KEY INGREDIENTS
It’s the microorganisms, particularly Actinomycetes (filamentous bacteria), that are driving the decomposition process in the pile, so all the necessary ingredients for the microorganisms to grow, multiply and do their work must be provided. The microbes need four ingredients:
1) CARBON: an energy source, their food;
2) NITROGEN: a protein source, in order to grow and break down the food – enzymes);
3) OXYGEN to breathe – aerobic bacteria are using oxygen, and if there is not enough oxygen, anaerobic bacteria will take over and decomposition slows down by as much as 90%; and,
4) MOISTURE, just the right amount – not soggy, but like a damp sponge.

As long as these components are there, with the ratio of carbon to nitrogen about 25 or 30:1, the bacteria will do their work. To get this ratio, for every 100 pounds of carbon material, add about 2-3 pounds of nitrogen matter.

THE STRUCTURE
There are many approaches to building a compost pile. Compost piles can be in a pit or trench, on the soil or in a container, and should be a minimum of 3’x3’. A container can help the pile from becoming unruly and to maintain a good shape to hold the heat. Concrete blocks and straw bales are relatively inexpensive. If the concrete blocks are on their sides, the holes help with ventilation and aeration. Wire bins can be made of welded wire, woven wire fencing or hardware cloth. Metal panels 2 to 4 feet wide can make a cage. Wooden boxes are attractive; untreated 1×6’s supported by 4 x 4’s are convenient. Usually a box has no top or no bottom, and has a removable front made of boards that slide in and out. 55-gallon drums that have not had chemicals in them are also useful. There are also a variety of commercial bins and tumblers, but they have limited volume. They can be used for leaves, grass clippings and kitchen waste; this material is then transferred to a larger pile.

BUILDING THE PILE
Loosen the soil beneath the pile to about 12” deep for aeration and to help hold moisture. First add a 3-4” deep layer of heavier brown material like twigs and other woody materials, corn, sunflower stalks and other coarse vegetable stems for aeration. Follow with a 3-4” layer of CARBON–RICH brown material like dry leaves, straw, a small amount of pine needles and other dry vegetation. Next, add a 2” layer of soil or old compost, and then a NITROGEN-RICH layer of green vegetation such as grass cuttings, plant cuttings, and kitchen wastes like fruits, vegetables and coffee grounds. Manure can be added between the green layers and the dry layers, or a small amount spread over each layer for extra nitrogen. A sprinkling of humates can be added at any point. Repeat the layers as you build your pile. Avoid meat and dairy that may attract animals and smell bad.

Keep the pile moist but not soggy – don’t drown the microbes doing the work! Once the pile heats up, turn it in several days, or wait 3–6 weeks or longer in cooler temperatures. Add new materials to maintain bulk, heat and moisture. If you have a very large pile (more than 8’x8’) the pile may need to be turned twice a week for aeration.

The Temperature Factor
The internal temperature of the pile helps determine how long total decomposition takes, and how fast you actually have useable compost. Finished compost can take a few days or weeks, a couple of months or a couple of seasons. Long-stemmed compost thermometers can be obtained online. Composting at different temperatures is referred to as “hot composting” and “cool composting.” Composting with worms is a type of cool composting. Three different groups of bacteria do the work in the compost pile at their preferred temperatures, along with various fungi. The internal temperature of the pile increases due to microbial activity.

The first onslaught of bacteria is the psychrophiles, which begin working at around 55 degrees F. They release nutrients from organic matter in the form of small molecules like amino acids. As the carbon compounds are “burned,” the energy is given off as heat.

Once the pile heats up to 70 degrees, the mesophhiles, the second group, take over and work up to around 100 degrees. Most decomposition in the pile happens at 70–100 degrees, though mesophiles can be efficient composters as low as 40 degrees. Actinomycetes are mostly mesophilic. So even if your pile doesn’t heat up to the max of 140–160 degrees, efficient decomposition still takes place; it just takes longer. If a pile was started in the summer months, the decomposition would begin right away with the mesophiles.

Thermophiles are the hotshot composters, and if they generate too much heat, they will roast themselves right out of the pile. They heat the pile up to 160 degrees. Unless the pile is fed and turned, this peak temperature will last less than a week, maybe 3–5 days. During this hot period toxins will be broken down and stray seeds and pathogens killed. Earthworms and other beneficial creatures will migrate to the outer perimeter of the pile where the temperature is cooler and more to their liking. A gradual drop in temperature does not mean that the compost is finished, but that the mesophiles will become active again. The bacteria work until there is no more oxygen or carbon or nitrogen.

At cooler temperatures, decomposition will eventually happen, but if your piles are not really heating, be prepared to wait a couple of seasons for finished compost. The aroma of a finished pile will be earthy and sweet. The texture should be even and uniform. Your finished compost is truly black gold.

Susan Waterman has a Ph.D. in botany and over 25 years in sustainable agriculture. For more info, visit www.harvestbyhand.com. Questions? Email: green@harvestbyhand.com.

[SIDEBAR:]

BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING

• Composting is a natural way to rejuvenate and feed your soil to feed the plants.
Because it contains essential nutrients for plants, compost recycles primary nutrient elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and calcium, as well as the trace minerals, which are needed in small amounts. Trace minerals include boron, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. These nutrients not only feed the plants directly, but also sustain the natural lifecycles of the soil by feeding the microorganisms that live there. Nutrients are released as the plants need them.

• Organic matter in compost binds with all soil particles (sand, clay, and silt), and creates more spaces for oxygen to reach the roots.

• The soil aggregates also improve both water retention and drainage. Compost may hold an amount of water double its dry weight, compared to 20% for soil low in humus.

• Compost brings soil-building organisms to the soil, like bacteria and fungi, earthworms and insects, and sowbugs (“roly-polys”), literally bringing the soil to life.

• Compost and humus can bind up and “neutralize” toxins from herbicides and pesticides, as well as heavy metals like lead and cadmium. The heavy metals are literally bound up so the plants cannot absorb them.

• Compost stabilizes soil acidity (pH) along with the help of worms and their castings. Alkaline soil can be acidified by adding compost made from oak leaves, sawdust and pine needles.

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Scott Pittman

My first memory is of red sandals dancing in the hot sun of the Wichita Mountains in southwest Oklahoma. I am in a backpack. My father carries me through a million-year-old boulder crevice, a juniper sagebrush alleyway to a pond where the elk come each evening to drink. Buffalo wallow, so roomy and soft. I wonder even as a child why beds are made so strict and lonely. This is the beginning; the beginning at which we as humans start to develop a sense of our surroundings, of the geography that defines us. Enveloped in wonder, without the need for articulation or verification, we begin this journey in full cooperation and understanding of the patterns that sustain us. We are born poets, painters, listeners.

There is a lull though, a lull in this conversation with the land. It happens gradually and almost seemingly without our consent. In the Western world, we are bombarded with this idea of the “individual,” this notion of thinking about ourselves in relation to everything but related to nothing. We are left stragglers, with a sense of something somewhere we are meant to find, and oftentimes, afraid of feeling through this unmapped territory, we turn to the quick fix fever of consumerism. But as most of us already know, this gratification only lasts an hour or so, and there we are again, the “individual,” grappling in the dark. So, how do we find our way back, back to that place of wonder where even alone, we feel a part of the parade of life? I cannot answer for everyone, but for me it was two weeks camped in the back of a pickup truck on a ranch in Northern New Mexico; sleeping, eating, working and learning Permaculture with twenty-four other transition seekers. Our teacher: Scott Pittman.

For those of you who do not know Scott, he is the founder of The Permaculture Institute, based in Pojoaque, New Mexico, and co-founder of the Permaculture Credit Union. He is a teacher, designer, poet and friend to almost anyone who has ever met him. For those of you who do not know Permaculture, I suggest a little research, but a quick synopsis would go something like this: Permaculture, defined by Bill Mollison, who coined the term from the two words “permanent” and “agriculture,” is a “conscious design” system in which one is “working with, rather than against, nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless action,” a means of mimicking nature to sustain ourselves and our ecology in pattern with natural systems.

In 1984 Scott traveled to Katmandu, Nepal to take a class with Bill Mollison. Perhaps it was what Nora Haskins, a former student and early board member of the Permaculture Credit Union describes as Scott‘s “quiet, unassuming way” combined with Mollison’s meandering, barely discernible yet awe-inspiring storytelling that made these two connect. Whatever the reason, Scott found a teacher and a friend in Mollison, and a way in Permaculture, and never looked back. He continued traveling and studying with Mollison, and around 1986, taught his first class. He has taught in over 18 countries on four continents, including Ecuador, Guatemala, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Russia, and Haiti.

Scott has helped provide a space where those interested and dedicated can come together and learn how to get back to this dialogue with the land; not only internationally and nationally, but also, most importantly, locally. Perhaps it is this reverence for the land above all else that has been the foundation of the bridge Scott has managed to construct here in NM. This bridge starts at his home in Pojoaque, home to chickens and goats, guineas and geese, turkeys and trees of mulberry, cherry, apple, peach, plum and quince, vegetable and herb garden, and wetlands of willow, cattail and ducks. It is also home to the Acequia Larga. Scott had served as Treasurer for Acequia Larga for three years, working closely and passionately with Benito Valdez, the mayordomo (ditch master). For Scott, an Anglo, to hold such a title in a land and time wrought with a history of turmoil over Anglo invasion of Spanish and Native lands, speaks to his ability to transcend barriers and get right to the work that needs to be done; the work of building and maintaining a bridge that connects people to place.

Scott has also worked with different pueblos in NM. Recently he worked with Larry Littlebird of the Laguna and Santo Domingo Pueblos and his wife Deborah, designing and helping to implement the site analysis and master plan for Hamaatsa, an “indigenous continuum learning center located on 320 acres in the Ortiz Mountains between Albuquerque and Santa Fe (www.Hamaatsa.org). Hamaatsa “allows people to come to a pristine area right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of today’s world and sense a different kind of life being lived, and with that sense, people are provided a choice: to slow down and listen or simply to take note and go back to their life.” (Larry Littlebird) In June 2009, Scott and Larry collaboratively taught a class at Hamaatsa entitled “Permaculture Through the Lens of Indigenous Land Wisdom.” These four-days brought together the ancient Native wisdom of observing and listening to the land and the whole systems approach to restoring and healing the land that is Permaculture. Of Scott, Larry says, “ He came out to the property and we took a walk around. It was obvious he was the guy we wanted to work with. It was a wonderful match.”

There is a quiet about Scott Pittman, a quiet that only comes from listening, from observing one’s surroundings. It involves hours of contemplation and work. This ability of Scott’s to hold this sanctuary of the moment while at the same time helping to guide others towards this place is what makes him such a wonderful teacher. Most likely, it stems from years of working with indigenous cultures all over the world, inspired by every seemingly small story told, awake to change at the grassroots. We thank you Scott Pittman, for sharing it with us, as others have shared it with you. Happy Birthday, from all of us!

Sarah Wright, a former student of Scott Pittman, has spent much time traveling around the Southwest. She has worked as farmhand, nanny and registrar for the Permaculture Institute (505.455.0514, www.permac

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Genetically Engineered (GE) and Genetically Modified (GMO) are terms that are often interchanged. GMO is the biotech industry’s preferred definition but the seeds are really genetically engineered. A hybrid seed is created, and then antibiotics (called markers so the companies know who owns the seed) and bacteria resistant to glyphosate (Roundup) herbicide are inserted. The process is patented.

Biotechnology companies such as Monsanto have been creating and patenting genetically engineered (GE) seeds that are resistant to herbicides. Farmers who want to plant these seeds enter into contracts with the seed manufacturer. The contract specifies that these seeds cannot be saved and replanted. However, it is very easy for these GE crops to cross-pollinate and contaminate neighboring fields. Biotech companies have sued neighboring growers across the US for “stealing” their patented seeds. Most lawsuits have been settled out of court with the farmers signing confidentiality agreements to not discuss what has happened to them.

New Mexico is a sanctuary for seeds that have survived thousands of years. Long known for independence and self-reliance, many of NM’s farmers and ranchers continue to grow crops and raise livestock to feed their families. Various agricultural groups, consumer advocates, farmers and ranchers created the Save NM Seeds Coalition to help protect farmers from unintentional GE contamination. This resulted in efforts to pass the Farmer Protection Act in 2009 and 2010.

History of The Farmer Protection Act in New Mexico
In 2008, Senator Bernadette Sanchez introduced a bill (SB60) in the state legislature for the NM Chile Association (NMCA) seeking funding to support the production of GE chile. The NMCA contends that the industry has been hit hard by cheaper imports attributed to higher labor costs in the US. Yet, many of its members import chile from Mexico, Peru and China.

In 2009, the Farmer Protection Act was introduced by Senator Cisco McSorely and co-sponsored by Senators Peter Wirth, Carlos Cisneros and Richard Martinez. It was sent to the Conservation Committee and scheduled six times before it was heard. The Chairperson was Sen. Bernadette Sanchez. The Act was tabled. Senators Richard Martinez and Stephen Fischmann voted in favor of the Act.

In 2010, the bill was introduced in the Interim Committee for Water and Natural Resources and carried by Rep. Paul Bandy (R), a rancher from Farmington. A political skirmish delayed the further introduction of the Act, which had the support of Governor Bill Richardson. After it was introduced by Senator John Pinto and carried by Senator Eric Griego, the Act was passed by the Indian and Cultural Affairs Committee. Senators McSorely, Tim Jennings, Lynda Lovejoy and John Pinto voted in favor. It was then heard in Judiciary and tabled due to a technicality. Senators John Ryan, McSorely and Richard Martinez voted in favor. The bill was then sent to the Conservation Committee, again with Chairperson Senator Bernadette Sanchez. The bill was tabled, with Senator Richard Martinez and Stephen Fischmann voting in favor.

In 2011, Rep. Paul Bandy has committed to carrying the bill in the House. It is uncertain who will carry it in the Senate.

What is The NM Farmer Protection Act?
The FPA is not an anti-GMO or anti-GE; nor does it preclude anyone from planting GE seeds. The 2010 FPA bill would have protected a farmer who has not entered into a GE seed contract from being sued for unintentional contamination. A farmer would not be liable for unintentional contamination from genetically engineered plants as a result of natural reproduction, cross-pollinations, seed mixing, or other commingling.

Secondly, the bill would have made it so the seed manufacturer (owner of the GE seeds patent) could only enter a farmer’s land to take samples of his crop, if they requested permission in writing, and the farmer provided written permission.

Finally, the FPA names NM as the venue for disputes relating to or arising out of the use of GE plants in NM. It also states that a seed contract authorizing the use of a GE plant in NM is governed by NM.

[SIDEBAR:]

The Save NM Seeds Coalition recommends:

• Before purchasing seeds, make sure you read the contracts and you understand what you are signing.

• Purchase as much food locally as you can. Get to know your farmers and ranchers, and ask what products they use on their land or what they feed their livestock.

• Receive updates on upcoming legislative efforts and educational events at www.savenmseeds.org. The coalition was created to represent citizens, including nonprofits, farmers, ranchers and consumer advocates in support of the bill. For more information, contact: info@savenmseeds.org.

[Related Article:]

Cuatro Puertas and the Arid Crop Seed Cache
Cuatro Puertas (CP) is a statewide community development corporation based in Albuquerque that was founded in 2000. In 2002, CP established the Arid Crop Seed Cache to rescue and reintroduce native heirloom crops. In 2007, CP inherited the Ghost Ranch seed bank, which includes several rare drought tolerant varieties, and could be crucial to the survival of some of NM’s unique biodiversity, history and culture.

CP is seeking to insure that these indigenous food crops can once again attain a place at our tables. By working directly with farmers, farmers’ markets, Pueblos and other local agriculture groups, CP is working to revive these crops while helping rebuild and strengthen rural traditional communities.

The CP project is a response to the predominant practice of monoculture farming, which, if continued, may contribute to worldwide food insecurity. In traditional agriculture, land races grown by native farmers preserved crop diversity. These land races consisted of genetically varied, open-pollinated crops that were grown generation after generation in the same area. As a result, the species adapted to the particular climate and environment. Although not always as productive as modern agricultural crops, these traditional crops survived year after year. In monoculture farming, where every farm grows the same crops, the plants are highly susceptible to disease. An increasingly important factor is the advent of genetically engineered crops that may cross-pollinate with other plants, further diluting the traditional gene pool, or in some cases destroy the traditional crops altogether.

Cuatro Puertas offers technical assistance in seed development and breeding, and seed saving workshops. Food tastings are conducted at farmers’ markets in the summer where communities can sample some of the reintroduced crops. For more information, email: acsc.cp@gmail.com.

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Gary Paul Nabhan

The Upper Rio Grande—from Isleta and Albuquerque to Chimayo and Taos—harbors more heirloom chile pepper varieties in its traditional fields than does all the rest of the United States. Chilehead Dave DeWitt once tallied sixteen distinct New Mexican pepper “landraces” or native heirloom varieties still available in the watershed, but noted that “some seeds you receive may be unintentionally contaminated.” That contamination, intentional or not, is the rub. The spice rub.

What DeWitt meant was “genetic contamination” resulting from the naturally occurring cross-pollination of pepper plants growing near one another. If the same honeybees or sweat bees move pollen from one kind of pepper plant in a field to another kind in a nearby field, they may be hybridized or contaminated so that there seeds are no longer 100 percent to their variety.

Over a quarter century ago, one of the most prominent ecological genetics experts in the country, Steven Tanksley, demonstrated the risk of such out-crossing or contamination in chile peppers was far higher than earlier studies had suggested. In his experimental plantings of two varieties in Las Cruces, he detected natural cross-pollination rates up to 42 percent—far higher than the rates of 9 to 30% that earlier but cruder studies had projected.

More recently, New Mexico State University studies of heirloom chiles sampled from traditional fields all over the Southwest suggest that well over one in ten of their samples were already contaminated with modern, hybrid varieties of one kind or another. Chile farmers in NM have repeatedly noticed that if their neighbors have grown another kind of pepper nearby, their own saved seed sometimes produces plants in the next season that demonstrate that some genetic traits have “spilled over” their property boundaries.

While natural cross-pollination or hybridization of food plants has been going on for some four thousand years in the Southwest, its ecological, economic and political context appears to be rapidly changing, causing considerable anxiety among chile growers and their consumers alike. This anxiety has recently increased as NM’s citizens and chile growers have learned that a) NM State University scientists are involved in the genetic modification of pepper plants; b) genetic-engineering of peppers for disease resistance has already occurred in other parts of the world; and c) when genetically-modified pepper plants are grown together with conventional or traditional chiles, as much as 6 percent of the non-gmo plants showed immediate signs of genetic contamination. While the authors of this 2009 study in the Journal of Plant Biology concluded that only a “limited isolation distance would be sufficient to prevent gene flow from genetically-engineered chiles, more prudent scientists like Dr. Jeff McCormick suggest that heirloom chiles be isolated by at least 600 feet from other peppers, with a plant barrier grown between fields to reduce the risk of contamination.

If this issue were only about the statistical probabilities of cross-pollination in peppers, perhaps it would be debated only by scientists. But this issue appears to be too important and culturally volatile for the policy decisions to be made by scientists alone. Anyone who grows or eats the green or red native New Mexican chiles should become informed about the issue to ensure that their own pepper-growing practices and consumer choices are not contributing to the further contamination of NM’s most celebrated heritage food crop. Here’s why:

1. While NM may harbor more heirloom chile varieties than any other state, many of them are endangered, and now boarded on the Slow Food Ark of Taste to encourage their further protection in the communities of stewards who have cultural, culinary, emotional and even spiritual ties to these peppers and the traditional foods into which they are incorporated.
2. Most of these heirloom chiles—including the most endangered ones—occur in the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area, which was set aside “to conserve and protect these traditions,” to support sustainable agriculture, to celebrate local stewardship of heritage food crops, and “to respect traditional values.” All of these goals may be undermined if native New Mexican chiles are contaminated by either the existing hybrid chile cultivars or by peppers currently being genetically-engineered, if they are ever released in the region. In short, if contaminated, they will lose their heritage value, just as the pups of a registered pedigreed dog lose their market value if a mongrel father accidentally mates with the pure-bred mother.
3. Through the far-sighted work of Maria Pilar Campos and her associates at the Native Hispanic Institute, Chimayo chiles have been recognized as a “cultural asset to be preserved as a living treasure.” The NM State Legislature has already passed two joint memorials conferring special heritage value to Chimayo chiles as a state heirloom, and giving Chimayo area farmers the right to trademark or certify their seeds and products to differentiate them from “imposters.” Again, if Chimayo peppers become contaminated by either hybrid or GM chiles, this potentially diminishes their heritage value.

Unfortunately, the US is far behind other nations in protecting such cultural assets and living treasures from contamination and adulteration. In the European Union, where 70 percent of those polled do not want to eat genetically-contaminated foods, legislation was passed as early as 2003 that provided guidelines by which to keep food crops free of genetic contamination. It required isolation distances and buffer zones between crops to function as barriers to accidental pollen transfer. If contamination may potentially occur, the farmers or scientists who have planted GMOs nearby must bear the costs of implementing all these preventative mechanisms. In Canada, the Supreme Court has upheld laws requiring that businesses responsible for polluting the environment or a food crop must pay for the damage done.
And yet, even in the United States, a team of economists from Iowa State University has argued that American laws pertaining to damage done by stray animals set a precedent for the “polluter pays principle” with regard to genetic contamination. The economists not only suggest that owners of patented transgenic plants will be subject to liability suits, but recommend that they should be required to take out insurance even if there is only a low probability of contamination actually occurring.

Although it may sound like science fiction to some, there may come a day when NM’s traditional chile farmers file paternity suits against biotechnology corporations for spoiling the purity of their heirloom seeds. In the meantime, here’s what you can do to keep NM’s unique heirlooms pure and healthy:

4. Don’t grow more than one kind of chile in the same field or garden if you want to save and pass on their seeds. The exception to this rule is if you know how to build isolation tents for each variety.
5. Don’t grow a modern hybrid chile cultivar near the field or garden of a neighbor who exclusively grows native heirlooms.
6. If you have no control over what your neighbors grow, isolate your heirloom chile plots from them by 500 to 600 feet, with hedgerows or other green barriers planted as buffers.
7. Always ask farmers market vendors for the particular name of the heirloom chile they grow, whether the seed has been kept in their family, traded or bought, and whether they know if hybrids have been grown nearby.
8. Support the many NM organizations advancing the concepts of food sovereignty, food security and the precautionary principle with respect to the potential release of genetically-engineered crops.
9. Write NM State University’s Dean of Agriculture, asking to be informed of and engaged in any discussions regarding the future release of transgenic chiles in the state.
10. Ask the Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area board to take a stand on keeping the heirloom or heritage varieties of chiles pure and uncontaminated to maintain their heritage and economic value within the area’s boundaries.

Many New Mexicans share two values: querencia and herencia. Querencia is a rich, multi-dimensional concept, but might be modestly defined as a love for and allegiance to your home place. Herencia is easier to define as heritage or inheritance. Both of these values are embedded in the living legacy of native New Mexican chile pepper heirlooms. Protect them. Savor them. And pass on the seeds of these peppers and cultural values to the next generation, uncontaminated.

Gary Paul Nabhan, PhD., is an Arab-American writer, lecturer, food and farming advocate, rural lifeways folklorist, and conservationist whose work has long been rooted in the US/Mexico borderlands region he affectionately calls “the stinkin’ hot desert.” He recently accepted a tenured professorship as a Research Social Scientist based at the Southwest Center of the University of Arizona—his alma mater. For more info: www.garynabhan.com

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I am incredibly disappointed in the Senators of the Conservation Committee who voted to table the Farmer Protection Act, Senate Bill 303, on Sunday, February 14. This Act has been four years in the making with alliances between the Tribes, the Aceaquias, and even environmentalist groups agreeing on the importance of this issue. The four page Act does three simple and important things: 1) creates a procedure for Biotech agents to enter private property, 2) limits the liability that farmers and ranchers would suffer if genetically engineered crops or pollen accidentally comes on our land, and 3) states that disputes between Biotech and NM farmers will be settled in a NM court, not in some distant state. It doesn’t take away the rights for any farmers, it protects ALL farmers the same. We farmers and ranchers need to be concerned about this issue because there is genetically engineered alfalfa and corn out there, and it can contaminate the normal crops by the wind, bees, or other animals. As a farmer of native seeds, I don’t want to see myself or any farmer sued for supposed “patent infringement” when it is impossible to stop cross-pollination and other forces of nature.

I am especially disappointed in Senator Phil Griego, who I thought was a champion of acequia farmers and ranchers. He obviously doesn’t understand the issue or listens more to lobbyists with big money than dozens of farmers and ranchers who showed up to the Committee Meeting, not to mention the hundreds of signatures that have been gathered. I was on a water panel with Senator Griego in May 2009 when he mentioned Farmer Protection. It was on the agenda in the Water and Natural Resources Interim Committee in December 2009, but by the time of the Committee hearing, he conveniently “forgot” about this issue. I would like to thank Senator Richard Martinez of Rio Arriba County for defending the rights of farmers loud and clear in Committee. Senator Fischmann from Dona Ana was also a clear supporter. These senators need to be commended for their understanding of the issue, for listening to their constituents, and for standing up to the lobbyists to do the right thing: protect farmers’ rights.

Sincerely,

Miguel Santistevan
Mayordomo, Acequia Sur de Rio Don Fernando de Taos
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Biology, University of NM
M.S. Agriculture Ecology, The University of CA, Davis

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Since 2006, the NM State Legislature has been funding the development of GE chile on behalf of the NM Chile Association. This GE chile will be the first GE crop in the world to be eaten fresh, and whose seeds will be eaten raw. There is great potential for unintentional contamination. Chile is harvested, carried to a processing point, boxed and shipped out-of-state or strung up in ristras. The ristra travels from Hatch to Albuquerque, scattering seeds along the road, nearby fields and acequias. The ristra gets hung on a porch and seeds scatter in the yard, and then often people plant the ristra’s seeds.

Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the US and a key source of dairy forage. It is the first perennial crop to be genetically engineered. It is open-pollinated by bees, which can cross-pollinate at distances of several miles, spreading the patented, foreign DNA to conventional and organic crops. Such biological contamination threatens the livelihood of organic farmers and dairies, since the US Organic Standard prohibits genetic engineering, and most overseas governments also reject GE-contaminated crops.

In 2006, the Center for Food Safety (CFS), a national non-profit, membership organization founded in 1997, sued the Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) for its approval of Monsanto’s GE Roundup Ready alfalfa. The USDA failed to conduct an environmental impact statement (EIS) before deregulating the crop, as required by law. The federal courts sided with CFS and banned the planting of GE alfalfa until the USDA fully analyzed the impacts. CFS also won two appeals by Monsanto in the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2008 and 2009.

USDA released its draft EIS in December. It is the first time the USDA has done this analysis for any GE crop. It appears that the USDA has again not taken the concerns of non-GE alfalfa farmers, dairies, exporters, retailers or consumers seriously. The Department’s preliminary determination is to once again deregulate GE alfalfa without any limitations or protections. According to the CFS, the USDA relied heavily on Monsanto and a handful of pro-Roundup Ready alfalfa farmers and academics in writing the EIS.

US Supreme Court to Hear GE Case
On January 15th, upon Monsanto’s insistence, the US Supreme Court decided to hear a first-time case about the risks of genetically engineered crops. The case is Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, No. 09-475. GE alfalfa seed is at the heart of the dispute.

“This is truly a ‘David versus Goliath’ struggle, between public interest nonprofits and a corporation bent on nothing less than domination of our food system,” said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety. “That Monsanto has pushed this case all the way to the Supreme Court, even though USDA’s court-ordered analysis is now complete, and the US government actively opposed further litigation in this matter, underscores the great lengths that Monsanto will go to further its mission of patent control of our food system and selling more pesticides.”

For more info or to make a donation to the Center for Food Safety in support of their case before the Supreme Court, visit www.centerforfoodsafety.org or call 415.826.2770.

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Plant geneticist Emigdio Ballon, Quechua from Bolivia, and Lorraine Gray, a Mohawk from New York, recognized for her revival of traditional agriculture in the Northeast, have come together in Northern New Mexico to co-found the Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute. The establishment of this non-profit organization formalizes the work the couple has been doing for years in New York, New Mexico, Central and South America. Four Bridges is establishing a network of people to address global issues on the community level. Their approach is to accomplish this by first addressing poverty and the lack of healthy sustainable living practices.
Currently the organization is developing four projects:
The Northeast Bridge Project is establishing initiatives to support traditional agricultural revival work in the Hotinosonni or Iroquois communities of Upstate New York.
The South American Bridge Project is addressing the needs of the Quechua and Aymara people in Cusco, Peru and Cochabamba, Bolivia, assisting these communities to survive and thrive in their remote Andes locations.
The Central American Bridge Project will include Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. Working with existing organizations, Four Bridges will help strengthen conservation, agricultural restoration and sustainability efforts.
The Southwest Bridge Project is a farm in Santa Cruz (near Espanola, NM) that offers educational programs for anyone interested in sustainable living practices, assists low-income families, and encourages involvement of the surrounding pueblos. The multi-faceted Sken:nen Ken’hak (Peace Forever) Educational Farm integrates permaculture, organic growing methods and bio-dynamics.
Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute is developing “Fields of Hope” Community Gardens with the aid of several volunteers. Plots are being provided to would-be farmers in the greater Espanola area. Twelve 10’ by 12’ plots are available for a small fee or at no cost for low-income families. Each participant will be required to attend several informational workshops on permaculture design and organic growing methods.

Ballon and Gray hope to use the “Fields of Hope” Community Garden Project to empower people in Espanola and surrounding communities to adopt a healthier lifestyle by teaching about food sovereignty, permaculture and organic growing. The Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute’s mission statement reads, “we are a diverse group of people dedicated in preserving and sharing our cultures and restoring a healthy way of life through a collective effort of farmers, educators, healers, youth, elders, and spiritual leaders.”

Besides the development of the community gardens, the Sken:nen Ken’hak Farm is home to several species of animals including goats, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, and soon two gentle llamas. The program offers tours to local schools and counseling programs, as well as to tourists traveling between Taos and Santa Fe.

Co-founders Emigdio Ballon and Lorraine Gray are guided by their own spiritual practices combined with those of the area pueblos. Although their backgrounds are diverse, they both believe in the spirit of the land. Their planting, cultivating and harvesting practices include prayer, song and special rituals passed down by their ancestors from ancient times. They also believe that, in order for a plant to grow healthy and strong, one must be at peace in the garden. A “Jericho” style labyrinth is now a focal point of the site. It offers a place for prayer and meditation prior to any major activities at the site. Monthly full moon ceremonies are also held there.

Ballon and Gray are planning additional work in Albania, Argentina, New Zealand, Guatemala and Belize. For more information, visit www.fourbridges.farming.officelive.com.

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Thursday, Jan 28th. There were already four inches of snow on the ground, and the white stuff kept falling at a vigorous pace. I was happy to be inside and not going anywhere. Then came the phone call. The young woman introduced herself as Cloe. She asked if I could provide her with biodiesel or vegetable oil, as she was currently undertaking a cross-country journey seeking to establish the world’s record for distance traveled by a car using only alternative fuels.

She apologized for the short notice, but she needed to refuel as soon as possible. She and her partner Tyson hoped to be on their way to Gallup and Flagstaff that evening. Earlier that day, Cloe had contacted the Santa Fe Community College because she understood the college had a biofuels class, which might provide her with the appropriate fuel.

Fortunately, the SFCC biofuels lab had a large supply of restaurant oil available and a small amount of finished biodiesel. It was, in fact, the first batch of finished biodiesel (B100) made by a class of 13 students. I was somewhat concerned that the fuel had not yet been tested in a vehicle, but as it turned out, my anxiety was rendered unfounded.

How did the Santa Fe Community College come to be teaching classes in biofuels production? In the spring of 2009, the college received a generous WIRED grant from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. The funding enabled the creation of a two-semester Certificate Program in biofuels. The college was able to purchase small-scale fuel-making equipment, including a 40-gallon biodiesel batch reactor. During the fall 2009 semester, under the skillful direction of biodiesel brewmeister James Bingham, students learned how to make biodiesel. I taught our first crop of eager students to make ethanol and cultivate algae, a future fuel feedstock. During the semester, used fryer grease was obtained from local restaurants with the goal of processing it into high quality biodiesel.

But back to my story. With trepidation, I observed the heavy snowfall outside my window in Eldorado, mentally debated for a minute or two about the potential driving challenges, and decided to rally for the cause.

Thirty minutes later I met Cloe Whitaker and her partner Tyson Jerry at St. Francis Drive and Rabbit Run. They followed me to the SFCC biofuels lab. Once there, they pulled up their Mitsubishi 4-wheel drive, right hand drive diesel van with trailer to our biodiesel lab, and we assessed the situation. A quick call to James confirmed that we could provide 40 gallons of finished biodiesel and 40 gallons of Santa Fe restaurant oil to help them on their way. These 80 gallons of fuel would enable them to travel approx 2,000 miles with their highly efficient diesel van. We then proceeded to load the restaurant vegetable oil into the trailer and pump the biodiesel into the van’s auxiliary tank amidst the ever-falling snow.

While the filling operation was underway, I learned more about their extraordinary adventure. Tyson Jerry and Cloe Whittaker are attempting to accomplish a world record-breaking journey for distance on alternative fuel in a van they’ve converted to run on waste vegetable oil and biodiesel. The van, nicknamed “The Green Machine” by some and “Greased Lightning” by others, has taken Cloe and Tyson more than half way on their epic journey to visit every province in Canada and every state in the US. Cloe and Jason are native Canadians living on Vancouver Island in the BC capital city of Victoria. Jason has a background in environmental work and photography and is passionate about sustainability. Cloe is a student in anthropology and environmental studies at the University of Victoria. In 2006, they envisioned the idea for their project, and labeled it “Driven to Sustain.”

Starting in Victoria, BC, they headed up to Alaska, then down into southern Canada. They entered the US, and zigzagged their way through New England and along the East Coast. Next they drove through the Midwest, into the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. Their Santa Fe pit stop was day 159 of their journey.

After refueling at the SFCC biofuels lab, they powered on to the Grand Canyon for the weekend, through Arizona, then to Los Angeles and up the West Coast to Canada.

What’s the goal of this North American Traverse? According to their website (www.driventosustain.ca), it’s “to raise awareness and concerned interest for current environmental issues.”
As they travel, Tyson and Cloe visit sites of sustainable initiatives to learn about the sustainable world in practice – like our Alternative Fuels program at SFCC. They meet with experts in climate change, education, the environment, sustainability and the “green” movement. They share what they learn with others through presentations at elementary and high schools, and conduct interviews with radio and TV stations and newspapers. They also generate information for websites, podcasting, internet broadcasts and video documentaries.
Their personal motivation derives from their belief that as consumers and voters, we have more power than we realize – especially if we act together. And when we realize how each of our daily lifestyle decisions affects our environment, perhaps we can then make choices that will result in a safer, cleaner world.

Charles Bensinger is director of Santa Fe Community College’s Alternative Fuels Program. Email: charles.bensinger@sfcc.edu.

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