Tierra Lucero's Blog

Thanksgiving Farms goal is to substantially diminish hunger and malnutrition in the Taos area, particularly for school age children. This is not an imposable goal. Towards this, serious effort with a long-term strategy will be applied.

Issue to Solve
Over the past year, food distribution warehouses have had lower levels of contributions, and distribution points, like Shared Table, have seen an increased need for food in the general population. There are also many hungry and malnourished children in Taos schools. Unfortunately, there will be substantially more hungry people both locally and nationally over the next few years.

Plan Overview

• Develop numerous food plots throughout the community.
• Train and educate caregivers / farmers.
• Contribute 90% of the harvested food to schools and hunger relief programs.

Plots
Each plot has at least 3000 sq. ft. of production beds. They will all have the same basic design, using the same equipment to prepare, the same system type to irrigate and the same production and season extension methods.

Caregiver Role
Each plot has a committed volunteer that oversees it, likely the property owner or a neighbor to the plot. This person receives a share of the produce and training in the farming methods. This caregiver will be selected for their commitment to the long-term success of the plot. This person does not need to have experience, just desire and commitment.

Tierra Lucero’s Role
For the first three years, Tierra Lucero will provide:

• One monthly maintenance visit
• Twice monthly harvest and distribution assistance
• A rotating garden class

We insure success with direct involvement for 3 years.  We also organize a school group association with the gardens through an after school and summer “Earth Core” garden club.

Turnkey Plots

• Each plot gets 3 hrs / mo. of on site attention from our maintenance team.
• We work with the plot caregiver to pass on knowledge and techniques.
• We fully install, test, monitor and repair:
  • Multiple zone automatic drip irrigation system
  • Soil amendments, fertility testing, and organic pest control
  • Initial soil preparation and bed shaping
  • Seeds and transplant planting
  • Spring and fall season extension – covered beds
  • Set up of over wintering cover crop and spring bed preparation

The program lasts for 3 years, after that the plot is gifted to the individual that has been caring for it. The plots locations will be selected with consideration for expansion (i.e. good water source, more land available, neighborhood participation).

Current Progress
Two plots were started in November 2009, totaling 9000 sq. ft. that Tierra Lucero is directly managing.

We have analyzed the cost of supplies, labor and services. The food plots will produce $ 6.00 / sq. ft. over 3 years and cost $1.75 / sq. ft. over 3 years. This valuation is retail, for high quality and beyond organic produce.

Commercial Plots
Grant and donation sponsored plots are for community hunger relief. However, the basic garden system is also offered for sale to the public for private family, family and friend groups and as a market farmer starter kit.  These gardens receive the same set up and the same service assistance (except harvest and distribution help is not included) for the same $1.00/ sq. ft. – year one start up price.

Contribute
Development and program cost total just $1.00 per sq. ft. We hope to develop 9000 sq. ft. per month, but initially, we need to fully fund the first two plots. These plots will contribute fresh, high quality produce to area hunger relief for several years. Every dollar contributed will be like a planted seed, to be harvested over and over. Any amount of support will be applied square foot by square foot at the first two plots. We already have the knowledge, experience, equipment, and resources to put towards this. We simply lack development money. We hope to fund this first 9000 sq. ft. ($9,000) by January and we seek your support to reach that goal.

Please let us know how you can help.

E-mail us: growfoodnow@tierralucero.org

Call us: 575-779 5457

Make your contribution to: Tierra Lucero 501 c 3, and mail it to: Thanksgiving Farms Project
c/o Tierra Lucero
PO Box 932
Taos, NM 87571

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