NM Celebrates World Food Day by Standing with Farmers Here and Abroad

Another World Food Day has come and gone, and the NM Oxfam Action Corps was honored to join groups across the world working to end hunger. It’s inspiring to know we’re part of a global movement, with major events sponsored by Oxfam affiliates in over 16 countries. In Brazil, 10,000 signatures were delivered to Coca Cola, Pepsi, and ABF while in Spain there was an international meeting of women leaders on the right to food and land. Meanwhile, Mexico held a bike tour for food security, Japan hosted a dinner with celebrity chefs, and Nigeria launched a new song on the Maputo Declaration. Oxfam chapters and partners across the United States also participated by hosting 1,000 World Food Day Dinners.  

Like last year, the NM Oxfam Action Corps put on a community dinner to celebrate and discuss ways to make our food system more just. We partnered with six different nonprofits, received donations from almost twenty farms, and put a dozen volunteers to work in shifts from 10am to 10pm. The event was a community effort in every way, but above all I’d like to express my gratitude for the farmers from the Downtown Growers Market. We asked for leftover produce from the Saturday market to make the meal, and almost all the farmers present chipped in with whatever they could give. By noon my trunk was overflowing with produce and looked like an homage to fall with all the eggplant, squash, pumpkins, peppers, sweet potatoes, greens and tomatoes.

      When I arrived at the church with the last of the donations, the first volunteer shift was already hard at work. From the minute I walked into the building, I could sense the energy and warmth. Everyone was hard at work chopping, coring, stirring, and yet smiling. Even though I’ve worked with Kathy for over a year now, I’m still in awe of her ability to create dishes without a recipe, delegate tasks with ease, and keep everyone engaged and having a good time.

The energy and enthusiasm was contagious, and still at full force when our dinner guests arrived.  With over 75 attendees, the room was at capacity. In attendance were farmers, nonprofit leaders, students, retirees, and families, all adding their diverse voices to the discussion. It was very gratifying to see everyone enjoying the food and we couldn't have asked for better speakers.

Cecilia Rosacker from Cecilia’s Organics spoke first about her experience growing up on a farm and making do with what they had. She then shared stories about passing traditions down to her children, as she now operates her own farm. In addition to farming, Ms. Rosacker directs the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust. The land trust is comprised of farmers that help protect New Mexico's natural resources and preserve working farms, ranches, wildlife habitat, and open space. A leader in the farming community, Ms. Rosacker shared about the struggles with zoning and the fight to preserve farmers’ land in New Mexico. She asked people to join the cause, and presented her case with a compelling mix of humor, warmth, and resolve.

Henry Rael, Executive Director of Valle Encantado, picked up where Ms. Rosacker left off by saying he had a completely different experience growing up. As he explained it, he grew up “a product of the broken food system.” However, as an adult, he considered the countless empty lots with broken glass and trash in his neighborhood and began to wonder about ways to rejuvenate the land.  With that idea, Valle Encantado was born, a community organization the promotes sustainable development in the South Valley. A grant provided tools, training, and farming instruction to empower locals to become farmers. To make the business profitable, they partnered with other farms in the area to form the Agricultura Network. Mr. Rael explained how one farm couldn't produce enough for restaurants or schools, but together they made deals such as supplying all the lettuce to Albuquerque Public Schools. Mr. Rael was also a compelling and inspiring speaker, and I left wanting to know more.    

From protecting working farms to reinvigorating previous farmland, it was inspiring to hear how people from opposite backgrounds are working towards the same mission from different angles. Their stories from New Mexico also related well to the global scene where farmers are being unjustly forced from their land. Kathy and I explained how land grabs are land deals that often force farmers from their land, deals that happen without the free, prior, and informed consent of communities.

Attendees learned that Oxfam's research revealed how Coke, Pepsi, and Associated British Foods are sourcing from sugar companies that 'grab land.' In addition to evicting farmers from their homes, the majority of foreign investors grow crops for export instead of feeding local communities. This is a big concern since two thirds of these agricultural deals occur in countries with serious hunger problems.

At the end of the dinner, we asked people to take action here in New Mexico. Recommendations included shopping at the Growers Market and places that source local, following the GROW Method, and supporting causes and organizations like Valle Encantado and the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust that are moving our food system in the right direction. We also stressed the importance of supporting farmers worldwide. People were inspired to take action right then and there by signing the petition, posing for photos with our Stop Land Grabs Sign, and adding their voice to the cause through social media.  (Want to help? Add your name to the petition here. 250,000 have already signed and in the few weeks since our dinner Coke has agreed to change their policies!) Everyone left with a full stomach and a greater understanding of how our actions can support farmers here and abroad.

   

I didn't know it was possible to top last year's dinner, but this year's event went above and beyond. I couldn't have asked for a better night, and have countless people to thank. I owe a great deal to so many people and groups, but I’d like to especially recognize Kathy Chavez, who took charge in the kitchen and was a fantastic coordinator and chef. 

By Jasmine McBeath

THANK YOU!

Donors

Amyo Farms

Bee’s Honey

Brown Family Farm

Bosque Baking Company

Chispas Farm

Erda Gardens

Granja Para Mañana

Harvest Gifts

Los Jardines de Moktezuma

Macias Farm

Magos Farm

Montoya Farms

Red Tractor Farm

St. Thomas of Canterbury Church

Sunflower Sprouts

Tortilleria Cuauhtemoc

Valle Encantado

Wagners Farm

Vida Verde

Collaborators

Bread for the World

Community Bricolage

Food Corps

Foodology

Nourish International

Oxfam Action Corps

Valle Encantado

Community Chef

Kathy Chavez

Guest Speakers

Cecilia Rosacker

Henry Rael

Organizers

Kathy Chavez

Jasmine McBeath

Volunteers

Ashton
Kendall
Kim
Luis
Margo
Natalie
Pat
Paulina
Pauline
Rochelle
Russell
Ryan
Sonia
Tyler

Celebrate World Food Day and Eat Drink Local Month!

We've found a new partner with the amazing Edible Santa Fe. For the whole month of October, Edible asks New Mexicans to buy local. Their description reads, "Partners from every part of our local food system urge you to dine out, cook in, and celebrate the ingredients, landscape, and people behind our plates through a month’s worth of events, restaurant meals, and plenty of cooking and drinking at home." The NM Oxfam Action Corps couldn't be more on board. 

When small-scale farmers thrive, their local communities thrive too. This is fantastic news locally, and the ramifications go global. Whether we're talking about growing, selling, preparing or eating food, we are all interconnected. The choices we make every day--at the grocery store, in the kitchen, are more powerful than we might think. Simple things like the GROW Method (saving food, conserving energy, shopping seasonally, eating a little less meat, and supporting small-scale farmers) go a long way. So fight world hunger starting at your kitchen table. 

Celebrate the month of Eat Drink Local by hosting a meal, sharing recipes, and discussing the GROW Method. Throughout New Mexico, Oxfam aims to inspire meals that foster conversations about where food comes from, ways we can make the food system more just, and how we can protect farmers and farmland around the world. We encourage these conversations every year during the month of October to celebrate World Food Day and are super excited to participate this year in New Mexico's first Eat Drink Local Month. Click here to order free materials to host your own World Food Day Dinner. 

If you prefer to eat out, we have the solution for you. Part of Edible's celebration includes the Moveable Feast, where 40 restaurants throughout the state are serving specials or dinners made with at least 60 percent local ingredients. The following restaurants are featuring World Food Day Dinners on Wednesday, October 16th, and therefore will be distributing Oxfam materials. Eating at these restaurants shows you care, and also makes you part of a global movement to decrease poverty and hunger.   

Participating Restaurants:

Artichoke Café

Farina Pizzeria

*Flying Star

*Green House Bistro

Jennifer James 101

*Joe's Dining

*Marcellos

Rasoi

*Revolution Bakery

*Savoy

Slate Street Café
Slate at the Museum (Museum of Art and History)

Thai Cuisine II

*Yanni's Lemoni Lounge

 *Moveable Feast Restaurants 

Here are some other ways you can participate throughout the month of October: 

• Take the Eat Drink Local Challenge
• Attend one of the many local events occurring during Eat Drink Local Month (Local Food Festival and Field Day, Hops and Harvest Festival) 
• Attend our free World Food Day Community Dinner on Saturday, October 19th from 6-8pm. The NM Oxfam Action Corps is preparing a meal for 100 people from donated produce from the Downtown Growers Market. Join us for delicious food and hear from local farmers from Valle Encantado and Cecilia's Organics about access to land in New Mexico.
• Help protect farmers worldwide by visiting Oxfam America's website and signing the petition to ensure small-scale farmers aren't kicked off their land. 

Enjoy your vegetables and your weeds too!

By Kathy Chavez

Seeing the basket of purslane at the Macias booth brought back memories of fresh tortillas, chile, and a walk around the alfalfa fields. We called them verdolagas, though others referred to them as pusley or pigweed, and the official scientific name is portulaca oleracea.  All parts of the plant are edible, from its pale-red, succulent, round stems about six inches long to the small yellow flowers that bloom from midsummer to early fall.  

We would gather the verdolagas off the ditch bank, not realizing it was a weed. My New Mexican nurse friends and I sometimes reminisce about verdolagas and how they're comfort food for us.

My grandmother cooked them with pinto beans and red chile to make one of my favorite meals. I always enjoyed purslane's slightly lemony salty taste. The weed also contains the most omega-3 fatty acids of any leafy vegetable and more of these essential fatty acids than many types of fish.  It is a rich source of vitamin A which provides natural antioxidants essential for healthy eye sight.

The plant, most likely Southeast Asian in origin, can be found today at growers markets, and some local grocery stores in New Mexico. You might also be able to find it growing in your back yard.  It is safe to eat provided you don’t use any pesticides; chemical fertilizers, herbicide, and you don’t have a pet that has free range potty privileges. 

It's a versatile ingredient, so feel free to get creative. Use it fresh in a salad, cook it like spinach, or add it to a stir-fry. People make pastries out of purslane in Turkey, soup in Portugal, and fry it with cheese, tomato, and garlic in Greece. Below you'll find a simple yet delicious recipe my grandmother used. 

 

Ingredients:  

8 ounces of purslane

1 clove fresh garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cooked pinto beans with or without the broth

Red chile sprinkled to taste

Directions: 

Dice the purslane and sauté with garlic

Add the beans and chile sprinkles, lightly sprinkle with salt. 
They are cooked when they are tender yet firm.  
They can be eaten in a corn or flour tortilla, or on their own.

Enjoy these tasty and nutritious weeds! Check out more recipes here.

Edited by Jasmine McBeath

Grower's Spotlight: Macias Farm!

By Kathy Chavez

Mary Macias with her warm smile

For over one hundred years the Macias family has been cultivating some of New Mexico’s most delicious and nutritious produce. Their fruits and vegetables grow under the majestic New Mexico sky in Albuquerque’s North Valley.

My first meeting with them dates back to 1994, on a very early Tuesday morning in the parking lot of the Caravan East. Mary’s warm and friendly smile first attracted me to her stand. Her perfect peaches kept me going back. I also love her quince.

If you haven't seen it, the yellow fruit is a member of the rose family and resembles a hard fleshed apple that can be used in preserves and pies. The Macias' stand also carries onions, garlic, cucumbers, beans and so many other delicious foods. These days you will find Mary and her magnificent family at the Saturday downtown growers market each week. 

The Santo Nino from my kitchen

The whole family works hard to bring us remarkably good food. They also have a family secret--ask them about their talented artist son. My kitchen has been protected by the most adorable Santo Nino for about nineteen years now. The santero artist was a niño himself when he painted the retablo for me and now he is an admirable young man. 

Join us at the growers market and meet the Macias Family along with all the other fabulous local farmers.

Edited by Jasmine McBeath

International Folk Art Market--Celebrating 10 Years of Bringing the World Together

By Jasmine McBeath

From the moment I learned about the International Folk Art Market, I knew I had to visit the one-of-a-kind fair that empowers artisans and sustains traditions from across the globe. 

I got my chance the weekend before last, and even the rain couldn't dampen my spirits. The market seemed endless as we visited hundreds of vendors from sixty different countries and were serenaded by a Latin folk fusion band. I knew I had to buy something; with 90% of sales going directly to the artists, the market profits help sustain entire communities. In 2012, an average booth made $18, 253. That's more than ten times what artists might make in a year in their home countries.

Meeting artists in person and seeing their crafts was inspiring. A painter from Cuba saw us eyeing her "Gallo Soñador," a rooster standing proudly in front of a bright cityscape. She explained that their artists paint like children, with open minds. If they feel the sky is yellow, then it is so and no one tells them differently.  She said this to us in Spanish, not pausing to ask if we understood. I translated for my friends later, but even in the moment everyone understood her passion. I couldn't help but admire her confidence. She was like the colors she described: she didn't need to change anything to fit, and she didn't let anyone tell her differently. We went back at the end of the day to see the rooster again, but someone had already bought the painting.

My biggest purchase was at Nusulah's stand, showcasing raffia and banana stalk baskets from Uganda. They were beautiful, though what drew me in was their straw-like scent. I picked one up and remembered the baskets that decorated our kitchen counters when I was a child. My grandparents gave them to us when they returned from their Peace Corps stay in Kenya, and I used to smell the raffia every time I took an apple from our fruit bowl. Childhood memories aside, I was happy to support Uganda Crafts 2000. The fair trade retailer creates jobs for widows, orphans, and people with disabilities; preserves artistic traditions; and fosters environmental and economic sustainability.

As impressive as it is, Uganda Crafts 2000 is not alone in its compelling background and mission. The IFAM is full of success stories, strengthening artisan cooperatives in Brazil, creating livelihoods for women in rural Indian, fostering opportunities for girls in Pakistan, and changing the future for children in Madagascar.

Below is an especially moving piece illustrating how the market changed the lives of silk weavers and their community in Sandrandahy, Madagascar:

The stories go on and on, and I wish we could have spoken with everyone. As we were leaving, and a poster caught my eye. It boldly announced, "It's not a market, it's a miracle."  As Oxfam's well aware, empowering people to influence decisions that affect them and improve their lives really does cause wondrous changes. I thought of the artists I'd met on the way home as I held Nusulah's basket in my lap and imagined the dreaming rooster riding in someone else's car.

Project Share Dinner

by Jasmine McBeath

Last Tuesday I spent the majority of my day chopping--onions, tomatoes, squash, mushrooms, and potatoes. As I'm still learning the art of cooking, I was more than happy to cut veggies and take orders from our head chef Kathy Chavez. And, under her fearless direction, we prepared food for 180 people at Project Share in a little under four hours.

It all began when one of our volunteers, Pat Zimmerman, asked if Oxfam could partner with a local organization to provide fresh produce to hungry people. Everyone thought applying the GROW Method was a great idea, so Pat and Kathy met with the director of Project Share the next week and learned more about the nonprofit that has been feeding hungry people in Albuquerque for almost thirty years. I was impressed to learn that Project Share is open six nights a week and serves nearly 40,000 meals a year. Plus, almost all their meals come from the generosity of churches and civic groups. 

The meeting was a great intro to Project Share. We still need to discuss further the idea of delivering produce on a regular basis and increasing community participation at the on-site garden. Long-term, we recognize it's important for Oxfam to partner in a way that raises awareness, educates, and empowers the community. For the time being though, we learned a lot about the site and had a great time preparing and serving dinner at Project Share on Tuesday.

We took on the challenge of creating a GROW meal from donations, farmers market produce, and a few choice meat and cheese items. We made enchiladas (more veggie than meat), rice, refried beans, calabacitas, papas, green chili, and served these with a side of watermelon and fresh green salad. 

Diners had nothing but compliments and many sang praises to the New Mexican flavors. Others appreciated the flowers in recycled glass bottles that decorated each table. I was grateful for everyone's help in the kitchen and the team effort that transformed so many raw ingredients into a wonderful meal.  I believe Pat said it best with, "It was hot, intensive work, but all involved came away with a full stomach and a little more joy in their hearts. We look forward to another foray into the battle against hunger."

Thank you!

Dinner Organizers/Coordinators

Kathy Chavez and Pat Zimmerman

Head Chef

Kathy Chavez

Project Share Employees

Ernest Jaramillo and Noel Aragon

And a shout out to our WONDERFUL volunteers!

Gloria

Jasmine

Jesse

Kalen

Kathy

LaVita

Pat Z.

Patricia B.

Tessa

Tomas

Summer is here--a great time to GROW

From the Oxfam International Blog: 

The ‘GROW Method’

Here are five easy ways to change the way you shop, cook and eat to make the food system work better for everyone:

Support small-scale farmers

We need to protect the 1.5 billion people living on small farms around the world growing food to feed themselves, their families and their communities. Looking out for Fair Trade products and brands when we shop is a great way of doing this and it gives us a connection to producers that we have lost.

Save food

In rich countries, we throw away almost as much food every year as consumers as Sub-Saharan Africa produces in a year (222 million tonnes), creating harmful greenhouse gases when it ends up at a landfill. We can create less waste by storing our fruit and veg better and using up leftovers in inventive ways.

Cook smart

Turning your stove down to simmer after the water in your pan has boiled may seem like a small thing but if all urban households in Brazil, India, the Philippines, Spain, UK and US did it every time they cooked for a year, over 30 million megawatt hours of energy could be saved. The benefit for the environment would be greater than if these same households each planted a tree seedling and let it grow for ten years. And what about if sometimes you used no heat at all?

Buy seasonal

A lot of energy is wasted creating the conditions to grow out of season. By discovering what’s growing near us, we’ll find fruit and veg that not only tastes sweeter because it's in season, but is also using a lot less energy to get to our plates.

Less meat and dairy

Think you know what you’re putting in your chilli con carne? You might be shocked to read that a 500g packet of beef contains 6,810 litres of water. OK not literally, but that is how much water is needed to produce just enough meat for one meal. If just one family swapped beef for beans in their chilli, they could save nearly 6000 litres of water in just one meal, creating less harmful greenhouse gas emissions from food production and cattle, in the process.