REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUESTS TODAY ARE JULIANA AND TEJINDER CIANO, THE PROPRIETORS, OWNERS AND THE DEDICATED, DARE I SAY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE JUSTICE, FOOD JUSTICE IMPRESARIOS OF A WONDERFUL ESTABLISHMENT IN AGUA FRIA VILLAGE OUTSIDE OF SANTA FE CALLED REUNITY RESOURCES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>TEJINDER: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

>>LORENE: WELL, I HAVE KNOWN ABOUT YOU FOR A LONG TIME, BUT RECENTLY YOU WERE HONORED BY THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN AS THE 10 WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE ALTHOUGH THEY COUNTED YOU AS ONE.

THE 10 WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE YEAR 2021 AND THE HEADLINE IN THE ARTICLE ABOUT YOU WAS, "JULIANA AND TEJINDER CIANO GROW FOOD AND COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR SANTA FE FARM."

SO TELL US ABOUT WHERE THE FARM IS AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING THERE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MANIFESTING THERE.

>>JULIANA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I ALWAYS THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO START BY SAYING THAT THOUGH WE ARE HERE RIGHT NOW, OUR CULTURE KIND OF LIKES TO PULL OUT INDIVIDUALS AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT US INDIVIDUALLY THAT IS GROWING FOOD AND COMMUNITY, IT IS A HUGE COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND FOR MANY YEARS.

COMMUNITY ISN'T BUILT BY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE, IT IS BUILT BY EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTING AND PARTICIPATING IN THE WAYS THEY CAN.

THE LAND WE ARE ON IS ALSO REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL LAND.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO START OUR FIELD TRIPS BY SAYING A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE LAND WE ARE ON IS UNCEDED TEWA LAND AND ARCHAEOLOGICALLY THERE HAS BEEN OVER 7,000 YEARS OF HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN THIS VALLEY.

AND SO ARCHAEOLOGISTS BELIEVE THAT THE TEWA PEOPLE WHO WERE NOMADIC FOR TIME IMMEMORIAL AND STEWARDING THE LAND, SETTLED IN THIS VALLEY, WHICH WE NOW CALL AGUA FRIA VILLAGE IN ABOUT 5,000 BCE, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE ALLUVIAL PLAIN AND THE BENEFICIAL AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS AND PARTLY DUE TO THE DOMESTICATION OF THE TURKEY AMONGST THEIR PEOPLE.

AND SO THERE IS AN AMAZING PUEBLO SITE OR VILLAGE SITE THAT HAVE LOTS OF EVIDENCE OF TURKEY RAISING AND COMPLEX HISTORIES FROM AS EARLY AS 7,000 BCE.

>>LORENE: I FEEL I HAVE TO DISCLOSE THAT I LIVE IN AGUA FRIA VILLAGE AND WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE PINDI PUEBLO, WHICH IN TEWA I BELIEVE THAT DOES MEAN TURKEY, DOESN'T IT, SO AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPOT ON THE RIVER AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE WATER A LOT OF TIMES IN THE RIVER.

AND SO I DRIVE BY AND I THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND I HAVE GONE TO MANY EVENTS.

WE TALK ABOUT THE ANCIENT NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY BUT THERE IS A MORE RECENT HISTORY THAT WAS ALSO REALLY CHARMING.

TELL ME ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN FROM WHOM YOU GOT THE FARM OR WHO OWNED THE FARM BEFORE YOU.

>>JULIANA: ABSOLUTELY.

SO PRIOR TO US, THE FARM WAS OWNED BY A MAN NAMED JOHN STEVENSON AND HE WAS A WORLD WAR II VET WHO THREE TIMES IN THE WAR HIS PLATOON WAS SPLIT AND HALF OF HIS PLATOON DIED AND HE WAS IN THE HALF THAT SURVIVED.

AND THIS ALWAYS REALLY IMPRESSES UPON KIDS ON FIELD TRIPS, I SAY, "YOUR PLATOON IS LIKE YOUR CLASS, IMAGINE GOING THROUGH THIS."

HE REALLY FELT LIKE HE HAD BEEN SPARED FOR A REASON AND WHEN HE FINISHED HIS DEPLOYMENT, CAME BACK TO SANTA FE, HE AND HIS WIFE BOUGHT THIS LAND FROM THE PRIOR FAMILY AND BASICALLY HE AND HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS RAN THIS FARM AS THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY FARM UNTIL HE PASSED AWAY IN HIS EARLY 100S.

AND SO THERE ARE STILL OLD TIMERS IN THE VILLAGE WHO TALK ABOUT HOW HE WOULD GIVE THEM A WAGON FULL OF VEGETABLES AND A NICKEL TO PAY THEM TO WALK UP AND DOWN THE ROAD AND GIVE THE FOOD AWAY.

AND SO HIS CORE MISSION WAS THAT EVERYONE DESERVES HEALTHY FOOD AND FOOD WITH DIGNITY AND IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE AN ELITIST THING THAT YOU COULD HAVE FRESH HEALTHY FARM FOOD.

>>LORENE: AND HOW ARE YOU CONTINUING THAT ASPECT OF HIS WORK, YOU ARE DOING A LOT OF THINGS, I HOPE WE HAVE TIME TO GET TO ALL OF THEM.

BUT HOW, IN PARTICULAR, I KNOW THAT YOU DO A LOT ABOUT FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

>>JULIANA: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

WELL CARRYING ON THAT TORCH WAS ONE OF OUR MOST KIND OF INSPIRING CONNECTIONS TO THE LAND AND TO HIS SONS WHEN HE PASSED THAT WE WANTED TO CARRY THAT ON IN THE FARM.

AND SO WE DONATE FOOD AND PARTICULARLY WE PLAN TO DONATE FOOD.

I THINK A LOT OF FOOD DONATION IS LIKE LEFTOVERS, BUT THAT'S NOT FOOD WITH DIGNITY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EQUAL ACCESS, FOOD EQUITY, FOOD WITH DIGNITY AND TO REALLY BUILD THAT INTO OUR CROP PLAN AND SAY, "OKAY, EACH WEEK WE CAN DO 60 TO 100 KIND OF CSA STYLE BAGS FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS."

SO THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED FAMILIES IN NEED WHETHER IT IS YOUNG PARENTS OR THE SANTA FE INDIGENOUS CENTER DOES A FOOD DISTRIBUTION THAT WE WORK WITH.

MANY MOTHERS, SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADELANTE, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BRING FOOD TO AND THEY CONNECT IT WITH FOLKS IN NEED.

ANOTHER NEW WAY THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT THIS YEAR IS WE HAVE SET UP A COMMUNITY FRIDGE OUTSIDE OUR FRONT GATE, SO THIS IS BASICALLY A 24/7 ALL ACCESS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, MUTUAL AID FOOD PANTRY.

SO THERE ARE TWO REFRIGERATORS, WE FILL IT WITH VEGETABLES DURING THE SEASON AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD MEMBERS, ANYBODY, CAN DONATE AND ANYBODY CAN COME AND TAKE.

SO THERE IS A PANTRY FILLED WITH DRIED GOODS, THERE ARE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND MEATS IN THE FREEZER, BUTTER, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

AND WE THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMOVE ANY BARRIERS, NO ONE SHOULD BE HUNGRY, ESPECIALLY KIDS.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

SPEAKING OF KIDS, WELL, LET'S LOOK AT YOUR MODEL BECAUSE I THINK IT IS REALLY UNUSUAL AND I WOULD LIKE OTHER PEOPLE STATEWIDE WHO WATCH THIS PROGRAM TO THINK ABOUT, IF THEY ARE IN AGRICULTURE, MAKING SOME STEPS IN THIS DIRECTION PARTICULARLY IN FEEDING THE HUNGRY AND FOOD WITH DIGNITY.

SO WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MODEL, YOU'RE A NONPROFIT BUT YOU HAVE LIKE SEVERAL INDEPENDENT PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT ONE OF YOUR MISSIONS OF FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

>>JULIANA: WELL, I FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS, KIND OF WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BE SO FOCUSED ON CREATING TRULY A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL.

>>TEJINDER: YES, SO WE ARE A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT AND WITH THE IDEA OF TAKING WASTE STREAMS FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND THEN TURNING THEM BACK INTO VALUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE STARTED OFF BY COLLECTING USED COOKING OIL FROM RESTAURANTS IN SANTA FE AND ALBUQUERQUE AND THEN WE HAD THAT TURNED INTO BIODIESEL FUEL.

AND SO THAT WAS THE INITIAL ENTRY POINT IN OUR ABILITY TO TAKE AWAY A WASTE STREAM, I MEAN THAT WOULD GO TO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT USES, BUT IN ORDER TO TURN IT INTO A FUEL THAT WAS GOING TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT.

AND THEN FROM THAT WE STARTED COLLECTING FOOD WASTE FROM RESTAURANTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GET THE FOOD WASTE OUT OF THE LANDFILL, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF METHANE EMISSIONS GOING INTO OUR ATMOSPHERE AND THEN AFTER THAT THEN WE STARTED DOING THE COMPOSTING SO THEN WE WERE TAKING THE FOOD WASTE AND THEN WE WERE CLOSING THE LOOP WITH THAT BY USING THE FOOD WASTE AND WE WERE ON THE FARM WHILE WE WERE DOING THE COMPOSTING.

AND IN THE BEGINNING WHEN JOHN STEVENSON WAS STILL ALIVE, WE WERE DOING COMPOSTING ON THAT FARM WHICH WAS THE COMMUNITY FARM AT THAT POINT, AND WE WERE PROVIDING COMPOST TO THE LAND THERE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY FARM AT THAT TIME.

AND THEN THEY FURTHER ASKED US TO TAKE ON THE FARMING AFTER A FEW YEARS AND SO WE SAID YES, THAT'S IN DIRECT ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A CLOSED LOOP FOOD SYSTEM.

IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE FOOD WASTE, TO PUT IT ONTO THE LAND, PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, SEQUESTERING CARBON, GROWING HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN BE ABLE TO GET THAT FOOD OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THEN FROM THAT, WE THEN MOVED INTO HOW DO WE ACTUALLY BUILD MORE COMMUNITY, NOW WE ARE CREATING THIS CLOSED LOOP FOOD SYSTEM BY TAKING THE FOOD WASTE AND TURNING IT INTO NUTRIENT RICH COMPOST IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW THIS NUTRITIOUS, WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL FOOD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FEED PEOPLE.

AND HOW DO WE THEN CREATE COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD AND ON THE LAND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL AND COME AND BE CONNECTED WITH THE EARTH AND TO BE CONNECTED WITH THIS LOOP AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM OF HOW PEOPLE LIVED FOR MILLENNIA BEFORE OUR INDUSTRIALIZATION.

AND GETTING MORE IN TOUCH WITH NATURE AND OUR GROUNDEDNESS BY BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS AND THEN WE FURTHERED OUT AND BEING ABLE TO FIND MORE WAYS THAT WE CAN BRING COMMUNITY TO THE FARM TO ENGAGE WITH IT, TO LEARN, TO THE FARM CAMP HOSTING THOUSANDS OF KIDS, AND FIELD TRIPS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SEE WORMS AND WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY PROCESS THE FOOD WASTE INTO BEAUTIFUL SOIL LIKE THIS.

AND HOW WE CAN CREATE THESE SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, SO THAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, WE ARE FEEDING OUR PEOPLE AND WE ARE CREATING COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL SO BADLY NEED.

>>LORENE: IT IS WIN, WIN, WIN.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, TEJINDER, THIS IS SUCH A GENIUS TO TAKE A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ALL THESE WASTE PRODUCTS THAT ARE JUST DEAD ENDED.

AND IN MY PREPARATIONS, I DISCOVERED FROM THE MATERIAL THAT YOU HAD SENT ME THAT THE FOOD WASTE IN THE LANDFILLS PRODUCES WHAT THE THIRD LARGEST SOURCE OF METHANE AFTER AMERICA AND CHINA AND SO TO KEEP THAT OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND THEN TO WORK THROUGH THIS BEAUTIFUL CYCLE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND NOURISHMENT AND HEALTHY SOIL, I JUST THINK IT IS JUST WONDERFUL AND I WANT PEOPLE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

THIS REALLY WORKS AND ONE OF THE REASONS I BROUGHT YOU HERE WAS TO PRESENT THIS FOR PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE ALL THAT DEAD END WASTE MATERIAL YOU HAVE FOUND A WAY TO USE IT AND TO INCORPORATE IT.

>>TEJINDER: YEAH AND I THINK PEOPLE JUST FOR A WHILE NOW, WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF DENIED THE CHOICES AND THE ACCESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIVING.

AND I THINK THAT OUR GOALS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ILLUSTRATE AND EDUCATE A SUSTAINABLE MODEL THAT OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN DO AS WELL.

THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO BECAUSE THIS IS ULTIMATELY WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING, THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO BE LIVING WITH OUR PLANET AS WE ARE SEEING.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

THE HEALTHY SOIL YOU HAVE HERE.

WE ARE FACING AS WE ALL KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE LIVE IN A DESERT AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY MOISTURE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

SO HOW DO YOU WORK WHEN YOU'RE PLAYED THAT CLIMATE HAND, IT IS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.

HOW DO YOU FARM WITHOUT WATER?

>>JULIANA: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: YES.

SO WE WILL WORK ON THAT.

>>JULIANA: BUILDING HEALTHY SOIL CERTAINLY HELPS, BECAUSE THE COMPOST, THE ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOIL IS WHAT HOLDS THE WATER WE DO HAVE RIGHT AROUND THE ROOTS OF THE PLANT AND KIND OF OPTIMIZES THAT USE.

BUT IT IS TRUE, I THINK WE ARE ALL TIRED OF THE PHRASE, "UNPRECEDENTED TIMES," BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE PRECEDENTED, YOU KNOW, HEADING INTO A NEW ERA AND LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IS OUR MISSION.

>>LORENE: AND ONE THING THAT YOU ARE DOING IS BY EDUCATING THE YOUNG, YOUR FARM CAMPS ARE SO WONDERFUL.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH TEJINDER AND JULIANA CIANO AND THEY HAVE SOMETHING CALLED REUNITY RESOURCES AND THERE IS A LOT THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT THE FARM CAMPS, SO WE HAVE HAD THE PANDEMIC, KIDS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN WITH ANYBODY ELSE AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU TEACH ABOUT SEEDS AND HEALTHY SOIL AND THEY HAVE THE FUN OF LEARNING ABOUT PLANTING AND GROWING AND THEN HERBS AND HOW TO DYE, D-Y-E, FROM PLANTS.

AND SO TELL ME WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING FOR YOU ABOUT THESE KIDS UNLEASHED ON THE FARM.

>>JULIANA: OH BOY.

EVERYTHING ABOUT KIDS UNLEASHED ON A FARM IS PRETTY REWARDING.

HEARING THEM LIKE RUN, BEING LIKE, "SALAD PARTY!

SALAD PARTY!

YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ARE TRAINED TO THINK THAT CHILDREN WOULD SAY THIS.

BUT TO SEE THEIR JOY WHEN THEY PULL A CARROT AND LIKE EAT IT WITH THE DIRT ON AND TO HAVE A SALAD PARTY THAT THEY SPEND THE WHOLE DAY HARVESTING, WASHING, MAKING THE DRESSING, PICKING HERBS.

THE WAY THAT THEY APPRECIATE AND CELEBRATE THAT, HAVING A TEA PARTY WITH HERBS THEY PICKED AND INVITING THEIR PARENTS AND MAKING INVITATIONS.

THEIR KIND OF REALIZATION ABOUT WHAT FOOD IS AND HOW IT WORKS IS SO REWARDING.

>>TEJINDER: AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AS WELL BECAUSE WE COLLECT THE FOOD WASTE FROM THE CAFETERIAS AND MANY OF THE SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SO MANY OF THEM ARE FAMILIAR WITH GOING AND COMPOSTING THEIR FOOD WASTE IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND SO THEY ARE THEN NOW BEING TAUGHT, I KNOW THAT THIS FOOD WASTE THAT I AM PUTTING HERE THAT I AM NOT EATING, IS THEN GOING TO REUNITY RESOURCES AND IT IS TURNING INTO THE SOIL WHICH I AM GETTING TO SEE AND I AM GETTING TO PLAY WITH.

AND THEN IT IS GROWING THIS FOOD THAT I AM GETTING TO SEE AND I AM GETTING TO PLAY WITH AND I AM GETTING TO TASTE AND FEEL AND TOUCH AND GET THE ESSENCE OF IT.

THEY ARE PARTICIPATING AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.

>>LORENE: WELL WE LIKE TO SEE, YOU BROUGHT SOME PICTURES FOR US AND I MUST TELL YOU THE EXTRAVAGANZAS OF THE SHOTS OF YOUR FARM STANDS WITH RUBY CHARD AND YELLOW SQUASH AND RED TOMATOES, I MEAN IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THEM.

>>JULIANA: SURE, YEAH.

>>LORENE: JUST HOLD THEM UP FOR A FEW SECONDS.

>>JULIANA: WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT EATING THE RAINBOW, RIGHT AND THAT'S AN EASY WAY FOR KIDS TO THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT NUTRIENTS THEY ARE GETTING AND WHAT DIFFERENT COLORS KIND OF DO FOR YOUR BODY.

AND IT IS A JOKE AMONG STAFF THAT I CAN'T LIKE PASS A HARVEST BIN WITHOUT STOPPING FOR A PHOTO, I PROBABLY HAVE A THOUSAND PHOTOS, PARTICULARLY OF BEETS.

I CAN'T GET ENOUGH BEET PHOTOS.

>>LORENE: THOSE CARROTS ARE PRETTY GOOD.

>>JULIANA: THOSE CARROTS ARE PRETTY GOOD, TOO.

YOU KNOW, SO WE ALSO HAVE A TWICE A WEEK FARM STAND RIGHT ON SITE IN OUR LOCATION AS ANOTHER FOOD ACCESS POINT.

SO THE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET IS A 20 MINUTE DRIVE AND IT IS USUALLY PAID PARKING AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS FRESH FOOD ACCESS EASILY FOR EVERYONE IS REALLY CRITICAL.

>>TEJINDER: ONE OF THE REALLY COOL WAYS THAT WE ARE VERY ACCESSIBILITY, OFTEN TIME SO FARMING IS EXTREMELY AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE MODELS AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS, FARMING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND ESPECIALLY ON A SMALL SCALE FARM AND FOR THE HISTORY OF HOW FARMING HAS BEEN DONE HAS PUT US IN KIND OF A SITUATION WHERE FARMERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO SMALL SCALES THEY HAVE TO CHARGE MORE THAN IS AVAILABLE IN THE GROCERY STORES.

SO THEN IN THAT WAY WITH THESE SMALL-SCALE FARMERS ARE LITERALLY WORKING THEMSELVES, NOT TO DEATH, BUT FOR VERY LITTLE PAY.

IT IS MUCH OF A PASSION AND A NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW THE FOOD.

SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE, BESIDES OUR FOOD DONATIONS AS WELL, IS THAT WE PROVIDE FARM CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE KIND OF HIGHER PRICES OFTEN TIMES THAT YOU FIND AT A FARMERS MARKET.

AND SO THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN COME AND USE THE FARM CARD AND BE ABLE TO PURCHASE WHATEVER THEY WANT AT NO COST TO THEM.

>>LORENE: OH THAT IS WONDERFUL, THAT IS WONDERFUL.

ONE THING I HOPE WE HAVE TIME FOR BUT THE FUTURE OF FARMERS AND FARMS, WITH THE AVERAGE AGE, THEY HAVE DONE WITH THE CENSUSES OF THE FARMERS AND THEN THE STATE CERTAINLY THEIR AVERAGE AGE IS... >>JULIANA: SIXTY-TWO I THINK.

>>LORENE: SIXTY-TWO AND MANY CASES, THEIR CHILDREN HAVE MADE OTHER CHOICES THAN TO BECOME FARMERS, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY HARD LIFE.

>>JULIANA: IT IS VERY HARD.

>>TEJINDER: I THINK THAT MIGHT CHANGE ACTUALLY.

I FEEL THAT MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S VALUE SYSTEMS ARE SHIFTING AWAY FROM MUCH OF HOW MY PARENTS GENERATION, EVEN MY GENERATION AS WELL HAS REALLY, WELL WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE GREAT RESIGNATION AND PEOPLE REALLY NEEDING TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS VALUE BASED AS OPPOSED TO JUST FOR A FINANCIAL GAIN.

AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG FARMERS WHO DO WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND HAVE THEIR HANDS IN THE DIRT AND GROW FOOD FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT JOY AND PRIDE THAT THEY GET FROM GROWING FOOD AND FEEDING PEOPLE AS FARMERS GET.

THE COUPLE OF BARRIERS OF ENTRY ARE STILL ACCESS TO LAND FOR YOUNG FARMERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AS A CAREER AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BESIDES THE TYPE OF MODEL THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MIMIC AS A NONPROFIT AND DO, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO A FOR PROFIT FARM ON A SMALL SCALE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FEED PEOPLE.

BUT IF WE WERE TO BE ABLE TO USE GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD HOW THE GOVERNMENT BEING ABLE TO PAY A FARMER IN ORDER TO GROW THE FOOD AND HAVE THAT FOOD BE ABLE TO FEED THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN THAT IS A WAY TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE SO MANY SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT TIME.

OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE GOING TO GROWING THE FOOD THAT IS GOING TO FEED US SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE.

>>LORENE: YES, WELL SAID, WELL SAID AND THERE IS SUCH AN ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN NEW MEXICO PARTICULARLY WITH CHILDREN, IT IS HEARTBREAKING TO HAVE HUNGRY KIDS.

SO THE KIDS GET TO GO TO THE FARM CAMP AND SEE HOW IT IS GROWN BUT ALSO WITH YOUR PANTRY AND THE EFFORTS THAT YOU MADE TO FEED PARTICULARLY HUNGRY CHILDREN AND SCHOOLS AND JUST FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS IT.

I LOVE THAT YOUR REFRIGERATED PANTRIES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVE HOW POOR YOU ARE AND BE EMBARRASSED.

ANYBODY WHO NEEDS IT CAN JUST COME WITH IT, IT IS REALLY LOVELY.

SHOW US A COUPLE OF MORE PICTURES.

>>JULIANA: SURE.

HERE IS A COUPLE OF SOME KIDS ON THE FARM.

WE ALWAYS END UP SPENDING MORE TIME WITH THE WORMS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

INEVITABLY, CHECKING OUT THE WORM GREENHOUSE, BUT WE ALWAYS START BECAUSE MOST OF THE KIDS, WE ARE IN SO MANY SCHOOLS COMPOSTING FROM THEIR CAFETERIAS, THAT WE ALWAYS START WITH THE BIG STINKY BIN OF FOOD WASTE AND I DON'T SAY "TOUCH IT" ACTUALLY, I SAY, "GET CLOSE, SMELL IT, OBSERVE IT.

LIKE THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW SOME DESCRIBING WORDS WITH YOUR FIVE SENSES.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

AND WE GET ALL KINDS OF, IT'S DISGUSTING.

AND THEN WE WALK A COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS AND WE SAY, WELL, OKAY NOW YOU CAN TOUCH, YOU CAN SMELL, I DON'T SAY, TASTE THE COMPOST, YOU KNOW.

BUT WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE FINISHED COMPOST AND THEN I GET TO SAY, WELL, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IN JUST 60 DAYS THAT BECAME THIS.

YOU KNOW AND DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE THERE IS ALL KINDS OF CURRICULUM PIECES WE CAN GO INTO.

IS THAT A PHYSICAL CHANGE OR A CHEMICAL CHANGE AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS AND HOW DID IT HAPPENED IN OUR AERATED STATIC PILES.

WE LIKE TO SHOW THEM THE STEPS AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE CARBON CYCLE AND HOW ONCE THAT COMPOST IS IN THE SOIL, THAT PHOTOSYNTHESIS, ANYTHING EVEN IF IT GOAT HEADS GROWING, THEY ARE STILL DOING PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

THEY ARE STILL SEQUESTERING CARBON, THAT ANYTHING WE CAN DO, A STUDY MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD NOW ON RANCH LAND SHOWED THAT JUST TWO INCHES OF COMPOST APPLIED TO LAND ONE TIME SET UP AN ONGOING POSITIVE FEEDBACK CYCLE, MEANING NOBODY DID ANYTHING AFTER THE FIRST TIME, BUT EVERY YEAR THAT SCIENTISTS CAME BACK TO MEASURE HOW MUCH CARBON WAS IN THE SOIL, IT WAS MORE.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>JULIANA: YOU KNOW.

EXCITING STUFF.

>>TEJINDER: AND THIS IS A COOL PICTURE OF AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TAKING DECERTIFIED LAND AND THEN APPLYING COMPOST TO IT.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A PROJECT THAT WE ARE DOING, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK MORE TO IT.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A COUNTY OWNED LAND THAT WE ARE LEASING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD IN, WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK MORE TO IT ABOUT THE COLLABORATION.

>>JULIANA: SURE.

SO THIS IS A GREAT AERIAL SHOT.

SO THE GOAL, IT'S A LAND LEASED FROM SANTA FE COUNTY AND IT IS A COLLABORATION WITH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS - SANTA FE YOUTH WORKS, SO THERE IS A REALLY INTENSE JOB TRAINING COMPONENT.

THREE SISTERS COLLECTIVES, SO THERE IS A REMATRIATION COMPONENT OF WHAT IS THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY AND HOW CAN WE REALLY HONOR, CELEBRATE, AND MAGNIFY THAT, ALAS DE AGUA WHICH IS AN ART COLLECTIVE.

SO BRINGING THE SOUL OF THE ARTISTS INTO THE EARTH AND THERE IS ALSO BEAUTIFUL MURALS ON THE PROPERTY AND THE MOTHER NATURE CENTER AND SO THIS PIECE OF LAND WAS... >>LORENE: SCRUB.

>>JULIANA: HOW DO I SAY IT TACTFULLY.

>>TEJINDER: IT WAS A ROCK QUARRY.

>>JULIANA: ITS HISTORY IS ACTUALLY A ROCK QUARRY.

IT WAS USELESS, WHICH IS WHY WE COULD CONVINCE THEM TO LEASE IT.

NO WATER ATTACHED TO IT SO WE PUT THAT LITTLE TANK, YOU SEE, THE WATER TANK WITH THE SOLAR PANEL AND A PUMP AND WE BROUGHT OVER 60 CUBIC YARDS OF COMPOST AND WE STARTED EVEN THE LAND WAS IN SUCH TOUGH SHAPE THAT WE THOUGHT EVEN THOUGH WE MAKE COMPOST, IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO JUST KIND OF SPREAD IT OVER THE WHOLE YOU KNOW IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRUCK AFTER TRUCK AFTER TRUCK, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ETERNAL.

SO WE DUG ALL OF THESE HOLES WHICH ACTUALLY WE LEARNED AFTER THE FACT, AN ARTICLE WE READ ABOUT FARMERS IN BURKINA FASO THAT IS ACTUALLY A TRADITIONAL FARMING TECHNIQUE IN THE DESERT THERE.

THEN WE DUG THESE LONGER BEDS TOO TO TRY DIFFERENT METHODS AND DIFFERENT PLANTING PROSPECTS.

AND THE YOUTH WORKS CREW DID ALL OF THE LABOR, CONNECTED THE IRRIGATION, THE PLANTING WE DID IN OUR GREENHOUSE, WE ARE SHARING INFRASTRUCTURE.

THREE SISTERS BRINGING IN VOLUNTEERS AND TEWA LEADERS AND DANCERS BRINGING ALL OF THIS ENERGY TO THE LAND AND SEEING HOW, YOU KNOW, NOW THIS WAS THREE MONTHS IN THIS PHOTO.

WELL YOU KNOW, WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR AS COMPARED TO THREE MONTHS IN, LUSCIOUS AND I JUST STILL HAVE THIS KIND OF FUTURE VISION OF WHAT IT CAN BE WHEN WE BRING THAT LOVE AND ATTENTION AND REALLY COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE ASPECTS TO A PROJECT.

>>LORENE: WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, I JUST HOPE YOU CAN SHOW THE AERIAL SHOT OF YOUR FARM BECAUSE IT IS WAY BIGGER THAN I THOUGHT.

ISN'T THAT LOVELY, LOVELY, LOVELY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT SEASON THAT WAS.

>>JULIANA: I SAY THAT IS EARLY... >>TEJINDER: EARLY SPRING.

>>JULIANA: YEAH.

>>LORENE: WELL SO, REUNITY RESOURCES USED TO BE CALLED THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY FARM, IS IN AGUA FRIA VILLAGE, RIGHT AT SOMETHING CALLED SAN YSIDRO CROSSING RIGHT BY THE SAN YSIDRO CHURCH.

ONE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM GOING THERE AND WATCHING YOU GUYS IS THE DELIGHT IN GARDENING AND HOW IT IS SUCH A GIFT TO ANYONE'S MENTAL HEALTH OR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

I MEAN THE KIDS THAT COME TO THE FARM GET TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE AND THE MICROBES AND THE DIRT AND ALL THAT STUFF.

SO WE JUST HAVE A MINUTE LEFT OF EACH OF YOU OR EITHER OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INSPIRE OUR PEOPLE WITH WHAT IS POSSIBLE, JUST WITH HARDLY ANY EFFORT.

>>JULIANA: I WANT TO SAY THAT JUST THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE AND WE HAVE TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON SORT OF THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS OF BEING A FARMER AND THE UNCERTAINTIES.

AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR LISTENERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT A NUMBER OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE HELP TAKE THE BURDEN OFF OF THAT, YOU KNOW, SINGULAR VEGETABLE HARVEST IF A HAIL STORM COMES.

WELL THE COMPOST ISN'T DAMAGED BY THE HAIL, YOU KNOW AND THAT TAPPING INTO YOUR FOOD WASTE RESOURCES, THOSE EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITY AND IT IS NOT TRASH, IT IS A RESOURCE AND SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.

OUR WEBSITE IS DOWN BELOW I THINK AND JUST FIND US AND WE ARE HAPPY TO TALK AND SCHEME AND DREAM TOGETHER.

>>LORENE: WWW.REUNITYRESOURCES.COM SO IT IS A WONDERFUL WEBSITE AND DO YOU HAVE A PARTING WORD FOR US?

>>TEJINDER: YEAH, I THINK THAT THIS IS A MODEL THAT CAN BE DONE IN MANY, MANY PLACES.

AND PARTS OF IT CAN BE USED BUT THE MAIN THING IS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW, TO CREATE HEALTHY SOIL, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS FOOD WASTE.

CREATE HEALTHY SOIL, GROW FOOD ON IT, FEED YOUR COMMUNITY WITH IT, BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER ON PIECES OF LAND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IN THE BOUNTY OF THE HARVEST, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW YOUR COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE CONNECT THROUGH LAND, THROUGH FOOD AND IT IS A WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY BRING MORE CONNECTIONS TO EACH OTHER AS WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE DIGITAL.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>TEJINDER: LET'S BRING IT BACK TO EARTH.

>>LORENE: BRING IT BACK HOME.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR GUESTS TODAY, JULIANA AND TEJINDER CIANO OF REUNITY RESOURCES.

IT IS A GREAT GIFT YOU'RE COMING TO TELL US ABOUT IT AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

I FIND IT CONSTANTLY INSPIRING AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>>TEJINDER: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>LORENE: YOU BET.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM