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 THE CO-FOUNDERS OF SOMETHING CALLED REUNITY RESOURCES, JULIANA AND TEJINDER CIANO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>JULIANA: WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>>LORENE: WELL OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER IN SANTA FE LOVES YOU, LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE THEY NAMED YOU ONE OF THE TEN PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE CITY WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE AND EVEN THIS AUGUST THEY DID ANOTHER LONG ARTICLE ABOUT YOU.

SO, CAN YOU TELL US WHY EVERYONE IS IN LOVE WITH WHAT YOU DO AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME?

>>JULIANA: YEAH, THANK YOU.

SO WE ARE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LOCATED ON THE WESTSIDE OF SANTA FE IN AUGA FRIA VILLAGE AND WE OPERATE AN URBAN COMMUNITY FARM AND MODEL A CLOSED LOOP FOOD SYSTEM, WHICH MEANS WE ARE COLLECTING FOOD WASTE FROM RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS, HOUSEHOLDS, TURNING IT INTO COMPOST, AMENDING THE SOIL WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO GROW THINGS IN THE DESERT, IF YOU HAVE EVER TRIED GARDENING, WE NEED THAT COMPOST TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.

THEN GROWING FOOD WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE WAYS BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT TO US IS THE FOOD DONATIONS.

SO THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, FOOD WASTE IN LANDFILLS IS THE THIRD LARGEST GREENHOUSE GAS PRODUCER IN THE WORLD.

SO IF FOOD WASTE IN LANDFILLS WAS A COUNTRY OF ITS OWN, IT WOULD GO CHINA, US, FOOD WASTE IN LANDFILLS, IN TERMS OF GREENHOUSE GAS PRODUCTION.

>>LORENE: WOW.

>>JULIANA: SIMPLY BY REMOVING THAT AND SEPARATING IT AND MANAGING THE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS WE ARE NOT ONLY JUST LOSING THAT RESOURCE, LOSING ALL THOSE MINERALS AND WATER, WE ARE PREVENTING THAT METHANE AND INSTEAD WE ARE ENDING UP WITH THIS HIGHLY ESSENTIAL PRODUCT THAT HELPS US THEN GROW MORE FOOD.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE SEE THE LOOP, RIGHT?

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>JULIANA: LAST WEEK'S BANANA PEEL BECOMES COMPOST WHICH HELPS US GROW NEXT SEASON'S TOMATOES.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>JULIANA: YEAH.

>>LORENE: EXCELLENT.

TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOU ENDED UP WHERE YOU ARE JUST RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SANTA FE LIMITS, I THINK YOU ARE THE CLOSET FARM TO THE CITY OF SANTA FE.

SO TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THAT WONDERFUL PROPERTY THAT YOU ARE ON.

>>JULIANA: THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY WE ARE ON GOES BACK AT LEAST 7,000 YEARS, SO ARCHEOLOGISTS BELIEVE THAT THE TEWA PEOPLE WHO WERE STEWARDED THIS LAND ACROSS THE REGIONS SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL WERE NOMADIC UNTIL ABOUT 5,000 BCE WHEN SOME TEWA SPEAKING PEOPLE SETTLED RIGHT IN THIS RIVER VALLEY BECAUSE OF THE ALLUVIAL PLAINS AND ALSO PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE DOMESTICATION OF THE TURKEY.

THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE DISTINCT CIVILIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND IN DIGS, PRE-COLONIZATION.

IN ABOUT 1200 THERE WAS A MASSIVE REGIONAL DROUGHT, THIS IS THE SAME TIME THAT CHACO CANYON WAS ABANDONED AND THE PEOPLE OF IT CARED FOR THIS LAND AND GREW FOOD THERE FOR SO LONG, NEEDED TO RELOCATE BECAUSE WATER IS LIFE.

A FEW HUNDRED YEARS LATER, THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORS WERE COMING THROUGH AND ON THEIR WAY TO COLONIAL SANTA FE COULD SEE HOW IT HAD BEEN FARMED, HOW PEOPLE HAD LIVED THERE AND SETTLED RIGHT ON TOP AND IT ALSO BECAME A BREAD BASKET FOR COLONIAL SANTA FE.

IN MORE RECENT HISTORY THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS A WORLD WAR II VET, A REALLY LEGENDARY FELLOW WHO JUST WITNESSED SO MUCH TRAUMA IN THE WAR, SAW THE RAVAGES OF SANCTIONS AND HUNGER IN EUROPE, YOU KNOW SAW MOST OF HIS PLATOON DIE AND SOMEHOW CAME OUT OF IT SAYING, "WELL, I AM STILL HERE FOR A REASON.

I NEED TO DO SOMETHING LARGER THAN MYSELF."

HE CAME BACK AND THAT WAS HIS FAMILY FARMLAND AND BASICALLY A VOLUNTEER BASIS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, GREW FOOD AND GAVE IT AWAY.

HE LIVED TO BE 103, WHICH I THINK IS A TESTAMENT TO HAVING A PURPOSE LARGER THAN YOURSELF.

>>LORENE: AND EATING HOME GROWN FOOD.

>>JULIANA: EXACTLY, GETTING YOUR HANDS IN THE SOIL AND EATING HOME GROWN FOOD AND WE MET HIM A FEW YEARS BEFORE HE PASSED AND STARTED FORMING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAND AND THEN WHEN HE PASSED ON, HIS SON SOLD IT TO US.

>>LORENE: WELL HIS NAME WAS JOHN STEPHENSON.

>>JULIANA: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND HE IS A HERO IN THE LEGEND AND THE BELOVED ANTECEDENT ANCESTOR.

I LIVE IN AUGA FRIA VILLAGE, SO EVERYONE JUST WHEN WE DRIVE BY THINK, "OH, HOW WONDERFUL."

WE SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH IT AND IT IS JUST AMAZING.

SO, YOU OPERATE ON MANY LEVELS, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH CHILDREN BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUMMER CAMPS, YOU HAVE MOVIES AND DINNER AND YOU JUST HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS THERE, YOU HAVE MUSIC THERE, IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL VENUE THAT IS GREEN, GRASSY HILL AND THEN A STAGE AND THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS ACROSS THE RIVER.

SO IT IS A PLACE THAT I LOVE TO COME AND RECENTLY YOU HAD JOE HAYES, A MUCH BELOVED SANTA FE STORYTELLER COME THERE AND PEOPLE WERE JUST COMPLETELY HAPPY.

I WAS WITH SOMEONE WITH A SMALL CHILD WHO SAID, "WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING WHEN WE GO THERE," YOU KNOW THE KIDS ARE SAFE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ON GUARD ALL THE TIME.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH KIDS.

SO YOU HAVE THE CAMP AND YOU HAVE WEEKEND WORKSHOPS WHERE KIDS CAN COME AND HELP.

AND WHAT IS YOUR, I WON'T SAY AGENDA, BUT WHAT IS YOUR PLAN, HOW DOES OPENING THESE DOORS TO KIDS HELP US ALL?

>>JULIANA: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK ONE, YOU KNOW, ONE GOAL IS THAT WE CAN CREATE THESE PROGRAMS, WE CAN FARM THIS AMOUNT OF LAND BUT IT IS FINITE AND WHEN YOU START EDUCATING PEOPLE, WELCOMING KIDS, HAVING THESE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING WHERE PEOPLE WITH ALL BACKGROUNDS AND INTERESTS CAN CONNECT, THEN WE CAN START TO SEE THE REPLICABILITY AND THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THESE PROGRAMS.

BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, "OH, WELL I COULD DO THAT AT HOME OF ACTUALLY, I AM FROM A DIFFERENT CITY AND I KNOW WHO I CAN TALK TO THERE TO GET SOMETHING STARTED."

AND SO IT IS REALLY ABOUT THAT KIND OF GRASS ROOTS SCALABILITY AND THAT WE NEED OUR CHILDREN TO BE INSPIRED AND TO KNOW SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS TO PUT THEIR ENERGY TOWARDS WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>LORENE: AND TEJINDER, YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW SUSTAINABILITY ALSO MEANS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, HOW YOU TRY TO ROUND OUT YOUR PROGRAMS FROM DOORSTEP COMPOST TO THE FARM CAMP.

SO TELL ME I THINK YOU HAVE 400 KIDS, WAS IT THIS SUMMER OR MAYBE IT WAS LAST YEAR WHO CAME TO YOUR FARM CAMP AND WHAT I LOVE IS THAT 30% OF THOSE ATTENDEES WERE ON SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO IT IS NOT A LUXURY, IT IS A WONDERFUL GIFT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE KIDS.

>> TEJINDER: YEAH.

JULIANA CAN SPEAK MORE TO LIKE THE GROWTH OF THE FARM CAMP, I GUESS AS FAR AS I VIEW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY ON THIS LAND AND ON THIS FARM AND IT IS REALLY RECONNECTING WITH NATURE AND ON A HUMAN CORE LEVEL OF HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY, TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH LAND, TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH WATER, TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH PLANTS, BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE FOOD COMES FROM AND GET THE NOURISHMENT FROM IT.

THE JOY OF TASTING A FRESHLY GROWN CARROT.

>>LORENE: OR TOMATOES, YEAH.

>> TEJINDER: YEAH, INSTILLING THOSE VALUES INTO CHILDREN AT A YOUNG AGE IS PARAMOUNT FOR THEIR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SUSTAINABILITY WILL BE FOR THEM AS THEY GROW.

>>LORENE: AND IT IS ALSO SO EMPOWERING BECAUSE THEY PUT THE SEED IN, THEY WATER IT, THEY WATCH THE PLANT GROW, THEY COME BACK AND PICK THE VEGETABLE.

I MEAN IT IS JUST LIKE ... >> TEJINDER: YEAH, COOKING WITH IT OR USING ART WITH PLANT-BASED DYES, THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL EDUCATORS AND THE KIDS, IT IS ROCKING, IT IS LIVELY ON THE FARM FOR 12 STRAIGHT WEEKS WHERE THERE IS JUST SO MUCH ENERGY AND SO MUCH JOY IN SUCH A SAFE PLACE IN CONNECTING WITH NATURE WITH GREAT EDUCATORS AND REALLY HAVING A WONDERFUL ABILITY TO RECONNECT WITH LAND IN PLACE.

>>LORENE: I THINK YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF THE KIDS.

>>JULIANA: WE DO, YEAH, HERE IS A FAVORITE.

>>LORENE: OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>JULIANA: YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAY THEN THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE OPENNESS THAT THEY HAVE TO EAT WHAT THEY HAVE GROWN, WHAT THEY HAVE PREPARED.

WE ALWAYS LAUGH THAT TUESDAY IS SALAD PARTY DAY.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>JULIANA: AND WE WILL BE IN THE OFFICE OR OUT IN THE FIELD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU WILL HEAR ALL THESE KIDS' VOICES GOING, "SALAD, SALAD."

AND THEY ARE LITERALLY AROUND A PARACHUTE DOING A SALAD TOSS WITH YOU KNOW VEGETABLES THEY HAVE PICKED, DRESSING THEY HAVE MADE, >>LORENE: THAT'S A WHOLE NEW THING ON TOSSED SALAD.

>>JULIANA: EXACTLY, RIGHT AND SO THEY ARE JUST HAVING A BLAST AND THEN THEY COME BACK FOR THIRDS AND FOURTHS AND THE PARENTS SAY, WHAT'S THE RECIPE, WHAT'S THE SECRET, THEY HAVE NEVER EATEN SALAD LIKE THIS BEFORE.

IT'S LIKE, IT'S PARTICIPATION AND YOU KNOW THAT CONNECTION.

>>LORENE: AND THE EMPOWERMENT TOO, ONCE THEY REALIZE THAT THEY CAN DO THIS.

>>JULIANA: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND THERE IS MAGIC TO IT, DEEP MAGIC, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET A PHD IN AGRICULTURE TO PLANT A SEED AND WATER IT AND WATCH IT GROW.

>>JULIANA: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: SO HOW DO PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT, PARTICULARLY REALLY INTERESTED IN THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS.

OBVIOUSLY, YOUR SUMMER CAMP IS OVER FOR THIS YEAR BUT TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF YOUR ONGOING WEEKEND EVENTS.

>> JULIANA: SURE, YUP WE ARE DOING SOME SCHOOLS OUT DROP-IN DAYS THIS FALL.

YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY PARENT'S WORK SCHEDULE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE SCHOOL SCHEDULE SO WE WILL HAVE SOME DROP-IN DAYS.

WE HAVE A FALL FEST WHICH IS GEARED AT FAMILIES, THAT'S THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 23 AND 24 AND KIND OF ALL THE FALL FARM FUN YOU COULD HOPE FOR, FROM YOU PICK APPLES AND CIDER PRESSING TO FACE PAINTING AND LOTS OF GOOD, YOU KNOW, THE ABUNDANCE OF HARVESTING AND LOTS OF GOODS TO TASTE AND TRY AND MAKE AND TAKE.

SO THAT IS COMING UP SEPTEMBER 23 AND 24 AND THEN WE DO A LOT OF PROGRAMMING WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WE DO BOTH CLASSROOM VISITS BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO GET A BUS, BUT OUR FAVORITE IS WHEN WE GET TO GO TO THE CLASSROOM AND HAVE THEM COME AND HERE IS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THAT IN THE CLASSROOM WE CAN LOOK UNDER A MICROSCOPE OR YOU KNOW ANALYZE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT TIES IN WITH THEIR CURRICULUM.

>>LORENE: I BET IT IS THEIR FAVORITE, TOO.

BECAUSE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPACE, IT JUST MAKES YOU WANT TO RUN AROUND AND YOU HAVE A FEW RESIDENT CRITTERS, A VERY BEAUTIFUL PIG.

>>JULIANA: WE SURE DO.

WHICH ACTUALLY SPEAKING OF KIDS' PROGRAMS, THAT'S A TEENAGER'S 4H PROJECT.

HE RAISES PIGS AND TURKEYS AND SO RESPONSIBLE TO FIND ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO ENGAGE AND IT IS SUCH A HUGE OFFERING BECAUSE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY LOVES TO MEET THESE ANIMALS.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>JULIANA: AND IT IS PRETTY COOL THAT IT IS A 17-YEAR-OLD WHO IS HANDLING IT ALL.

>>LORENE: OH YEAH AND HOW WONDERFUL THAT HE FOUND YOU ALL, THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT HIM ON THIS JOURNEY BECAUSE CITY KIDS DON'T GET A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THIS.

WELL, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH TEJINDER AND JULIANA CIANO AND ABOUT REUNITY RESOURCES AND IT REALLY LITERALLY IS, IT IS SO WELL NAMED.

SHOW US A COUPLE OF SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES AND SOME OF THE PICTURES YOU HAVE.

>>JULIANA: SURE THING.

>>TEJINDER: SURE, SO THIS IS OUR DOORSTEP COMPOSTING PROGRAM AND THIS IS WHAT A LITTLE GREEN BUCKET HERE IS WHAT WE DROP OFF AT PEOPLE'S HOMES.

SO RESIDENCES ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE ONE OF THESE BUCKETS AND THEN EVERY WEEK THEY PUT ALL THEIR FOOD WASTE IN IT AND LEFTOVERS, MEAT, BONES, DAIRY, ANYTHING THAT WAS ONCE ALIVE CAN GO INTO IT.

AND THEN WE COME AND PICK IT UP AND THEN WE TURN IT INTO COMPOST, SO THIS IS COMPOSTING THE EASY WAY.

>>LORENE: EXACTLY, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

HOW BIG ARE THOSE BUCKETS?

>>JULIANA: THERE ARE FOUR-GALLON BUCKETS, SO IT IS ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE FOR A FAMILY RESIDENCE OR A SINGLE RESIDENT COULD PROBABLY USE ONE OF THESE BUCKETS AND THEY ARE PICKED UP ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS.

AND THEN A FAMILY OF FOUR WOULD GENERALLY HAVE ONE OF THESE BUCKETS PICKED UP WEEKLY.

SO WE OFFER A BIWEEKLY AND A WEEKLY SERVICE.

>>LORENE: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH YOU ABOUT BEFORE IS THE FACT THAT OUR FOOD SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

AND HOW IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING HELPING REPAIR THE DAMAGE?

>> TEJINDER: YES.

I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ON THIS BUT WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY IF WE DON'T HAVE FOOD WITHIN OUR LOCAL REGION OR TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR POPULATION.

IF ALL OF OUR FOOD IS PACKAGED AND MOSTLY NOT NUTRITIOUS AND IS BEING SOLD TO US AND OUR HEALTH IN GENERAL IS GOING DOWN, BUT THE FOOD THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US AND THE VEGETABLES THAT ARE COMING FROM AND THE FRUITS THAT ARE COMING FROM MOSTLY SO FAR AWAY FROM US.

HOW IS THAT SUSTAINABLE, FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SO BY BEING ABLE, WE HAVE A RICH LONG TRADITION OF AGRICULTURE IN THE STATE, UNFORTUNATELY AND WELL FORTUNATELY, SO THAT THERE IS MOST OF OUR, WE HAVE A LOT OF LAND THAT IS NOT BEING FARMED ANY MORE.

FARMING, AS MOST PEOPLE MIGHT KNOW IS NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART, IT MAKES BASICALLY NO SENSE FINANCIALLY FOR OUR SMALL SCALE FARMER WHATSOEVER AND IT IS MOSTLY DONE BASED ON VALUES.

>>LORENE: PLUS DROUGHT.

>> TEJINDER: YEAH.

>>LORENE: FARMERS DEPEND ON THE WEATHER.

>> TEJINDER: YEAH.

>>LORENE: IT IS VERY HARD TO DO.

>>JULIANA: IT IS LESS AND LESS PREDICTABLE.

>>LORENE: AND IT IS IN EFFECT SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.

>> TEJINDER: YEAH.

SO WE NEED MORE FARMERS AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF GROWING FOOD AND BEING ABLE TO FEED THEIR COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY.

THAT IS A GREAT VALUE OF WHY YOUNG FARMERS DO WHAT THEY DO AND IN REALITY, THE ACCESS TO LAND AND WATER, THESE ARE THE MASSIVE END TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING AT IT ARE HORRIBLE BARRIERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS A VITAL FOR OUR SUSTAINABILITY.

SO IT IS ALMOST THAT THE STAGE IS SO FAR SET AGAINST US IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE RELY ON BIG BOX STORES TO BRINGMALNUTRITIOUS FOOD TO US FROM MILES AND MILES AWAY.

>>LORENE: SO IN EFFECT WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS PROVIDING A MID-TIER REGIONAL FOOD HUB SO THAT OTHER SMALL FARMERS CAN WORK WITH YOU, OTHER INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN WORK WITH YOU AND YOU TEACH THE KIDS AND THE OTHER FAMILIES HOW TO SALVAGE AND TRANSFORM FOOD WASTE AND THEN HOW TO GROW MORE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO BEGIN WITH.

>> TEJINDER: AND THAT'S ONE PART OF IT, YEAH.

SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE LAND THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO FARMERS IS REALLY KIND OF A FIRST STEP AND HAVING THAT LAND ACCESS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE FARMERS WITH EDUCATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO GROW IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO PROMOTE, IS HOW WE GET FARMERS TO BE ABLE AS A NON-PROFIT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, BE THE LINK IN BETWEEN, OKAY WE KNOW THIS PIECE OF LAND AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU AND GUIDE YOU AND EDUCATE AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO GROW FOOD ON THIS PIECE OF LAND.

AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN OUTLET FOR THAT FOOD THEN TO BE ABLE TO GO TO AND ALL THAT FOOD THAT IS UGLY, THAT IS NOT SELLABLE, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THAT INTO A PESTO OR WE ARE GOING TO TURN THAT INTO SOME KIND OF OTHER VALUE ITEM SO THERE ISN'T ANY FOOD WASTE.

>>LORENE: CHIPS, AND MISSHAPEN CARROTS.

>> TEJINDER: SO BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL FARMERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T FOOD GOING TO WASTE THAT IS NOT SO BEAUTIFUL, WE HAVE A PROGRAM, SAVING SECONDS, THAT'S USING SECONDS WHICH ARE THE UNBEAUTIFUL PRODUCE TO TURN IT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD, THE NUTRITION IS STILL THERE.

AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GROW MORE FOOD, THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, THAT WE NEED TO GROW MORE FOOD AND THAT'S WHERE WE HOPE TO PROVIDE VALUE.

>>JULIANA: I HAVE GOT A COUPLE OF PICTURES HERE, THIS IS PART OF OUR FARM CREW, THIS IS SEAN AND DAVE AND THEN THIS IS JULIAN WHO WAS AN INTERN WITH US THIS SUMMER THROUGH A REALLY COOL PROGRAM CALLED FUTURE FOCUSED EDUCATION, ALSO IN THESE KIND OF WORKING INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS TO LET PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WHAT FARMING IS REALLY LIKE.

YOU KNOW, LEARN ALONGSIDE THE PROCESS OF THE SEASON AND THEN TO BE HARVESTING THIS FOOD, TO BE LEARNING HOW TO PROCESS IT.

WE HAVE DEHYDRATORS, YOU KNOW BIG BOILERS FOR MAKING SAUCES AND JAMS.

>>LORENE: WELL I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING SOME FUNDRAISING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO CIDER PRESSES AROUND AND WE HAVE HUGE APPLE ORCHARDS, LOTS OF DELICIOUS APPLES BUT NO CIDER PRESSES AND THE OTHER ONE WAS MILLS.

A MILL TO GRIND THE GRAIN, THE ORGANIC NATURAL GRAIN THAT PEOPLE GROW, AND SO IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL TO ME THAT YOU SAW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE THAT NOBODY IS DOING IT AND I THINK YOU MIGHT BE GETTING, HOPEFULLY SOME GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE?

>>JULIANA: WE HOPE SO, WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION, WE ARE LOOKING, WE ARE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC, AND ALL THESE NEEDS WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED BY THE SANTA FE FOOD POLICY COUNCIL WHICH HAS BEEN DOING SUCH GREAT WORK FOR YEARS.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS EVEN 2010 THEY PUT OUT THIS GREAT REPORT ABOUT WHAT OUR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM NEEDED, AND IT IS THIS PIECE OF SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND AND WATER ACCESS IS ONE THING, FARMERS BEING PAID A LIVING WAGE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

AND THEN ONCE THE FOOD IS GROWN, MAYBE NOT EVERY PIECE OF LAND NEEDS A CERTIFIED WASH STATION AND A WALK-IN COOLER WITH ELECTRICITY, BUT THEY HAVE TO WASH AND REFRIGERATE IT SOMEWHERE AND SO HOW CAN WE BE COLLABORATIVE, AND COMMUNITY MINDED INSTEAD OF SAYING EVERYBODY NEEDS EVERYTHING AND WE ARE INDIVIDUALISTIC.

IT IS LIKE NO, WE CAN YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE GOT THE APPROVED WASH STATION, BRING YOUR VEGGIES OVER, LET'S WASH THEM.

IF YOU HAVE GOT THE CERTIFIED KITCHEN, BRING YOUR VEGGIES OVER AND LET'S PROCESS THEM, THIS IS FOOD AND FARM DAY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, THAT'S THE GOVERNOR.

>>JULIANA: YUP, WHO HAS BEEN DOING REALLY GREAT WORK WITH OUR FOOD SYSTEMS FROM UNIVERSAL FREE LUNCHES TO... >>LORENE: LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT, FINALLY FEEDING KIDS IN SCHOOL, THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION ABOUT WHO HAS GOT THE SACK LUNCH AND WHO IS BUYING THEIR LUNCH.

WE ARE JUST FEEDING EVERY CHILD THAT SHOWS UP WILL GET BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.

>>JULIANA: INCREDIBLE.

>>LORENE: YOU CAN'T LEARN WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY.

>> TEJINDER: NO.

>>LORENE: AND WE ARE RICH, WE CAN AFFORD THIS, FEED THE KIDS.

>>JULIANA: YEP, YEP AND TEJINDER HAS WORKED ON THE SANTE FE'S FOOD POLICY COUNCIL FOR SO MANY YEARS NOW AND WORKING ON THESE POLICY PIECES THAT NEED TO COME IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS FUNDING FOR FARMERS TO AMEND THEIR SOIL.

THAT THERE IS FUNDING FOR FARMERS TO HAVE A LIVING WAGE, TO HAVE SOME WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT.

LOCAL PROCUREMENT SO THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OUR FOOD BANKS, OUR SENIOR CENTERS, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS HAVE DEDICATED DOLLARS TO BUY FROM FARMERS AT A RATE THAT SUSTAINS THE FARMERS.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY THEY HAVE TO GET THE CHEAPEST FOOD THAT HAS BEEN GROWN FROM AFAR AND SHIPPED IN, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH FLAVOR, IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH NUTRITION.

LIKE EVERYBODY, FOOD IS A HUMAN RIGHT, RIGHT, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO EAT FRESH, LOCAL, DELICIOUS, HEALTHY FOOD.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT HAVING A CITIZEN LEGISLATURE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE FARMERS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF PRO AGRICULTURE BILLS AND ALSO PRO FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, LET'S BE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO GET IT.

WE HAVE THE FOOD DEPOT, WE HAVE JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING AT PROVIDING FOOD AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE FOOD DEPOT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THE FOOD IS THERE FOR YOU AND IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING THROUGH THE WEEK ON YOUR BUDGET, YOU NEED FOOD, THEY HAVE FOOD, THEY GIVE IT TO YOU, NO JUDGEMENT.

THE ENEMY IS HUNGER AND ESPECIALLY HUNGRY KIDS AND WE ALL STEP UP AS A COMMUNITY TO BE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND YOU DO WONDERFUL THINGS WITH THAT AND I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE YOU HAVE AT SAN YSIDRO CROSSING.

AND IT IS JUST WONDERFUL THAT ANYONE CAN GO AND YOU HAVE SOME, I HAVE SEEN LIKE ENCHILADAS, YOU HAVE SOME MADE UP FOOD, BUT YOU HAVE A LOT OF FRESH VEGETABLES, FRESH FRUITS, APPLES, CORN AND IT IS JUST A WONDERFUL GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU.

>> TEJINDER: WE WISH WE COULD DO MORE WITH THAT.

I THINK, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO POINT OUT I THINK THAT WHAT IF EVERY IN OUR DEVELOPMENT THAT THERE WAS A SMALL FARM THAT THE HOUSING COMMUNITIES WERE CENTERED AROUND FARMS.

WHAT IF, AS ALL THOSE LANDS, GOVERNMENT LANDS, WERE TURNED INTO FARMS THAT ACTUALLY PAID A FARMER TO GROW THE FOOD FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THINKING ABOUT THAT'S IMMEDIATE ACCESS A BILL FOR HEALTHY FOOD.

>>LORENE: AND SO NOT ONLY IS, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH TO EAT NUTRITIOUS HOMEGROWN FOOD, BUT THE VERY MAGIC OF GARDENING AND YOUR HANDS IN THE DIRT AND WATCHING THINGS GROW THAT IS A TREMENDOUS MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT.

>>JULIANA: ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS ALSO, I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN MAGIC AS IS TEJINDER.

WE ARE SMILING BECAUSE IT HAS COME UP A FEW TIMES THIS WEEK THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC TO GET THROUGH A FARMING SEASON.

BUT, THERE IS ALSO SCIENCE TO THAT, THE MICROBES IN HEALTHY SOIL MIMIC SEROTONIN IN THE BRAIN.

SO THERE IS AN OBSERVABLE SCIENTIFIC TREND BUT IF YOU SAY, YEAH MY GARDEN IS MY HAPPY PLACE, OR IF YOU WANT TO COME DOWN, WE HAVE DROP IN VOLUNTEER DAYS ON THURSDAY MORNINGS AND SATURDAY MORNINGS.

GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY WITH US, MEET SOME NEW PEOPLE, IT LITERALLY DOES MAKE YOU HAPPIER.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>JULIANA: AND HEALTHIER.

IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE.

>>LORENE: AND WHEN ARE THOSE TIMES?

>>JULIANA: THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS FROM NINE TO NOON AND WE WILL DO THAT THROUGH ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER WHEN OUR FIRST FROST ISPREDICTED.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>JULIANA: AND OUR WEBSITE JUST SO PEOPLE CAN FIND IT IS WWW.REUNITYRESOURCES.COM >>LORENE: YEAH, GOOD.

WELL, I WANT PEOPLE TO GO THERE.

YOU OFFER SUCH A RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND NOBODY ELSE IS DOING IT.

NOW WHAT I WANT OUR STATEWIDE VIEWERS TO KNOW THAT IF THEY LOOK THEY CAN FIND PROBABLY SMALL, HUBS FOR FARMERS AND FARMERS MARKETS AND YOU KNOW TO TRY TO START EXPLORING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE BRANCHES ANYWHERE BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE PEOPLE LOVE THIS SO MUCH, WILL HAVE LOCAL FARMERS COOPERATIVES, FARMERS MARKETS OR COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT PEOPLE JUST GO AND THEN WHAT I LOVE IS YOU CAN TAKE WHAT IS GROWING, THEY SAY WE GREW IT FOR YOU GUYS.

ANYONE CAN COME IN AND GET CARROTS AND TOMATOES.

BUT WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, I LOVE THIS CONVERSATION SO MUCH.

WOULD YOU EACH GIVE US A LITTLE WRAP UP OF WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT REUNITY RESOURCES AND OTHER GARDEN ISSUES FOR THE PEOPLE.

>>JULIANA: SURE THING.

I THINK THAT IF YOU ARE WANTING TO START COMPOSTING AT HOME IF YOU ARE IN THE SANTA FE AREA, THE REAL EASY WAY HERE IS WITH OUR DOORSTEP PROGRAM.

YOU CAN ALSO THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT METHODS FOR BACKYARD COMPOSTING AND WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE RESOURCES WITH YOU ON THAT.

WE HAVE JUST WRAPPED UP A PROGRAM WITH THE COUNTY OF INSTALLING COMPOST BINS AT PEOPLE'S HOMES THROUGHOUT SANTA FE COUNTY.

YOU KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT WE ARE DOING AGAIN GO TO OUR WEBSITE COME VISIT US, WE HAVE SIX WEEKS WORTH OF ABUNDANCE LEFT IN THE SEASON AND THEN THINGS SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT PLEASE DO REACH OUT AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO TEJINDER.

>> TEJINDER: SURE, AS FAR AS FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING, GETTING OUT OF THE WAY, THERE IS EVERY POSSIBLE AVAILABILITY AND ABILITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED.

WE HAVE 24-7 HOUR DROP-OFF, PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF THEIR OWN FOOD WASTE, WE COLLECT FOOD WASTE FROM RESTAURANTS, RESTAURANTS SHOULD ALL BE COMPOSTING THEIR FOOD WASTE.

AND THEN ALSO JUST BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL AGRICULTURE THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

SO THERE IS THE ABILITY IN ORDER TO GET PRODUCE, WE MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>> TEJINDER: AND SO YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY YES.

>>LORENE: WELL I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME, BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MY GUESTS TODAY, JULIANA AND TEJINDER CIANO OF REUNITY RESOURCES.

YOU ARE A GREAT GIFT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORLD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> TEJINDER/ JULIANA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.

>>LORENE: 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