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April 2023 Newsletter

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Welcome to the Farm!

Jamie Welles, Executive Director

I am so grateful for your support of the community farm and our mission of sustainable urban agriculture, environmental education, and wildlife. In the three years I have been Executive Director, RGCF has become a leader for regenerative farming techniques. We’ve expanded to 38 micro-farmers this year, who grow produce, herbs, flowers, and seeds. This year we are serving over 100 garden row-holders. We’re proud to host Tres Hermanas Farms Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program, the Mountain Dojo neuro-divergent group, and veteran farmers.  With your support we hired two new Farm Educators, Yurida Loera-Ramirez, who goes by Yuri, and Rich Adeyemi. They have really helped Kelvin, our Farm Coordinator, out and are wonderful additions to lead workshops and grow our summer camp program to over 350 youth.

We now have three different types of composting: hot pile, windrow, and Johnson Su bioreactors. Come visit and see how we’re adding compost buckets to our 116 fruit trees to provide nutrients naturally. Rich has been involved with the Bernalillo County Master Composters and is bringing more knowledge and workshops to our community farm.

Thanks to the City, RGCF made great improvements to the greenhouse this year – replacing the roofing gear system, lighting, and fans. We have also installed new cooling system media, durable rolling tables and built a large germination box. All this makes starting plants easier and gives us more square footage for plants. Yuri has the greenhouse looking awesome.

Thank you all who have helped with donations and volunteering. With you, the farm is able to become what it is today and what it will become tomorrow. Please come see us at the Plant Sale and Spring Festival, April 15th from 9 am-5 pm and meet Rich and Yuri.

Farmstrong spring Festival

Get ready for our annual seedling sale and Farmstrong Festival at Rio Grande Community Farm!

We’re excited to offer a wide variety of vegetable seedlings, including hundreds of tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and salad greens all grown right here, pesticide-free, as we’ve been doing for 26 years. Come by and get your spring and summer starts!

Come out April 15th from 9 – 5 for your plants at our FarmStrong Spring Festival, with live bands, a marketplace with 19 vendors selling handmade items, and plenty of delicious food and beer garden. Boogie to your favorite bands, including Que Onda, The High Desert Playboys Duo, Swing Magique, Zink and the Oxides, and Rodney Bowe.  It’s going to be a fun-filled family-friendly event — bring your friends. Be sure to check out the local vendors including Jo’s Farms, Enchantment Press, Kimber Ross Studios, Artemisia Herbs,Bloomers, Crystal Rhapsody, Loaded Lemon Abq, Laughing Hare Hot Glass, New Mexico Sticker Company/Metal The Brand, Sugar Bee’s Sweets, El TACO STOP, and Enchanting Kreativity.

Parking is free at the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space
(Montaño Rd., NW and Tierra Viva Place, NW).

From there walk east to the gazebo under the big cottonwood tree.

Admission is $5 per head, kids 3 and under are free

As a non-profit organization, we appreciate your joining us for one of our main fundraising events. You will be supporting our work in sustainable urban agriculture, environmental education, and wildlife habitat enhancement.  This year we expect to serve 12,000 visitors, 350 youth at summer farm camp, 100 folks in our community garden, and 38 awesome micro-farmers operating on 1/8 to 1-acre plots.

Nasturtium

What you’ll find at the plant sale!

Are you planning to start a garden in your backyard, on your apartment patio, or even indoors? We have a variety of seedlings that are perfect for any size and type of garden. For those with limited space, try our compact varieties such as cherry tomatoes, herbs, and peppers, which can thrive in small containers on apartment patios or even indoors near a sunny window. Schools and community gardens can benefit from our larger varieties such as pumpkins, squash, and watermelons, which are great for group activities and harvesting in the fall. Whatever your gardening situation, we have the perfect seedlings to help you get started and grow your own fresh produce

Cherry tomatoes

Five ways to ensure juicy tomatoes (and crunchy radishes)!

At Rio Grande Community Farms, we like to think like a plant.  Our seedlings say, “Watch out for frost” and “Keep my roots in healthy soil”.  In your garden you’ll have plenty of sun and water to give your plants, so their needs boil down to healthy soils (thank you compost!)  and protection from late frosts. Thankfully, our team has already selected strong varieties for you and kept out the poisons you might get with plants from big box stores.

Harden off your seedlings: Before planting your seedlings outside, it’s important to gradually expose them to outdoor conditions. This process, called hardening off, acclimates the plants to changes in temperature, sunlight, and wind. Start by placing your seedlings outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually increasing the amount of time they spend outside over the course of a week or two.  Double check soil moisture in the pots because they can dry out faster in Albuquerque’s breezes.

Protect against frost: If frost is a concern, cover your seedlings with frost blankets or other protective coverings on nights when frost is expected.

Choose the right planting location: Make sure to choose a spot that receives adequate sunlight (more than 6 hours a day), has good drainage, and is protected from strong winds. Avoid planting in low-lying areas where cold air can accumulate, as this can increase the risk of frost damage.

Amend soil as needed:  When you put your seedlings in the ground, or a larger pot on our patio, be sure to add compost or other organic matter to improve soil structure and fertility.  Why not consider testing your soil to determine its pH and nutrient levels? No need to overdo the fertilizer, which can burn leaves or even stall fruiting. Several times over the season, top dress with an inch or two of compost to create the optimal growing conditions and reduce water stress; avoid bare soil. Adding fertility is crucial for potted plants because frequent watering flushes out precious nitrogen fertilizer.

Water regularly: Seedlings require consistent moisture to thrive, so make sure to water them regularly. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot and other issues.

By following these tips, your seedlings will have the best possible chance of success, even if our last frost surprises us.

Keep it Green #RGCF @riograndecommunityfarm

Keep it Green

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Andy Jo, the creator of this sign, is the proprietor of Space Dog Farms and one of the RGCF small farmers in the open space. He hid the sign somewhere on the farm… Find the sign and tag a picture of yourself on Instagram with @riograndecommunityfarm and the #RGCF hashtag (help us reclaim it!), and we’ll send you a Rio Grande Community Farm Sticker.

Keep it Green sign, in context.

Sorghum at the maze

Planting New Roots

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Tres Hermanas Farm began in November 2016, through an Office of Refugee Resettlement Grant received by Lutheran Family Services Albuquerque Office. The program aims to connect refugee families with the land, water, seeds, tools and other resources needed to grow food. Tres Hermanas Farm is housed on three separate properties, the biggest and most productive of which is right here on the Rio Grande Community Farm. There are two other small, urban garden plots located in the International District.

Our partnership with Tres Hermanas has led to collaborations on workshops, cultural exchanges between refugee gardeners and RGCF community gardeners, increased production on RGCF land, a great diversity of produce being grown on a small area, and now, the organization of another year of the Maize Maze!

We couldn’t be more pleased having our friends from Burundi, the Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Chad growing food for their families and to sell at farmers’ markets, right here on the RIo Grande Community Farm. Join us for the Annual Maize Maze the last two weekends of October and take a tour of Tres Hermanas Farm!

The Maize Maze Presents: Farmstrong Race and Festival!

Join us October 27th 2018 for the Farmstrong Fall Festival and the Farmstrong 10k/5k/fun Run! Sign up now to reserve your spot at the Farmstrong Race; run through the golden fields of the Los Poblanos Open Space, enjoy the crisp fall air, and the beautiful migratory birds that spend the winter in our agricultural fields. After the race, explore the 8-acre Maize Maze and engage with the educational activities offered by Explora, the Bio Park and the Audubon Society. Live music will start at 1pm, and Steel Bender Brewyard will be serving in the beer garden all day long.

Music line up:

Food Trucks:

  • El Paisa Express
  • My Sweet Basil
  • The Supper Truck

Steel Bender Brewyard will be serving beer!

Bluefly Farms will be serving shrubs, sparkling water, and lavender infused treats!

Big Jim’s Farm will have pumpkins for sale!

Chispas Farm will have veggies for sale!

Farm Shark will be selling the finest pickles in town!

 

Dear Rio Grande Community Farm Supporter

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This is a post from 2017. Please visit our blog for the latest from RGCF.

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This year we are celebrating our 20th anniversary. We could not have reached this important milestone without the support of donors like you and we thank you for your loyal support.

 


The ground work has been laid by the staff and board of directors for the visions listed above. We need your financial support to sustain these visions in the future. Here are the facts:

 

  • In two years of programming, Las Huertas has graduated 8 new farmers. This specialized training is not offered anywhere else in the state or the region.
  • RGCF has received $30,150 in grant money over the last year directly related to the Las Huertas farmer training.
  • Grant monies are tied to programming expenses therefore we rely on donations to meet our operating expenses.
  • We need $4000-$5000/month to meet bare minimum costs of operation including staff contractor fees (no raises in three years), utilities, insurance, tractor repairs, water costs, seeds and office supplies. Theft of equipment from the Community Garden this year has cost RGCF $800 that was not budgeted.

 

We are struggling to meet these costs and need your help. Visit riograndefarm.org/get-involved/donate/ and support Rio Grande Community farm’s ongoing mission of “working to improve the health of our community through sustainable agriculture, wildlife habitat and education“ with a tax-deductible contribution today!

 

With Warm Regards,
Christine Jackson
Board President
P.S. In addition to your donation, please consider joining the Rio Grande Community Farm’s Board of Directors by contacting our Secretary, Debbie Miles at debbiemiles@riograndefarm.org.

Maze Fest 2016

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Join us for live music, a beer garden by Tractor Brewing, pumpkins, and explore the maze.  Saturday October 29th 3-10pm.

Daytime: Adults $8 / Kids (3-12) $6
Nighttime: All Ages $16 (Arrival after 7pm)

Maize Maze aerial shot

Celebrating Color at the 19th Annual Maize Maze

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The City of Albuquerque Open Space Division and Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) are proud to announce the 19th Annual Maize Maze””Color Maze!  The eight-acre maze is located on the Los Poblanos Fields agricultural Open Space north of Montaño. The Maze will feature activities, public art installments, and a scavenger hunt that will educate and inspire visitors about Color.

Aside from serving as an annual fund raiser for RGCF, a 501(c)3 Non-profit, the Maize Maze also fulfills a core part of the Farm’s mission: to provide habitat for wildlife. Each year, the Maze serves as both food and habitat for hundreds of migrating geese and cranes.

WHEN: The 2016 Maize Maze will be open Fridays 1pm-10pm, Saturdays 10am-10pm and Sundays 10am-7pm during the month of October.

HOW MUCH: Daytime admission for the maze are $8/adults and $6/kids (3-12 years old). Kids 2 and under are free. After dark for all ages is $16.

WHERE: Los Poblanos Fields is located in the heart of Albuquerque at 1701 Montano Road NW. Parking for the maze is 1 mile west of Fourth St NW. Turn north on Tierra Viva and park in the gravel lot to your left.

Lear More

Volunteer Wildlife Habitat Restoration Day – Fall 2016

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On September, Saturday 17th, join us as we plant more native and drought-tolerant species along our hedgerows to support this wildlife and pollinator habitat! We will also be moving earth and mulch to make sure what we plant gets water and stays healthy.

Bring:
Water in a refillable bottle, good shoes, clothes that can get dirty, sunscreen and/or a hat, work gloves, and your favorite shovel with your name on it.

Location:
From the intersection of 4th and Solar (or Sadie’s Restaurant), head west on Solar for one mile. Immediately after you pass Alvarado Elementary turn south onto the drainage ditch and park along the fence. Walk across the bridge and you will be at the Community Garden.

Seeking Board Members

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RGCF is actively seeking new board members to help carry out our mission. Please contact us today if you are interested in attending a board meeting to see if being on the board is right for you!

Rio Grande Community Farm Board Member Job Description

Mission: The mission of the Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) is to improve the health of our community through sustainable agriculture, fresh food, and education. We carry out our mission through our work in five strategic areas: demonstrating sustainable urban agriculture, growing food for and with our community, providing education and training opportunities in agriculture, enhancing urban wildlife habitat, and growing and celebrating the farming community.

Position: The Board will support the work of RGCF and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by RGCF’s Executive Director, the Board/Executive Director relationship is a partnership, and the appropriate involvement of the Board is both critical and expected. Specific Board Member responsibilities include:

Leadership, governance and oversight

  • Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director as s/he develops and implements RGCF’s strategic plan
  • Reviewing agenda and supporting materials prior to the board and committee meetings
  • Approving RGCF’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities
  • Contributing to an annual performance evaluation of the Executive Director
  • Assisting the Executive Director and President in identifying and recruiting other Board Members
  • Partnering with the Executive Director and other board members to ensure that board resolutions are carried out
  • Serving on committees or task forces and taking on special assignments
  • Representing RGCF to stakeholders; acting as an ambassador for the organization
  • Ensuring RGCF’s commitment to a diverse board and staff that reflects the communities RGCF serves

Fundraising

Board Members will consider RGCF a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority. So that RGCF can credibly solicit contributions from foundations, organizations, and individuals, RGCF expects to have 100 percent of Board Members make an annual contribution that is commensurate with their capacity.

Board terms/participation

Board Members will serve a three-year term to be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term. Board meetings will be held monthly and committee meetings will be held as determined.

Qualifications

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate about RGCF’s mission. Selected Board Members will have achieved leadership stature in business, government, philanthropy, or the non-profit sector. His/her accomplishments will allow him/her to attract other well-qualified, high-performing Board Members. Ideal candidates will have savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals.

Service on RGCF’s Board of Directors is without remuneration.

Habitat Restoration Volunteer Day – Spring 2016

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Saturday, April 16th
9:30 am to 3:00 pm

Join us in bringing more biodiversity, habitat and shade to the community garden and Field 4 hedgerows. We received a significant and diverse donation of trees and perennials from Albuquerque Open Space and we’re excited to get them planted!

If you have gloves and a shovel or rake please bring them! Also make sure you bring water.

Where? 1260 Solar Rd NW Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107 From the intersection of 4th and Solar (or Sadie’s Restaurant), head west on Solar for one mile. Immediately after you pass Alvarado Elementary turn south onto the drainage ditch and park along the fence. Walk across the bridge and you will be at the Community Garden.