On the evening of Friday, July 6, Taos Sembrando Semillas members Andrew and Samantha Mascareñas, Martin Cardenas, and other semillitas got together to learn about garlic harvesting and storage from mentor Victor Mascareñas. We learned that garlic is ready when you can see purple coming through the seed scape on top. The garlic then needs to be hung in a cool, dark, airy place for two weeks to curar. It is then ready to eat, store, sell, or plant again in September or October.
During the months of May and June, Mora youth followed the traditions of their families and branded cattle, took their cattle to the sierra, and planted their gardens. On May 6th, with snow flurries falling throughout the morning, youth members DJ Duran, Josh Rivera, Diana Carrillo, LeAn Pino, Rory Pino, Christina Garcia, along with mentor Harold Trujillo planted nearly 400 pounds of four varieties of potatoes in LeDoux. They also helped Paula Garcia plant nine heritage fruit trees in Mora: three apple, three pear, and three cherry. Throughout May and early June, youth assisted their own families with branding. On June 3rd, Rory, Anna, and LeAn helped Antonio Medina, Marino Rivera, and Diego Rivera brand cattle in Encinal and take them to the sierra. Afterward, they planted their own garden at Paula’s in Mora.
Sembrando Semillas members Toribio Garcia (Peñasco), Angel Martinez (Taos), Diane Carillo (Mora), and Samantha Mascareñas (North Taos County) (pictured, left to right), participate in the 5th annual New Mexico Civic Engagement Summer Institute ‘07. This is the 3rd year of Sembrando Semillas sending a delegation to NMCE with Toribio Garicia and Angel Martinez being our 3rd year veteranos. Angel did a digital storytelling piece last year at NMCE ‘06 that was used in this year’s storyboarding training. Toribio also started his digital storytelling piece entitled “How My Family Makes Chicos.” He later made a 2nd edition that earned him 2nd place and a $100 at the ¡ESE! Film Festival. New Mexico Civic Engagement has been a chance for us to interact with youth groups from all over the State that have different issues they want to fix in their communities.
Props to the team for representing!
Sembrando Semillas takes a swing at river restoration. We help Steve Haris and Rich Shraider try to remove invasive plants. We were looking for pepper weed and the tamerisk.
After a long hard battle we took a river rafting ride down the Rio Grande. When the ride was over we messed around in the river.
That was where I met some of the coolest people, I now as my friends! I had so much fun with my homies Andrew Padilla, Andrew Mascarenas, Samantha Mascarenas and most of all the talks I had with Victor Mascarenas.
The, just sheard sheep are finally feeling the Embudo summer breeze when the rest of us are heading back to the arbor to rest with a nice glass of iced tea while waching the sunset.
Toribio Garcia, Peñasco High School sophomore and Sembrando Semillas member, produced a 4 minute video entitled, “How my family makes chicos,” as part of our Sembrando Semillas activities. The film was entered, along with 7 others from our project, for consideration for entrance into the ESE (Española Showing Excellence) film festival on April 20, 2007. Toribio’s video was not only selected for the film festival, but placed 2nd.
Congratulations Toribio!
Toribio is already thinking about how to expand his video with more cultural information as he continues to be a young champion for acequia agriculture and our traditional foods.
Listen to the Mora Sembrando Semillas experience plowing the land in Mora on April 9, 2006 with:
- LeeAnn Pino and Director Paula Garcia
- Christina Garcia and mentor Antonio Medina (in Spanish)
- Josh Rivera
- Mentor Marino Rivera
Also listen to the Embudo Sembrando Semillas team as they learn to support and mulch tomato plants and plant seedlings on June 29, 2006 with:
- Mentors Margaret and Eremita Campos
- Youth interviews with Embudo Semillas: Ryan Martinez, Joaquin Campos-Lujan, Christy Lovato, Elizabeth Estrada, Elizabeth Atencio, and AnaLisa Campos
This is a picture of the Garcia family pig mantanza in the summer of 2006. This is a very important tradition, so we know a little about what happens and the process of killing a pig. Matanza’s were very important back before there was refrigeration. A whole animal would spoil so the matanza would have a community share in using the meat.
