 Fresh News Monthly Newsletters
Written by Marie Pruden The ACÁ A.C. mission is to promote eco-safe agriculture in communities by providing garden development and resource conservation support to insure sustainability and the promotion of ecologically sound standards. ACÁ offers on-site training for students, schools, ecological groups and farming community programs locally and internationally. The farmers Co-op produces eco-healthy economies and lifestyle options. What a relief it is to have cornered "ACÁ's Most Wanted" - The Salad Blend is Back! Let's talk about how this blend came to be the most wanted all over Mexico, from Mazatlan to Cancun. ACÁ is in the enviable position to have our produce in demand in area restaurants, delis, stores and hotels. I am sure there are a great many of you who already understand why. It's the farm freshness and the quality that makes it the very best money can buy - guaranteed to suit your excellent taste. When ACÁ started to introduce the salad blend in 1998 at the L.C.S. we seeded 1000 seeds a week, 50 weeks a year ,1/2 of it lettuce and about 500 miscellaneous other veggies in the Jocotepec student training garden. Wow! We had some good ol' times in that garden, entertaining tours for the Garden Clubs & Guild complete with parasols & sun hats…… And what about starting the Annual Ground Hog Day (el Dia del Marmote)?, and then a surprise……. to have a busload of international organic growers come to visit our small garden. These small tours opened up a great many doors for ACÁ over the next couple of years, expanding our horizons. The ACÁ landscape changed significantly at the beginning of 2000, with a great deal of planning, teaching, cultivating ideas, hundreds of volunteers, thousands of hours of labor and of course the needed pesos, to bring it to where it is today. We funded growth by a few fun farm events but mainly it was the lettuce that was and still is most in demand. Today at the newest site - the Jaltepec market garden, we seed and transplant 12,000 plants in the field weekly, 7000 are lettuce, the remaining a mix of vegetables; Swiss chard (Acelgas), snow peas (Chicharro Chino), beets (Betabel), Beans (Ejotes), Collards, Kale, Carrots and various Zucchini. Now with the corporate donation of seed from Hope Seeds International there are over 40 varieties we teach and grow throughout each of the seasons. Unfortunately there are times the lettuce is unavailable and it is at these times the other vegetables keep the model farm operation going. Seeding is just the beginning, each of the 12,000 baby seedlings are transplanted, then mulched especially at this time of year with dried leaves, hay, wood chips and inter-planted with shallots (for an amazing 90% success rate for controlling pests). With the mulch and compost we model sound integrated pest and resource management practices. The mulching is so vital this time of year to conserve the moisture, reducing evaporation, and doubling the benefit by enriching the planting beds for the continuous cycles of planting. The gigantic compost pile supplies us with wheel barrels of black gold providing soil nutrients needed to handle the on ––going crop rotation 365 days a year. An organic farmers dream comes true! Besides protecting the lettuce we also have shallots, mulch and compost available to the public. "But why does the lettuce last so long?" everyone asks. Well, it's because we harvest when the morning chill is still in the plants. We harvest like beavers before the sun peaks over Mount Garcia. We hit the fields in the wee early hours 3 times a week, filling the coolers, bringing us to the next step of washing and spinning. Our deep well provides potable water, the white tinaco keeps it ice cold, and the lettuce is hand washed with great care, hand graded and spun dry one bag at a time. Talk about labor intensive! ACÁ has been looking for over a year for donated washing machines in good working condition to be modified by one of our expert volunteers (Art Martens). A modified machine to wash all the lettuce and the root crops of carrots turnips, kohlrabi and sweet potatoes will reduce labor and increase training time. (* So if anyone out there does have a washing machine in good working order that you would donate to ACÁ we would love to hear from you - please give us a call.) But if you thought we were done with that lettuce…… not quite yet. The packaging is also done by hand without the hidden cost of gas or toxic preservatives, or danger to your health, then labeled in Spanish or English, or sometimes a mixture of span-english, depending on the student and market. I mainly handle deliveries with helping hands from Robert and Troy.
For a regular supply of natural farm freshness you'll find "Great
Greens" at:
So I hear countless times, "Just plant more! Get busy, Marie!" Now that we have some great tools, including "Willy", a 1948 Case Vac tractor to cultivate the remaining 2.5 acres of land (Thanks to the help of Tom Rowan & John Smart!), we have tapped into smart systems with a model water saving system laid to reduce the hours of watering (thanks to Eric Allsebrook!), Our great pump & well can handle the job, thanks to past hand up from St Andrews Outreach committee! The bottom line is ACÁ does need continued support to increase production and meet the growing demand for produce and to fund ACÁ programs. For the past few months we have been host to a series of informal meetings to show the plan for sustainability. We took time well spent with friends of ACÁ, "Great Greens" customers, Student subsidy sponsors, and ACÁ volunteers and past donors. Most of you voiced loud and clear that you wanted to hear about what's happening at the farm, and about some of the stories & tips I so love to tell. So that's what this Fresh News letter is about. We heard your suggestions, keep them coming, and do get involved. You are our lifeline! ACÁ A.C is here because of your generous and active support. Naturally we have "Mexico's Most Wanted" veggies because of this support - your donations and shared expertise. We really could not have gotten this far without many incredible people like you on our side. So, each month Fresh News will post upcoming tours, eco- courses, fun farm events and exciting growing developments at the farm and news about ACÁ student gardens and the farmers co-operative.
If you eat bananas, mosquitoes like you, - it's the banana oil your body processes if you reduce eating bananas for the summer the mosquitoes will be much less interested. One of the best natural insect repellants discovered is made from the real vanilla. This is the pure vanilla that is sold in Mexico. It works great for mosquitoes and ticks. When all else fails--get a frog!
You've been asking…… Yes Gg's Greens should be thoroughly rinsed again, dried and well chilled. Separate the leaves, tearing them into bite sized pieces before serving, With cold water immerse and agitate the greens allowing any grit or soil to settle to the bottom of the basin, then remove the greens, drain off the water. A salad spinner helps to remove water, and then pat dry with paper toweling. Wrap the dried greens in a clean towel or paper toweling and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. For longer storage, place the wrapped greens in a large plastic bag or container and refrigerate. Unfortunately some say it lasts two weeks, so be sure to pick up some other veggies on those alternate weeks when you still have lettuce at home.
Mix together in pan and cook until slightly thickened. Chill. Tasty! ACÁ's link is coming soon on an international listing of organic farmers. Special Thanks to Tony Burton for designing ACÁ Jalisco organic grower's on line map at http://www.localharvest.org
Join us this month for our Spring Newcomers Garden Tour. Grab your hat and come to the Jaltepec farm May 14th. For a refreshing change sip some "Blissful Ice Tea", munch on a few lettuce wraps, and see for yourself where it all starts. Bring a friend to tour the organic gardens and check out the gourmet goodies in Gg's Country Store Co-op. Doors open at 10:30 A.M. I will be giving a half hour presentation at 11:30 to briefly discuss ACÁ's 2003-2004 plans and will reserve some time to let you ask about some of your own garden growing concerns. "Hope you can Turnip!"
100% of proceeds support ACÁ community agro programs
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