farming for a sustainable community - training manual

8/9/2019 Farming for a Sustainable Community - Training Manual

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Farming or aSustainable Community

A Training Manual

By Patrick W. Staib and the American Friends Service Committee


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Produced byAmerican Friends Service CommitteeAFSC New Mexico Office2047 apia SW, Albuquerque NM 87105

505 [email protected]/albuquerque

Photography and design by AFSC staff

Copyright © 2013 by the American Friends Service Committee

Tis work is licensed or reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike3.0 Unported License.

Details at www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Cover photo o Don Bustos by Rebecca Meyer

Te project and research rom which this manual is derived was unded by:U.S. Department o Agriculture – National Institute o Food and AgricultureBinnacle Family FoundationMcCune Charitable FoundationQuail Roost Foundation


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American Friends Service Committee

Founded in 1917, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization in-cluding people o various aiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service.Co-recipient o the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize on behal o Quakers worldwide, AFSC today carries outprograms o service, development, justice and peace throughout the United States, Central and SouthAmerica, the Caribbean, Arica, the Middle East, and Asia.

AFSC’s New Mexico Program

Farming requires water, and in New Mexico, there is a long-standing conflict over land and waterrights. Te displacement o traditional agricultural communities, along with appropriation o landand water resources by government and corporations, createsmajor obstacles or land-based com-munities to engage in sustainable agriculture that generates enough income to support their amiliesand communities. Tese conditions conspire to create a ood-insecure state and puts New Mexicochildren and uture generations at risk.

Since 1976, the American Friends Service Committee’s New Mexico program has identified with thestruggles o local people to empower themselves, with particular attention to water and land use, and

the need to support traditional ways o lie. Like many marginalized communities within the U.S.,the Hispanic and Native American population o New Mexico seeks sel-determination, economicgrowth and cultural dignity. Te Service Committee works with local people and organizations toregain control over the current and uture use o traditional water systems, utilize and manage localresources, and preserve their traditional ways o lie.

Te New Mexico program provides hands-on, armer-to-armer training to land-based people sothey can have economic security rom their land and water. We acilitate the creation o armernetworks or marketing and sales, and advocate or policies that support small sustainable arms andhelp connect low-income people to resources to support their work. Our long-term goal is to helprevitalize sustainable arming in New Mexico, thereby protecting culture, land, water and jobs, andimproving the health o the communities—especially children.

AFSC New Mexico Office2047 apia SW, Albuquerque NM 87105505 [email protected]/albuquerque


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Contents

Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Part One: Land and Water

Selecting the Appropriate Farm Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Introduction

Determining Water Source: Well vs. Surace Water Irrigation

Well Use and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Water Testing and Well Registration

Installation o Drip Irrigation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Materials or Irrigation Installation

Flood Irrigation Practices

Soil Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Soil Composition

Digging Out and Prepping Growing Beds

Plowing and Tilling Patterns

Part Two: Crops and Productive Practices

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Annual Crops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Root Crops

Nightshades

Legumes

Squash and Cucumbers (Cucurbits)

Perennial Crops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

General Planting echniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Planting Cycles and Seasons

Lunar Cycles

Daylight Hours

Pest and Weed Control


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Part Three: Farm Budget Planning

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Business Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Crop Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Part Four: Season Extension

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Early Season Plant Starts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

How to Prep Plant Starts

Floating Row Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

High unnel/Hoop House Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Heavy-Duty Cold Frame Construction

Part Five: Tiered Marketing

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Direct Sales

Wholesale Markets

Appendix

Appendix A: Soil esting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Appendix B: Composting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Appendix C: Post-Harvest Handling Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Appendix D: Sample Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Sample Land Use Agreement

Sample Business Plan

Farm Plan Draf

Appendix E: Vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Appendix F: Organic Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98


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Acknowledgments

As director o AFSC’s New Mexico program I want to express deep appreciation to all o the individ-

uals, organizations and institutions that participated in creating and refining this model or commu-nity development, and the lessons and inspiration that lie behind this manual. We extend our whole-hearted gratitude or their enduring efforts and commitment to a better lie or our communities andour youth. Special thanks go to Patrick Staib-Flores and Sayrah Namaste or the coordination andimplementation o these training methods and principles and to Pablo Lopez, Albino Garcia andHenry Rael or inviting us to engage in this work with them.

Warm thanks also go to the ollowing individuals: Joseph Alaro, Fidel González, Jeff Warren, WoodyBitsie, Angelina Lopez-Brody, Jedrek Lamb, Lorenzo Candelaria, Joseluis Ortiz, Andrew Valverde,David Chavez, Brandy Montaño, im Lorek and Adam Martinez.

I wish also to recognize the contributions o the ollowing organizations: e-merging communities, LaPlazita Institute, Valle Encantado, Rio Grande Community Farms/Americorps program, NM HealthyCommunities Initiative and ARCA Organics.

Te ollowing institutions have been vital to this effort: Albuquerque Public Schools, FoodserviceDivision; University o New Mexico Research Service–Learning Program; Bernalillo County Cooper-ative Extension Service; and the South Valley Economic Development Center.

Patrick Staib created this manual with support rom Sayrah Namaste, Don Bustos, and Claudia Isaac.Eisha Mason, ony Heriza, Carl Roose, Willie Colon, and Emily Cohane-Mann were instrumental inediting and designing the manual.

For the photos and diagrams in the manual, I would like to thank the students in Patrick Staib’sSpring 2012 University o New Mexico course Anthropology and Small Farms: Melissa Campbell,Jamie Hensley, Brittany Herrera, Brittney Holman, Chandley Jackson, Stella Kemper, Jenny Lund,Crystal Mayes, Shona Neueld, Caitlin Remes, Katherine Rodgers, William Tomson, Krystle ru- jillo, Laura Volke, and Louis Wilcox. I would also like to thank the UNM Research Service-LearningProgram or sponsoring the course.

Finally, this project and the manual would not have been possible without the support o the U.S. De-partment o Agriculture National Institute o Food and Agriculture, the Binnacle Family Foundation,the McCune Charitable Foundation, and Quail Roost Foundation.

—Don Bustos, Director, New Mexico Program


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Introduction to Northern

New Mexico Sustainable

Agriculture

by Don Bustos, Director, New Mexico Program

For generations New Mexicans have survived using the natural resources the earth has provided. Wehave an enduring connection with the land and water that is at the heart o our culture and heritage.We are blessed with a resilience that defies easy explanation. Historically, our people and communi-ties have been challenged by weather, successive government intrusions and bad policies, and eco-

nomic orces threatening our livelihood—livelihoods that are linked to that land and water whosewise use is our responsibility and our independence and reedom.

Te New Mexico Office o the American Friends Service Committee has created a armer-to-armertraining program so that people o the land can increase their income by using the land, water andsun in a sustainable manner and so that uture generations can continue to raise their children andgrandkids on the land. Tis training program is also an important way we have chosen to save ourwater rom commodification. We believe that everyone and everything has a divine right to resh,healthy, ree water. We also know that growing organic, healthy ood, and making it available to thosewho need it, is an essential piece o a sustainable ood system in our state.

People o the land abide by the principle inherent in the question: “How much is enough?” We arenot trying to save the world, but this business philosophy considers how much is necessary to eedthe amily, pay the bills and save a little bit or a rainy day. Tis training is ocused on small acreagesthat allow a amily to make enough money to sustain themselves and save our land and water oragricultural activity that benefits local communities.

Food System Approach to Agriculture: Local vs. Centralized

Our current ood supply is based on a centralized model o agriculture that does not provide the vitalneeds or sustaining vibrant communities. Impoverished sectors o our communities have limitedaccess to resh, nutritious oods, even though there is the potential to have enough healthy ood or

everyone. Presently, it is difficult or small-scale organic armers to compete or market access. TisAFSC project and armer training program strengthens small armer access to the local ood sys-tem by encouraging growers to collaboratively market to area institutions and the local ood serviceindustry. Locally grown produce has the potential to benefit consumers while reducing New Mexico’sdependence on external sources o ood.

AFSC’s armer-to-armer training program offers unique skills acquisition as well as opportuni-ties or personal growth and entrepreneurial expertise. Our training emphasizes the ormation o a


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network o regional ood processing hubs that connect community-based growers to new producemarkets. We have several approaches or development o these networks, and no two are alike.

Given land, water and sun, the next vital link in the ood chain is the producer/armer/business person.Tat is why we have a year-round training program that teaches how to grow ood 12 months a year

using nothing but natural resources and locally available inputs. Our training manual includes businessand arm planning, soil and site assessments, and crop selection and planting dates. One o the maintraining areas is market development and how to access armers markets—and the more complex tasko how to break into the market o large institutional buyers such as schools and hospitals.

Tis manual is based on the American Friends Service Committee’s New Mexico armer-to-armertraining program that was piloted in the South Valley o Albuquerque, New Mexico, made possibleby a USDA National Institute o Food and Agriculture grant and collaboration with strong commu-nity partners. Te manual presents models or land selection, soil preparation, crop planning, cultiva-tion, handling, marketing and season extension with point-by-point instruction, case studies, illus-trations and descriptions. It includes the experiences o the trainers and armers in orming theAgri-Cultura Network, a grower-owned, South Valley–based local produce brokerage, which is a

result o this three-year training and collaboration.. In deense o ancestral water rights, three SouthValley organizations that make up the membership o the Agri-Cultura Network—e-merging com-munities, La Plazita Institute and Valle Encantado—have collaborated to implement small-scale,low-impact, economically viable models or small-scale vegetable production. Tese models arebased on the lietime experience and knowledge o my amily, which has armed in the EspañolaValley or centuries.


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Tis training program guides armer-to-armer training in organic vegetable and ruit productionor the local market. We grow our crops according to the seasons and lunar cycles using appropriatetechnology such as cold rames with layering that lets us harvest salad and greens in the middle othe winter using the sun as our energy source. Ten, knowing how to market year-round producewill allow or profitable small arm business.

Tese indications and recommendations are by no means an absolute recipe or success in small-scale agriculture. Tis model strictly relies on timely and consistent manual labor and keeping a closeeye on crops as they grow. It requires thorough business planning and competent business and labormanagement. Tanks to those who are drawn to this document or the purpose o increasing oodsecurity, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and maintaining arable land in diverse produce produc-tion or their local markets.

Don’s Tip

There is no single recipe for success in community-basedorganic farming. This manual offers my specic approach

to reduce risk and increase revenue from year-round farm

production, but I stand rm with my grampa’s statement,

“cada chango su columpio” (every monkey, his own swing),

to afrm that everyone will have their own way of doing

things. These are guideposts along the way.


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Part One: Land and

Water


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Selecting the Appropriate

Farm Site

Introduction

It is important to consider several actors when choosing where to invest time, energy, money andother resources into the arm. Albuquerque’s South Valley is rich in arable land, and most o it isin alala production. Several organizations have taken interest in the issue o unarmed or mo-no-cropped land as it relates to landless individuals. Tis manual is intended or those looking to rentor operate in land-use arrangements with existing landowners. However, landowning new armers

are welcome to adopt these recommendations and indications or field site selection and preparation.Tis section will guide you through the processes o site selection and field orientation, access andsecurity, soil quality and testing, water sources and irrigation, land use arrangements and memoran-da o understanding.

Initial Considerations

So you are interested in arming organically and selling to the local market. Beore selecting seedsand tilling your land, there are several considerations to keep in mind. Here is a list o the majoractors in determining a growing site:

• Is there a consistent water source or the entire growing season?

• You must evaluate where you will situate your planting beds/rows in relation to the sun. It isimportant to maximize the southern exposure rom the sun. Evaluate the potential shade romtrees and buildings at different times o the year and different times o day. Consider how to orientyour growing area along the north-south axis in order to maximize even sun exposure. Considerpruning or removing trees rom the southern side o your grow site.

• Consider your growing area. How long should your beds/rows be? How wide will you make yourgrowing area? I using drip tape (see below), you must limit your length o bed in accordance withthe psi (water pressure per square inch) o your drip tape so that there is enough pressure in theline to emit water and not so much that the pressure would blow out the lines.

• How secure is the area where you plan to grow? Is there a ence? Is it intact and secure? Is there alocked door/gate that keeps people, pets and wildlie out o the fields? Are there any visible risks toemployees or produce on this site?

• At what hours is this land accessible? What are the access times when the landowner permits ac-tivity on the field? Who has access to this area? Are any risks evident?

• Soil health is an important actor in determining a growing site. A basic soil test will give you anidea o the health o the soil. Please reer to the section on soil building later in the manual.


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• Much arable land in the South Valley has been planted in alala or generally abandoned. Tereare also many prime sites where junk cars are lef to sit and where potentially harmul compoundsmay exist. It is useul or both organic certification and or general soil well-being to obtain a state-ment o land use or at least three years prior to planting in vegetable production. Tis historicalstatement serves to validate the hard work that you, the grower, will invest to maintain clean andproductive topsoil and ensure the saety o the ood you plan to grow.

Land use agreements

Farmers must enter into land use arrangements with a note o caution. You could be displaced andlose your investment in soil and seed i proper measures are not in place to deend your interests andi you do not have enough time to achieve your goals. Tis allows the armer to recuperate the costsput into the land. Using the land or less than 3 years can mean a loss or the armer considering howmuch s/he invests and how much they are able to produce and sell.

Memorandum o Understanding (MOU): Tis is a non-binding document that lists the parties in- volved, the intentions, parameters, expectations and compensation, i any, in a land use scenario.Farmers need not own the land on which they produce, but they need protections and assurancesor their hard work and soil building activity on another person’s land. Tis document differsrom any contractual land rent or lease because it details the activities conducted once the land isaccessible (see Appendix D or a template MOU)

Land Rent: Tis differs rom an MOU in that it is solely the compensation or accessing another’sland. Not all land arrangements require rent, but private landowners may. Te current rate (mid-2012) or a rented acre o arable land in the South Valley is approximately $250–$500 per acreannually. Keep in mind that your efforts to clean, organize and amend land that has not been inproduction adds value to the landowner’s property. Tus, you are providing a service through the

mere land management aspect o your work. Other considerations are profit sharing or harvestsharing with the landowner. Tese actors can have a bearing on the amount o rent paid.

Factors to Consider in a Land Use MOU

Tis is a list o issues or concerns that pertain to the use o agricultural land by an individual whodoes not already have a contractual relationship (lease, rental agreement, etc.) with the landowner.Feel ree to amend or alter this working document as you see fit.

Land Use Rental: Presumably, agriculturalists will rent arable land or approximately $250-$500 per

year. A percentage o profits could return to the landowner as well, i desired. (o date, a land-owner has not imposed a rental ee on armers that we have worked with.)

Land Maintenance: Te landowner could benefit rom Agri-Cultura Network efforts to make landorderly, clear overgrown areas, and prune excess brush or plants. Installing a cold rame on one’sland will require tending to soil composition and general cleanliness o the area.

Water Rights Maintenance: Te active arming use o agricultural land is the best way to preserveone’s water rights. Te preservation o ancestral water rights and the acequia (irrigation ditch)


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system (described below) is important in combating the increasing desire o commercial orresidential developers to “dry up” the South Valley water rights or the benefit o a privileged ew.Use the water and you won’t lose it.

Inrastructural Benefit: Te semi-permanent structure, a cold rame, would possibly belong to the

landowner at the end o the land use agreement. Otherwise, land renters may take this item withthem when they vacate the land. Tis needs to be clarified.

Access to Land Area: It is important to clearly define the land use parameters or hours o usage,people permitted on land and liability o people working on land. Clear definitions will help toavert any complications down the road.

Long-term Benefits o Agricultural Activity on Land: Land management through organic agricul-tural production can preserve valuable topsoil, build more soils, and oster ecological diversity obeneficial plants and insects. Tis will keep water rights active as well as add value to unused orunderutilized tracts o arable land.


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Well Use and Maintenance

Introduction: As mentioned beore, start by inorming yoursel about the conditions, requency and

quality o the water you intend to use or irrigation and or produce washing. Irrigation water neednot be potable, but produce washing water must be potable. Tis section reviews the considerationsand processes or using or reurbishing a well, considerations and instructions or installing a dripirrigation system, and considerations and suggestions or water rom the acequia (irrigation ditch).

Considerations or Existing Well and Pump: I a well is already on the property, you need only ensurethat the energy source and the well pump are in clean and sae working order. A pump that has notbeen in use will require general maintenance. Be sure to prime the pump by filling it with waterbeore turning it on, or else it will burn out. ake the time to secure your pump with a pump housethat locks. Also, drain the pump afer use during cold months so it doesn’t reeze during the winter,requiring costly repairs or replacement. Lastly, regulate the water pressure coming out o the pumpto work well with drip irrigation systems. You may consider contracting a well specialist to inspectthe quality o your well and conduct a quality test on a water sample. Te simplest and most valuablewater quality test is to ensure that there are no nitrates in your water source. Nitrate test kits can bepurchased at plumbing supply and hardware stores.

Considerations or Installation: Te installation o a new well on a grow site will require a series oauthorizations through the state engineer’s office and the county assessor’s office. You must declare orobtain water rights or your well. You must indicate whether it is a domestic use or agricultural usewell (domestic allowance is 1 acre-oot per annum; agricultural is 3 acre-eet per annum). Severallocal companies will drill a well or a significant ee. Since the water table in the Middle Rio GrandeValley is shallow, many people have installed their own “driven” wells by hand.

Water Testing and Well Registration

According to the Bernalillo County Environmental Health Department, historically there have beenmany septic systems in the valley that could contaminate water sources. For this reason, water qualityshould be tested on a regular basis. est or traces o nitrates and other contaminants in your wellthrough a field test kit, or contract a water quality technician. Te New Mexico Rural Water Associa-tion (nmrwa.org) will assist with this.

Well registration is required in order to operate a licensed business in Bernalillo County o the Cityo Albuquerque. First, you must declare your water rights to the county and the state engineer (TeSouth Valley Regional Association o Acequias can assist in these processes). You must then haveyour well inspected and pinpointed on a GIS map. I your arm site has its pre-1907 water rightsintact, then there should be no issue. I your water source (surace or well) was established prior tothe date when Bernalillo County and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) tookover the distribution and allocation o water rights in your area, you can reclaim or declare rights andregister with the county. I there is no water right, or no water sources that existed prior to MRGCDcontrol, then you must obtain a costly and limitedly available water right rom the New Mexico StateEngineer and the MRGCD in order to register your operation and obtain a business license.


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Installation of Drip Irrigation

Systems

Tis section will detail the materials needed and the proposed design or installing and utilizing alow-flow drip irrigation system. Te rationale or implementing drip irrigation is to conserve waterand to maximize the amount o water that irrigates the area directly around the plant and root area.Note: Drip irrigation is the suggested method or watering off a well into a year-round cold ramestructure.

Materials or Irrigation Installation

Drip Tape

Tis is made o nylon polymer. It is light,comes in a roll and lays flat. Te top ismarked with a blue line or old and hasemitter slits. Under the appropriate wa-ter pressure (4–15 psi) water will tear anddrip rom the slits. -ape comes in a rollo several hundred eet. It is also rated orlength and is available with varying distance

between drip emitter slits. For example, 15mil drip tape emits 0.42 gallons per minuteor every 100′ stretch. -ape with a ⅝″ di-ameter and 12″ spaced drip outlets typicallycomes on rolls o 5,000 linear eet.

Use a drip tape that is rated or 100′ maxi-mum lengths with 12″ spacing between emitter slits. Te 12″ spacing allows or a soaking radius o 6″ to connect the area between emitter slits as well as irrigate 6″ on either side o the drip tape. Tis alsoallows or rounded calculation o space needed or the planting area in cold rames and outdoors.Also, purchasing a longer roll will reduce the overall price per oot o the drip tape. Lastly, the effec-

tiveness o drip tape depends on the mineral content o your water.

O course, there are some drawbacks to relying on drip tape or irrigation. High pressure will rupturethe drip tape, and patching the drip lines can be costly. Mending a ruptured line requires purchasingtwo mending couplers or the section that you need to replace. Tese couplers resemble the thread-ed end o the valve that connects the tape to the irrigation tubing. Tey have a threaded nozzle andsecuring cap to tighten the coupler onto the drip tape. Dirt, debris and mineral deposits will clogthe emitters and prevent water secretion. Running vinegar through drip lines can help to reduce thisproblem. Many armers also use sand filters on their wells to prevent clogged drip lines. Te last


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drawback is the regular investment in this necessary item. Te benefits o using drip irrigation aroutweigh the drawbacks, and that is why its use is encouraged in this region.

Another consideration is that drip tape must be anchored or set in place or waters. When empty, thetapes tend to gather up and eventually catch in the wind. In the case o dense plantings, the tape is

held in place by the plants. But be sure to secure or anchor during germination and sprouting phasesin seed beds by using 2″ × 6″ staples or a rubber cord tied to a stake to put tension on the line.

Orchard Tubing

Orchard tubing is rigid and ideal or installation with PVC to irrigate ruit trees or berry patches. Itis rated or longer durability, but perorms a similar unction as the flat drip tape. Note that this is amore expensive approach

Irrigation Tubing

wo-inch polyethylene (poly) tubing is ideal or connecting to a drip system. Tis should be connect-ed to the well pump with a compatible valve and pressure reducer.

Flow Control Valves and Valve Punch

Flow control valves allow you to shut off certain sections that do not need water while wateringothers along the same line. Tey also prevent return flow o water in the -ape line. Flow control valves are inserted into the point at which the -ape will intersect with the 2″ poly tubing. Selectthe appropriate diameter to adapt with your -tape. A ⅝ ″ valve with a ¼″ barb will adapt well with2″ poly tubing. Purchasing in bulk rom Rainflo or Irrigation Direct (www.irrigationdirect.com) willreduce unit price or valves.


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Attaching Valve to Drip Tape

Once you have attached 2″ poly tubing to the well pump, unroll, lay flat and secure with stakes or wirehoops. Allow the kinks to work out or 12–24 hours so that the 2 ″ poly tubing lies completely flat.

Tere is a trick to successully attaching the valve to the -tape. First, use downward orce with aslight wrist rotation to punch or perorate the side o 2″ poly tubing. Make sure that the punched-outsection o tubing comes ree rom the valve punch. Next, insert the ¼″ barbed end o the flow con-trol valve and makes sure that it is snug. Now or the trick: Make sure that once you have connectedthe line rom the well and inserted all o the valves, all o the valves are in the closed position (per-pendicular to the valve itsel, so you’ll know i it’s lef open). Ten, with another person’s help, cutlengths o drip tape that match the length o your growing beds or rows. Leave 2″ extra at the end oeach line o drip tape. Ten, secure the ar ends o the drip tape by trimming off a 4″ section o theend, and then olding 4″ over itsel at least three times. Insert the olded section into the trimmed 4″ section. Repeat or all lines along this row. Lastly, unthread the emitter end o all o the valves. urnon the well pump. ake the end o the drip tape and open it. Slide the end over the emitter end o the valve. Slightly open the valve just as you insert the emitter into the tape. Simultaneously slide the tapeurther onto the valve. Tread the emitter end over the tape tightly. Repeat or all lines o drip tape.Check or any tears in the drip tape lines. Also, any valves that are not secured to tape will likely leakor separate under pressure. ry to get the tape as ar up the valve emitter as possible to prevent this.

Pressure Reducer (optional)

A pressure reducer is necessary between the well pump and 2″ poly tubing toensure that the psi o irrigation remains between 4 and 16 psi, but ideally remains

at 10 psi along the entire drip system. Also, a standard aucet valve can be used toregulate pressure in your lines. Plus, the valves on the irrigation system are useulor controlling flow. Make sure that the system emits water evenly by checking itperiodically during watering.


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Acequia Systems

Acequias are an intricate system o diversion ditches that transport surace (river) water to land orirrigation. Tis system has existed in New Mexico or centuries and is under threat rom the demandto store water rights or non-agricultural use. So it is important to consider whether your land is

adjacent to or uses an acequia or irrigation. Also consider what state your acequia is in, i you havesurace water rights in the first place, and who the governing body o this acequia is. Many resourceson the history, legacy and practice o acequia irrigation can be obtained at the New Mexico AcequiaAssociation, www.lasacequias.org.

Access

Individuals or amilies that belong to an acequia are typically known as acequia parciantes. Te ace-quia season is usually rom late March to early November, depending on the winter season snow packand the rate o alluvial flows, or runoff. Acequia irrigators tend to belong to an association or, literally,

belong to a certain ditch, to which they must commit a certain number o hours, likely 40, to springtimeclearing and cleaning o the ditch. Tis is a traditional method o natural resource distribution that keptgrowers along a ditch in constant contact. It also reflects a community hierarchy, as downstream parci-antes tend to deer to those upstream to ensure that all receive equal access to water.

Season

Check with your acequia mayordomo (or ditch rider, in the case o the Middle Rio Grande Conser- vancy District in and around Albuquerque) or the schedule o when your ditch will flow. It tends tobe one to two days per week. In scarce years, acequias will only fill once a week and require parci-antes to irrigate at odd hours throughout the night.

Pumping rom the Ditch

Some growers may have land alongside a ditch, but no headgate rom which to access the ditch. Telack o a headgate will not prevent accessing the water. In many cases, we have rigged a drip systemoff the ditch by simply obtaining a submersible 1 hp (maximum) water pump. Connect the water out-let rom the pump to irrigation tubing and design a drip system as explained in the previous section.One concern is that there is a lot o debris and dirt in the ditch that can clog lines and pump. A meshfilter around the pump itsel can help with that. Note: Tis activity may not be legally permissiblein all areas. Consult with your local acequia manager or mayordomo beore proceeding.

Ditch Water Retention

Dig a retention pond or ditch water where you can store water and submerse the water pump. Dam-ming side laterals with a olded tarp will allow water to gather or retention purposes or use with adrip irrigation system.


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Flood Irrigation Practices

Assuming you have access to a headgate and are on a water schedule or acequia water, you canconsider flooding your field. Tere are several precautions and contrasts to the above-mentioned

approaches when considering this approach to irrigation. Tey are listed below:

Tree-oot growing beds are not ideal or flood irrigation. Flooding will irrigate plants at their roots;thus or plant propagation you will need to design arm layout in urrowed rows and work the flood-waters in between rows with a shovel, mud and rocks to make sure that too much water does notoverflow your rows.

Flood irrigation is well suited or broadcast-seeded field crops, such as alala and grain. Flood irri-gation has been used or millennia and has its advantages, but it is not ideal or small-scale organicproduction in an arid region such as the Rio Grande Valley. Broadcast seeding is throwing or spread-ing seed to disperse over a large area and then passing through with a rake or a grader to cover seeds.

Tis is the ideal mode or cover cropping and growing grain that is harvested with a combine. Teland must be level, with a low-grade incline, in order to properly and efficiently flood irrigate.

Tere is a lot o weed seed and debris in the ditch. Tere are also other detectable toxins, pharma-ceutical residue and trash in ditch water. Weeds that have seeded along the banks o the river and theditch will contaminate the ditch water with seeds. Always check the water or the presence o trash anddebris. Never leave the flood area, and check the flow at the compuerta (headgate) with regularity.

Te floodwaters can get out o control quickly. Open the headgate slowly. It is better to err on the sideo “not enough” rather than “too much.” Te flood can be too much in a short period. Essentially, bythe time your entire field is covered, you should be ready to cease the flow. Also, make sure that allthe burms surrounding your intended field are intact. Frequently, floodwaters break out o intended

areas, taking you away rom watching the flow rom the compuerta or in the urrows.


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Soil Health

Soil Composition

Healthy soil hosts thousands o living organisms that exist in balance. Worms and insects, ungi,bacteria and protozoa constantly nourish and replenish soil health. Soil is separated in strata. At thebottom is bedrock, then mineral soil, and topsoil on the surace. Industrial arming has lef 5% othe original topsoil intact in North America. Intensive tillage can have negative impacts on topsoilerosion. Te preerred method o AFSC’s New Mexico program eatures a minimal till approach,regular monitoring o soil characteristics and incorporation o soil amendments. Te 3′-wide by 100′-long growing bed is optimal or reducing compaction on the growing area and accessing plants orweeding, pruning and harvesting.

South Valley armer Lorenzo Candelaria told us that in New Mexico “we have plenty o dirt, but wehave to work to make soil.” Te mountainous regions benefit rom the oliage and ground cover, whichadd organic matter to the ground. In contrast, the Rio Grande Valley has a more mineral soil, as op-posed to organic soil, composed o silt (sand deposits rom river flows) and clay (caliche is the specifictype o sedimentary rock—calcium carbonate—and hard clay that can be used in adobes and ceramic).

Organic soil is defined as having at least 20%–30% organic matter along with clay, sand and silt. Claymaintains moisture or roots to absorb. Sand and silt allow or filtration and drainage. Organic matterprovides nutrients and nitrogen rom decomposition o organic matter. Compost rom plant wasteand animal manures are an ideal way to amend soil and add necessary nitrogen.

Especially in the Rio Grande Valley, but also in most areas, it is important to budget or added organ-ic compost and nutrients to our soil beore every planting. As discussed in Part wo, ruiting plantsand leay greens tend to drain soils o valuable nutrients. Replenishing between plantings, plantingand turning-in cover crops, and leaving fields allow are important methods in maintaining goodtilth. Soil with good tilth is nutrient-rich and has an even balance o organic matter, clay and sandthat prevents severe compaction.

Soil testing

Sending a soil test to a laboratory or analysis will assist growers in determining what nutrients are

lacking in the soil and what specific crops can succeed in this soil. Most land in the South Valleyis rich in clay and silt (river sand), but lacking in organic matter. Our small armers are active soilbuilders as well as vegetable growers. Trough their efforts in maintaining topsoil and replenishingsoil nutrients, they strive to improve the arable quality o our soils while providing resh, organic,locally grown produce to our community. New Mexico State University (NMSU) Cooperative Exten-sion Service provides orms (see Appendix A) and instructions or conducting a soil test. You mustobtain a soil auger or conduct a shovel test (see below) in order to obtain a representative sample oyour field plot. You will blend six to eight samples rom throughout the field and place them all in asingle sealable plastic bag.


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Sampling: Seasonal soil testing will provide a good base o inormation about the nutrients that maybe lacking, and you’ll need to amend the soil in order to maximize growing potential or annualcrops. Make sure to test soil or perennial planting sites and amend accordingly. Work with your localcounty cooperative extension office to test your soil and get assistance interpreting.

Auger vs. shovel sampling: NMSU Cooperative Extension has loaned us their soil auger in the past.(Soil augers are quite expensive or retail sale.) Augurs are made o ½″ steel tubing with a beveled tip.Te handle is perpendicular to the tube, and the tube has a winder space that runs the length o theauger (see image below). Shovel sampling requires the use o a shovel to obtain a representativesample o the soil in your field (see diagram below; or a complete description o soil sampling andsubmission procedures, see http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_a/a-114.html). Tis process requires digginga 6″ hole and then obtaining a slice o soil 1″ thick and 6″ long rom several spots on your field.

Interpreting Results

Amending Soil

AFSC recommends using blood meal, bone meal, compost and animal manure to increase nutrients

and biological activity in the soil. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are the three most desirableand important nutrients or soil ertility and plant vigor. Blood meal and bone meal are effective waysto add these nutrients to the soil. Between plantings, replenish growing beds with blood meal andbone meal (2:1 ratio). Make sure it is evenly dispersed when there is no wind. urn into bed instant-ly. Always ollow the manuacturer’s handling instructions on the package.

You can create your own inexpensive soil amendment by making compost. Composting is an activeprocess o turning and watering compost piles so that they get air and do not become anaerobic.

Above figure courtesy o NMSU Cooperative Extension.


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Compost rom plant matter or animal manures will add organic matter and slowly release nitrogeninto the soil. Composting is also a good way to dispose o plant waste, kitchen scraps, dry leaves andother decomposable materials. Make sure that manure rom chickens, goats, horses or cows iscomposted or 90 days beore application to above-ground crops and 180 days or below-groundcrops or crops that touch the ground (such as squash ruit). See Appendix B or examples o com-posting practices.

Cover Crops – Nitrogen Fixation

Cover cropping is an important practice or allowing soil to rest and restore valuable nitrogen. Oneconsideration is that cover crops do consume significant water during the growing season. Make sureto select a nitrogen-fixing legume. Hairy vetch, cowpeas and yellow clover are good or low seasoncover cropping and turning in to the growing area beore the spring planting takes place. Keep inmind that nitrogen-fixing varieties must be mowed down once they are at approximately 10% flow-ering. Te flowering absorbs the soil-borne nitrogen, so mowing will prevent reabsorbing o vitalnutrients.

Tractor Work and Tillage

o till or not to till…is that the question? Many theorists o agriculture ponder whether tillage causesmore harm than good in that it causes increased depletion o micronutrients and bacteria in the soiland requires synthetic additives or the plants in tilled areas to thrive. Permaculture is a field o oodproduction that works to practice beneficial companion cropping and no-till practice. Biodynamicarming is based in the notion o resourcing as much as possible o the nutrients and additives ora arm rom that very arm. AFSC’s New Mexico program’s approach is a low-impact approach thatcontrols or compaction and overproduction while working to keep the land productive. Tis section

addresses the tools and techniques or keeping soil productive without over-depleting it.

Don’s Tip

Premix blood and bone meal in a wheelbarrow or a

bucket before spreading directly on beds. Apply directly

to the planting surface of garden beds. This way, you

aren’t wasting valuable nutrient on your paths. Blending

reduces total passes through while spreading nutrients.


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Rototiller

Rototillers are important or e-ficiently prepping beds, integrat-ing nutrients and sofening soil

into a ertile and rich tilth. Teymust be maintained and handledwith care. Regular oil changesand filter changes are importantor the long lie and durability othese machines.

Te preerred model o rototilleror AFSC’s New Mexico programis a walk-behind, with 12″ tilldepth and wide spacing or tillingtines. We have recommended the

Honda FRC800AC adjustablespeed, walk-behind rototiller. Ithas a 240cc engine, three orwardspeeds and one reverse. It alsohas counter-rotating tines thatturn against the orward direc-tion o the machine.

Make sure to have engine oil and gasoline on hand when using a rototiller. Check that the oil level issufficient. Set the throttle at ¾ ull (or set the choke, i the tiller has one) and pull the start cord. Besure to walk behind or alongside the tiller. When tilling garden beds, do not walk directly behind thetiller, as that will compact the soil that you worked so hard to loosen.

ractor Work

ractors are ideal or major jobs like prepping a field or the first time or removing trees and stumps.For AFSC’s New Mexico program, armers are trained on where to access tractors or rent and whatspecifics to look or. It is also important to be skillul in tractor operation and light maintenance.

Te Kubota B3000 Diesel ractor is an ideal model or the work that we do on small arms. It shouldhave a ront loader and bucket as well as a three-point hitch and a hydraulic powered take-off (PO)on the rear (a PO is an easily attached rotary drive shaf that provides power to an attachment orarm implement).

Tis type o tractor is useul or removing large debris, plowing soil, tilling soil, and using a disc to digurrows, or planting rows. You will need a powerul tractor—18–32 hp—in order to break throughsome o the typically compacted soils in the region. Make sure you have access to a tiller, plow, disk andharrow in order to adequately turn soil and add amendments while doing tractor work.


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Plowing and Tilling Patterns

Depending on compaction o the soil and the amount o hardpan or clay, you will consider whetherto do a deep plow to turn the soil or a light 4-6″ till to fluff and loosen the soil. Te pattern or plow-

ing is similar to mowing patterns or fields. Te idea is to minimize compaction caused by tractortires. So, depending on the type o plow or tiller you have available, keep tires on previous tracksand try not to go over the same section more than once. Te diagram below details the ideal trac-tor-plowing pattern or a sample plot that is rectangular and smaller in area. Tis pattern is based onthe use o a single-side plow.


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Part Two: Crops and

Productive Practices


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Introduction

As much as managing labor and budget, crop selection and proper care are integral to any arming

operation. Te model that Don Bustos and AFSC have selected or appropriate small-scale produc-tion is based on the year-round rotation o 10 annual crops and two premier, high-value perennialcrops: leay greens, root crops, nightshades, squashes and cucumbers, legumes, blackberries andasparagus.

Te AFSC armer-to-armer training model is based on the selection o high-value crops that areboth appropriate or the growing conditions in New Mexico and have a reliable market value. Also,in selecting varieties, it is important to distinguish what segment o your arm plan you will devoteto wholesale and retail production. Tis means selecting staple varieties in order to appeal to largerwholesale markets (institutions, grocery or ood service) and reserving specialty varieties or domes-tic consumption or direct sales (more in Part Six).

Te rationale or detailing selection and handling instructions or the crop varieties below is thatthey are a blend o traditionally produced oods (squashes, tomatoes and chiles) and specialty,high-demand items (leay greens and salad mix) that can tolerate the mild wintertime climate inmost o New Mexico. O course, there are multiple resources to determine what varieties are mostlikely to yield well and sell well, but make sure to consider the weed control and pest managementissues related to growing certain crops organically. Most o the varieties discussed below have beenselected based on their relative manageability in the small-scale organic model. It is important tonote that leay greens can be hosts to water-borne disease and illness, so careul handling is o utmostimportance when growing, harvesting, cleaning and packaging these products. (See Appendix C orinormation about port-harvest handling.) Lastly, i you are or plan to be certified organic, you mustobtain certified organic seed or provide documentation o unsuccessul searches or certain varieties

to be available organically.

Don’s Tip

Grampa always said that if it doesn’t freeze twice after

you plant, then you planted too late!


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produce. Use a sharp knie, scissors or trimmers and transer cut leaves directly into a harvestcontainer. Sort the lettuce by spreading a single layer across a large surace. Remove any debris,wilted or yellow leaves, stems, or insects and snails. Clean the salad in small batches in cool pota-ble water. In a series o deep sinks. Add a capul o ood grade bleach or vinegar to the first sink.,Submerge the salad and gently rotate it with your hands, being careul not bruise the leaves. (Donot over fill the sink with salad as the weight can break the leaves.) Te second sink should haveonly clean potable water. Lif the salad rom the first sink and submerge it in the second sink androtate with your hands. I snails become prevalent, you may consider adding another sink beorethe final rinse with sea salt to dislodge the snails rom the leaves. Spin dry in a commercial-gradesalad spinner or a repurposed washing machine on spin cycle. Make sure that the leaves drycompletely to prevent molding. Store in latex-ree plastic bags or ood-grade bags in three-poundincrements. Leave some air in the bag to protect the lettuce. Keep in cool at 45 degrees or lower.Salad mix should stay resh or approximately one week.

Note: Clean out broken, brown or wilted leaves in between the rows afer harvesting salad. Tis willreduce the incidence o molding and inspire strong regrowth. Salad mix can be cut up to threetimes or marketable quality. Te grower can then decide, based on flavor and texture, whether to

continue harvesting a certain bed. Some Agri-Cultura growers leave the lettuce to grow into ullheads and sell them at the armers’ market.

Spinach

Crop Summary: Spinach (Spinacia olera-cea) is a hardy cold weather crop. Seedselection should be based on preerenceor flat lea or savoy (ruffled) lea. yee(F1) is an organic hybrid flat lea variety

that responds well to Middle Rio Grandegrowing conditions. Spinach germinatesbest in cool soil. Sowing in soil above 85°Fwill worsen germination.

Planting Details: Spinach is direct seeded.Plant seeds ½″ deep using a seeder or byhand. Sow seeds in three to our rows ona 3′-wide growing bed. Space the rows6″ apart. Set drip lines between seeded rows. Depending on soil texture, irrigate or 4–6 hoursimmediately afer sowing seed. Spinach takes approximately 28 days to harvest as baby spinach.

Productive Practice: Spinach will sprout within seven days. Make sure to thin sprouts and pay closeattention to weed and pest inestation. For bunching and ull size: Sow 10 seeds per oot, ½″ deep, rows 12–18″ apart. Harvest spinach ull size but beore bolting, cut just below root attach-ment or “rooted spinach,” or cut higher or “clipped spinach.” For baby lea: Sow in a 2–4″ wideband, ¾″ apart, about 40 seeds per oot. Clip small leaves in 3–5 weeks, depending on time oyear and speed o growth.

Harvest and Handling: Harvest spinach with a knie, scissors or trimmers, or simply pluck each leaby hand. Some will gather the entire plant and chop off all leaves at once. Sort harvested spinach


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on a flat. Clean surace. Remove debris and wilted, yellow or dry leaves. Wash spinach in a deepsink with hypochlorite or other approved sanitizing solution ollowing product instructions.Rinse with resh water and spin dry. Store in latex-ree plastic bags and leave air in the bags tobuffer the spinach. Keep at 32°F with 95% humidity or 7–10 days.

Arugula

Crop Summary: Arugula or roquette (Erucasativa) is known or its sharp, pepperyflavor. Its leaves are lobed and grow in abunch similar to spinach. Arugula growswell during colder months and can win-ter-over win many climates. Te marketdemand is not as great as or spinach andlettuce, but it requires minimal tendingand is very hardy. Full-grown arugula

tends to sell in bunches, while smallerarugula sells well loose. Te flower is edi-ble, but sharper in flavor.

Planting Details: Direct seed with a planteror by hand in ¼″ -deep rows that are about 2–4″ apart. Four rows per 3′ bed are ideal. Place threelines o -ape in between seeded rows. Water or 4–6 hours immediately afer sowing seed.

Productive Practice: Arugula takes about five days to sprout. Tin the seedlings with an iron rake.Baby leaves will be ready in 28 days and ull-grown leaves by 40 days. Flea beetle and aphids canbe a concern, especially when arugula is planted indoors. Floating row cover can assist in con-

trolling flea beetle.

Harvest and Handling: For preparation as loose arugula, cut by hand with a knie, scissors ortrimmers and keep in a harvest vessel. Cut leaves no larger than 6″ . Exclude thick stem or woodyparts. Larger leaves (8–10″ and larger ) Should be sold in ½ lb to ¾ lb bunches. Cut the ull-grown leaves low to the ground and use the stems to gather and tie together. Sort harvestedarugula on a flat, clean surace. Remove debris and wilted, yellow or dry leaves. Wash arugulain a deep sink with a capul o ood grade bleach. Rinse with resh water and spin dry. Storein latex-ree plastic bags and leave air in the bags to buffer the arugula. Keep at 32°F with 95%humidity or 7–10 days.


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Mustard Greens, Collard Greens and Kale

Crop Summary: Mustard greens (Brasica juncea), collard greens and kale (Brassica oleracea) are inthe Acephala group o the cabbage amily. Unlike traditional cabbage, these do not orm a head,but rather are sought or their hardy, flavorul leaves that will increase in eating quality into lateall and will be harvestable through the winter in most areas. Te plants thrive in cold ramesthrough the winter. Red Giant and Green Wave are the best-known varieties o mustard greensthis area. Tey are known or sharp, spicy flavor. Te preerred kales in this region are Red Rus-sian (pictured above lef) and Lacinto or Dino Kale, a tight savoy lea. Tese tend to struggle inthe mid-summer temperatures and drought conditions in the Middle Río Grande.

Planting Details: Sow three seeds every 6″ , ¼″ to ½″ deep, in rows 12–18″ apart. Stagger the row sothat no two plants are side-by-side (see diagram below). Tin to one plant per group. Plant twoto three rows per 3′ planting bed. Plants will be ull grown in 60 days. Harvest the larger, outerleaves. Water immediately afer planting.

× × × × × × × × ×

× × × × × × × × × ×

× × × × × × × × ×

Productive Practice: Seeds should sprout within 10 days. Tin the sprouts,leaving 4–6″ between plants. Weed and aerate the soil around the grow-ing bed. Control flea beetles with floating row cover. Control aphids

with Saer insecticidal soap.

Harvest and Handling: Only harvest leaves rom the outside o the plant.Use a sharp knie to cut leaves low at the stem. Harvesting lea by leaallows or field grading. Sort leaves on a flat surace and remove anydebris. Wash in a deep sink with diluted sanitizer (chlorine or vinegar).Rinse in resh water. Spin or towel dry. Smaller leaves can be packagedloosely. Larger leaves should be bunched in ½ lb to ¼ lb bunches.

Above: Lacinto kaleBelow: Red Giantmustard greens

Collard, kale and chard planting pattern


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Chard

Crop Summary: Chard (Beta vulgaris), alsoreerred to as swiss chard, is in the beetamily, and its tall, firm leaves have a very

rich, almost spinach-like flavor. It is a veryhardy and popular-selling leay green orboth direct sale and wholesale venues. Itproduces continually or several monthsafer a single planting. Chard produces alarge green lea with differently coloredrib/stem. Te rib resembles a celery stalkand is useul in cooking applications withthe large lea. Chard comes in several vari-eties and seed blends. Te most commonare Rhubarb Chard, Ruby Red, Fordhook,Bright Yellow and the most attractive,Bright Lights. Tese leaves can be harvest-ed small (2–3″ ) or salad mixes or braisingmixes, or medium to large (8–12″ ) orbunching.

Planting Details: Plant chard by direct seed-ing into cool soil at a pH over 6.0 (closer to neutral soil). Use a seeder or sow by hand. Sow about6 seeds per oot, ½″ deep, rows 18–24″ apart. Tin to 4–6″ apart or larger leaves and strongerplants. Cut or bunching at any stage rom the leaves at the perimeter. New leaves will sprout andmature. Make sure to stagger the planting along your growing bed. wo rows per 3′ bed are idealor irrigating and harvesting.

Productive Practice: Control flea beetle with floating row cover. Control aphids with Saer insecti-cidal soap. Powdery mildew can damage leaves and cause early lea drop. Te ideal conditions orpowdery mildew are poor ventilation with a temperature between 60 and 80°F. Te powdery mil-dew spores overwinter in diseased plant parts and begin asexual production o new spores oncethe weather warms. Selecting mildew-resistant varieties can help prevent this. Applying a bakingsoda and water solution or diluted neem oil via spray bottle can control mildew at early stages.Severely affected plants should be uprooted and destroyed to prevent spreading o mildew.

Harvest and Handling: Harvest larger leaves around the perimeter to ensure constant new growth.Use a knie or scissors to cut leaves low at the stem. Sort leaves on a clean, flat surace. Removeany debris, insects, or wilted and dry leaves. Wash by immersing in a deep sink with a sanitizingsolution that contains either chlorine bleach or vinegar solution. Rinse in resh water. Spin drywith a commercial salad spinner, and make sure that there is no moisture on the leaves. Gathersmall leaves loosely or sale as loose greens. Package larger leaves by the bunch and tie at stem.Weigh bunch to ½ lb to ¾ lb or wholesale or retail sale. Store packaged in latex-ree plastic in-side a wax box. Keep in cold storage (under 45 F) or 7–10 days.

Bright Lights ull-size swiss chard bunches


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Leay Greens Summary

Leay greens are ideal or extending the growing season through the winter months in the Middle RíoGrande Valley. Tey can be difficult in midsummer in locations where the microclimate gets severelyhot or where there is ull sun exposure in the summer months. Shaded or cooler sections o the arm

are more suited or leay greens production in the summer months. Te varieties listed above arethose that have had demonstrated success in the AFSC armer-to-armer training program and thedevelopment o tiered markets or the Agri-Cultura Network. Many other varieties exist that will havesuccess in this region. Some to consider are Asian greens such as tatsoi, mizuna and bok choy.

Root Crops

Te ollowing section is based on production o root crop or both direct sale and wholesale. Many othe root crops below have handling and cultural practices that resemble those o the leay greens,especially chard, which is in the beet amily. In contrast, however, harvest root crop eliminates theentire plant rom your bed. Tus, sequential plantings are the way to ensure a constant supply. Teseproducts are beneficial in that they store well, are relatively easily handled and are appealing to theeye, and they are widely consumed in our regional market.


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Don’s Tip

Plant radish and carrot seeds simultaneously in the

same bed. The radishes will be ready in 28 days. Once

harvested, the radishes leave space for the carrotsto grow and thicken. Make sure to thin sprouts upon

germination with an iron rake to leave 1″ between sprout

bunches.

Duration to maturity is an important concern. Radishes tend to take 28 days, and carrots take 90days. Plan accordingly in the spring months, but most o these varieties can be sown in a cold rameduring colder months. Tey are also well suited or outdoor production with floating row cover orpest control in warm months and warmth in the cold months.

Radishes

Crop Summary: Radishes (Raphanus sativus) grow quicklyand are very marketable in direct sale and wholesale venues. Te bulb is known or its sharp flavor andcrunchy texture. Te leaves are nutrient-rich and ullflavored. Te preerred varieties o the AFSC arm-er-to-armer training program are red rover (picturedabove); Easter egg, a blend o colorul seed varieties; and

ping pong, white round bulbs. Other varieties have beenmentioned as potentially attracting ches and restaurantbuyers: French breakast or D’Avignon, an elongated,red-tipped and white bulb; and icicle radish, a white,carrot-shaped variety.

Planting Details: Radishes remain in prime condition oronly a ew days and then they get too big, the skin splits, and they get pithy or woody. So tim-ing is important with this crop. We recommend adhering to a rigid sequence in order to reduceproduct loss.

Productive Practice: Plant with a seeder or by hand. Plant in rows with -ape in between each pair

o rows. Plant up to six rows per 3′ growing bed. Sow at any time during the season, beginningin early spring. Use 2–3″ wide bands, seeds about ¾” to 1″ apart and ½″ deep, and rows 1’ apart.Dense planting will eliminate unplanted ground to discourage weeds. Radishes are adversely a-ected by hot, dry weather. Tey remain in prime condition only a ew days and should be grownrapidly with plenty o moisture to be mild, tender and attractive. I overgrown, roots becometough, pithy and too spicy. Control flea beetle with floating row cover. Radishes mature in 28 to35 days.


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Harvest and Handling: Harvest radish once the bulb is at its prime readiness, 1″ to 1½″ in diameter,with the skin intact. Check bulb readiness by clearing soil away rom the base o the stem. Gentlytug and wiggle at the base o the leaves. ake care not to pull leaves rom the bulb. Loosen soilaround the bulb i needed. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves. Remove dirt rom the bulb. Rinsein resh water. ie at least five bulbs in a ½ lb to ¾ lb bunch.

Beets

Crop Summary: Beets (Beta vulgaris) are valued or theirsweet, tender root and hardy, flavorul leaves. Red aceis the most commonly known variety. Badger gold hasa mild, sweet flavor and light gold color. Choggia beetslook like a bull’s-eye when sliced. Tese grow well incooler climates and can be harvested as baby-sized—lessthan 1″ in diameter bulb—or ull-sized—2½″ diameterbulb. Beets mature in 45 days to baby size, 60 days to

ull grown.

Planting Details: Begin early plantings when soil haswarmed to 45°F. Sow up to our rows per 3′ bed. Plant10 seeds per oot in a single row ½″ deep and rows6–12″ apart. Tinning is not necessary. For a continu-ous supply o greens and small tender beets, sow seedat 2-week intervals until 8 weeks beore regular heavyrosts are expected.

Productive Practice: Loose and loamy soils are idea or root production. Cool temperatures avor

brighter skin colors. Make sure to aerate surrounding soils and to thin sprouts afer germina-tion. Clear weeds by pulling them by hand or with a hoe. Acute temperature fluctuations maycause zoning, or discolored rings on the root. Tin medium-size plants so roots can grow to ullsize. Also, rotate to prevent Cercospora lea spot. Keep well irrigated to prevent scabbing, raisedbrown spots on roots.

Harvest and Handling: Determine ripeness once the leaves have grown beyond 6″ . Clear the soilaround the root to veriy size. Fork or undermine in hard soil. ug gently on the leaves justabove the root in loose soil. Te smaller, thinning bulbs can be bunched at ¾ lb with a tie justabove the root. Te ull-size bulbs should have at least three plants per bunch. Remove anyyellow or wilted leaves. Remove dirt rom the bulb. Rinse in resh water. ie at least five bulbsin a ½ lb to ¾ lb bunch.

Turnips

Crop Summary: urnips (Brassica rapa) grow well or most o the year, rom early spring to late all.Purple top, red stem and hakurai, a Japanese variety, are the most popular in this region. Tehakurai is well liked because o its mild, sweet flavor, and it can be consumed raw. Red stem andpurple top have an earthier flavor and require cooking to be eaten in most contexts. Radish-sized


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turnips mature in 30 days; ull size turnips mature in 45–50 days. Skin is smooth when radishesare small.

Planting Details: Sow in early spring to late summer in rows ¼″ to ½″ deep. Use a seeder or placeseeds 1″ apart, approximately 35 seeds per oot by hand. Sequence planting in order to ensure a

constant supply. Plant at least our rows in a 3′ growing bed.

Productive Practice: Tin the sprouts afer germination. Pull weeds and keep well irrigated. Controlflea beetles and root maggots with floating row cover.

Harvest and Handling: Hakurai are ideal or harvesting small, with a 2″ -diameter bulb. Tey areready in 40 days. Other varieties can grow larger, since they are not ideal or eating raw. Pullsmall roots by gently tugging at the base o the plant. Larger bulbs may require digging. Removeany yellow or wilted leaves. Remove dirt rom the bulb. Rinse in resh water. ie at least 5 bulbsin a ½ lb to 3/4 lb bunch.

Carrots

Crop Summary: Carrots (Daucus carota v. sativus) come inmany colors. Orange has predominated as the typicalcarrot color since the 17th century when growers inHolland selected or the bright orange color in celebra-tion o their leader and liberator, William o Orange.Multicolored carrots are thought to have been effec-tively eliminated in a single generation during that era.Carrots take about 75 days to reach maturity, so a clearcropping plan that anticipates the wait on carrots is

important, but the market demand makes it worth thewait. Te domesticated or garden-variety carrot hasbeen bred rom its wild origin or sweetness and sofertexture. Carrots were originally cultivated or their aro-matic seeds. Tey are related to cumin, dill, ennel andparsley. Lef to flower, carrots are attractive to parasiticwasps and beneficial pollinators. Te most eye-catching varieties do best at armers’ markets, while the morestaple colors, such as orange and yellow, do better orwholesale. Purple haze and rainbow have been success-ul varieties or South Valley growers.

Planting Details: Use a planter to sow seed ½″ deep in loosesoil that is ree rom rocks. Plant rom early spring tomid-July or all harvest. Plant about 30 seeds per oot.Space rows 4–6″ apart.

Productive Practice: Carrots grow best in ull sun, but will tolerate shade. Do not allow the soil tocrust prior to the emergence o seedlings. Tin the young sprouts to 1′ between sprouts, with aniron rake or by hand. Sequential plantings will ensure a constant supply.


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Harvest and Handling: Clear dirt at the base o the leaves to determine appropriate harvest size.Pulling a sample carrot works too. Baby carrots are under 4″ in length. Full size are 6″ or larger.Undermine or dig out with a pitchork, shovel or broadork. Remove as much dirt and soil romthe roots as possible. Remove any yellow or wilted leaves. Wash in resh water and scrub off mudand dirt. Rinse in resh water. owel or drip dry. ie at least 5 carrots in a ½ lb to ¾ lb bunch.Store carrots without moisture below 45°F.

Nightshades

Nightshades include a diverse group o plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes,gooseberries and tobacco. omatoes and eggplants are very marketable, but require specialhandling post harvest Peppers are more durable in the New Mexico climate. here are severalregionally developed strains such as the New Mexico green chile pepper. Peppers are not sus-ceptible to disease and are a much more durable ruit. Early season plant starts allow the grower

to maximize ruit production during warmer months. So get your starts going by mid-Februaryand expect to transplant by early to mid-May (in act, in 2012 the last rost was one month early,in mid-April, so paying attention to weather predictions and the Farmers’ Almanac helps orearly season extension). he ollowing section contains details on tomato, pepper and eggplantproduction and handling speciications.

Tomatoes

Crop Summary: omatoes (Solanum lyco- persicum) are excellent sellers. But oncethey are in season, the market becomes

saturated and prices drop significantly. Inselecting what varieties to plant there areseveral considerations regarding culturalpractice and handling. First, considerthe distinction between determinate andindeterminate varieties. Determinate varieties flower and ruit at the sametime. Yellow taxi is a determinate varietythat produces early in the cold rame anddraws a good price early in the season. Se-quencing determinate tomatoes requires

successive germination and transplanting.Tey do not require pruning or high trel-lis, since they grow into a bush and ceaseputting on vegetation once the floweringtakes place.

By contrast, indeterminate varieties continue to grow vegetation and flow throughout the warm-er months and into the all in a cold rame. Tey benefit rom trellis and climbing lines. Heir-loom varieties such as Black Prince, Moscovich, Green Zebra and Brandywine are more delicate


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and don’t have a uniorm ruit size or shape. Moscovich is the most like a red slicer, but it isthin-skinned light most heirlooms. Other indeterminates that do well in the Middle Río Grandeare New Girl and most cherry tomato varieties: yellow pear, grape, black cherry. Note that thesedeveloped seed varieties are list as F1 hybrid seeds. F1 means that the ruit is a hybrid that hasbeen selected or certain traits. An F1 variety will not replicate the same desired traits into thenext generation. So armers cannot save seed o F1 hybrids and expect similar size, shape, flavor,texture, color or growth.

Planting Details: Do not start these too early. he plants will become root bound, meaning thatthe roots will grow into a tight ball. Once plants are root bound, lowers are likely to open. Itransplanted once there are open lowers, the plant is likely to be stunted and will struggle toproduce ruit.

It is important to start tomatoes in a heated and ventilated greenhouse with soil-less peat-basedstarting mix and seeding trays 6–8 weeks prior to the last rost—by mid-March or the SouthValley. Start the seeds by planting them in trays or flats with 72 cells. Te starting mix must bekept 75–90°F to maximize the germination rate. omato seeds germinate and develop slower in

cooler soil. Once the first true leaves emerge (not the seed leaves or cotyledons that appear uponinitial sprouting), transer seedlings into 24 plug flats. Grow seedlings at 60–70°F. Water enoughonly to keep rom drying. Fertilize with diluted fish emulsion or an OMRI (Organic MaterialsReview Institute)–listed seedling ertilizer.

ransplant afer six weeks into medium nutrient-rich soil (not too much nitrogen and not toolittle; this can be achieved with the proper quantities o compost, blood meal and bone meal).ransplant 12″ apart with two rows per 3′ bed and two lines o -ape. Plant root bulb and stalkup to the first pair o leaves into the bed. Design trellis or caging or indeterminate plants. Waterplant starts with a high-phosphate ertilizer solution upon transplanting.

Productive Practice: Do not smoke or handle tobacco i you are going to touch tomato plants.obacco carries a virus that can eliminate your entire planting. Prune indeterminate varieties atthe suckers and train plants upwards. Determinate varieties need no pruning and can grow into abush. Pruning blossoms and suckering will inspire greater growth.

Harvest and Handling: Harvest vine-ripened ruit or direct, same-day sale. Pick less ripe or nextday or long-distance delivery. Pick with the last node o the stem intact. Store ruits on flats withthe stem acing downward. ake care not to let ruits roll into each other or puncture each otherin transit. Store firm, ripe ruit or 4–7 days at 45–60°F.

Don’s Tip

Trellis tomato plants once they are 2 feet tall. Use cages,

twine and rebar, or barbless wire with T-posts and zip

strips, or hang guidelines of twine from the rafters. Send

at least two rows of trellis to keep tomato plants growing

upwards. This will reduce exhaustion of having to bend

over and lift plants to nd fruit.


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Peppers (Capsicum annuum)

Crop Summary: Several varieties o peppers will thrive withthe arid growing conditions o New Mexico. O course,New Mexico is renowned or its special variety o green

chile. Tere are several locally adapted and landrace,almost appellation strains like Chimayo and Hatch aswell as commercially developed strains such as Big Jimand Sandia Hot.

Te New Mexican climate is ideal or pepper productiono many varieties, but hot, Mexican chiles tend to grow very well in this area. Te regional yellow hot pepperproduces nicely as well. Both hot and sweet peppers need to be started at the same time as toma-toes. Tey preer well-drained soils and high summer heat. “Chile does not like soggy eet,” manygrowers have shared. Others insist that the heat stress and sudden flood and drain o water arewhat intensiy chile heat and flavor.

Planting Details: Plan to germinate and start seeds 8 weeks prior to the last rost (early to mid-March to plant starts in New Mexico). Plant seeds in shallow flats, 4 seeds per inch, or in 72-cellflats. Plant ¼″ deep in soil with abundant phosphorus and calcium. Maintain soil temperatures at80–90°F. Once the first leaves emerge, transplant to 2″ apart or 24-cell flats. Tis helps the devel-opment o better root systems. Grow seedlings between 60 and 70°F until afer the last rost. Settransplants 12–18″ apart in two staggered rows 12–18″ apart. ransplants with buds but no openflowers are ideal.

Productive Practice: Water peppers abundantly once a week; depending on temperatures morewatering may be necessary. Use row cover to protect rom cold. Drip irrigation prevents bacterial

spots. Sunscald is the result o insufficient plant oliage. Excessive nitrogen inspires increasedplant growth and reduced ruit production. Make sure that soil nutrients are balanced and thephosphorus levels are adequate. Common ailments include ruit drop rom excessive hear orwatering and blossom end rot rom lack o nitrogen.

Harvest and Handling: Pick peppers by hand as soon as they are ull grown to encourage ur-ther ruit set. ake care to wear gloves or hot chile pepper varieties. Do not wash. Wipe dirtaway. Store in a ventilated container ree rom moisture. Do not package in sealed plasticor too long, as this will inspire mold. Peppers turn rom green to red as they ripen. Certain varieties are desirable in the green stage and others in the red, ripe stage. Also, with regardto jalapeños, hardened veins on the exterior indicate how hot the pepper will be. he moredried veins, the hotter it is.

Eggplant

Crop Summary: Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is dark, light or bright purple or white. It is a bell-shaped annual with a dense pulp and rich texture. Known or its absorption o flavors, eggplantis preerred with hardy recipes. Well-known varieties are traviatta, the large Italian, dark ruit;ichiban, or Japanese eggplant, which is narrower and lighter-colored than the traditional styles;


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and zebra, which is striped purple and white and produces a medium-sized ruit. Tis productdoes well under the same conditions as its relatives, tomatoes and peppers. Unlike with tomatoesand peppers, ruit growth increases exponentially with water. So you will likely have a generoussurplus i you experience a lot o rain during the growing season. Also, eggplant keeps well in adry, dark and cool place. Its marketability has a short window or wholesale and retail, since theskin gets wrinkly and loose as soon as one day afer harvest.

Planting Details: Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks beore the last rost—mid-March or the MiddleRio Grande region. Use a rich, balanced potting soil in a 72-cell flat or tray. Maintain soil tem-perature at 85–90°F. Once the first true leaves emerge, transplant into 2–4″ pots, 2–4″ spaces ona tray or a 24-cell flat. Grow seedlings at 60–70°F. Water enough so that the seedlings do not dryout. ransplant afer the last rost once the weather has settled, about mid–May in this region.Cold hardening will benefit the overall well-being o plants, but they are tender, and cold willaffect eggplant. Use floating row cover to protect against cold spells. ransplant in two rows on a3′ bed. Plant in a staggered ashion with 12–18″ between plants.

Productive Practice: Clear weeds with a hoe between rows and between plants. Be mindul o

over-ertility, when there is too much nitrogen in the soil and the plants produce big, bushybranches and not much ruit. Balance this by adding phosphorus (in the orm o bone meal orrock phosphate) to soil. Like tomatoes, eggplants can be pruned and staked to keep ruit acingdownwards. Eggplants suffer rom curly top and lea wilt like their relatives. Be sure to not smokeor handle tobacco when working with eggplant. Use floating row cover to protect recent trans-plants rom flea beetle and Colorado potato beetles. Frequently check the underside o leaves ororange clusters o Colorado potato beetle eggs. Crush them upon discovery.

Harvest and Handling: Use shears to cut ruit with stem. Harvest directly into boxes and transer toshade to remove field heat. Full-grown ruit is close to 6″ or traditional varieties. Baby eggplantruit should be harvested i ripe. Harvest requently to encourage urther ruit set. Do not wash.Wipe ruit clean. Lay on a flat, single-layer cardboard or plastic container. Make sure that yourstorage area is neither too cold nor too hot. Warmer post-harvest storage will loosen skin, andcolder areas will sofen flesh. Many claim that same-day harvest and delivery is ideal to ensurepremium market quality.

Legumes

Legumes include a wide variety o plants that tend to produce seeds in a pod that are valued ortheir high protein content. Beans and peas are the most commonly known legumes, but soy, lentils,chickpeas/garbanzos, peanuts, cowpeas, clover and mesquite are all legumes. Te distinction withinthis group is whether the plan is a grain legume that produces the desirable seed/pod at the end obranches, such as soybeans and string beans, or a orage legume that tends to produce edible podsalong or under the ground, such as peanuts. Legumes also have a special characteristic o capturingatmospheric nitrogen and fixing it into the soil. Nitrogen fixation, as it is known, is an importantaspect o building ertile soil (as mentioned in Part One). Recall that nitrogen stimulates ruit pro-duction and phosphorus inspires vegetation, but there needs to be a good balance o the two, withsome potassium as well. Corn, tomatoes, lettuce and peppers absorb nitrogen rom the soil. Legumescan play a beneficial role in replacing nitrogen in the soil. However, there is a catch. Te legume fixes


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nitrogen during the vegetative stage, but once in flowering, it transitions to nitrogen absorption.So when cover cropping with legumes such as cowpea or hairy vetch, one must mow or turn in theplants prior to the flowering stage.

Tis section reviews the planting and cultural practices or snow peas and snap peas as well as string

beans and wax beans. Both o these crops are well suited or New Mexico growing conditions andoffer good options or early and late-season extension. It is important, as with all crops, to pay specialattention to planting dates and growing season or legumes, as some varieties will struggle under themidsummer temperatures in central New Mexico.

Snow Peas and Snap Peas

Crop Summary: Snow peas and snap peas (Pisum sativa) are good cold weather crops. Tey can besown in the cooler months in anticipation o harvest beore the daytime temperature high reaches70°F. Tese varieties differ in that snap peas produce a thicker pod with round peas, and snow peasproduce a flat pod and flat peas. Also, many varieties grow in a vine, so plan to trellis upon planting.

Planting Details: Direct seed peas at a depth o ½″ to 1″ , 1″ to 1½″ apart in a 3″ -wide band. Plantrows 12″ apart with two to three rows per 3′ growing bed. In New Mexico, many practice directseeding with a jab planter and ollow the rule o three—that is, three seeds per hole, “una parami, una para vos, y una para los animalitos de Dios.” Plant as early in the spring as the soil can beworked. Tis is usually in early February or the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

Productive Practice: Pea seeds require inoculant in order to encourage the ormation o nitro-gen-producing nodules on the plant roots. Tis enriches the soil, results in larger plants andincreases yield. Purchase legume inoculant rom a seed supplier. Te inoculant is a fine, soil-likepowder. Either apply inoculant in a slurry and submerge seeds to coat, or mix dry inoculant

with seeds in a bucket or plastic bag just prior to direct seeding. Prior to planting, design a trellissystem upon which the peas can climb. You can use cages, or stakes with barbless wire that hangdirectly over the seeded row. Shorter varieties do not require trellis, as they will crawl along theground. Peas can absorb soil moisture, so there is no need to water upon planting, but make surethat the soil stays moist, and be sure to water one or two times per week depending on precipi-tation. Guide taller plants through trellis during growth. Decide whether to plant bush vs. vine varieties. Bushes will need minor trellis or support. Vines will need a ence, rope, pole or otherclimbing structure to grow on. Choose mildew-resistant varieties to avoid powdery mildew. Plantin well-drained soil and rotate crop afer three plantings to control or pea root rot that causesbrowning and drying o leaves and branches rom the ground up. Plant 60 days beore the firstrost or all harvest.

Harvest and Handling: Expect to harvest 60 days afer planting. Pick requently to encourage urtherpod set. Peas are ready or harvest when the pod comes loose rom the plant with minimal effort.Gently pluck pods rom the ends o the branch, taking care not to damage the plant. ake care notto cut the branch either. Pick pod above the small leaves connected to the pod. ranser into a cleanharvest container. Do not submerge, rinse or wipe pods clean o dirt and debris. Remove any stemsor leaves on the pods. Package and store in a sealed container that is ree rom moisture.


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String Beans

Crop Summary: String beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) differ in lengths, shape, color and plant growth.Bush bean varieties develop a broad, bushy plant th

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