Weaving Together Weaving Together Multi-Cultural Food SystemsMulti-Cultural Food Systems

Success Stories from the

Working Landscapes of the

Colorado Plateau

Restoring & Re-Storying

Our Sense of Place & Taste

A Place of Unparalleled Food Diversity:“[These peoples of America are] much inclined

To cultivate the earth and steward the same. They harvest beans, corn, and squashes,Melons and rich sloes of Castile, And grapes in quantity throughout their landscape…They harvest the red wheat and garden fareSuch as lettuce and cabbage, green beans and peas,Cilantro, carrots, turnips, garlic, Onions, artichokes, radishes and cucumbers.They have pleasing herds of turkeysIn abundance and fowl of Castile, too, Beside sheep and cattle and goats.”

~Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá, 1598

A Regional Heritage Undergoing A Regional Heritage Undergoing Dramatic Agricultural RenewalDramatic Agricultural Renewal

-Oldest agricultural history in the U.S.

-Greatest native crop diversity in Americas

north of Tropic of Cancer

-Greatest agro-habitat diversity in one region (sea level to 8500 ft.)

-Exciting restoration of springs, terraces, ak-chin

fields, orchards & food rituals now in process

among at least 10 cultures

-.

Reviving rare livestock breeds Reviving rare livestock breeds and ranching traditionsand ranching traditions

• Key sites for revival of heritage turkeys

• Oldest sheep breed in U.S. (Navajo-Churro) SUBJECT OF Slow Food’s first Presidia revitalization

• Oldest cattle breed (Criollo Corriente) now recovered

• Key stage for conservation collaborations among ranchers and conservation biologists

Pressures Mount, Pressures Mount, Perils Persist!Perils Persist!

Endangerment

Since WWII, Sunbelt has had most rapid urbanization/conversion of working landscapes in American history

Fragmentation of ranch- and farmlands

Usurpment of water by cities

60% of native crop varieties lost from North America,1492-2002.

Loss of traditional knowledge about food biodiversity =

• > avg. loss of farmers• breaking of ancient traditions

Farm Economies, US SouthwestFarm Economies, US Southwest

State Arizona Colorado New

Mexico

Utah

Number of farms

7,500 29,000 15,200 15,500

Avg. farm size (acres)

4,359 1,154 3,259 848

Prime ag acres converted/developed

17,100 10,100 3,600

17,800

Health consequences of losing Health consequences of losing

land access & food biodiversityland access & food biodiversity

Impacts Loss of many protective

phytochemicals (eg., capsaicin, inulins) in traditional diet that sustained health

Loss of freshness, diversity and equitable access to safe food

Highest incidence of adult-onset diabetes in world, major cause of death and disability

Nutrient-depleted convenience foods Nutrient-depleted convenience foods replaced traditional crops and wild foodsreplaced traditional crops and wild foods

Government surplus commodity “hand-outs” were richer in fat & sugar, poorer in minerals & protein than native crops they replaced

Hand-outs served as disincentives for “growing your own,” resulting in less fresh, vitamin-rich vegetables

Use of wild foods from gardens declined as well

Reversing the Downward SpiralReversing the Downward Spiral

SAVING THE PIECES!

Revitalization of uniquely American food resources and the traditional cultural knowledge associated connected with these foods.

Rescuing, documenting, restoring: Native American and Hispanic

vegetable crops Regionally-adapted heirloom grains Spanish-introduced fruit and nut

trees Wild native plant foods Regionally-adapted livestock

breeds Ranching traditions

Sowing Solar-Powered Sowing Solar-Powered Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture

Breaking addictions to fossil fuel, returning to solar-powered strategies on the land

Breaking addictions to irrigation water imported from other watersheds or geological strata

Rebuilding distribution networks that combine local with fairly-traded extra-local

Combining traditional knowledge with agro-ecological science

Re-weaving the Re-weaving the Regional Food Network Regional Food Network

in the Southwestin the Southwest• Southwest Community Food and Agriculture

Outpost• Traditional Native American Farmers Association• Southwest Direct Marketing Network• Northern Arizona Food and Agriculture Council’s

Canyon Country Fresh Network• Quivira Coalition• Native Seeds/SEARCH• Community Food Connections• Saving the Wide Open Spaces Forum • Slow Food Southwest Convivia (8)

Shared Goals:Shared Goals:CulturalCultural

Rescuing traditional agro-ecological knowledge

Re-discovering the region’s culinary history

Sustaining communities of farmers, ranchers and foragers

Reviving traditional food festivals, ceremonies, & seed exchanges

Shared Goals:Shared Goals:Health & NutritionHealth & Nutrition

Reviving wild foods that once prevented diabetes: prickly pear, chia, mesquite, acorns, Navajo tea

Reviving traditional crops that prevented diabetes: tepary and lima beans, Jerusalem artichokes, cultivated cacti and agaves

Introducing fresh greens year-round

Fostering local processing w/o sugar and fat

Designating National Heritage AreasDesignating National Heritage AreasDesignating American Viticultural AreasDesignating American Viticultural Areas

Pioneering Rural Planning DistrictsPioneering Rural Planning DistrictsPromoting County or Watershed-Wide Protection Promoting County or Watershed-Wide Protection

PlansPlans

Making Sure That Working Making Sure That Working Landscapes Aren’t SquashedLandscapes Aren’t Squashed

Making the most enduring rural Making the most enduring rural traditions economically & traditions economically & ecologically viable again:ecologically viable again:

100s of Velarde NM grassroots entrepeneurs100s of Velarde NM grassroots entrepeneurs

Linking a sense of place Linking a sense of place to a sense of tasteto a sense of taste

to keep rural communities viable to keep rural communities viable

Linking the identities of consumers & Linking the identities of consumers & producers as “co-producersproducers as “co-producers””

Re-storying Success:Re-storying Success:Navajo-Churro SheepNavajo-Churro Sheep

Oldest extant sheep breed in North America

Historic neglect & intentional flock reductions imperiled its’ survival—less than 5,000 left by 1970

Recent revival thanks to direct marketing of wool and lamb by Dine Be’iina, Navajo Churro Sheep Association, Black Mesa Weavers Guild, and Canyon Country Fresh.

First Slow Food USA Presidia initiated, May 2005

Survey shows consumer support for Survey shows consumer support for place-based heritage foodsplace-based heritage foods

57% of those likely to purchase traditional, local foods are willing to pay 10% more for them.

Survey conducted March 2005 by the Social Research Laboratory at NAU.

Likelihood of Purchasing Traditional Arizona Food

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Don't know

Somewhat unlikely

Somewhat likely

Very likely

The key to place-The key to place-based niche-based niche-marketing:marketing:

Telling the stories of Telling the stories of colorful foods with colorful foods with unique flavors and unique flavors and

their role in our culture their role in our culture and destiny.and destiny.

Current Needs in RegionCurrent Needs in Region

Building multi-cultural partnerships to ensure equity and continuity in working landscapes

Assessing current disincentives to landscape-level conservation & viability of rural communities

Attracting diversified funding support to a region with few

economic resources (incl. foundations)

Building “food system” management capacity at the local and regional levels

Encouraging residents to fully tell their stories of the land

Thanks to our donor and to our community elders, both of whom guide and inspire us

For more information on Canyon Country Fresh and Renewing America’s Food Traditions, see www.environment.nau.edu/food/