Climate change poses significant threats to farming in the Southwest. Changes in climate such as scarcity of water, longer periods of drought, and warmer temperatures leave farmers wondering how they will adapt to the changing conditions. Mushrooms are a climate-resilient crop as they have low ecological footprints and don’t require much time, space, or resources to grow. They are nutritious in the kitchen and have numerous beneficial uses. Mushroom farming in New Mexico is emerging, and these farmers play an important role in leading methods of sustainable farming.  The first time I ..read more

The aim of this article will be to exemplify a few different takes on the residential agroforestry system that could be applied well to a house’s ¼ acre landscape area. A backyard food forest (or front yard for that matter) would be able to meet both the local food producing needs of a household while also providing a nice landscaping alternative. Residential food forests provide the capacity for many more people to get involved in growing their own food and learning about the intricate systems that we as humans can cultivate to work in symmetry with nature. Explaining the Concept of a Food Fo ..read more

If I told you that 70% of our freshwater usage – as a globe – goes towards agriculture, would you believe me? In New Mexico alone, 76% of water is used for irrigated agriculture while livestock accounts for 1.05% of total water withdrawals. Obviously, the number of resources that go into traditional agriculture is taxing to our environment. Current research shows that by 2050, we need to increase food production by about 70% to meet the needs of a global population of 9.8 billion people. To meet these growing demands, we must find sustainable alternative ..read more

Vegan Chicken ReviewI tried four different brands of vegan “chicken” and am going to share my findings of each brand’s taste, cost and any sustainability efforts done by the companies. This is for anyone who is a vegan, always on the go or if you’re wanting to transition into/try out vegan food! Why does it matter? Here are a few analogies to showcase just how much a non meat diet can impact the environment in a positive way: “It takes approximately 1,847 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef” and “518 gallons for one pound of chicken”, and by going meatless just one day per week, you wo ..read more

By now you probably have heard about composting as it has picked up momentum in the sphere of sustainability. But when most of us think of composting we likely have a monolithic image in our minds – a big heap of brown dirt in the corner of a yard or field, sprinkled occasionally with fresh household waste, probably a bit smelly and best given some room to breathe. While there are many misconceptions to this (there are several alternative methods that are smaller-scale and more aesthetically pleasing and low-impact, and properly mixed and aerated it doesn’t actually smell much), it’s a harsh r ..read more

Farmers in central New Mexico have long relied on the nourishing waters of the Rio Grande to sustain their crops through the sweltering summer growing season. Water from the Rio Grande is delivered to farmers through a complex network of acequias and ditches, some of which were created centuries ago by the state’s Indigenous and Spanish inhabitants. In the Middle Rio Grande, these irrigation systems are now managed by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD). Farmers must have a water right to connect to MRGCD systems, though the amount of water that they receive from the MRGCD is de ..read more

Fully loaded Impossible Burger We all have heard of the new alternative meat that is too good it has to be impossible. A meat alternative that tastes, smells, and even bleeds like real meat. The Impossible corporation is a meat alternative that claims to be a sustainable and healthy alternative to actual meat. As a vegetarian of almost eight years, I greatly appreciate the idea of eating meat again without the environmental impact, concerns about animal welfare, and health considerations. The major flaws of the meat industry are partaking in animal cruelty, producer of methane and other Greenh ..read more

Introduction Why should you start your own garden? The importance of having yor own personal garden  is to have access to fruit and veggies to live a healthier lifestyle, this also lessens one’s dependence on grocery stores. You have the opportunity to control where your food comes from, how its taken care, and how it’s harvested – which call be very satisfying having peace of mind of knowing exactly what is going on with your fresh produce from start to finish. This will be a guide on how to start a raised bed gardening system within your backyard, with tips on how to maintenance it tail ..read more

Few people have ever thought about the unfathomable amounts of time that it takes to make soil. Healthy soil takes so long to create that it may as well be measured in geological time scales. Let me briefly explain how soil is made using a deciduous forest as an example. Deciduous trees drop their leaves every year to create mulch that ultimately breaks down into soil. The leaves fall on top of last year’s leaves and we begin the get a layering effect with newer leaves on top and older leaf material on the bottom. Micro-organisms, macro organisms, and the freeze thaw cycle all act together to ..read more

Just like many other human activities, raising cattle for human consumption can be very bad for our planet. Cattle are a part of a group called ruminants. Ruminants produce large amounts of methane as part of their digestion cycle. Methane is a very strong greenhouse gas meaning even small amounts of it can be very detrimental to the current climate. Greenhouse gasses act to warm our atmosphere as they can trap and reradiate sun rays in our atmosphere. There are a few ways we can act to reduce the amount of methane being produced by cattle. By far the most obvious method is to reduce the amoun ..read more