by Quita Ortiz 

The opening of the West Sandoval Ditch for the 2011 growing season. Photo credit: Gilbert Sandoval.

For centuries acequias have proven to be a sustainable water management system. Even during periods of drought acequias  have remained resilient throughout their history. Acequias operate in such a way that fulfills the common good. The repartimiento, which refers to the water-sharing customs of the acequia tradition, ensures that all parciantes are equal during times of abundance and sacrifice alike. 

Water allocation during drought differs from acequia to acequia, with each community tailoring their methods to meet their needs based on community dynamics and the physical geographic characteristics of their watershed and irrigated lands. But consistent among all acequias is that the mayordomo is charged with a demanding job, which can become even more challenging during drought. "When there's a drought it can be the worst time to be a mayordomo because people think the mayordomo can miraculously come up with water, ignoring the fact that Mother Nature didn't leave us with a snow-pack," said Kenny Salazar, who manages the Santa Cruz Irrigation District (SCID), which serves many acequias in his area. In the past he has served as the mayordomo for the populated La Mesilla Community Ditch, and he now serves as a commissioner. Gilbert Sandoval, who serves as mayordomo on the more rural West Sandoval Ditch in Jemez Springs, has a contrasting view. He sees drought as an opportunity for a mayordomo to illustrate his (or her) diplomacy. His sense is that people are more understanding during drought and tend to cooperate more readily. "Parciantes understand that the mayordomo's back is up against a rock in a hard spot," he said, "and it's a good opportunity to show that you're impartial." He also said that drought is a circumstance in which newcomers can observe how acequias share the water. "They begin to see the wisdom of how water management is handled by acequias," he said.

Given the increase in demand for water, some communities have had to adapt to minor changes in the way they allocate water during shortages. The La Mesilla Community Ditch once flowed through a much more rural setting, with only 17 families in the 1950's. Now the acequia runs through an underground pipe and serves roughly 2,000 families in the community, including many newcomers. The population growth has resulted in fragmented land parcels and an increase in the number of parciantes, which has made water allocation somewhat more complicated. Kenny said that during dry years, "We split up the ditch into three sections; upper, middle, and lower. Then we designate a day for each section, and rotate the laterals within each section." The mayordomo gives two hours of irrigating per acre, and the parciantes don't get their turn again until the rotation is complete.  

Dealing with frustrated parciantes can, at times, be burdensome for a mayordomo. In La Mesilla Kenny said, "We have so many people here that come in and don't understand where the water comes from; they just expect it to be there. I sometimes get irate phone calls from people who want their water. So it's become a job of really having to educate the people." Gilbert's thoughts on addressing the concerns of parciantes is similar. He also finds it useful to remind parciantes about water-sharing customs during drought. He attests that by simply taking the time to talk parciantes about their concerns generates a level of collective acceptance, "Eventually everyone comes together and realizes that Mother Nature gave what she gave, and so there is a common understanding that you must share what there is to share."

Both Kenny and Gilbert encourage parciantes to plant smaller gardens in dry years. This past winter was alarmingly dry which will result in low runoff, with the peak runoff taking place much earlier than average. On a normal year, the Santa Cruz Dam spills over by February, and there's no need to open the dam valve until June. But this year they had to open the valve in mid-April, which speaks to the harshness of this drought. Kenny has managed the SCID since 2003 and he's never had to open the dam this early. He expects the acequias within the SCID to be out of water by mid-summer, but he is also optimistic that we'll receive sufficient summer rains. He plans to open the dam just twice a week in order to stretch the water until August. "People are really going to have to share the water this year," he said. By mid-summer his mayordomo will give water to the kitchen gardens once a week and rotate the larger pasture fields and small orchards every two weeks. "We're looking at one of the worst years I've seen here, unless we get some really nice rain," he said. 

Always looking on the bright side, Gilbert adds, "Hardships tend to bring people together. It makes you forget your own selfishness." It's this self-sacrifice that has contributed to the resiliency of acequias. Everyone shares in times of abundance and everyone shares in times of drought. Water shortages can be a challenging hardship for parciantes, but acequias have a long history and a good track record for managing water in a fair and sustainable way. And although some acequias have had to adapt to new methods of water allocation during drought, like in the case of La Mesilla, these newer methods are still rooted in the idea of equally sharing vital and sacred resources. The view of water as a community resource has never swayed from the acequia tradition and it is this concept of the repartimiento that has sustained acequias for generations.   

by Patrick Jaramillo 

Participants gather for a composting demonstration. Photo credit: TCEDC

The New Mexico Acequia Association and the Taos County Economic Development Corporation (TCEDC) hosted the 3rd Rancher Forum at the TCEDC Business Park in Taos on April in early April. The focus for the forum was "Bringing the best of the Past into the Future". It was an excellent opportunity for local farmers and ranchers to get together to learn and discuss new technologies, techniques, and resources that can be applied to our traditional agricultural practices to increase the economic viability of our traditional way of life.

The two day forum featured several speakers from various USDA agencies, from national, state and local offices as well as representatives from the Taos Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), the Taos Land Trust, and livestock producers. All the presentations were tied together with an on-site demonstration of the TCEDC's Mobile Matanza and composting practices.  

Lavinia Panizo, from the Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) office in Washington, D.C., came to restate the commitment the USDA has recently made to ensure that they will help farmers and ranchers in New Mexico to receive the support they deserve for providing such an invaluable service to our communities.  

The Natural Resource Conservation Service Regional (NRCS) Assistant Chief of the West, Robert Apodaca, spoke of the NRCS's mission to help landowners utilize our natural resources in a way that maximizes our benefit while ensuring their protection, guaranteeing they will be available for our children and their children.  

The state director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Salomon Ramirez, gave an update on the Garcia-Love Settlement and the claims process for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who were discriminated against by the FSA from 1981-2000. If your loan application was denied, approved for a lesser amount, was not appropriately serviced, or were actively discouraged from applying, you may have a claim. You can go to claimsquestions@osec.gov for more information.

Elizabeth Kisten from Rural Development, Anna Martinez and Sheryl LaRue from FSA, Vernon Mirabal from NRCS, Peter Vigil from Taos SWCD, and Clarence Chavez from NRCS explained how the work their offices are doing is helping New Mexican farmers and ranchers. Connie Taylor, a sheep producer from Tres Piedras, talked about economic opportunities and credited these agencies for the help she received from them. 

The Forum was capped off with an on-site demonstration of the TCEDC Mobile Matanza, their Mobile Livestock Slaughtering Unit (MLSU). The MLSU is an invaluable tool available to ranchers through the TCEDC. The MLSU facilitates the USDA inspected and approved slaughter, butchering and packaging of livestock; making meat available for direct sale from the rancher to consumer. This allows maximum profit to the rancher and ensures the highest quality meat for the customer. Clarence Montoya took the opportunity to complete the process by giving a demonstration of the composting techniques he described in his presentation.

This event was highlighted with absolutely delicious, locally provided food prepared by TCEDC staff and their many clients who run their own business thanks to the wonderful facilities at the TCEDC Business Park.  

The ability of New Mexicans to grow food for each other has enabled countless generations of people who have called this place home to survive and thrive. Our rich agricultural traditions not only define us as New Mexicans and tie us to the land that feeds us and our children, but also teach us how to utilize all the gifts this land gives us. The Rancher Forum highlighted the many tools and resources available to those who are continuing or wanting to continue New Mexico's long tradition of making a living providing good food for ourselves, our families, our neighbors and our communities. More than ever, available resources are making it possible for those who are willing to put in the work, like our ancestors did, to make a living by honoring our past and the land we live on. Proving that we can take our traditions from the past and carry them into the future.

by Quita Ortiz 

By Paula Garcia 

 The story, as told to me, about San Isidro Labrador is that he was a farmer in Spain and that he and his wife, Santa Maria de la Cabeza, were very devout Catholics.They worked very hard growing food on their farm and like other farmers, San Isidro was compelled to work every day and every minute that he had daylight.Despite his hard work, he found time for prayer when he was in the fields and also to attend daily mass.He was so driven to work that he was tempted to miss mass so that he could work tending his animals and his crops. God warned him that if he missed mass, he would be punished with difficult neighbors.So San Isidro and Santa Maria made time for mass even if it meant leaving their work behind while they were attending mass.In reward for their devotion, God sent angels to help San Isidro tend to his animals and crops while he and Santa Maria were attending mass.

A common image familiar to many Catholics in northern New Mexico is of San Isidro with an arado (plow) with angels at his side helping him with his work.   

Similar versions of the story say that he was a tenant farmer.Fellow workers complained to the landowner that San Isidro spent too much time in prayer or in mass.However, he always managed to get his work done, which was credited to the help of angels sent by God.  Legend tells that when he did work, he could do the work of three men because he had an angel at each side helping him.   

San Isidro is venerated today in feast days and processions throughout Spain, Latin America, and Hispanic communities of the Southwest. In New Mexico, he is celebrated in many parishes on either May 10th or May 15th.  He is the patron saint of farmers and laborers.   

For more information about San Isidro, click on the links below: 

http://www.ncrlc.com/page.aspx?ID=91 

http://www.ewtn.com/spanish/saints/Isidro_labrador5_15.htm 

The Institute for Agricultural Trade Policy announced its 2011-2013 Food and Community Fellows. Out of 560 applicants, NMAA Concilio member, Don Bustos, was selected as one of the 14 new fellows. Don is a certified organic vegan farmer in Santa Cruz. He is also the Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee-New Mexico where he provides training to farmers and works on land and water rights issues in New Mexico.  

Don Bustos. Photo source: Santa Cruz Farm

The fellowship provides a stipend, communications support, trainings, and travel opportunities as part of a program intended to increase the strength of local food systems and community health. The fellowship is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Woodcock Foundation.   

Some of Don's other accomplishments include being named Farmer of the Year in 2006 by the New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission, and the Leyendecker Agriculturist of Distinction by NMSU in 2005.   

Farmers and ranchers throughout the state are expressing concern about the growing population of prairie dogs. The following links provide some recommendations for their control or removal.  The Cooperative Extension Service prepared a fact sheet to inform landowners of options for control of prairie dog communities.   

Another interesting resource is a website from a wildlife group that gives suggestions for humane removal.  Depending on the needs of the landowner, either source may be helpful in addressing the problem.  NMAA highly recommends consulting with your local Cooperative Extension Agent for advice regarding prairie dogs.  For more information, click on the links below:

Prairie Dog Control in New Mexico 

Celebrando las Acequias  

NMAA Staff... 

Thank You! 

and through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.