Open minds and open hearts

By: Laura Riley

Touring through The United Kingdom, I’ve observed the very old to the very new; Be it architecture, farming techniques, brew pubs, or ideas.  A dichotomy can be seen from the halls of Parliament to the modern visage of the American Embassy.  

Understanding the adaptation of fragile humans and our impact on the world is critical for the survival of our species.  This week we have talked a lot about regenerative agriculture in light of climate change.  It’s very clear we do not know enough.   What is nature, and what is man-made?  How do we reduce or sequester atmospheric carbon in a substantive form?  Can it be done while still maintaining our ability to produce food in an economically sustainable manner?  Most positions are taken based on political agendas, marketing maneuvers, and not necessarily hard science.  One thing we all agree upon is our job of feeding a growing hungry population is getting harder and harder.  To quote the esteemed Agricultural Secretary from New Mexico-  “We have not found a replacement for food”.   

I am blessed to have the opportunity to learn from colleagues around the world. Sitting in a meeting room listening to the representative of the Hereford society, the concerns and challenges are the same, just presented in a different accent. We all grapple with high acquisition/start-up costs, prices dictated by others, the rural/urban divide in government, uninformed consumers, and an aging population of farmers.

While the more we talk, the less we hear- it’s very important we keep communicating!  We now live in a global society and are faced with challenges that do not recognize political and physical geography.  We all share the air, soil, and water- along with the limited natural resources available to sustain our species.  I found a meme on Facebook that shows how small we really are in the scheme of our natural world. “We owe our very existence to 6” of topsoil and the fact it rains”. 

We talk about why we continue doing what we do!   The soul-searing beauty of the land, the satisfaction of a well-grown crop, the warm hug of living in a community where everyone knows you, and the joy of a sunrise.  Understanding our role in society, the value added to lifestyle, families, and the human experience is a critical component of a successful path forward.  

Share your thoughts, ideas, and questions with your neighbors, your local and state government officials, your business partners, and the children. Listen to their concerns, ideas, and suggestions. Open minds and open hearts will be the saving grace of mankind.

Thoughts from the road….

When I woke up this morning, I dreaded the day.  I had a lot of miles ahead of me and I was inspecting two ranches.   It has been so dry and windy in New Mexico, that I knew it was going to be a long day.  The wind, the pollen, and the smoke from the fires were wreaking havoc on my respiratory system.   Over a half of a million acres have already burned in New Mexico and our typical fire season doesn’t even start until June 1.  Glumly I packed a bag, lots of water, some beef jerky, my notebook, and a camera.  I set out in my little grey F150.  Sometimes I think I spend more time in this truck than anywhere else. 

I stopped to fuel up in Carrizozo and the wind was already so bad it blew my glasses off.  Not a great start to the day.   As I drove north to the first property near Corona, my mood brightened.  I purposely played some 70’s rock, which always makes me feel good.  You can’t help but sing along with Stevie Nicks, or tap the steering wheel along with Bob Seger’s Night Moves.  I marveled at the antelope with their new babies, surviving through such harsh conditions.  

As I turned off the highway to the county road, I noticed the differences in the pastures and realized these ranchers made decisions last fall to leave some forage in light of the dire precipitation forecast.  I think back to the stories Grandma Thomas told of growing up in this country.  Many ranches in this area are generational. 

Pauline Thomas was born in Torrance County, NM- two years after statehood.  The family still owns portions of the land her father homesteaded in 1909.  They grew dry land pinto beans and ran cattle.  In the 50’s during the drought, they sold the Hereford cattle and bought Holsteins for a dairy farm. Grandma Thomas lived through wars, years of drought and was widowed at 59.  She continued to ranch and take care of the land well into her 80’s.  

Thinking now of all the conveniences we have to help us do our daily chores, I’m abashed about my complaining.  I can hear my grandmother’s gentle scolding about making the best of what we have.  I know I have generations of strength behind me.   I don’t have to get up and milk the cows before I had cream in my coffee.  I have air conditioning and radio to help keep me comfortable as I flew down the road at 65 miles an hour.  I have different struggles, but I won’t quit.   I hope to be here when I’m 80 - spending the better part of the day out on the land I love.  

Summertime and Cornbread Salad

It’s officially summertime and with that comes gatherings and cookouts. A favorite amongst our crowd is cornbread salad. It’s a staple simply put. I have promised many people I would write down the recipe so here you go!

Cornbread Salad

9 x 13 Pan of cornbread

1 cup chopped bell pepper or sweet peppers

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 chopped avocado

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped Dill pickles

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup Dill pickle juice

Cut the cornbread into small cubes in the pan then dump into the bowl, add veggies, and then toss with dressing.

Happy New Years

May your upcoming year be blessed and bountiful

Happy New Year

We are all looking forward to the New Year- an opportunity for doing things better, different outcomes, and a bright shiny future. After the last two years of unprecedented events, people are tired, worn, and anxious. Families have endured terrible losses, businesses have suffered, the political division has broadened and we are all unsure of things to come.
But in reality, New Year’s Day is just another day- it’s our mindset that is different. We take the opportunity to set goals, challenge ourselves to do more, be better in the upcoming year. I heard one time a wonderful saying that I like to live my life by.
Plan in decades, think in years, work in months, live in days, and cherish in moments.
Think of the things we could accomplish if we woke up every day with the optimism and determination we feel in the early days of each year. The joy we could have in life when we cherish the daily moments we all have. Take the time to breathe in the delight that nature surrounds us with. Treasure the opportunities life in agriculture provides us. Often we get dragged down by concerns with over-regulation, erratic markets, supply issues and do not recognize the beauty in our industry. Everyone smiles at the sight of a curly black spindle-legged baby calf, born early, struggling with the cold, but strongly trying to nurse. Our breath is taken both by the view of trees crisply coated in frost, shining in the morning sun as well physically by the cold air. We are blessed to enjoy God’s bounty in every season, the soft cushion of life giving snow in the winter, the first blush of green grass in the spring, the long hot summer days, growing grass and fat calves and the fall- the season of harvest, where the land rewards us the fruits of our labors.

As we set forth into 2022, let’s all try to live each day with resolution. We all can do more, be better. Let go of the past and unresolved pain. Look forward to a brighter future. Choose kindness and industriousness, challenge yourself to succeed- in traditional ways as well as a human, a beautiful member of our community and our world.

October in New Mexico

It’s fall! Fall is my favorite season, and it’s so wonderful in my lovely state of New Mexico. Just saying it’s October fills my senses with memories of crisp mornings, bright blue skies full of colorful balloons, the first whiff of pinion smoke, the savory taste of a freshly roasted green chile on a warm tortilla with just a sprinkle of garlic salt.

In my world autumn is a season of bounty. It’s the time of harvest- picking crisp red apples, canning jars and jars of pickled beets, and fresh new pinto beans straight from the combine. I’m just one generation away from total self-sufficiency. My parents and grandparents had root cellars and pantries full of provisions to last the winter. They bought beans in 50-pound bags, potatoes by the sack full, and canned a multitude of vegetables, fruit, and pickles. They usually slaughtered beef and a hog or two. These animals were painstakingly processed with hand meat saws and knives, then double wrapped in butcher paper and frozen in one of the many freezers in the shed and bunkhouses. Daddy usually always brought in a deer and an elk, which my mother critically surveyed and cut away the silver skin, and dried, bloodshot, or pieces that may have a hair touch it. Or even if she thought it looked suspicious- it was deftly cut off and thrown to the dogs. What May have been a large elk, made very few packages when she was through- but we never had any bad meat!

Today we strive to educate the population where their food comes from. Many children think milk is produced at the grocery store. I know adults who do not understand cotton is fiber removed from a boll grown on a plant. Our society lacks the innate understanding of land, families, and effort that goes into each plate of food on their dinner table. Everyone engaged in the various aspects of agriculture carries the responsibility of education. We need to tell people what we do and why we do it! Often giving a little of our story to others, whether personally, on social media, or in other ways, starts the conversation. These are generations of individuals who have only gotten food from a store or restaurant. People inherently are curious, and the opportunity to share knowledge and experience can happen anywhere. Start a discussion with the person sitting next to at a ballgame. If we each just share a few tidbits daily, the surge of information will flow.

Start your conversation today!