Government grants available for organic farmers. Photo by Aysha Griffin.

by Sharon Rolenc, Public News Service – MN  (May 10, 2011)

ST. PAUL, Minn. – While the busy planting season is in full swing, Minnesota farmers interested in growing organic are encouraged to take time out and apply for federal USDA grants to support their efforts. The funding is available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative.

Traci Bruckner, assistant director of the Rural Policy Program at the Center for Rural Affairs, says this unique program is offered across the country for those who are either already growing organic, or considering making the transition.

“They’re going to get assistance with making that leap. So for those farmers or ranchers who’ve ever considered organic, this is really their opportunity to make it happen.”

Bruckner says farmers can apply for funds through their local Natural Resources Conservation Service office, work with staff to develop a plan, and decide which conservation practices they want to utilize.

“And the more practices that they can undertake as part of this, the higher they’re going to score. So it is a ranking process; whoever scores the highest will be funded first, and then they’ll go on down the line until they run out of funds.”

Bruckner says established organic farmers can receive funds to cover 75 percent of the cost to implement organic conservation measures. For beginning, limited-resource, and socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, the funding coverage jumps to 90 percent.

She also advises anyone new to organic farming to get in touch with an organic certifier.

“They’re going to have to develop an organic conservation plan. And if they’re doing this on a farm where they’re going to generate more than $5,000 worth of income, they need to be certified at the end of the third year.”

Bruckner says the Center for Rural Affairs has a “Farm Bill Helpline” that offers farmers and ranchers assistance in accessing programs like EQIP, as well as a host of other beginning farmer programs.

In 2010, Minnesota producers received over $1 million from the program. This year’s deadline to apply is May 20.

The Farm Bill Helpline number is 402-687-2100.

A fact sheet is online at: www.cfra.org

This article and audio can be found at: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/19943-1

Santa Fe in Spring, photo by Aysha Griffin

 
Spring can’t come soon enough for many of us, not just in Santa Fe, but everywhere struck by the deep freeze this winter. Thankfully, we’re seeing life in the city’s gardens as we begin to warm up and town moves into a livelier time.

Coming up over the next several months are several notable events: On April 16 the Lensic Performing Arts Center will celebrate both the anniversary of its Art Deco theater and its modern reincarnation as a premier performance venue; The Native Treasures Indian Art Festival returns on the last weekend in May with a show and sale by more than 200 Native artists; And in June the Santa Fe Studio Tour opens the doors on 38 artist’s studios for an inside look at their creative processes.

Of course every day is an art day in Santa Fe but Fridays remain special. The West Palace Arts District holds a First Friday Art Walk through a number of participating galleries on the first Friday of every month downtown on Palace Avenue. The Santa Fe Railyard galleries hold a Last Friday Art Walk on the final Friday of each month, showcasing the district’s contemporary works. On every Friday of the year there are gallery events, artists receptions, and exhibition openings at any number of Santa Fe’s 200 plus galleries. Each night is a chance to meet local, national, and international artists in person and get closer to Santa Fe’s art scene. All events are free.

Spring is a beautiful time for strolling Santa Fe’s picturesque streets. Flowers are blooming and while rain and even snow can fall, many days are warm and perfect for golf or other outdoor activities. The busy summer is still some weeks away, so there are still special deals and packages available at hotels. To find them, visit SantaFe.org

Shows, Events, and Exhibits in Santa Fe this Spring:

April 1 – Mary Jane Colter Weekend, presented by La Fonda Hotel and the New Mexico History Museum. Mary Jane Colter was a visionary architect and designer who in 1910 transformed the interior of the hotel. Guests for this weekend will enjoy special lectures, a reception, and a Harvey House inspired dinner. www.ticketssantafe.org

Every Saturday morning at 8:30 the dedicated birders at the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary lead groups on guided bird watching trips. Free, no reservations needed. www.nm.audubon.org

April 2 – The 7th Annual Santa Fe Japanese Cultural Festival. This year’s theme is “Calligraphy” and includes Grammy-winning Taiko drummer Koji Nakamura and koto player Ukiko Matuyma. All day stage performances, food booth, workshops, art & crafts displays. $2. Free for 12 and under. www.santafejin.org

April 2 – Legendary singer/musician Arlo Guthrie comes to Santa Fe. Lensic, www.lensic.org

April 8 – The Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. Dance and music from southern India in a captivating performance. Lensic, www.lensic.org

April 8 – Free public reception at the New Mexico Museum of Art for Earth Now: American Photographers and the Landscape. 5:30 to 7:30. www.nmartmuseum.org

April 16 – The Lensic Performing Arts Center celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the Lensic Theater and the 10th Anniversary of the creation of the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center — Santa Fe’s top performance venue. Special performances at the Lensic will be followed by a black tie Gala Dinner Dance at La Fonda Santa Fe. Tickets are $250 so while not a budget deal, this will be a very special night in Santa Fe. www.lensic.org

April 23 – Explore the Seton Castle ruins and discover the life and work of its former owner, pioneering naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton. A 10 AM tour led by the Managing Director of the property’s new owners, The Academy for the Love of Learning, showcases the current renovation and the academy’s carrying forward of Seton’s work. www.aloveoflearning.org

April 30 – La Tierra Torture Mountain Bike Race. Competition and fun for everyone from beginners to experts on the trails north of Santa Fe. Sanctioned by USA Cycling. www.latierratorture.com

May 1 – Gary Burton and Chick Corea Duet presented by the New Mexico Jazz Festival. Lensic, www.lensic.org.

May 5 – Santa Fe’s 26th Annual Century Ride. One hundred miles of history starting and ending in Santa Fe. 25, 50, and 75 mile rides as well, plus a “Half-Century Loop”. www.santafecentury.com

May 28-29, 2011 – Native Treasures Indian Arts Festival. Presented by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Native Treasures now features more than 200 established masters and emerging Native American artists who are specially invited by the museum to represent the best and brightest of the Indian art world. At the Santa Fe Convention Center. Saturday $5, Sunday free. nativetreasuressantafe.org

June 4-5, 2011 – 8th Annual East Mountain Fiber Farm & Studio Tour, in rural Santa Fe County. Fiber artists open their studios and farmers open their pens to visitors who can mingle with the alpacas, sheep, camels, angora goats, llamas, and angora rabbits. Free. www.newmexico.org/calendar

June 4-5, 2011 – Spring Festival & Children’s Fair. Join in the activities of a Spanish Colonial farm at picturesque El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history museum. www.golondrinas.org.

June 5 & June 12, 2011 Tour Santa Fe’s most beautiful private gardens on two consecutive Sundays. There is also a gourmet picnic. www.santafebotanicalgarden.org

June 18 – Opening of Home Lands: How Women Made the West at the New Mexico History Museum. An extensive show including artifacts, art – Martinez, Velarde, O’Keeffe, Bromwell – photographs – Gilpin, Haffer – and contemporary artists, with more than 200 objects spanning 1,200 years. www.nmhistorymuseum.org. An opening reception will be held at 6:30 PM on the 18th in the beautiful Palace of the Governors Courtyard. Be the first to experience this exploration into women of the West. Fine wines and creative cuisine included. http://www.ticketssantafe.com

June 18-19,2011 – Santa Fe Steeplechase at La Mesita Ranch north of Santa Fe. Tickets available at Buffalo Thunder Resort, www.buffalothunderresort.com

June 17-19,2011 – Santa Fe Studio Tour featuring 38 individual artist’s studios in and around Santa Fe. Free. www.showcaseofthearts.com

ONGOING

Santa Fe is one of America’s premier cities for Creative Tourism. With more than 90 experiences to choose from, Santa Fe Creative Tourism makes available the city’s artists, performers, history, and heritage through a fun, meaningful, hands on way. This up close and personal contact brings the city to life by working directly with artisans to learn glass blowing or ceramics or weaving, taking a guided walk in Santa Fe’s beautiful landscape to explore the area’s Native American and Spanish history, or by experiencing Santa Fe through dozens of other activities. Find out how to make a one on one connection with some of the city’s most creative community members and discover Santa Fe through a new and memorable experience. www.santafecreativetourism.org

Golf is something taken seriously in Northern New Mexico and no course is more convenient to Santa Fe than Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe. The course is named for a promising young Santa Fe golfer whose life ended too soon. His passion for the game is reflected in the outstanding facilities at his namesake links. With a Baxter Spann designed 18 hole course that plays from 5,045 to 7,415 yards depending on tee choice, a nine hole, par 28 course named one of Travel + Leisure magazine’s Top Five Big Little Courses, and a setting that surrounds players with Santa Fe’s Rocky Mountain splendor, the Links de Santa Fe is a beautiful, challenging, and affordable choice for golf in Santa Fe. www.linksdesantafe.com

IN THE MUSEUMS

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. – Nature Nurtures: Jewelry by Liz Wallace showcases the artist’s wide-ranging and nature-inspired work. Nizhoni Shimna’: Master Weavers of the Toadlena/Two Grey Hills Region, showcasing both contemporary and traditional weavers, continues through April 17, 2011.
www.wheelwright.org

Museum of Indian Arts & Culture. – Creative Spark! The Life and Art of Tony Da, the largest exhibition ever of the groundbreaking artist’s pottery and paintings, opened in February and continues through the end of 2011.
www.miaclab.org

New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors. Continuing exhibits include: Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now, a long-term exhibition that recounts 500 years of New Mexico history, Santa Fe Found, artifacts that reveal the city’s past, the Segesser Hide Paintings and much more. Opening April 15, Ranch Women of New Mexico followed by New Mexico’s African American Legacy: Visible, Viable, Valuable, opening May 15. Beginning June 18, Home Lands: How Women Made the West, opens with a series of exhibitions that will last through summer.
www.nmhistorymuseum.org

Museum of International Folk Art. – Folk Art of the Andes, a major exhibit featuring a variety of 19th and 20th century costumes, toys, ceramics, carvings, embroidery, and textiles opens April 17. The Arts of Survival, opening July 3 with special programming throughout the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, takes a fascinating look at how folk artists have helped their communities through four disasters; the Haitian earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, floods in Pakistan, and the volcanic eruption of Mt. Merapi in Indonesia.
www.internationalfolkart.org

New Mexico Museum of Art. Two exhibits open April 8: Kamilo (Twisted Waters), a kaleidoscopic video installation that is one artist’s visual presentation of a part of the Pacific Ocean where currents have collected a vast amount of plastic debris. American Photographers and the Environment will showcase the work of more than 100 famous landscape photographers. Both are part of the ongoing Earth Now exhibition.
www.nmartmuseum.org

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. – Shared Intelligence: American Painting and the Photograph opens May 20. It will bring together works from artists such as O’Keeffe, Thomas Eakins, Cindy Sherman, Alfred Steiglitz, and Charles Sheeler to illustrate the essential relationship of the two mediums.
www.okeeffemuseum.org

WHAT’S AHEAD
Summer is always Santa Fe’s most exciting season with major events packed one after another into the calendar.

July 1-August 27, 2011 – The Santa Fe Opera opens it’s season July 1 with Gounod’s Faust, followed by La Boheme, by Puccini, Vivaldi’s Griselda, Menotti’s The Last Savage, and Wozzeck, by Alban Berg. Pack a tailgate dinner or sign up for the preview buffet and don’t miss the complementary prelude talks before every performance. www.santafeopera.org

July 7-10, 2011 – Art Santa Fe returns to the Santa Fe Community Convention Center for its 11th annual international art fair. A total experience that includes a mix of outstanding contemporary galleries from around the world, cutting-edge art installations, emerging artists and dealers, an opening night Vernissage, and an always compelling feature lecture. At the Santa Fe Convention Center. www.artsantafe.com

July 8-10, 2011 – The International Folk Art Market is the largest international folk art market in the world. The market provides the chance to meet and shop 150 of the world’s finest artists while helping preserve critical cultural traditions and support the artist’s communities. Exotic food and live entertainment add to the global experience. On Museum Hill. www.folkartmarket.org

July 17-August 22, 2011 – The 39th Annual Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival presents six weeks of sensational music dedicated to artistic excellence. Intimate venues, distinguished musicians, emerging young talent, open rehearsals, and premiers of commissioned works make this one of the world’s preeminent music festivals. Various venues in Santa Fe.
www.sfcmf.org

July 30-31, 2011 – Traditional Spanish Market is one of the summer’s most popular annual events, celebrating the rich Hispanic heritage of Northern New Mexico. The market includes handmade traditional, Spanish Colonial arts created by more than 200 local and regional artists in addition to continuous live music and dance, art demonstrations, and regional foods. On the Santa Fe Plaza.
www.spanishcolonial.org

August 4-7, 2011 – SOFA West: Santa Fe & The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art Prominent international galleries showcase the rich visual heritage of the decorative arts at the third annual SOFA West show-alongside a second art fair under the same roof, The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art featuring galleries presenting self-taught art, art brut, non-traditional art, outsider, and visionary art. Plus a lecture series, special exhibits, and events. At the Santa Fe Convention Center. www.sofaexpo.com

August 11-13, 2011 – 28th Annual Whitehawk Ethnographic Art Show This annual show includes more than 150 dealers, featuring Oceanic, Pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial, African, Oriental, Indonesian, and other ethnographic art from around the world. At the Santa Fe Convention Center. www.whitehawkshows.com

August 14-16, 2011 – 33rd Annual Whitehawk Invitational Antique Indian Art Show One of the largest and longest running shows for historic antique Indian art, featuring a wide range of indigenous art treasures. At the Santa Fe Convention Center. www.whitehawkshows.com

August 20-21, 2011 – Santa Fe Indian Market 2011: . More than 1,000 of the most gifted Native American artists from across North America showcase their work in this year’s 90th annual market. Time-honored forms, innovative contemporary art, fashion, music, dance, and food are all part of the largest Native American art show and sale in the world. The show and sale take place over the weekend but the week prior is filled with activity including the Best of Show Ceremony and Luncheon and numerous events at galleries and other locations around town. On the Santa Fe Plaza and side streets. www.swaia.org

To keep in touch with everything Santa Fe:
www.santafe.org

However, with the tsunami in Japan and uncertainties over nuclear meltdown, plus a new war in Libya (who is paying for that while American lose their livelihood, savings and homes?), I’d say that the future is uncertain on all fronts, and no one knows what’s happening.

News is incredibly skewed by corporate media and the tower of Babel that is the internet. So, I’ll speak to my take on local real estate, with the caveat that it is totally my opinion, based on MLS statistics and unscientific conversations.

It looks like sales continue slowly and absorption rates remain similar to what they’ve been for the past few years: an average of 13 months to sell a house under $500K, 2 years to sell between $500K-$1 million, and 4 years for over a million-dollar home. Although many homes are listed at the same price for long periods of time, you can only know a seller’s motivation by making a sincere offer, some have been reduced as sellers get tired of waiting and the number of buyers fails to increase.

For buyers (our specialty clients), there may be “a lot of inventory,” but the challenge can still be finding exactly the home one loves in a specific location and price range. Santa Fe is a small market of unique properties, and the median price ($435,000 for the month of January 2011) remains way above the national average ($199,000). This median price references the entire Santa Fe area, while median home prices in high-end or close-in areas are significantly higher.

The exclusivity of Santa Fe’s real estate is presumably a positive factor for buyers new to the area and homeowners who are planning to stick around for a while, in that values are generally not dropping much, although there are some excellent deals, priced below replacement costs. But when it comes to quality of life, Santa Fe remains a very special place to live, own, and make a life!

Please let me know what you’re thinking and observing.

BY Ariel SchwartzFri Jan 14, 2011

Bicycling is cleaner, more efficient, and in many cases more fun than driving a car around the city. Now a study (PDF) from the Political Economy Research Institute says that building bike infrastructures creates up to twice as many jobs than auto-based infrastructure projects.

The study, Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure, examined job creation data from 2008 provided by Baltimore, Maryland. The result: pedestrian and bike infrastructure projects create 11 to 14 jobs per $1 million of spending while road infrastructure initiatives created seven jobs per $1 million of spending.

Biking and pedestrian projects require more engineers than construction workers, according to the report. Projects that require more engineers are more labor intensive than simple construction jobs, and often have the effect of creating more supporting jobs. This is, the report explains,  because they have  “a higher employment multiplier. Projects with higher engineering costs (as a share of total project expenses) will therefore have greater employment impacts than projects with a smaller share of engineering costs.”

So if cities really want to boost infrastructure jobs, they should get to work on sidewalks and bike paths. This kind of construction won’t just create jobs; it will ultimately create more livable cities.

Ariel Schwartz can be reached on Twitter or by email.

Reprinted from Fast Company

Supporting local food and businesses is key to healthy local economies.

Yes! Magazine has teamed up with PBS commentator David Brancaccio in a 1-hour PBS special, as he travels the country, meeting the people building our new economy and more sustainable ways of living from the ground up.

You can watch a 20-minute video from it here.

In the show (and video), Brancaccio also interviews economist David Korten, addressing what economic transformation has to do with building stronger, happier communities. You can read part of that interview here.

This Clean Water Act designation allows for existing uses but means that any new activities that would contaminate these vital headwaters are now prohibited.

Local Contact: Rachel Conn, Amigos Bravos, 575-770-8327
River Network Contact: Merritt Frey, 801-486-1224
[photo of Rio Grande by Aysha Griffin]

I was in the Cancun area last winter - beautiful beaches and warm blue waters. If global leaders wanted to make a statement about the effects of global warming on climate change, maybe they should consider holding their next Summit in Bejing or visiting dying polar bears.

World leaders took another high-CO2-emissions junket to Cancun Mexico last week to get together and accomplish nothing regarding global warming and climate change.

According to economist Jeffrey Rubin, “As they did for the previous meeting in Copenhagen, some 200 of the world’s economies came together and did absolutely nothing to halt their global carbon emissions, other than to commit to long-range targets with expiry dates set for a time when most current delegates will no longer be in public office or, for that matter, even be alive.”

Rubin contends there are two ways to cut emissions: either price carbon or limit growth. Since nations are unwilling to do either, no action is being taken. To read Mr. Rubin’s full article, go to Huffington Post.

I wonder who authorizes these useless summits, which no doubt are largely taxpayer funded. Why don’t they stay home and “go to meeting” on line? The hypocrisy and waste of these summits raises the obvious question: does anyone in power understand the significance of this issue and give a hoot?

ferolitos and family celebrations in Santa Fe, NM - the gift of simply celebrating the seaon together.

The Environmental Stewardship Committee at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has some tips for shoppers who want to help the environment by conserving resources. “One of the best ways to take good care of the environment is to vote with your dollars and buy products that are environmentally friendly,” said Cindy Parker, MD, MPH, a research scientist and a member of the School’s Environmental Stewardship Committee.

Gift Ideas

• Avoid gifts that will be thrown away, use excessive packaging, or are made from environmentally sensitive materials, particularly tropical wood such as mahogany, teak, or rosewood.
• Buy gifts made from recycled materials or use natural materials such as unbleached cotton or beeswax.
• Choose durable, energy-efficient gifts that use wind-up power or use rechargeable batteries. Give energy-saving products such as florescent light bulbs or low-flow shower heads.
• Give recycled gifts such as antiques, family heirlooms, or personal items.
• Give non-material gifts such as tickets to an event, dance lessons, spa visit, or membership to a museum or gym. Offer your time for babysitting, dog walking, or car washing.
• Make edible gifts such as breads, cookies, dried fruits, or nuts. Package them in reusable tins, baskets, jars, or decorative bags or boxes. Sew, knit, or paint a homemade gift. Tape a personal message for family and friends.
• For kids, consider giving an environmental excursion, such as whale-watching or camping trip or make a gift to charity in a loved one’s name.
• To read more on shopping, gift wrapping, decorating and entertaining, read more of this article >>>>

Image by Brooke Anderson via Flickr

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