Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A farmhand at Genesis Gardens Homestead in rural Tucumcari checks green chile plants at the farm. Genesis Gardens will be among the participants of a Canadian River Local Food Summit in Tucumcari later this month.
The Quay County Fairgrounds in Tucumcari will host a Canadian River Local Food Summit on July 20-21 that will feature several local food producers.
Ogallala Commons, a nonprofit education and leadership organization, is collaborating with Quay County Extension Services and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union-Cooperative Development Center to conduct the summit at the fairgrounds at 1100 Camino del Coronado, according to a news release.
The purpose of the summit is to provide information, ideas, networking and inspiration for food producers or crafters in the Canadian River foodshed of northeast New Mexico that includes Quay, Union, Colfax, Harding, Mora and San Miguel counties. Funding for the event is provided by the Thornburg Foundation.
The presentations will cover a variety of topics, including getting started in food production, opportunities in local meat processing, and visions for northeast New Mexico food efforts.
Among the presenters will be Michael Carlson of CarlsonWay Farm in Tucumcari and Marie Nava, a pastured poultry producer in Tucumcari.
There also will be an overview from the locally based TableTop Cooperative on the successes of their Beginning Farmers Program.
The second day will involve a field tour to Genesis Gardens Homestead and La Casa Verde New Generation (both of Tucumcari) and a future meat processing facility.
After lunch, table talks will be conducted on pathways for producers in marketing and how to take next steps to rebuild the Canadian River foodshed.
A local foods lunch will be catered by Del's Restaurant of Tucumcari.
Details and a full schedule of the summit can be found at tinyurl.com/yckusp4u.
Registration fee is $15 per day, or $25 for both days. Anyone interested can register online at paypal.me/ogallalacommons.
