DE LA TIERRA A LA COSECHA
(From Earth to Harvest)

Sustaining the land, water, food and culture of Northern New Mexico

A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT OF THE TAOS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, TAOS LAND TRUST AND TAOS VALLEY ACEQUIA ASSOCIATION

Northern New Mexico is as famous for a distinctive cultural landscape of ancient villages, acequias, and farmlands as it is for its vast and inspiring natural landscape. It is an old and intimate relationship between land and culture that makes this region what it is.

This landscape fuels much of the local economy, supports the unique land-based traditions of centuries-old communities, protects biodiversity, and still holds great potential to grow food for local food security. But it is all at risk.

Agricultural land is disappearing at an alarming rate. Over a ten-year period there was an 18 percent reduction in farms nationwide, meanwhile Taos County has had a 29 percent reduction. Private lands like these throughout the West are also sanctuaries for biodiversity, containing more than 60% of remaining populations of threatened and endangered species.

As local farmers and ranchers lose their property to development, it removes land from food production, unravels centuries of tradition, and diminishes both biological diversity and cultural diversity.

Taos Land Trust has partnered with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation and Taos Valley Acequia Association to develop De la Tierra a la Cosecha, promoting profitable family farming and ranching and local food security, which in turn helps sustain local lands and land-based culture.

PARTNERSHIP

Taos Land Trust works to sustain the land and land-based traditions using conservation easements and other tools that can help local landowners resist the powerful tide of development. Taos County Economic Development Corporation supports food, land, water, and cultures of the people of northern New Mexico by promoting small food-business development rooted in cultural traditions. Taos Valley Acequia Association promotes the long-term sustainability of traditional agricultural communities by protecting water rights and preserving and strengthening the acequia system, providing both water and social cohesion for centuries.

Together, the three partners bring over 60 years of experience and a large collection of tools to address land and water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and locally appropriate economic development. De la Tierra helps local landowners keep their family lands intact and undeveloped, helps create a livable income from farms and ranches, encourages the production of local food for local consumption, and helps sustain unique traditions and cultural diversity. All of which makes our community a richer and healthier place for everyone.

Contact any of our three organizations for more information about how we can help you make a sustainable livelihood on the land while keeping it open and undeveloped. Because asphalt is your last crop. Download the De la Tierra brochure here.