Grounded in New Mexico

So my journey to New Mexico has proved to be a fruitfull one. I rendezvoused with my dear friends Ryan & Felicja (of Williams Island Farm in Chattanooga, TN) in Santa Fe about 2 weeks ago. They had both been in California for the winter, and were headed back towards the Island for the 2009 growing season. Felicja was born & raised in Santa Fe, so it was nice to be introduced to Santa Fe & various parts of northern New Mexico with such grace and fluidity.

We spent a few days in the Santa Fe area hanging low, and then ventured to Felicja's brothers' farm in Las Trampas, NM, between Taos and Santa Fe.

And what an amazing place it is!

Felicja's bros Teague & Kosma started the farm about 6 years ago, and it has been thriving ever since. When Teague graduated from Tufts University and Kosma from highschool, they both decided they wanted to connect with the land and provide their hometown with local produce. So they decided that the best way to do so would be to dive right into the dirt & start their own project. They lease the land from a friend of theirs in the moutains of northern New Mexico, right on the border of the Pecos Wilderness. The 7 acre farm sits at about 7500 feet, so it stays snowy about 6 months out of the year. They tell me that the Trampas area has been known to receive snow in the middle of June, so the microclimate is specific to say the least. They discoverd very early on that root veggies like carrots, beets, parsnips, and potatoes thrive wonderfully with the warm days & cold nights, so they are certainly a mainstay on the farm. But they also have green houses for warmer climate crops like tomatoes & peppers, and for winter greens. Even now we are enjoying fresh arrugla salads, as well as kale and cilantro.

Teague, Kosma, and their recent farm cohort Brett welcomed us warmly into their adobe home. After spending a few days there playing music, eating out of the root cellar,working with the goats, and taking the donkeys for rides into the mountains, we had a sweat lodge ceremony to commemorate the full moon and bring us all closer together.

The sweat lodge tradition has been handed down from Native American cultures like the Lakota people as a purification ritual. Teague, Kosma, and Felicja had been introduced to the practice at a young age through their father, an avid collector and dealer of Native American art & active supporter of various Native American organizations. The quickest way to describe the sweat lodge would be to imagine the combination of a fast, a sauna, and thanksgiving (Though I don't believe such a description does the experience much justice, nor does it capture its transformative force).

The lodge is basically a structure made out of Willow saplings that are bent into a dome-like shape and covered with blankets. It represents both the body of a turtle (with the head being a small alter in front of the door), the womb, and Mother Earth herself. Igneous rocks are heated in a fire pit outside the lodge, and then placed inside for the duration of the ceremony. Particpants enter from the left and move inside the lodge clockwise or sunwise, being sure to respect the natural movement of celestial bodies. Once everyone is inside, water is poured over the rocks to generate steam, and the sweat begins. Then everyone expresses their thoughts, hopes, feelings, and especially their gratitude for life and the abundance of the Earth throughout four different sweat rounds. After each round the door is opened to allow everyone a chance to cool down. In some rounds the focus is more on giving thanks, while in others the focus is more on singing or free expression. It is definitely a very powerful way to release toxins from the body, purge the mind, connect with each other, and reconfirm one's beliefs and purpose.

After the lodge is over everyone jumps in the icy waters of an adjacent creek, much like is done after a sauna or a steam. In this way it really does feel like emerging from a womb. You come out sweaty and disoriented, and then are plunged into a rather unfamiliar, uncomfortable place! It is quite amazing, however, how much the icey waters warm the body after a few moments. I enjoyed my dip so much, in fact, that I have made it a daily practice every since the lodge. I still haven't overcome the utter ridiculousness of observing myself break through the ice with a shovel and then choosing consciously, without anyone asking me or paying me, to completely submerge myself in the freezing cold water. And I still jump out of the water laughing hysterically, mumbling gibberish while stumbling through the snow wrapped in a towell. But I never do regret it! I just can't imagine a better way to wake up and embrace the elements as the sun is just beginning to peak over the mountains.

So anyhow, the sweat lodge is quite a great ritual, and will fortunately be performed every New and Full Moon. As far as other daily activities go, I have been waking up early for creek dips and stretching/various exercises. I generally fire up the wood stove as soon as I arise, throw on a kettle of water, and brew a pot of red clover, alfalfa, and mint tea. Then a nice breakfast of oats & apples, homemade sourdough and fruit preserves, squash pie, or perhaps the remnants of a hearty soup from the night before is enjoyed by one and all. Afterwards we do whatever work we can, such as feeding the animals, watering the greenhouses, or preparing meals. I am currently working on the restoration of an old wagon as a personal project. But as a group we are never short of things to enjoy in these slow winter months. Kosma and I have been playing lots of chess. I have been riding up into the mountains on the donkeys with Teague as much as I can. And we all enjoy playing music together, cooking and eating meals, and any other community-type events that bring us closer together. I have had plenty of time to read, send letters, and practice carving. I just finished my first spoon not two days ago! And I plan to learn as much I can of the drum making trade from Kosma, who learned to carve and cover drums during a trip to Guatemala. So many great things to learn and be a part of. The opportunities for growth are endless!

Just last week Kosma and I hiked upstream to do a little winter fishing. We weren't very sure we could hook anything in the February cold, but after about 3 minutes of light casting, and with only 1 worm, we caught three beautiful fish! Mine is the mighty 9 incher. We came out of the mountains with smiles on our faces and threw the fish right into the iron skillet with a little bit of olive oil. They sure were delicious, and we made sure to thank them for providing us with some much needed winter nourishment.

So Ryan and Felicja have already made their way back to Williams Island, and Kosma and Teague welcomed me to stay on the farm until my journies take me elsewhere. My plan right now is to stay here until at least May, at which time I hope to do a Permaculture Design Course in Bolinas, California. But I may perhaps extend my time in Las Trampas if I'm invited to do so. After all, I couldn't possibly ask for more here, being right on the border of the Pecos Wilderness, having plenty of delicious & nutritious food and amazing animals, and an energetic company of skilled, creative people with abundant love for everything they do. What a blessing it is to be grounded in New Mexico.