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Please join us this season to spend some time in the Pagosa Springs Community Garden, situated next to the San Juan Riverwalk, to enjoy lively conversations about gardening in Pagosa Springs. We not only talk about the ins and outs of gardening, but we also have discussions about our local natural surroundings. The plants that grow along the river play an important part in how our gardens thrive. These trees, shrubs, grasses, and native perennials provide food and shelter for pollinators, vital to growing some of our favorite fruits and vegetables.
The community garden beds are just now in the planting phase, so it’s a good time to see how the folks working in those beds are tending to the beds, what items they are planting or planning on growing, plus learning more about the community garden itself. There may even be some extra space to grow something if interested in spending time among fellow gardeners. Come on down, bring a folding chair and a beverage, and relax in the garden. The scheduled meetings are for June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26, August 9 and 23, and September 13 and 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (or longer if you feel like hanging out to enjoy the sunshine). Healthy Archuleta’s Growers and Producers Forum is coming up on Wednesday the 28th at the Library from 4:15 to 5:45 pm. The Forum is part of Healthy Archuleta’s dedication to advancing local food production as part of community wellness. It accomplishes the double purpose of supporting the growers and producers while at the same time educating our public to the availability of healthy local products.
This month, the forum will feature local meat producers. These community members will share about the histories of their operations and their ranching and land management practices. The presenters will share different perspectives on ranching including a third generation cattle ranching outfit begun in the 80’s that focuses on cattle production for local beef sales. Another perspective is from a family that moved to Archuleta County about three years ago to start a ranch that focuses on regenerative agriculture, who will share about their specialty pork production. And finally, a third perspective from a generational rancher with a large scale operation, with some beef being sold to the local market and some to markets outside of the County. Why is all this important to you, the consumer? First, supporting and expanding a local food supply benefits the entire community – wealth stays local also. An abundant local food supply also reduces dependence on long supply lines and the potential consequence of interruption in supply. Secondly, while the finished product has great taste, more importantly it is better for you. The animals are raised on pasture and grass finished which for beef means increased presence of important nutrients and pigs raised in a natural environment also exhibit a higher nutritional value. The Forum should be interesting to all who wish to pursue a healthy diet. Show up and discover where local meat can be found. Please join us at the Library on Wednesday May 28th from 4:15-5:45 for this important conversation. To end our time with the Plant Science class at Pagosa Springs High School, Healthy Archuleta (HA) ended their curriculum with a field trip on the local food system, “From Farm to Fork.” The field trip was a visit through every part of the food system wheel with stops at popular locations like 84 Ranch, Cole’s Meat Processing, Sage Eatery, Healthy Archuleta offices, HA’s Food Distribution Center, and the Transfer Station.
The morning started bright and early with a visit to 84 Ranch to hear from Brian Wattier, a local rancher. There, he talked to the students about the importance of soil health when trying to grow plants or raise animals. He discussed how regenerative agriculture helps his soil and animals as he doesn’t ruin the soil with tilling, but instead uses cover crops and nature to work in his favor. From there, students got a tour of the farm with a visit from his Colorado mountain dogs, goats, pigs, and cattle. The next stop was Sage Eatery to get an inside look at their food truck and to hear where and how they get their ingredients to address the “Getting & Preparing” part of the food system wheel. Students were able to hear Taylor and Liz’s story of how they started their restaurant in Pagosa and why they left their brick-and-mortar restaurant for the food truck. With an emphasis on community, Sage Eatery creations fulfill the stomach, and its customer service fills the heart. The tour stopped back here for lunch later in the day to savor their burgers and fries. And for those with a craving for Mexican food, there were yummy tacos from Las Princess Taqueria right next door. Next, the class backtracked down Highway 84 to visit Cole’s Meat Processing to learn how animals go from the farm to the grocery store. With an inside look at the butcher shop, students were shown how meat is butchered, cut, discarded, and then wrapped and sealed for clients who brought in their own meat or prepped for their retail store when they buy USDA meat from ranchers. Getting some fresh air from the smell of the butcher shop, students visited the retail store that features locally raised products. The afternoon session featured a visit to Healthy Archuleta’s Food Distribution Center (FDC) to see the hydroponic towers and how the lettuce is harvested, as it was harvesting day. The FDC coordinator also made an appearance to tell the student how items from local ranchers and growers and food drives end up at the facility to be distributed to the seven food pantries throughout Archuleta County. Our last stop day with incoming stormy weather was the transfer station to hear from James about the impact of Archuleta County residents’ trash and where it ends up. He surprised us all by informing us that the transfer station is unique from other counties because they charge a cheap price for trash at $3 a bag, because the transfer station is self-sustaining, so they do not receive tax dollars to run the facility. James went on to show us how the cardboard is pressed into the blocks we see from the side of the road. The Transfer Station was a two-for-one opportunity as we had Martin Taylor from Table to Farm (T2F) Composting stop by as well, since they have one of their collection bins outside the Transfer Station. Martin is the Director of Operations for T2F Compost. He shared with students how something as simple as composting can help the environment and make a larger impact than they realize. By the time we returned to school at 3 p.m., students were tired from a full day of speakers and site visits, but more knowledgeable in the local food system. Thank you to everyone who participated and hosted us on our local food system journey. The month of May marks Mental Health Awareness month. Healthy Archuleta is committed to increasing access to mental and behavioral health care services in Archuleta County and local workforce development. As part of this process, Healthy Archuleta partnered with Stacey Foss, counselor and co-owner of Authentic Solutions Consulting to host a two-part Motivational Interviewing Training. Participants included representatives from different health, education, and human service agencies around Archuleta County. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a counseling method described as an “evidence based, person centered method for fostering change and growth.” A motivational interviewing approach helps people explore the ambivalence and challenges they are facing in making positive behavior changes. This therapy method can be applied within a wide range of helping professions, including the field of mental and behavioral health.
On May 9, 2025, participants learned about Motivational Interviewing and how to incorporate it into their work with agencies. Stacey introduced the training goals and what participants could expect from next month’s session. Everyone introduced themselves and their job positions, and shared their familiarity with Motivational Interviewing and its benefits. Stacey discussed the five stages of change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Participants identified characteristics of each stage and its appearance in individuals. They also practiced rephrasing questions into open-ended ones, a key aspect of using the Motivational Interviewing method. Motivational interviewing is a style that is person centered. It is built on the belief that everyone and anyone is capable of making a lasting positive behavioral change in their life. Everyone at this training will have the opportunity to use this skill in the work they do, and hopefully, in turn, will have a positive impact on the community members they serve. The second Motivational Interviewing training session that is a part of this series will take place early next month, and participants will have the opportunity to have one-on-one practice with each other and keep learning how to build on change talk. Stay tuned to hear more! May is mental health awareness month. It’s also the time when many of us are starting to work in our gardens to prepare them for the growing season. For some, this activity takes us outside and connects us with nature, which can be a way to support our mental wellbeing, an important part of our overall wellness.
Mental and emotional health can be benefited by spending time outdoors, and in particular during the spring after a long winter season, the warmer temperatures reset our clocks, and bright sunshine lightens our mood. What better way to spend time outdoors than in a garden. Garden activities, such as working in the soil, planting, and even pulling weeds, provide an opportunity for some amount of physical activity and can help to boost our moods. Growing vegetables can improve eating habits, creating a positive routine. Doing this helps us look forward to being outside, working among the plants. The more time spent outdoors, the more we can notice the natural life that exists in the garden. Planning special meals around the harvest, sharing what we’ve grown with family and friends, gives a sense of pride and excitement. Swapping gardening stories, advice, and tips with others expands our social bonds. Interested in learning more about gardening and how it can improve your mood? Please join Healthy Archuleta and the Pagosa Springs Community Garden this year for Garden Conversations. The first meeting is this coming Saturday morning, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the Pagosa Springs Community Garden. Garden Conversations is a gathering of local gardening enthusiasts and those just wanting to connect with like minds, happy to just chat about the ins and outs of growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers in Archuleta County. The Garden Conversations will happen twice a month from May until September on the following Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 10:00 am: May 17 and 24, June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26, August 9 and 23, September 13 and 27. We hope to see you there! Are you wanting to support your local community and neighbors but don’t have the time or energy? We’re making it easy by hosting a Food Drive at City Market on Saturday May 10 from 10 am to 1 pm! It’s an easy action to take that has a lasting impact in our community.
According to the Healthy Archuleta’s 2024 Community Survey, 35% of residents in Archuleta County were worried that they might not always be able to afford enough food to feed themselves and their families in the next year. Participating in the food drive helps to provide some of these needed food items to our neighbors. Donated items are collected by Healthy Archuleta and shared with all the seven food pantries in Archuleta County through the Food Distribution Center. On Saturday May 10th, please stop by the Healthy Archuleta table outside City Market, pick up a shopping list, and fill a bag to support our neighbors accessing food through the food pantries this spring. If you are not able to come by the food drive, Healthy Archuleta has a donation bin located inside the UPS store in the City Market plaza. Non-perishable items can be donated during the UPS Store’s open hours. To learn more about the food drive, including the list of requested items, please visit our website at https://www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org/food-drive.html Spring Gardening Classes
For the third year in a row now, the Healthy Archuleta sponsored Seed to Supper Gardening Education classes have begun in Pagosa Springs, being offered to those in the community wanting to learn how to grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables. The Seed to Supper garden education program, developed by Oregon State University and adapted to our region, in partnership with Healthy Archuleta, is dedicated to teaching about growing fresh food. Healthy Archuleta supports local food production by holding yearly gardening classes, sponsoring and supporting local community gardens, and engaging our youth in the future of local food production. The first two of five consecutive classes took place at the PLPOA community garden beds where the students worked directly on the beds, learning about soil health, structure, and amending the beds with composted materials provided by the PLPOA. These vegetable beds, which are maintained and managed by the Vista Lake Community Garden Committee, a sub committee of the PLPOA Board of Directors, will begin growing fresh produce over the next several months, and then donate the harvested vegetables to local food pantries by way of Healthy Archuleta’s Food Distribution Center. The Seed to Supper classes continue this month, the third class to be held at the newest part of the Vista Lake Community Garden community beds, near Vista Lake, where PLPOA residents can access raised garden beds to grow vegetables for their families. This community garden was established in 2022 with the help and sponsorship of Healthy Archuleta. The remaining two weeks of the Seed to Supper classes will be held downtown at the Pagosa Springs Community Garden and will focus on transplanting, direct sowing, garden maintenance, pests, weeds, fertilizing, etc. and finally end of season harvesting, how to cook what has been grown, preserving the harvest and putting beds away for winter. These classes have become an important part of Healthy Archuleta’s involvement with the Pagosa Springs community. Over the last few years, local expert gardeners and farmers have offered their time and expertise as class instructors to help educate about growing in Archuleta County. Additionally, these classes have also been offered in English and Spanish to support our community in their gardening efforts. Hydroponic Farming Last month, Healthy Archuleta harvested 35 two-ounce bags of hydroponically grown Italian basil. These were then distributed to our local food pantries. How was this done? In April 2023, Healthy Archuleta began growing fresh lettuce greens in a vertical hydroponic grow tower that is housed locally indoors. Since then, this hydroponic grow tower has grown over 1,100 heads of lettuce and donated it all to local food pantries. Additionally, three more towers have been purchased and are now fully operational. Having access to several of these hydroponic towers is providing enough produce to harvest on a bi-weekly basis. Soon, there will be a harvest of loose leaf green lettuce. There is also a quantity of Italian basil and onion chives will be ready for harvest soon. As it becomes warmer, it will eventually become too warm to grow lettuce, even indoors. However, instead of shutting down the towers over the summer, HA is attempting to grow some warm season crops, such as cherry tomatoes and sweet peppers. This hopefully will happen with the benefit of appropriate plant food, enough grow lighting and some air circulation. Within a few months, if successful, there will be some tomatoes and peppers to be harvested. This growth will be able to continue well into the fall season, when all other outdoor gardening has ceased. In between these plantings, there will be fresh greens such as chard, kale, and beet greens grown in the towers to supplement donations for the community. It is vital that fresh fruits and vegetables be accessible to everyone in our community. Healthy Archuleta seeks to continue supporting the local food pantries by offering fresh produce through its hydroponic growing system, and also by sponsoring educational opportunities to empower local gardeners to grow their own fresh food to share with their families and friends. Children participating in school meal programs are less likely to have nutrient inadequacies and more likely to consume fruit, vegetables and milk. In fact, for many students school meals are the healthiest meal they have all day. This not only helps to improve long-term health, but also closes gaps in educational achievement. Children experiencing food insecurity are more likely to miss school and struggle with tests. They struggle socially and emotionally. Hunger creates an obstacle to success. That’s why Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program is so critical.
Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program helps schools provide more than 600,000 meals each day and makes a big difference for kids in our state, including students in Archuleta County. The Archuleta School District saw a 40% increase in students eating meals at school when the program began in the 2023-2024 school year and students are continuing to participate in the program this school year as well. According to Healthy Archuleta’s 2024 Community Survey (representative sample) 73% of residents reported high food prices to be a major/minor challenge in getting enough of the food they need and want. Additionally, 35% of residents reported being worried about not being able to afford enough food to feed themselves and their families over the next year. This finding further highlights the need to bring access to free breakfast and lunch for all students in our community. In order to continue providing these vital meals to our families, we invite our community to learn about House Bill 25-1274. This bill aims to advance the program, ensure its sustainability as it expands, and facilitate initiatives like purchasing food from Colorado farmers and ranchers, bolstering our local food system. Every dollar spent locally for school food adds $1.86 to the economy, and every job created by a district’s purchasing results in an overall increase of 2.43 jobs according to a recent report. This brings money into our communities. Additionally, participating in Health School Meals for All saves families up to $1,300 per child per year. By continuing to support Healthy School Meals for All Colorado communities are investing in the health, education, and future of our children and strengthening our local economy. This isn't just about meals; it's about building a thriving, secure community for everyone. |
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June 2025
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