Workshop in Organic Farming
Sat, Aug 8, 10am–5pm 
Vía Orgánica conference center and farm, near Atotonilco
200 pesos to the public (includes organic lunch) 
Free to campesinos, small-scale farmers and agricultural cooperatives
Info 152-8042 (Vía Orgánica Tienda)

Environmental Prize winner comes to San Miguel
By Atención staff

San Miguel is excited to host Jesus León Santos, a leader in the grassroots environmental movement, who is helping his fellow campesinos to retrieve pre-Hispanic agricultural traditions and save their lands.

At the same time, this man is teaching the general public to appreciate the role of the small farmer, building prestige and pride in the recuperation of traditional indigenous and small farming methods. Along with his organization, CEDICAM, León Santos works with 1,500 small farmers in 12 communities. Now he comes to San Miguel, offering local campesinos and agricultural cooperatives his expertise in sustainable agricultural programs during several community events from August 6 to 11.

Jesus León Santos, winner of the 2008 Goldman Environmental Prize, is the guest of honor at the first Organic Farming Workshop at the Vía Orgánica Ranch on August 8. León Santos, a farm worker in Oaxaca, has worked since the 1980s to transform eroded areas into arable land by employing ancient indigenous agricultural practices. The visit of this grassroots environmental hero has been made possible by Vía Verde and Vía Orgánica, two local activist groups promoting organic food and farming in the San Miguel de Allende region.

In the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, Mexico, Jesus León Santos leads an unprecedented land renewal and economic development program that employs ancient indigenous agricultural practices to transform this barren, highly eroded area into rich, arable land. With his organization, the Center for Integral Small Farmer Development in the Mixteca (CEDICAM), a democratic, farmer-led local environmental organization, León has united the area’s small farmers. Together, they have planted more than one million native-variety trees, built hundreds of miles of ditches to retain water and prevent soil from eroding, and adapted traditional Mixteca indigenous practices to restore the regional ecosystem. Efforts are paying off as barren hillsides turn green again, aquifers are recharged, and the high rate of migration slows as indigenous farming families find they are able to make a living at home.

Another Mexican organic leader, Jesus Ignacio Simón Zamora from Michoacán, is also scheduled to lead workshops in San Miguel this week. Simón Zamora is a well-known agronomist who has pioneered caring for the environment through organic and sustainable agricultural methods. He has helped to convert Michoacán into the third largest organic producer in Mexico.

The organic farming workshop aims to introduce local growers to organic methods that nourish the soil and produce healthy, high value produce. It is being offered free of charge to campesinos, small-scale farmers and agricultural co-ops. The workshop takes place at the Vía Orgánica conference center and farm near Atotonilco. The program is conducted in Spanish with a one hour recap and Q&A session in English at the end of the day.

(Source: www.goldmanprize.org )

The Goldman Environmental Prize

Grassroots environmental heroes too often go unrecognized. Yet their efforts to protect the world’s natural resources are increasingly critical to the well-being of the planet we all share. Thus, in 1990 San Francisco civic leaders and philanthropists Richard N. Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda H. Goldman, created the Goldman Environmental Prize. The Goldman Prize continues today with its original mission to annually honor grassroots environmental heroes from all over the world. Each winner receives an award of US$150,000, the largest award in the world for grassroots environmentalists. The Goldman Prize views “grassroots” leaders as those involved in local efforts, where positive change is created through community or citizen participation in the issues that affect them.

www.goldmanprize.org 

Workshop Agenda

Introduction to Organic Farming

An overview of the history of the organic movement in Mexico.

What Grows in San Miguel?

An overview and discussion of seasonally appropriate crops for the San Miguel climate.

Companion Planting / Biodiversity

How to use mutually beneficial plants in diverse groupings for optimal results.

Organic Lunch by Comida D’ Alicia

Composting / Harina de Roca

An overview of various composting techniques and an introduction to the soil remineralization technique, harina de roca, or rock dust composting.

Pest management

Participants learn to use natural insecticides made from easily obtainable, non-toxic ingredients.

Water Management

An overview of best practices for minimizing water use in organic farming.

Biochar Carbon Sequestration

Biochar, a pre-Columbian soil-building technique that improves fertility by incorporating charcoal, was recently rediscovered and modernized by organic farmers.