Photo by Camie Sands

When the news of Bob Haas’ passing on April 29 came out in El Charco’s May newsletter, the response was immediate. People wrote to us saying they wanted to donate to the Botanical Garden in his name. This was the impetus for Jennifer Haas and El Charco deciding to start a fund in Bob’s name, called the Bob Haas Nature Fund.

Bob has left us a legacy in San Miguel de Allende. His leadership and hard work in many organizations dedicated to nature and open spaces have made our town a better place.  Bob was President of Audubon, co-founder of Amigos del Parque to improve Parque Juarez, and was part of El Charco del Ingenio from its inception and a board member since 1998.  Bob and Jennifer’s ranch is an exemplary use of xeriscaping. Bob was instrumental in creating a municipal park behind the prison, avidly planted trees in Parque Landeta and helped launch an environmental education program in 23 local schools using El Charco as their “living lab.”

Bob was a dedicated fundraiser for many years at El Charco, organizing memorable events.  How pleased he would be to know his efforts are being continued and this fund, in his name, will continue to support El Charco’s mission to provide a space for wildlife and birds, a tranquil place for people to commune with nature, and environmental education for our future generations.

We would like to thank those who have already contributed:  Joy Emery, Shelley Cohee, Cynthia Simmons, Ali Zerriffi, Jim Ktichel and Ken Schultz of the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.  All amounts are welcome and may be left at the reception area of El Charco, or at Posada Corazon on Aldama 9. If you are out of town, you can send a donation through a bank transfer. Write to Naomi for details at nzerriffi@gmail.com.

By Signe Hammer

With leaders Bob Graham, Luke Rich and Norman Besman, we’ll walk along a tree-shaded trail by the Rio Laja, near the bridge on the new road to Guanajuato. We’ll look for Green Kingfishers, Blue- and Black-headed Grosbeaks, Green Herons and Egrets, as well as any lingering warblers such as Yellow or Aububon’s Yellow-rumped. We’re sure to see our familiar Vermilian Flycatcher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Great Kiskadee. Over the nearby farm fields we may spot a Crested Caracara, Northern Harrier or American Kestrel.

The walk is open to beginners and experienced birders. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water and a hat. Carpooling is necessary, so if you have a car, please bring it. Plan to arrive at 7:45am, as we leave promptly at 8. For more information, see the Audubon website at: http://www.audubonmex.org/.

Audubon Birdwalk
Sun, May 19, 7:45am-noon
Meets in front of Instituto Allende
Ancha de San Antonio 20
Bob Graham, 154-9856
Members free, non-members 150 pesos or US$15

Following the premise “you are what you eat,” more and more people all over the world are now concerned about the quality of the food they eat and purchase every day, whether bought in supermarkets, street markets, or local producers’ stores. “Organic” is now a term many use whether you live in a big city or a small town. Thus, nobody would be surprised to learn that San Miguel de Allende has nested one of the most important organic movements in Mexico.

The organic food movement in San Miguel is proudly sprouting!  Over the last several years, there has been constant growth in all phases of the organic food movement, from organic crop production to consumption. Organic ‘foodies’ and health-conscious consumers have expressed delight that there are now many places to purchase fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as prepackaged organic products.

The Ancha de San Antonio is home to one of San Miguel’s organic movement leaders, Natura, and its owner, Jorge Catalán. Starting in the early 1990s when he was delivering organic vegetables in Mexico City, Jorge taught organic agriculture in Campeche and obtained certification in permaculture.  It was the permaculture movement that brought him to San Miguel in 2004. Jorge now prefers to label his beliefs and practices as biodynamic – responding to things as nature intended – holistically.

“We must not only consider what we eat, but also our health, the air we breathe and the water we drink,” he says. Natura gives weekly courses in “real nutrition” to its entire staff and will soon make these classes available to the public. Learn more at www.NaturaSMA.org and, while in Guanajuato, be certain to check out their new store downtown.

Most readers are familiar with the very popular Saturday organic market held on an edge of the Rosewood property on Ancha de San Antonio. Here, consumers have an opportunity to buy a wide variety of organic and locally grown and produced products. Most stalls are tended by local producers and farmers, and craftspeople or members of their families.  Luis Suarez, co-founder of TOSMA (Tianguis Orgánico San Miguel de Allende), has seen its transformation from its early days at Parque Juárez to its current venue.

“It’s been a long struggle to keep the market as it was envisioned. We have gone through several phases but I’m sure the market will continue growing now that it has found constant producers and buyers. My goal as a co-founder is to keep the mission of the market clear to everyone: organic, local, ethical and healthy.” Gorka Meneses, in charge of Los Surcos’ stall (an association of small organic producers and consumers which offers organic basket delivery), depicts the efforts of organizers and organic farmers coming every Saturday to sell their produce as “an honest attempt to offer good quality food, good for the soil and good for the people.” Several TOSMA produce members have recently opened a store, La Bodega Orgánica, on Calzada de la Estación, just a few yards across from the Estación de Autobuses. It will function as an extension of the Saturday market to give local farmers and producers another opportunity to market their goods during the week. Los Surcos is also joining forces with local farmers, chefs, hoteliers and organic enthusiasts to promote and spread the organic movement out of the walls of the market with monthly events, such as “Grow Yourself” (hosted at Hotel Matilda), featuring films at El Sindicato every two weeks, and organizing tours to farmers’ greenhouses nearby.

Residents from towns nearby can still benefit from local organic produce any day of the week without getting to tourist-frenzy San Miguel’s central area on a Saturday morning. “I really care about fresh, wonderful produce for an amazing price” is the reason why Karen Gans drives once every week to San Miguel from Guanajuato to shop at the well- known local farm, La Trinidad just before the Otomí housing development.  As a cancer survivor and an avid gardener, she is keenly aware of food that is “alive, nutritious and safe.” She says, “I’m a firm believer that the broad use of pesticides is poisoning the food we eat, so I believe in organically grown food.”  And while at La Trinidad, enjoy one of the most raved-about restaurants in San Miguel’s surroundings, La Temporada Farm Restaurant.

It is clear that anyone in San Miguel can enjoy the gastronomical delights and health benefits of organic fruits and vegetables by visiting any of the projects, organizations and businesses in town. Yet, for those who would like to get more involved in the organic movement — to augment their organic food options by growing their own, be that in a large garden, rooftop or patio, there are courses on how to keep backyard gardens and grow fruit and vegetables. Learning how to do so year-round is the goal of a small group of San Miguel residents involved in the Organic Gardening Coop. In less than a year, the OGC has already tilled by triple-digging over a quarter acre, enriched the soil, built shade tunnels to protect plants from the sun and winter winds, and constructed an adobe-walled greenhouse and tool room. All its members, along with a handful of young workers on scholarship learning organic gardening techniques, have accomplished building nearly all the infrastructure that will be required to provide an estimated 15 to 20 families with fresh food year-round.  As one member who has a rooftop garden and is a member of the Organic Gardening Coop has said, “I learn all I need to know to maintain my small home garden and enjoy the benefits of a much larger garden … truly, many hands make the work light.”

The organic movement in San Miguel cannot be fully understood or appreciated without the valuable efforts of Vía Orgánica, one of Mexico’s largest organic food stores, as well as a local leader in the organic movement. Via Organica’s broad mission includes networking to help preserve traditional farming practices while promoting organic food production and consumption. “The biggest threat to human health in Mexico is Monsanto and bio-tech companies moving into the country widely supported by multinational agro-business,” according to Rose Welch who, along with her partner Ronnie Cummins, and Rosana Jones, make up the board of Vía Orgánica, a project of the Organic Consumers Association. In addition to its popular market in colonia Guadalupe, the organization manages a farm school with a unique local government and civil society collaboration to promote organic agriculture.

At the Vía Orgánica demonstration garden at the municipal nursery, hundreds of visitors learn about small-scale organic production. The municipality provides the grounds and Vía Organica runs the garden and offers the educational programming. Vía Orgánica also offers weekly classes in organics, and is developing a ranch in Membrillo which will function as a learning ecovillage. To stay informed about GMO crops and law enforcements in Mexico’s agricultural scene, and to learn more about everything that Vía Orgánica does, go to www.viaorganica.org.

Despite the fact that GMO commercial crops are still banned in Mexico, and GMO corn is only grown on testsites, Monsanto already has a huge presence in the country and many think it is only a matter of time before the ban is lifted.  Once Monsanto controls seed production in Mexico, crop production may initially show a higher yield, but there will be heavier use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, eventually leading to degraded soils, a negative effect on traditional planting techniques, seed production, long-term negative consequences on the economic wellbeing of Mexican farmers and eventually consumers’ health. This is why more nonprofit organizations are working along with the government and the society to find ways to promote better agricultural practices and healthier eating habits. With this in mind, Kura-té, a farmer’s co-operative, has been growing Moringa trees and stevia plants to produce different food products (healthy snacks, flour and beverages), promote healthier eating habits and help bring nutritious food to communities where food is scarce.

“To do this, Kura-té is working with different non-governmental organizations either to find economical resources and promote moringa and stevia consumption in Mexican diets,” as Luc Monzies points out. Moreover, “moringa trees can be grown in desert-like areas just like San Miguel and the nutrimental value of the plant (in 100 grams) has more proteins and vitamins than other foods (such as milk and vegetables).” Stevia is now broadly used as a sweetener and, as Luc comments; “it’s a fantastic and safe option for patients with diabetes. Both plants have proved to have adapted well to Guanajuato’s arid land and are expected to be grown in more regions of the country in the future to combat two problems: diabetes and malnutrition.” The co-operative organizes open-greenhouse days for those interested in learning more about these plants or would like to purchase plants for their personal consumption. For more information, you can contact: yolandamillan@hotmail.com.

Given the rapidly changing world of our food intake, more people are opting to stay away from GMO foods and preferring organic and locally grown. The place food plays in our life is by necessity receiving more attention by consumers who want to know more about what they put in their bodies and are willing to work to make things better for themselves and their families. The Organic Gardening Coop is bringing it all together. “We all meet every Monday and start the day with an excellent lecture given by Luc (Monzies) on all the elements of small-scale organic gardening and then we roll up our sleeves and get to work,” says member Bev Spiro. “It is a wonderful combination of learning new skills, socializing with others who share a common interest in organically-grown food, and great outdoor exercise!”

The OGC land is located near El Charco del Ingenio, and it has been lent to the group by one of its members, Collier Kear: “Ruth and I have belonged to CSA’s for years in the US and we’ve always loved the idea of a group of people coming together for a common purpose.” Anyone interested in joining the OGC or learning more about it may contact: organicgardeningcoop@gmail.com. As an organic grower and blog writer said when visiting the land, “If there is such a thing as becoming a master organic gardener, I know that is what is happening here.”

San Miguel de Allende has much more to offer for those lucky enough to live here, interested in health and wellbeing, organic food or gardening. There’s a myriad of choices depending on how green you’d like to be. It’s now up to you! Choosing organic is clearly not a fashion, it’s a way of living; supporting local producers and sustainable projects, promoting ethical farming practices and enhancing your health.

By Bruce Janklow

Sociedad Audubon de Mexico, the only Audubon chapter in Mexico, is currently launching the second cycle of its 2013 environmental grant program with a Call for Proposals.

The program supports projects that protect, conserve or restore the ecology of San Miguel de Allende and its surrounding areas by addressing environmental threats, promoting environmental sustainability, protecting wildlife and its habitat, conserving finite natural resources and promoting environmental responsibility and sustainable economic growth through education and social change. It is open to citizen groups, non-profits, student groups, faith organizations, neighborhood associations, service groups or other organizations that meet Audubon’s criteria for grants.

This program is unique in San Miguel. It is focused on increasing the effectiveness of locally based programs, helping teach skills, building self-reliance, preserving and increasing personal dignity and integrating well into the community culture by using local leadership. As a result Audubon does not directly initiate or implement programming. Instead the organization financially supports local programs that address needs as described above. Through these partnerships Audubon monitors goal achievement, helps build community strength and pursues its mission.

While the program is open to all who qualify and Audubon welcomes and invites a broad range of applicants, the selection process is a competitive one — the criteria are well defined in the Call For Proposals which is currently available on the Audubon website at www.audubonmex.org or by email request to sociedadaudubongrants@gmail.com. All proposals for funding are due no later than May 15, 2013, and awards will be made in early July for the period July – December 2013.

Sociedad Audubon de Mexico conducts a full range of programs and activities centered on the protection and conservation of all aspects of nature and our environment in the broader San Miguel region as well as education about and enjoyment of birds and all of nature. To learn more, visit the website above.

Join Audubon on Sunday for a birdwalk along the Rio Laja with leaders Norman Besman, Bob Graham and Luke Rich. Watch Black Phoebes hawking insects at a shallow river ford, spot White-tailed Kites or Cooper’s Hawks soaring over meadow vistas and find Blue or Black-headed Grosbeaks in the trees. There is usually a Green Kingfisher or two, and a range of songbirds from Mexican Jays to White-collared Seedeaters—as well as such familiar friends as the Vermilion Flycatcher and Curve-billed Thrasher

Audubon Birdwalk
Sun, Apr 21, 7:45am-12:30pm
Meets in front of Instituto Allende
Ancha de San Antonio 20
Bob Graham, 154-9856
Members free, non-members 150 pesos or US$15

The walk is open to beginning and experienced birders. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water and a hat. Carpooling is necessary, so if you have a car, please bring it. Plan to arrive at 7:45, as we leave promptly at 8. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.audubonmex.org.

Paseo de aves

Sociedad Audubon de Mexico

Dom, Abr 21, 7:45am-12:30pm

En frente del Instituto Allende

Ancha de San Antonio 20

Bob Graham, 154-9856

Miembros gratis, otros 150 pesos

Un paseo con Audubon a lo largo del Río Laja

Por Signe Hammer

La Sociedad Audubon hace un paseo de aves el tercer domingo de cada mes. El próximo paseo será este domingo. Iremos con los guías Luke Rich, Norman Besman y Bob Graham al Río Laja. Ahí veremos el papamoscas negro buscando insectos cerca del río o el milano cola-blanca y gavilanes de Cooper volando sobre los campos o unos picogordos tigrillos en los arboles.

Casi siempre hay unos martin-pescadores verdes y varios pájaros cantores, desde el semillero de collar hasta el chara pecho-gris.

El paseo está abierto a todos, si son ornitólogos o amateurs. Es recomendable que lleven zapatos fuertes, agua, y un sombrero. Llevaremos algunos binoculares para prestarles y guías de aves en venta. Si tiene coche, tráigalo, para compartirlo.

Por favor llegue a las 7:45am, porque salimos de enfrente del Instituto Allende en la Ancha a las ocho en punto. Regresamos alrededor de las doce. Para mas información, visite nuestro website: www.audubonmex.org.

Spiny, tufted, rough and smooth, El Charco’s blooming succulents are your inspiration. Learn the techniques for realistic drawing in graphite pencil, including line drawing, shading and perspective. In a series of small studies and step-by-step exercises, you will train your eye to observe carefully details and your hand to record what you see.

Workshop
Drawing succulents with the School of Botanical Art and Illustration
By Silvia Rivera
Botanicals with graphite and color
April 15-19, 10am-2pm
Charco del Ingenio
Botanical Garden
charcodelingeniocomunicacion@gmail.com
2,000 pesos members; 2,500 pesos general
Limited space deposit of 600 pesos to reserve space

The secret to portraying light and shadow on your subjects lies in understanding the scientific method of lighting as it applies to different forms. Beginning with basic geometric shapes, refine your skills in showing light and volume on any subject. 

You overcome the obstacles of creating three-dimensional drawings while studying the range of value, continuous tone, and textured highlights while you discover the secret of portraying light and shadow. You’ll take your drawings from flat to fabulous. You’ll emerge from the class with the skills you need to draw anything and you are confident to draw what you see. Even though this class mainly will work in graphite pencil, the principles apply to all other media.

The teacher: Karla Beatty studied drawing and painting in Boston and New York before achieving a certificate in botanical illustration from Denver Botanic gardens. She now works as a natural science illustrator and landscape painter, and teaches in the School of Botanical Art and Illustration at Denver Botanic Gardens.

Groove-billed Ani
Photo Credit: Bob Graham
Black-backed Oriole
Photo Credit: Wayne Colony

The March Audubon birdwalk will head to Peña Blanca, a few miles past the Presa Allende, where a tree-lined stream and open farmland provide habitat for a wide variety of songbirds and raptors. With leaders Norman Besman, Bob Graham, Mike Wheatcroft and Signe Hammer we’ll look for lingering winter migrants such as Clay-colored Sparrows and Audubon’s Warblers, as well as such locals as Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Black-backed Orioles, Groove-billed Anis, Cooper’s Hawks and American Kestrels.

Audubon Birdwalk
Sun, Mar17, 7:45am-noon
Meets in front of Instituto Allende
Ancha de San Antonio 20
Bob Graham, 154-9856
Members free, non-members 150 pesos or US$15

The walk is open to beginning and experienced birders alike. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water and a hat. Carpooling is essential, so if you have a car, please bring it. Plan to arrive at 7:45, as we leave promptly at 8am. You’ll be back by about noon, with new entries for your life list and new birding friends. For more information, visit our website at: http://www.audubonmex.org.

Cuban music culture is widely appreciated. But so too Cuba’s agriculture is world renowned for its conversion to sustainable organic practices. Eight sanmigulenses have just returned from a ten-day investigation of the island’s organic agriculture. On March 12 they will give a public report on what they learned.

Panel enter for Global Justice and Vía Orgánica present:
“Organic Agriculture in Cuba: A Report on an Investigation”
Tue, Mar 12, 2pm
El Sindicato
Recreo 4
60 pesos

Cuba was forced to abandon its large scale industrial farming when it lost access to fertilizers and pesticides, oil, machinery and other imports due to the collapse of its trade with the former Soviet bloc. The country had to relearn how to plow with oxen, how to fight pests naturally, and how to enrich soil poisoned by years of over-reliance on oil-based pesticides and gas-based fertilizers and degraded by mechanized cultivation. Cubans combined time-tested traditional methods of older campesinos with cutting edge techniques developed by its scientists. It was the largest conversion to organic farming ever attempted anywhere.

The result is sustainable agricultural practices that are unique in their widespread use. In 2006, a World Wildlife Fund study concluded Cuba is the only country in the world with both a high UN Human Development Index — a composite ranking based on quality of life indices and purchasing power — and a relatively small “ecological footprint,” a measure of the per person use of land and resources. Cuba treads lightly on the Earth.

Those who went to Cuba from San Miguel de Allende in February visited farms and urban gardens and ecological reserves, talked with farmers and agronomists and officials, and learned about cooperatives as well as about Cuban dance. Their trip was sponsored by the Center for Global Justice and Via Organica. On the Cuban side it was hosted by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center, which organized the itinerary. A similar trip is being planned in the future. Come to the Sindicato this Tuesday to hear what was learned on this first trip into the future of agriculture.

By Cesar Arias

On Saturday, March 23, we will have our traditional Spring Concert in behalf of the Botanical Garden. As every year, this musical treat will take place within the canyon, in the natural rocky amphitheatre sculpted by nature over centuries. It’s a celebration of life, the energy of the Sun and the rebirth of the Earth. This spring we are also celebrating 15 years of this musical event, which has attracted larger groups of people each year and has presented high-quality artists of various musical expressions.

Music
Spring Equinox concert
w/Horacio Franco and Asaf Kolerstein
Sat, Mar 23, 5:30pm
Botanical Garden
General 150 pesos
Members, students and teachers 100 pesos
154-8838

For this anniversary celebration we offer a special concert by the famous Mexican flautist Horacio Franco, along with the well-known Israeli-American violoncellist

Asaf Kolerstein, interpreting works for duets by J.S. Bach and A. Corelli (300th anniversary of his death).

The concert will start at exactly 5:50pm so we suggest arriving no later than 5:30pm; general admission is 150 pesos; members, students and teachers, 100pesos.

Tickets on sale at the Botanical Garden, Posada Corazón (Aldama 9) and the Camino Silvestre stores (Zacateros 46 and Correo 43). Information: elcharcocomunicacion@gmail.com; Tel: (415)154- 4715; 154-8838

Horacio Franco is internationally acclaimed as one of the best interpreters of his instrument at a worldwide level. He studied at the National Conservatory in Mexico City and in the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, where he was designated “Soloist Cum Laude.”

Franco is an active performer giving 150 concerts annually and is a director and teacher as well. His repertoire includes classical, contemporary, Latin American, traditional and popular music. He has taught master classes in Europe, Asia, the United States, South America, and Israel and has participated in educational projects in England, the United States and his native Mexico as well as projects for the disadvantaged sectors of society.

He has played chamber music in Europe and Mexico with famous interpreters and has played throughout the world in important concert halls as well as numerous festivals and throughout Mexico.

Asaf Kolerstein was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and studied mathematics at the University of California in Berkeley. He obtained his Masters in Music at Boston University, and in 1998 the “Longy” Musical School in Cambridge gave him a diploma in violoncello. Kolerstin has participated in many orchestras and chamber music groups such as the Capitol Chamber Artists in Albany, the Portland Symphony and the Springfield Symphony, ALEA III in Boston, Berkeley Contemporary chamber players and was principal cellist for the English rock group “Deep Purple” in Mexico City. He is currently the principal cellist for the Mexico City Symphonic Orchestra and regularly participates in chamber music recitals and as soloist with various national orchestras.

World Water Day: celebration in El Charco

Matching the Equinox Concert and throughout Saturday, March 23, the Botanical Garden will hold several activities to celebrate the United Nations World Water Day, aimed to bring awareness and conservation on a planetary level.

The program of activities will be:

2:30-3:30pm: master lecture by Dr. Marcos Adrián Ortega, expert in water issues from the Geosciences Centre of the National University (UNAM) – Dome of the Botanical Garden

3:30-4pm: Public and media launching of the WATER LIFE SMA Campaign by the Observatorio Ciudadano del Agua y Saneamiento (OCAS) – Dome of the Botanical Garden

4- 5pm: Spring Equinox Ceremony: The Four Winds Plaza

5:30-7pm: Equinox Concert – El Charco del Ingenio Canyon

Starting at 9:30am on Thursday, March 7, the San Miguel de Allende-based cooperative called Kúrate will be opening its doors and introduce to the community this exceptional plant that has been called the miracle tree for its highly valued health and nutritional qualities. Moringa Oleifera originated in the region of Tibet and for thousands of years man has used everything from the leaves, flowers and root as well as the bean-like fruit as a highly nutritious food source. The bean itself is used to make valuable oil and can also be dried and crushed to purify water. A small portion of Moringa leaves contains four times the amount of protein found in eggs, four times more vitamin A than in carrots, seven times the vitamin C of an orange, four times as much calcium as a glass of milk and three times more potassium than banana. Also an anti-inflammatory medicinal food, Moringa has a significantly higher amount of protein than soy.

Opening
Kúrate Cooperative
Thu, Mar 7, 9:30am
Free transportation from Mega 8:45am
Lunch 1pm for 50 pesos
More info 415-106-4088 (Español) 415-119-1810 (English)

During the open house you will meet the men and women of Kúrate who will be talking about the cultivation of organic Moringa. Tours will be given of the greenhouse and micro-tunnels, where you will learn how to prepare and grow your very own tree. For lunch, various delicious dishes, snacks and drinks will be available for tasting, all prepared using Moringa as a main ingredient.

Free transportation will be available leaving from Mega at 8:45 sharp and will take the ten-minute drive to the greenhouse. Lunch will be served at 1pm for the price of 50 pesos. If you need more information, please call Gorka Meneses 415-106-4088 (Spanish) or Luc Monzies 415-119-1810 (English).