La Semilla is a nonprofit organization located in southern New Mexico that operates a community farm and provides various food-related programs. Over several years after acquiring 14 acres of land, La Semilla staff restored the soil and installed irrigation systems. The farm now includes bee hives, a hoop house, solar panels, and produces a variety of vegetables. La Semilla hosts educational programs and sells produce at markets and local schools. The organization aims to build a sustainable local food system and ensure community access to healthy affordable food.
Najla Veloso - Strengthening School Feeding Programmes
La Semilla Poster
1. printed by
www.postersession.com
La Semilla Food Center
Student: Heather Sandford BS, ATC, LAT
Learn. Grow. Inspire.
La Semilla was donated 14 acres of land a year after the organization was established.
Over the next four years staff worked hard to restore organic matter to the soil, install an
irrigation well, and construct a hoop house for year round production. Organic practices
have been utilized from the beginning, with the goal of restoring the soil to good health
and modeling organic practices to other small growers. Elements of the farm include:
bee hives, pollinator hotels, a hoop house, solar panels which power the irrigation well,
diverse vegetable production, and cover crops. There are two different types of bee
hives that assist in pollinating the farm and allow for honey and bee wax production.
The farm hosts summer camps, field trips, volunteer workdays, and a variety of
workshops. Farm produce is sold at farmers’ markets, local restaurants, and to schools.
The farm also engages local youth through an apprenticeship program.
Claritas. (2015). Demographics, zip code:88021. Retrieved From
http://www.healthypasodelnorte.org/index.php?
module=DemographicsData&type=user&func=ddview&varset=1&ve=text&pct=2&levels=1
La Semilla. Retrieved from http://www.lasemillafoodcenter.org/
U.S Department of Agriculture. Food desert. Retrieved from
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/fooddeserts.aspx
• Learning about structure and function of a non-profit
• Program development
• Develop materials
• 8 week Family Cooking Night series
• 6 week Community Cooking Night series based off MyPlate structure
• Handouts and infographics resources were located to compliment each lesson
• Agriculture
• Bees and importance of pollinators
• Organic practices
• Seasonality of local produce
Before La Semilla became the non-profit organization it is today, staff began
working with local families and youth to create community gardens, greenhouses,
educational programs, and also facilitated a youth-driven research project to measure
food access in communities along the boarder. These endeavors identified
community food needs and led to the start of La Semilla in 2010.
Mission:
“To build a healthy, self-reliant, fair, and sustainable food system in the Paso del
Norte region of southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. We work with children,
youth, and families to build awareness around food issues, provide informed analysis,
and create alternatives for healthier environments and communities.”
Vision:
“We envision a vibrant food system that prioritizes community and environmental
health.”
Goals:
•Ensure all residents have access to affordable and healthy food
•Empower youth participation in local food system development
•Train young farmers to develop innovative marketing opportunities
•Assist food entrepreneurs to develop and market food products
•Build networks to support local food infrastructure and business
Programs:
La Semilla consists of four major program areas including: (1) Farmers Markets, (2)
Edible Education, (3) Food Policy Advocacy and Planning, and (4) the Community
Farm. La Semilla sells farm produce at markets each Saturday, accepting EBT, WIC,
and Senior Farmers’ Market checks. The Edible Education team works to provide
teachers the tools needed to engage students in garden and cooking activities that
meet state education benchmarks and standards while teaching them about where
food comes from, how it is produced, and how it affects our bodies, communities,
and environments. The Farm’s Raices de Tradicion y Salud program works with
young teens to teach them about basic food production, cooking skills, and marketing
activities. The Mesilla Valley Food Policy Council engages city and county officials
to incorporate food and access into their long-term plans.
Anthony, New Mexico
La Semilla History and Present
Goals and Objectives The Farm
Conclusions
References
The structure of the practicum consisted of four goals with ten learning objectives that assisted in the completion of
each goal.
Goal 1 :
Develop an 8-week curriculum for family cooking activities offered to families through community workshops and
Edible Education school programming. Each lesson contains two to three recipes, along with nutritional information
and seasonality of local produce, and the importance of healthy foods and meal selections.
Learning Objectives:
1. Develop an understanding of seasonality, available foods, culturally appropriate foods, and safe procedures for
quality produce.
2. Create 8 cooking workshop lesson plans and supporting materials
3. Make sure all materials are adjusted and suitable for the audience
Goal 2:
Develop a six series curriculum based off the MyPlate structure for Community Cooking Nights offered to local
residents. Each lesson contains two to three recipes to construct a full meal. As a part of each lesson nutritional
information, seasonality of local produce, and information about local food production is included to give the families
a better sense of nutritional significance as it relates to the MyPlate Structure.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop a basic knowledge Myplate components
2.Create six lesson plans based on MyPlate materials and seasonal and local foods
3.Make sure information is adjusted for audience
Goal 3:
Create a packet of community educational materials to hand out during Family Cooking Nights and MyPlate Cooking
Workshops. Many of the handouts will contain information regarding seasonality of fresh produce, health benefits of
each portion of the MyPlate structure, cleaning and selections of produce.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop packets of educational handouts for participants
2.Identify relevant infographics for printing on posters for educational outreach
Goal 4:
The student will become familiar with La Semilla’s programs and administration. This will allow for an increase in
knowledge of the non-profit sector.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop knowledge of La Semilla’s four program areas and overall mission and vision
2. Develop a basic understanding how a community non-profit operates, including grant writing and administration
The structure of the practicum consisted of four goals with ten learning objectives that assisted in the completion of
each goal.
Goal 1 :
Develop an 8-week curriculum for family cooking activities offered to families through community workshops and
Edible Education school programming. Each lesson contains two to three recipes, along with nutritional information
and seasonality of local produce, and the importance of healthy foods and meal selections.
Learning Objectives:
1. Develop an understanding of seasonality, available foods, culturally appropriate foods, and safe procedures for
quality produce.
2. Create 8 cooking workshop lesson plans and supporting materials
3. Make sure all materials are adjusted and suitable for the audience
Goal 2:
Develop a six series curriculum based off the MyPlate structure for Community Cooking Nights offered to local
residents. Each lesson contains two to three recipes to construct a full meal. As a part of each lesson nutritional
information, seasonality of local produce, and information about local food production is included to give the families
a better sense of nutritional significance as it relates to the MyPlate Structure.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop a basic knowledge Myplate components
2.Create six lesson plans based on MyPlate materials and seasonal and local foods
3.Make sure information is adjusted for audience
Goal 3:
Create a packet of community educational materials to hand out during Family Cooking Nights and MyPlate Cooking
Workshops. Many of the handouts will contain information regarding seasonality of fresh produce, health benefits of
each portion of the MyPlate structure, cleaning and selections of produce.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop packets of educational handouts for participants
2.Identify relevant infographics for printing on posters for educational outreach
Goal 4:
The student will become familiar with La Semilla’s programs and administration. This will allow for an increase in
knowledge of the non-profit sector.
Learning Objectives:
1.Develop knowledge of La Semilla’s four program areas and overall mission and vision
2. Develop a basic understanding how a community non-profit operates, including grant writing and administration
Total Population 18,232
Hispanic/Latino 92.87% (16,932)
Non-Hispanic/Latino 7.13% (1,300)
Spanish spoken at home 81.64% (13,536)
Other languages spoken at
home
18.37% (3,045)
Median household income $30,621
Families below poverty
line without children
With children
34.46% (1,596)
29.09% (1,347)
3rd
high occupation:
Service & Farming
27.32% (1,810)
The community of Anthony, New Mexico, has a population of 18,232 with 92.87% of
the population considered Hispanic/ Latino, with 81.76% speaking Spanish at home.
The average household income is $30,621, with a total of 63.55% of families with
and without children below the poverty line. This particular community is considered
to be a food desert, which the United State Department of Agriculture defines as
“urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and
affordable food.”