Logo

Community Education creates community-based educational and knowledge sharing spaces where participants learn about connections between food, people, public health, and the environment that are culturally appropriate for the communities of the Paso del Norte Region in Dona Ana County, NM and El Paso, TX. We serve participants ranging in age 5-55+ years old through a variety of cooking, nutrition, and agriculture programs that celebrate the food traditions and knowledge of elders and ancestors.

Raíces

Raíces empowers youth and young adults to take control of their health, wellbeing, and future! Each year we engage more than 40 youth in intensive food production and educational programming at La Semilla Community Farm through multiples sessions of this intensive semester-long course. Raices is a ‘food systems primer’ offering high school age youth hands-on experience in the nuts-and-bolts of food production, cooking and nutrition education, ancestral wellness, policy advocacy and leadership development. Youth are provided opportunities to learn from area experts, participate in field trips, and develop an appreciation for our local food, environment, and communities.

Interested youth must complete an application process, follow-up interview, and make a commitment to attend each and every session for the program duration. Upon successful completion of the Raices program, youth are eligible to apply for our Food & Farm Apprenticeships. Youth selected for the course are provided an educational stipend to compensate them for their time and work, as well as to demonstrate the inherent value of good food – something we’ve come to grossly undervalue!

Interested high school age youth are asked to check the Calendar of Events for upcoming application deadlines. 

SEMILLITA SPROUTS SUMMER CAMPS

Every summer we host two summer camps for youth at the Community Farm full of exciting and educational activities in history, science, ecology, farming in the Chihuahuan Desert, culinary arts, health, and arts and crafts.

  • Discovery Camp – 1st -5th graders – Campers learn about the story of food, prepare healthy recipes, and learn to start and grow a Milpa garden.

 

  • You Grow Chica! – Campers learn about the important role women and girls play both past and present in nourishing and healing our communities through agriculture and food.

LA COSECHA

La Cosecha provides services for local organizations, community groups, and institutions who want to inspire adult participants to engage in health-based community gardening and culinary practices. We do this through the creation of engaging hands-on learning spaces that promote local and sustainable food systems, with the goals of increasing access to (1) fresh fruits and vegetables, (2) technical resources such as sustainable agriculture and health-based culinary education, and (3) vegetable garden and edible landscapes through the creation of community and backyard gardens. To do this La Cosecha offers three programmatic options that can be mixed and matched that include the Cultiva Institute an intensive three-day training that prepares community leaders to start and maintain a community garden, Travelling Cooking, and Gardening Platicas for community members, and Community Garden Consultation and Design Services.

COCINA INTERCAMBIOS

Cocina Intercambios are community platicas where participants share food stories and recipes that trace the histories behind meaningful dishes. Through these spaces, participants have the opportunity to share food knowledge through conversations focused around health, culture, and the economic and social connections that underpin positive relationships with food. Participants will also be introduced to new and old time tested culturally relevant healthy food practices and recipes and will have the opportunity to prepare a small bite.

Fresh fruits and vegetables produced by local growers will be available for participants to sample and purchase. Information on how to access food and technical assistance programs will also be available for participants.