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# La Semilla

Learn │ Grow │ Inspire

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Powered Up Ramen: From cupboard staple to lesson in food sovereignty](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2026/03/16/powered-up-ramen-from-cupboard-staple-to-lesson-in-food-sovereignty/) - In November, we powered up ramen Not to make it fancy, but to bring it home. A pantry staple.[...]
- [Doña Ana Elementary’s Dedicated Lunch Team Embraces Healthier School Lunches](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2025/05/15/dona-ana-elementarys-dedicated-lunch-team-embraces-healthier-school-lunches/) - New Mexico is one of eight states to recently pass Universal School Meal legislation that ensures all children will be provided with school meals free of charge. New Mexico’s legislation is unique in that it also seeks to improve the quality of school meals, including requirements to increase scratch cooking, local sourcing, cultural relevance, and student and family input in shaping menus and recipes.
- [Learning and Remembrance: Culture and Food as Medicine](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2026/01/26/learning-and-remembrance-culture-and-food-as-medicine/) - I’m at Centro San Vicente, where La Semilla’s Community Education team facilitates classes for patients referred by the clinic that are managing diabetes. Here, they’ve attended gardening and cooking classes, seemingly returning to being students in a classroom in anticipation.
- [Meet Brooke Ratje: Our Healthy Universal School Meals Recipe Competition Winner!](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2025/05/29/meet-brooke-ratje-our-healthy-universal-school-meals-recipe-competition-winner/) - Brooke Ratje’s recipe for Elote a la Cruceña – a dish inspired by the casseroles she was raised on as a child – wowed judges at this year’s Cultivo Colectivo, the Paso del Norte Edible Education Conference, which took place on Saturday, March 29th. The recipe incorporated nixtamalized corn, a requisite for the competition that embraces local culture and indigenous food practices, and was accompanied by a side of asparagus salsa fresca.
- [Food, Land, and Memory: The Development of the Paso del Norte Food System Timeline](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2026/02/06/food-land-and-memory-the-development-of-the-paso-del-norte-food-system-timeline/) - As I walk to meet Haylee for the first time, I see her in the field at La Semilla Community Farm, hanging pieces of paper from two clotheslines along with other staff members. I know she’s preparing an activity for the staff meeting, and I can’t wait to see it. I say hi from a far and I can sense in her gleeful response the kindness that I’ve now come to cherish whenever we see each other. As I come close, I finally make them out: two timelines showing the history of food systems, one for the United States, and another one for the El Paso del Norte Region.
- [lOCO for OCOtillo](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2024/08/13/loco-for-ocotillo/) - Foquieria splendens is a plant that has earned their name. Whether it is flowering, leafed out, or a bare, thorny tower, ocotillo is a truly splendid sight.
- [Snapshots of Resilience: Tending Land, Sharing Traditions, and Feeding Our Families ​​​​​​​Before and Amidst COVID-19 Disruptions](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/03/31/snapshots-of-resilience/) - This month marked the 2-year anniversary of the pandemic lockdown in the Paso del Norte region. Among other things at that time, we had been getting ready to host two community listening sessions to learn how people access food, grow food, and share food traditions with their families.
- [“Comparto lo que sé” - Chef Comunitaria Ana Lu Caro](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2023/03/15/comparto-lo-que-se-chef-comunitaria-ana-lu-caro/) - Ana Lu Caro es una chef comunitaria originaria de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, con sede en Berino, Nuevo México. Durante su participación en la Beca Cultural del Desierto Chihuahuense, Ana Lu fue jefa de cocina de la Iglesia Metodista Unida El Calvario, un santuario histórico que sirve como refugio temporal para refugiados de múltiples países y culturas, en Las Cruces, Nuevo México.
- [Tending Culture as Community](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/03/11/tending-culture-as-community/) - What does culture mean to you, and how does your cultural practice shape our community? Throughout our 11+ years as an organization firmly rooted in our community, our cultural practice at La Semilla Food Center has been influenced and inspired by both our region’s history and the countless human and non-human relationships we have nurtured over time.
- [How We "Do" Culture at La Semilla](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/03/18/how-we-do-culture-at-la-semilla/) - Cultural practice is embedded throughout all dimensions of our work at La Semilla. The interconnectedness of all six of our programs is visible in both cross-collaboration and a commitment to cultivating a just and sustainable food system on all levels.
- [Storytelling for Change](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/03/25/storytelling-for-change/) - At La Semilla Food Center, we view the act of storytelling as a vehicle for change that works to shift power, uplift inherently healthy food traditions and practices, and increase connection to the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem.
- [Tending Culture and Relationships: 2022 Inaugural Cohort of the Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/08/30/tending-culture-and-relationships-2022-inaugural-cohort-of-the-chihuahuan-desert-cultural-fellowship/) - We cannot separate food from land, history, family stories, and cultural expression. As a land-based organization deeply rooted in our community, our cultural practice is closely tied to our region’s history and diverse ecosystem and the countless human and non-human relationships we have forged over the years.
- [Raíces Youth Feature: Lajward Zahra](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/03/24/raices-youth-feature-lajward-zahra/) - As the Spring 2022 Raíces series is approaching the end of its 6-week program, the cohort will be graduating soon and learning some final lessons to carry forward. We are taking a moment to highlight one of the youth participants, Lajward Zahra.
- [2022 Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship Feature: Crys Ganatra](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/11/11/2022-chihuahuan-desert-cultural-fellowship-feature-crys-ganatra/) - Crys Ganatra is a textile and visual artist currently based in El Paso, TX and one of the members of the second cohort of La Semilla’s Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship. Not wanting to limit herself to a particular place, she is an artist deeply committed to community and creating a sense of “home” wherever she goes.
- [Returning and Reconnecting with the Chihuahuan Desert: Eva Gabriella Flynn](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2023/06/05/returning-and-reconnecting-with-the-chihuahuan-desert-eva-gabriella-flynn/) - Eva Gabriella Flynn grew up with the expansive U.S.-Mexico border as a backdrop–a backdrop that is interwoven throughout her art to this day. As a member of the 2023 Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship cohort, she brings her experiences crossing and critiquing borders and a deepened connection with the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion.
- [Meet Your Local FarmHer - Ximena Zamacona of Full Circle Mushrooms](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/12/16/meet-your-local-farmher-ximena-zamacona-of-full-circle-mushrooms/) - Meet Ximena Zamacona, local FarmHer and founder of Full Circle Mushrooms! Primarily raised in Querétaro, Mexico, Ximena has always had an interest in nature.
- [Meet Your Local Farmers - Andras Godina and Tessa Bianchet of Fossil Face Farms](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/12/16/meet-your-local-farmers-andras-godina-and-tessa-bianchet-of-fossil-face-farms/) - Meet Andras Godina and Tessa Bianchet, farmers at Fossil Face Farms in Northeast El Paso! Andras and Tessa have been managing and building Fossil Face since 2019.
- [Meet Your Local FarmHer - Yvonne Diaz of De Colores Farms & Foods](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/12/16/meet-your-local-farmher-yvonne-diaz-of-de-colores-farms-foods/) - Michelle E. Carreon, Food Justice Storyteller Meet Yvonne Diaz, local FarmHer and founder of De Colores Farms and Foods! Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Yvonne has been in collaboration with La Semilla for years. In addition to being a partner farmer, she is also a member of our food safety training program and
- [Setting Roots Again: 2023 Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship Feature - Kasi Munoz](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2024/05/30/setting-roots-again-2023-chihuahuan-desert-cultural-fellowship-feature-kasi-munoz/) - Throughout her life, Kasi Munoz has always created a path for herself that was rooted in a deep connection with nature and an unwavering commitment to community. As a member of the Spring 2023 cohort of the Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship, Kasi shared her extensive experience in landscape architecture and garden design, as well her approach to community-based education.
- [De duelos y esperanza: Río Olvidado de Rocío Favela](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2024/02/01/de-duelos-y-esperanza-rio-olvidado-de-rocio-favela/) - La obra de Rocío Favela explora el Río Bravo —como metáfora, como sitio de leyendas, como ser agredido por políticas divisorias e industrias extractivas. Explora matices de la vida fronteriza, aportando una voz y perspectiva importante de la región Paso del Norte.
- [¿Qué eran esos cantos de aves que escuché aquellas mañanas de agosto?](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2023/08/08/que-eran-esos-cantos-de-aves-que-escuche-aquellas-mananas-de-agosto/) - Como muchos otros habitantes de esta región, Roberto Méndez es migrante. Llega a nuestra región con una curiosidad y bondad palpable, con ojo de biólogo y corazón solidario notando la “tierra lastimada”
- ["Food, Land, and Us": La Semilla's Farm Bill Zine Offers a Tool for Change](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/09/03/food-land-and-us-la-semillas-farm-bill-zine-offers-a-tool-for-change/) - One week out from the release of our Farm Bill zine, we reflect on the purpose and potential impact of this collaboration as we move forward in our work on the ground.
- [​​​​​​​Growing Farmers of the Chihuahuan Desert - Preparing for a Hotter, Drier Future](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/12/20/growing-farmers-of-the-chihuahuan-desert-preparing-for-a-hotter-drier-future/) - For more than 10 years, La Semilla’s farm team, led by Co-founder and Director Cristina Dominguez, has been steadily building from the ground up.
- [The Wounds of Colonization](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2022/11/15/the-wounds-of-colonization-2/) - A member of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Patricia Riggs is a writer, poet, consultant, and community-based educator. She writes short stories and poetry about her experiences as an Indigenous woman. Through her cultural practice, she focuses on the native viewpoints of history and colonization, the struggles to retain community and culture, and the successes of maintaining identity and traditions.
- [Life Origins: Painting, Place, and Culture](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/07/21/artist-al-woody-brings-el-pasos-stories-to-the-community/) - Al Woody is a Diné artist living and working in El Paso, Texas, in part of the river valley we currently know as the Paso del Norte Region, which also includes southern Doña Ana County, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Originally from Lukachukai, AZ, Al has lived in various states, including Colorado. Through his company, Healing Ways Artistry, Al offers people aesthetic beauty, stories, and—perhaps unexpectedly—heart-to-heart counsel.
- [Growing Leadership: Krysten Aguilar Transitions Out of La Semilla to New Director Role at Castanea Fellowship](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2021/08/16/growing-leadership-krysten-aguilar-transitions-out-of-la-semilla-to-new-director-role-at-castanea-fellowship/) - On behalf of everyone at La Semilla, we invite you to join us in congratulating Co-Executive Director Krysten Aguilar on her transition to an exciting new opportunity in the food systems world.
- [Meet your neighbors: Key plants of the Chihuahuan desert](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2019/08/03/meet-your-neighbors-key-plants-of-the-chihuahuan-desert/) - Established in 1852, the City of Las Cruces is a relatively new member of the Chihuahuan desert, the largest desert in North America and the most biologically diverse desert in the Western Hemisphere. Here, we introduce you to just a handful of the many resilient, drought-tolerant plants that give our region its unique character.
- [Amaranth, purslane and dandelion are more than 'weeds'](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2019/08/10/amaranth-purslane-and-dandelion-are-more-than-weeds/) - Have you ever considered who defines a weed, or how plants get demoted into that category? It seems any plant that survives human “progress” is called a weed, but a little digging reveals a more alarming origin.
- [Picking our poison: The trouble with pesticides](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2019/08/17/picking-our-poison-the-trouble-with-pesticides/) - According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “pesticides” include products developed to kill anything considered a pest — insects, worms, plants, fungi, and rodents. It’s worth examining how much risk to the planet and our health we are willing to pose for the elimination of a plant or bug.
- [Breaking the lawn: Grow more than grass](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/2019/08/24/breaking-the-lawn-grow-more-than-grass/) - On Highway 28 south of Las Cruces, a farmer faces a thousand-dollar fine for allowing wild greens on his front yard. “I eat them; they’re great in salads,” he says. He’s not alone. Despite the ubiquity of lawn culture in North America, there have throughout history been people who resist the concept.

## Pages

- [Home](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/) - Snapshots of ResilienceLa Semilla releases a report highlighting the various ways our communities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on story-gathering sessions with folks from across the region in 2020, the report illuminates the creativity and resilience of local communities and foodways.Read the ReportFood, Land, and Us: A Look at the Farm Bill
- [Store](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/store/) - Fresh Local Produce Weekly Farm Fresh Box Buy Produce Farm boxes are available for purchase via our Farm Fresh program. Contents differ on a weekly basis and include local produce from La Semilla Community Farm and partner farmers with the option to purchase value-added products from local producers to add to your box. Farm Bill
- [Donate](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/donation/) - Donate Donate to La Semilla Food Center! Your support helps us to continue offering creative, engaging, and adaptive programming for youth, families, and community members across the Paso del Norte region. It also contributes to a growing network of regional rural and urban farmers and cultural practitioners who, together, are transforming agriculture and deepening connections
- [Terms & Conditions](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/terms-conditions/) - SMS Text Messaging Terms & Conditions Effective Date: June 22, 2026 By signing up for text messages, you agree to receive informational messages, including donation updates, order updates, event reminders, account notifications, customer service messages, and related communications from La Semilla Food Center at the number provided. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may
- [Privacy Policy](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/privacy-policy/) - Privacy Policy Effective Date: July 12, 2023. Last updated: June 22, 2026 At La Semilla Food Center (“we,” “us,” or “our”), we value and respect your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website www.lasemillafoodcenter.org (the “Website”). Please read this policy carefully to understand
- [Farmer Fellowship](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/community-farm/farmer-fellowship/) - Farmer Fellowship Led by La Semilla Community Farm, this beginning farmer agroecology fellowship offers a mixture of hands-on, instructional, and collaborative learning. Using the farm as a space for both healing and an open classroom where various systems intertwine in a holistic dynamic, this is a great opportunity for beginning farmers or those looking to
- [Community Farm](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/community-farm/) - Community Farm La Semilla Community Farm is a production, education, and demonstration farm guided by agroecology principles. The farm serves as a public gathering space using food, fun, and spirit to build community and embodies practices that restore ecological vitality, produce high quality food to address food insecurity and lack of nutritious food consumption, and
- [Water Stories](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/water-stories/) - Food Stories Institute What does water mean to desert dwelling people? We invite you to explore the illustration below with your mouse and to click on the interactive elements to find seven projects that take aim at the question. Amalia Mondragon Listen to Agua Song Presentation Lyrics to - Agua Song Katalina Salas Read - Water Poems
- [Join Our Team](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/about/join-our-team/) - Join Our Team Interested in joining our team? Please see current job and fellowship opportunities below! Please note that you can translate our website to Spanish or English using the function at the top right of this page (“Select Language”).Tenga en cuenta que puede traducir nuestro sitio web al español o al inglés utilizando la
- [Cultural Fellowship](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/storytelling/cultural-fellowship/) - Cultural Fellowship About Led by our Storytelling program, the Chihuahuan Desert Cultural Fellowship is a hybrid of individual support, regional cultural organizing, and storytelling. La Semilla hosts this fellowship as part of our mission of working towards a truly sustainable food system. That’s because we can’t separate food from land, from history, from family stories.
- [In the News](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/in-the-news/) - In the News Rubi Orozco KTEP – State of the Arts – El Paso, TXAugust 3, 2024 En Español » Learning to Grow Healthy Foods at La Semilla Food CenterKRWG News – Las CrucesJuly 26, 2024 En Español » Farmers in El Paso area cope with hotter weather, drier daysElpasomatters.orgJune 27, 2024 En Español »
- [Food Safety Trainings](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/food-safety-trainings/) - Food Safety Trainings Food Safety Ambassador Program La Semilla Food Center is a community-based organization and food hub that serves the needs of non-traditional, niche, and hard-to-reach grower audiences in the Paso del Norte region. Through this ambassador program, our Farm Fresh Program is reframing food safety as a practice that is rooted in community
- [Partner Farmers](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/partner-farmers/) - partner farmers Our Farm Fresh Program fosters close relationships with small-scale local farmers to expand a growing agroecological network across the Paso del Norte region. Maintaining a commitment to nurturing a local foodshed, we collaborate with and support values-aligned partner farmers in a variety of ways, including marketing and technical assistance. We believe that food
- [Contact Us](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/contact-us/) - CONTACT US Our Office: 101 E. Joy Dr. Anthony, NM 88021 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2579 Anthony, NM 88021 575-882-2393 info@lasemillafoodcenter.org Farm Fresh Orders Place your order for a weekly farm box and learn more about our Farm Fresh program by calling (575) 618-7374 or visiting www.lasemillafarmfresh.com Email Us Your Name Your Email Subject Message Send
- [Policy](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/policy/) - Policy About our advocacy efforts La Semilla ensures that nutritious and locally-grown food is given consideration in public, comprehensive, and strategic planning processes. We help advocate for policies that help address the root causes of hunger and inequitable food access while creating local economic opportunities. We grow, support, and learn from a robust network of
- [Raíces Youth Program](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/raices-youth-program/) - Raíces youth program Led by Community Education staff, the Raíces Youth Program is offered three times a year and engages youth ages 14-22 in farm-based and community garden production, as well as cooking, health, nutrition, and food systems education. All classes and activities are rooted in traditional foodways, agroecological practices, cultural wisdom, and culinary traditions.
- [Farm Fresh](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/farm-fresh/) - Farm fresh From seed to table, our Farm Fresh Program offers healthy, values-based, hyper-local food for our region, including Anthony, NM, El Paso, TX, Las Cruces, NM, and the multiple communities in between. Farm Fresh works closely with an expanding network of small farmers and growers who align with La Semilla’s values, including sustainable agricultural
- [Community Resources](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/community-resources/) - Community Resources At La Semilla Food Center, we acknowledge that our work within food justice is closely tied with community health. We are committed to supporting various efforts at the state and federal levels to support our communities and provide resources for accessing various food and health benefits, as well as supporting immigrant communities across
- [Volunteer](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/volunteer/) - Volunteer Thank you for your interest in volunteering with La Semilla! In an effort to prioritize our community’s health and lessen the impact of COVID-19 on our region, many La Semilla staff continue to work remotely. We are also limiting our volunteer opportunities and capacities at this time. See below for current volunteer opportunities and
- [Storytelling](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/storytelling/) - Storytelling We practice storytelling to craft intentional narratives that uplift community dignity and promote equity and justice in our organization, region, and national food system. As long-time members of this community, our approach is relational and respectful. We gather regional foodways stories from the past and present in an effort to understand our literal place
- [Ancestral Foods Lessons](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/ancestral-foods-lessons/) - Ancestral Foods Lessons Edible Education’s Ancestral Foods Lessons explore common and often forgotten plant relatives that have provided healthy food and medicine to the people of Mesoamerica and our region for generations. This series of Ancestral Foods Lessons was created by Rubi Orozco, Director of Organizational Storytelling & Development, to be used for remote learning
- [Edible Education](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/edible-education/) - Edible Education Edible Education is based on the idea that the health of our community and future generations can be improved through hands-on experiences growing and cooking fruits and vegetables. The Edible Education program includes School Garden Education, Cooking Nutrition Education, Food Day Celebrations, Farm to Preschool, and Earth Day Celebrations. Edible Education empowers students
- [La Cosecha](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/community-education/la-cosecha/) - La Cosecha Through the La Cosecha initiative, our Community Education Program offers opportunities for community members to engage in health and heritage-based community gardening and culinary practices. Through community-based and culturally significant programming, staff provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences to promote local and sustainable food systems. Cultiva Institute The Cultiva Institute is a kickstarter training
- [Summer Camps](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/summer-youth-camps/) - Summer Youth Camps Are you looking for something meaningful for the little ones to do during the summer? Each year our Community Education Program offers two summer camps for local youth: Querencias y Descrubrimientos and You Grow, Chica! Both camps offer exciting, educational, and engaging opportunities for kids to learn about farming, cooking, and skills
- [Community Education](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/community-education/) - Community Education 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
- [Our Story](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/our-story/) - Our Story LA SEMILLA FOOD CENTER IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS. La Semilla Food Center was established in 2010 as a result of community gardens, youth programs, and a commitment to transforming the food system. Since our inception, we have taught thousands of elementary and middle school students how
- [Blog](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/blog/) - Blog Please note that you can translate our website to Spanish or English using the function at the top right of this page (“Select Language”).Tenga en cuenta que puede traducir nuestro sitio web al español o al inglés utilizando la función en la parte superior derecha de esta página (“Select Language”). Powered Up Ramen: From
- [Events](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/events/)
- [News](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/news-2/) - News Noticias
- [Additional Learning Garden Components](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/additional-learning-garden-components/) - APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL GARDEN COMPONENTS: Once your school garden has raised garden beds for growing vegetables and fruit trees, your school is eligible to apply for additional garden components listed below. The number and size of additional beds will be determined by school interest, funding, space considerations and weed pressure. POLLINATOR HABITAT In this garden
- [Professional Development Workshops](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/professional-development-workshops/) - Teachers are the heart of a successful Edible Education program. We ask teams of 4-5 committed teachers from each partner school to participate in fun, hands-on professional development workshops where teachers learn basic gardening skills, prepare recipes for classroom cooking, and collaborate with other teachers to problem solve and share best practices. Each of four
- [Bring Edible Education to Your School!](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/ee-apply/) - LET’S GET GROWING! Our Edible Education Program is currently accepting applications for new partner schools for the 2017-2018 school year. We currently work with 21 schools through out Las Cruces Public Schools(LCPS), Gadsden Independent School District(GISD) and El Paso Independent School District(EPISD). In the current application cycle, we are seeking to add a total of
- [Urban Agriculture](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/urban-agriculture/) - The Mesilla Valley has a long and rich history of agricultural production and mouth-watering cuisine. Food and agriculture are an integral part of the regional economy and culture. Interest in urban agriculture activities has been subtly growing in Las Cruces and across the region as a way to build community, increase access to good food,
- [Mesilla Valley Food Policy Council](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/mesilla-valley-food-policy-council/) - The Mesilla Valley Food Policy Council (MVFPC) is a coalition of government officials, nonprofit leaders, private business, and community representatives who collaborate to evaluate and improve our local food system while acting as a forum for food issues and a platform for coordinated action. The MVFPC’s mission is to improve the availability of safe, healthy,
- [Farm To School](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/farm-to-school/) - La Semilla is inspiring healthier cafeterias through our farm to school procurement efforts. Our farm to school initiative seeks to get the freshest local produce into childcare and school kitchens while educating food service staff on local agriculture, seasonality, and the many challenges involved in sourcing local produce to small and large institutions. We are
- [Farmers' Markets](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/farmers-markets/) - Make the farmers’ market your regular place to shop for fresh produce and home baked goods. You can find the freshest, most flavorful, healthy and affordable produce available at farmers’ markets throughout our vibrant border region. Most now accept EBT, WIC and Senior farmers’ market checks. La Semilla has partnered with area farmers’ markets to
- [Farm to Preschool](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/farm-to-preschool/) - Newly established, our Farm to Preschool program is designed to be fun and very hands-on to engage preschoolers, get them to try new foods, and get their hands dirty in the best way, all the while getting local produce into the preschools to support our local farmers. We’re working to create healthy kids, families, and
- [Cooking & Nutrition Education](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/food-day-earth-day-celebrations/) - La Semilla celebrated Food Day 2013 & 2014 at Gadsden Middle School, offering students and faculty an afternoon fair with samples of local produce, raw honey, blender bike smoothies, and samples of recipes prepared by culinary students. Students also learned about traditional foods including sunflowers and amaranth, discussed farmworker issues and diet-related illnesses, and watched
- [Classroom Cooking](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/cooking-nutrition-education/) - Cooking with kids is a fantastic way to get students excited about healthy foods. Kids have the opportunity to try new foods, and create healthy meals with their peers while learning math and reading skills by following recipes and measuring ingredients. Kids also learn important life skills including food and knife safety, as well as
- [Learning Gardens](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/school-garden-education/) - The garden is an outdoor classroom full of opportunities for kids to explore and engage in hands-on activities. Science, math, health and language arts are just a few of the many subjects that can be taught using the garden – all while meeting state education benchmarks and standards. La Semilla’s learning gardens are designed to
- [Real Food Apprenticeship](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/real-food-apprenticeship/) - Our Food & Farm Apprenticeships afford interested youth and young adults with intensive education and employment opportunities at the Community Farm and with our other programs, depending on career aspirations and interests. Apprentices engage in long-term mentorship, education, and skills development. We host 2 to 4 apprentices at any given time, based on interest, staff
- [Raices](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/raices/) - Raices 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
- [Board of Directors](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/board-of-directors/) - Rachel Burke Martina Filerio Rebecca Munoz Nia Rucker Katalina Salas Staff
- [News](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/news/)

## Products

- [Printed Farm Bill Zine](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/printed-farmbill-zine/) - Food, Land, and Us is an illustrated zine that tells the story of U.S. agriculture policy and its impact on on-the-ground communities, inviting readers to take inspired action to shape and improve it. Illustrated by award-winning artist Zeke Peña and co-written by Rubi Orozco Santos and V. Quevedo, the zine is meant to be a
- [Revista Impresa Ley Agrícola](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/espanol-printed-farmbill-zine/) - Comida, tierra y nosotros es una revista ilustrada que cuenta la historia de las políticas alimentarias de Estados Unidos y sus impactos en la comunidad, invitando a quien la lea a tomar acción para darle forma y mejorarla. Ilustrada por el artista galardonado, Zeke Peña, co-escrita por Rubí Orozco Santos y V. Quevedo, la revista
- [Revista Digital Ley Agrícola](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/espanol-digital-farmbill-zine/) - Comida, tierra y nosotros es una revista ilustrada que cuenta la historia de las políticas alimentarias de Estados Unidos y sus impactos en la comunidad, invitando a quien la lea a tomar acción para darle forma y mejorarla. Ilustrada por el artista galardonado, Zeke Peña, co-escrita por Rubí Orozco Santos y V. Quevedo, la revista
- [Digital Farm Bill Zine](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/farmbill-zine/) - Food, Land, and Us is an illustrated zine that tells the story of U.S. agriculture policy and its impact on on-the-ground communities, inviting readers to take inspired action to shape and improve it. Illustrated by award-winning artist Zeke Peña and co-written by Rubi Orozco Santos and V. Quevedo, the zine is meant to be a
- [Weekly Farm Fresh Box](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/produce/)
- [Edible Education Cookbook](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product/ee-cbook/) - Edible Education Cookbook: Recipes from the Classroom

## 3D FlipBook

- [FarmBill Zine - Spanish](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/3d-flip-book/farmbill-zine-spanish/)
- [FarmBill Zine - English](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/3d-flip-book/farmbill-zine/)

## Venues

- [La Semilla Community Farm](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/venue/la-semilla-community-farm/)

## Organizers

- [La Semilla](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/organizer/la-semilla/)

## Draw Attention

- [Water Stories - draft](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/?da_image=water-stories-draft)
- [Water Stories](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/?da_image=14063)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/category/uncategorized/)
- [Blog](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/category/blog/)

## Product categories

- [Produce](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product-category/produce/)
- [Books](https://lasemillafoodcenter.org/product-category/books/)