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Blog 3: @ Red Willow Farms

The most striking examples of commonwealth assets that I discovered is definitely the history. Im from Taos Pueblo so its a culture that still alive to this day, but I feel as generations go by we loose some of our culture.

Growing up I was always told of my great grandparents having fields and field of corn, my grandma said her, her sisters and her father & mother worked hard all day in the fields. I feel that part has been lost in Taos pueblo and is part of culture and some of our traditions, and simply a way of life; I was always told as a little girl that planting a seed is making are Mother Earth stronger, bc your giving thanks for what she all has given us and over the years I put a lot of thought into that and what it means to me as an individual.

Another common wealth asset I recognized is my community is the education, but I don’t mean academic education, I feel most of my knowledge and sense of place has been taught to me by my elders and those above me. Growing up I was taught the language and the traditions of Taos Pueblo, I was taught prayer and how to find my sense of peace within me. I was also taught how to understand what is means what the reason was for but is also a thing I’ve noticed has been lost through my generation and younger.

Since I see this as a problem in my community I would like to set a long term goal to teach the youth the importance of their culture and where they come from, I would like to set up some kind of class allowing elders to talk of stories and how it was for them growing up and teach them what are traditions mean. As my short term goal I would like to get the youth planting in field with some of our traditional foods which on the long run could slowly lead into my long term goal. – Sincerely, Jennifer K

This is the progress of the corn, squash, and red bean I and staff planted in the tradition crop
Maricopa sweet corn
Taos Pueblo Red Bean