ZUNI, NM (Aug. 4, 2023) — Last year, the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project added an exciting program to its popular Food Sovereignty initiative: ZYEP Agriculture Grants. The grants, offered in 2022 and 2023 have allowed the nonprofit youth organization to invest in local Zuni farmers and gardeners with funds from the Native American Agriculture Fund.
According to Executive Director Tahlia Natachu, this has been an important exercise for the youth project’s food sovereignty efforts — and systems change — in the Pueblo of Zuni. It has allowed the organization to explore the world of grant-making and assist in making funds for agricultural projects more accessible.
“Not only do the grants provide Zuni farmers and gardeners with access to these resources, they help Zuni enter the conversation around community-informed and community-led initiatives that guide our people back to our traditional ways of health,” Natachu said. “This is a national, even worldwide, conversation in which all Indigenous farmers are highly qualified to contribute.
“Our grantees also get to incorporate opportunities for knowledge-sharing and building community,” she continued. “Agriculture is an important part of our traditional life ways. By strengthening our connections to our culture and each other, we will have a lasting, positive impact on the health of our Zuni youth and families. And, these stories and impacts can benefit other communities as well.”
ZYEP has eight active grant recipients during the 2023 growing season. They comprise one farm owner, Shannon Concho of Concho Loco Farm, and seven families with personal gardens. They are Michael Vicenti, John Lasiloo, Peter Haloo IV, Jaren Cachini, Troydon Chavez, Robert Weahkee and Levon Loncassion.
The grantees are able to use funds for essentials such as garden tools, seeds, starter plants, fencing materials, pest control, shade cloths, wood for raised garden beds, cultivation/tilling equipment, and more. Rainwater harvesting is also a priority, with many grantees purchasing irrigation drip lines and tape, rain barrels, water storage tanks, and gutter systems.
A garden is an important part of family life for grant recipient John Lasiloo. He is eager to keep Zuni traditions alive through gardening while also providing food for the family, sharing it with family and friends, and cultivating seeds.
He said he also wants to teach his son all about it.
“I’m showing (him) how much work has to be done to keep the garden healthy and productive, the techniques for planting, what plants can be together, and how to pray and speak to children as they grow and bloom with food,” he explained.
Lasiloo is using gutters and barrels to collect rainwater, since he has adequate storage tanks on site. Grant recipient Peter Haloo IV said he is doing the same with several barrels and 5-gallon buckets; he also noted that he must haul water from a well at Pescado (roughly 16 miles from Zuni) when there is no rain.
“I’ve been gardening since I was a youth, when the Zuni River had water,” he said. “I used to haul water from the river in 5-gallon buckets in both hands. My family has land in Nutria, and my parents have been planting most of their lives. We used to sell cilantro and onions.”
Haloo has a garden outside his mother’s home and another in Nutria, which he maintains with his sister. Her grandchildren regularly assist with pulling weeds, and one even helped with harvesting onions last year.
“He had a nice smile,” Haloo remembered. “He was just 2 years old, carrying onions. Some kids in the back of a truck usually yell out, ‘Nice crops!’ So we are being watched by younger kids.”
In addition to keeping his family healthy and active, grant recipient Jaren Cachini said their garden gives him an outlet to pass along knowledge he’s learned from years of successes and failures. He seeks to preserve seeds from previous generations — and teach the young people the best ways to conserve water.
“My project will have irrigation ditches to help catch rainwater coming off the roof,” he explained. “The water will spread out, being caught in little potholes that hold up to 3 gallons of water each, and help soak the soil.”
Grant recipient Robert Weahkee said he would like to purchase a large water tank to store more water and make a raised-bed garden to keep the squash bugs at bay. Eventually, he would like a greenhouse so he can enjoy year-round gardening without worrying about frost or bugs.
In the meantime, he noted, gardening is a wonderful way to connect with nature and his son.
“My son and I love to go out every morning to talk and water our plants, and to check for squash bugs,” he said. “I use gardening as a way to teach my son about taking care of plants so we can have fresh vegetables for our family, and as a way to teach him about traditions in gardening and planting. In life, I want him to grow up to be a warrior in a garden.”
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09)
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
