Strategies for Adaptive Resilience in Sustainable Agriculture for Beginning and Historically Underserved Farmers

Two Field days were held in Fall of 2023 looking at sustainable indigenous production of heritage crops for the preparation of traditional foods in Bangor and Detroit. The filed days brought together indigenous producers from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US. Producers in SW MI had been working all summer to grow produce for the MGreat Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition's Tribal Elder Food Box Program through an LFPA and the field days offered an opportunity for intertribal producers to gather. 15 Latino producers worked with Filiberto to grow food for the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition's Tribal Elder Food Box Program using sustainable indigenous practices

Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition's Tribal Elder Food Box Program

Throughout the growing season Filiberto regularly visited, provided technical assistance, and participated in cultural knowledge exchange with the producers.

Farm Visits, September 22 and 25, 2023 - SARE

After the visits and tastings carried out with producers in Bangor and the city of Detroit, Michigan, it would be sought to follow up with the purpose of increasing the relationship between people dedicated to the production of traditional crops as well as the artisanal food products that can be processed from these crops and their traditions. Interrelate the ethnic groups located in different areas of Michigan with groups of natives, thus knowing the traditions and customs and exchange experiences, seeds, and / or some forms of cultivation under natural or organic conditions as well as respect, care and love for the land and the environment.    

-The invitation that Lakuiita was kind enough to make to Kaya was very successful since he had the opportunity to talk, listen and share important points of view among people from Oxaca and particularly with Severiano who was also explaining about his Mixtec language and pronouncing some words as well. Kaya was kind enough to express his interest in having conversations to organize some event where it can be expanded more and the ways of working of the different groups are known. 

-The coexistence between the women was very friendly and shared their skills in the preparation of food. Among the children there was also an excellent exchange of activities as well as walks between the spaces of the farm, crops and poultry that are growing there (about 100). The crops that were shown on this farm are; Kuza squash, papalo, cilantro, tomato, cucumber, tomatillo, blackberry, purple bean, lavender, and corn. All cofinados in small spaces like a diverse garden. 

-The visit to Detroit has given us the opportunity to observe the great diversity of plants to grow in small spaces where the use of technology in soil management, irrigation, pests and other aspects in organic production shows the great convenience of combining the management of crops in greenhouses and open field, obtaining excellent production.  

The crops there are:  

In Greenhouse: Tomatoes Yellow, red and grated gree mix, different types of sweet and hot chilies, as well as some herbs and pumpkins. 

In the open field: Green and purple Kale, Color green, sweet potato, corn and roma tomato.  

NOTE: In my opinion this way of sharing could be replicated and also promote educational programs among these groups where their traditions, customs and languages are respectfully considered. 

2024 On-farm Demonstrations & Field days:

Challenges in partnering with MSU on online course delivery and curriculum development resulted in a pivot to regular field demonstrations for immersive hands-on learning throughout the growing season paired with consultations to support reciprocal on-farm learning (outlined below). 16 producers who collaborated on this project leveraged a new market opportunity to grow products to aggregate and sell to the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition's Tribal Elder Food Box Program through relationships built in 2023. As a result, 10 farmers diversified their blueberry operations, using sustainable agriculture practices to sell 23,552 LBS of produce (asparagus, Blueberries, Green Beans, Peaches, Slicer Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Zucchini). Four project demonstration sites were established on collaborating producers' farms in Bangor and Decatur. 5 additional farmers we connected with local markets to sell their crops. 

-Farmer A grew heirloom and cherry tomatoes using sustainable natural practices and is interested in transitioning to Organic.

-Farmer B grew Green Peppers, white and Red Onions, Roma tomatoes, Tomatillos, and Jalapeno peppers using sustainable conventional practices

-Farmer C grew Coriander, White and red Onion (for fresh) and radish;  grew transplants in mid-march that were planted the first week of April. At the end of June they began harvesting Coriander, papalo, green, white, black, and purple beans, and cucumbers.  Mexican squash and corn were planted together with Beans and winter and spaghetti squash, continuing with the planting in different rotational plots on their farm. 

 -Farmer D will be growing, Indian corn, White and purple corn, Jalapeno pepper, Tomatillo, Gray heirloom Zucchini, and 4 more different heirloom peppers to get seed for next season.  

MIFFS worked to support farmers in aggregating products to access new markets in MI, Chicago, MN and WI. 

On Farm Demonstrations & Consultations:

1. Site preparation and activities of soil preparation to establish traditional crops (vegetables, corn & beans) focused on Natural Production, traditional (indigenous) practices, and reducing pesticide applications for sustainability. Soil management; we incorporate crops harvest residuals, and early-stage weed residuals connect producers with two distributors of Liquid nutrient formulation (product used in organic vegetable production) to use in the established crops 
2. Market access meeting with producers to participate in bringing their produce to the local farmers' market (Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Paw Paw, Detroit Eastern Market, and others) and the opportunity to deliver produce to Chicago Market, Trying to take advantage of social connections and take advantage of other markets. 
3. Producing and selling traditional crops to cultural markets.  There is a big opportunity to this kind of produce specilly in big population centers like Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids, MN and WI. We made connections with Mercado de colores at (Chicago), Eastern market (Detroit) St. Lois Missouri, and other cities like Madison (Wi). And restaurants, grocery stores and other organization who are seeking heirloom crops.  
4. IPM, pesticide application training, record keeping, environmental risk management, and worker safety. Promoted trainings and workshops about weed control and herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides used in organic crops, can be the key to supporting the producer and make more light some hard crop activities.  Monoculture stories are not all that pleasant, so every season we have a number of people retiring from agricultural activity, in 2024 it is no exception but production in small lots represents a good activity for those who still after their retirement want to grow what their family consumes and this type of practice without using residual products allows these people to feel useful in this field. Pesticides training (Core Manual Review) and license test in Spanish total attendance 12. (7 Producer and 5 Workers.) 2 of them interested in organic treatment for Blueberries.
5. Organic Crops management activities (Irrigation, mechanic weed control, fertilization and (jalapeno pepper transplanting in the field). In 3 fields (Bangor and Decatur) we are using Liquid nutrients (organic fish oil) and S triple 20 low doses through the irrigation system. 
6. Seed saving all producers saving seeds from traditional crops like Papalo, white and purple corn, 4 kinds of beans (pinto, black, purple and brown). 
7. Traditional harvesting and processing methods for corn and beans.  Staple Crops preservation including Nixtilization for hominy.  Part of this project is to learn about the best way to take advantage of traditional knowledge about traditional crops, production practices to use them; how they are processed and used. This was identified as an ongoing need for education and led to collaboration on a Midwest Grit 2501 project through Michael Field Institute ( one of the aggregation and distribution partners working on market access under this project). 
8. Transitioning to Organic production and organic certification 101
9. Scale-appropriate & cost-effective mechanization - Small equipment can be the best for this operations taking care of the invest on it. Big equipment need big expenses and hard limitations for the small producer.  Producers also looked at cost benefit of contracting mechanized work vs cost of purchasing equipment that may only be used once a year. 
10. Weed control - The activities on this topic focused on Mulching cover, since there are not specific herbicides to use in Organic crops  production. The commonly more used method is manual weed control and using manual tool. Note: More specific training is needed on this topic.
11. Season extension.  In this 2024 season Two producers were trying to extend the production season. In Bangor Michigan one producer established onions, cilantro  and radish in early April and started  harvest the first week of June first. In Decatur, the producer established tomato plant on April 4 week in the high tunnels.