Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on November 12, 2009
We posed this question to a group of farmers, food business owners, building/metal contractors, and low-income families in the Northfield/Faribault area. Their response was a solid “YES, it can work.” Of course, if you have ever been at a rally where an energetic speaker gets everyone motivated about something, it is easy to chant “yes, we can.” And even if one does not completely understand whether one actually “can,” it still feels good. Our challenge was to move beyond possibilities and excitement, and figure out how we could turn everyone’s aspirations — especially those of the low-income families (all Latino) — into a successful partnership.
Here is how we made that happen:
First, we worked on a plan for a two-week project to process over 3,000 free range chickens from our two start-up farms in Northfield and Cannon Falls (please don’t try this at home). For the plan to work, we had to secure a physical site on one of the farms, find basic processing equipment, fully pre-train one or two of us on the whole system, design a layout, and complete many other tasks associated with organizing the project and the people. We also needed some cash to purchase basic supplies (boxes, packaging material, ice, LP gas, etc.).
Thousand Hills Cattle Company lent our cooperative (Hillside Farmers Cooperative) the money to purchase the basic processing equipment. Prink Oakridge Farm in Cannon Falls figured out the freezer truck with Thousand Hills, driving and operating the unit, and unloading at the storage facility. Cannon River Machine, figured out the layout and basic processing skills needed so that a team could be trained on the specifics of each aspect of the processing. They also built a large 2 by 8 foot steel platform so we could build a fire under it and heat a large tub of water (saving time and LP gas).
Our program found financial support to cover some of the supplies and materials. Both farms contributed part of their production to compensate each individual who participated in the processing, providing them with a supply of poultry that will feed their families all winter.
A community organizer in Faribault worked to organize 14 individuals to do the processing. In the course of one and a half weeks, we all took turns loading chickens into cages, bringing them over to the site, switching jobs when someone got too tired, wet, cold or all of the above. All this happened during the two weeks that it rained non-stop and got really cold as well. It was physically demanding work under miserable conditions. It was almost as if some higher power was seeing if we would give up on the whole project.
When we finished, all of the birds had been processed and 12 individuals had learned how to do this work efficiently and cost effectively, achieving very competitive production levels. They worked happily and in a relaxed atmosphere. Some children came and played, observed their parents working together, and watched a mix of people of different skin color and backgrounds interact as if issues of race had never existed. Much more happened while this community enterprise took shape. Of course, one part we did not hold back on was the enjoyment of the best chicken stews and grilled chicken you have ever tried.
These families will be ready to start again next spring when the production season begins. Going forward, more families in our region will 
learn that community supported agriculture includes growing chickens, but also processing them right on the farm for freshness and health. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll have more opportunities to connect with each other as a community, while supporting those who have been left behind in our current economic system.
Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on August 31, 2009
I just received the release below from the Latino Economic Development Center in Minneapolis. Ramon Leon, the founder and Executive Director will be receiving the Mexican Consulate’s Ohtli Award “Opening Doors” in the Nahuatl language.
Minneapolis MN. August 31, 2009
LEDC’s President and CEO Ramón León, to receive the prestigious Ohtli Award by the Mexican consulate of Minnesota
-For immediate release-
Latino Economic Development Center’s President and CEO Ramón León will be presented with the Ohtli award at the official Mexican independence celebration event on September 15, 2009 by the Mexican consulate of Minnesota. The Ohtli award – which is the Nahuatl language word for “opening doors” – is one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the Mexican government to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in improving the quality of life for Mexican citizens living outside Mexico.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on July 29, 2009
Latino communities in Southern Minnesot and around the country are full of experiences and knowledge that if appreciated can help our common interest. Just as many other cultures we come from places that still hold ancient traditions that have held with the passage of time.
I heard today of the Goldman Environmental Price, given to Jesús León Santos of Mexico. Read his story, if you listed to my own story on The Story, you will see that my story isn’t really just one, there are millions of us who can contribute greatly to the sustainability of this country’s food and agriculture system.
Here is a quote from his award that illustrates my point “It is time we recognize that traditional agricultural methods can make strong contributions to biodiversity conservation. We should encourage it and value it as a way to produce healthy foods that conserve and care for the environment.”
Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on July 27, 2009
I recently recorded for "The Story", with host Janet Babin, sitting in for Dick Gordon at the MPR studios in St. Paul. They were interested in my personal story as an immigrant, a farmer and a community worker. The story will air tonight Monday 27th at 9 pm here is the whole schedule for those of you outside of the 91.1 FM listening area. You can always send comments directly to me at regi at ruralec dot com.
Posted by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin on July 23, 2009
We just had two days of perfectly timed downpours that restored the moisture on the top soil around our area. As you know, a healthy poultry system depends on regular rain just like other crops. One would think that because the chickens have plenty of water they will be fine without rain, WRONG. They are just like cows or other animals, you can put poultry in a building and feed and give them water, we all know that, it is the way much or all of the poultry meat in the market is raised, including organic but raised in confinement. But those of us who are in this for the long haul know that there is an abysmal difference between birds raised in cages or confinement and the new systems we have launched. Luckily it seems like thousands of people are making the switch to healthier poultry and learning that the real price of good food is not cheap.
In short, cage and confinement systems are no different than putting someone in jail with a thousand other prisoners, they will live, but miserably, unhealthy and all of their natural behavior would need to be suppressed artificially, and deceases that enter their area will get them all rapidly given their depressed immunological systems.
Some things to remember. First, we grow birds with plenty of space, not with "access the outside", but OUTSIDE, period. Second, the outside does not look monotonous either, some areas they clean up quickly and are left without much vegetation but there is always plenty of ground cover, mounds of stuff here and there, especially if it is composting material. Third, shade and protection from predators and the sun is key. Fear of predators and inability to detect them if the sun is bright affects their behavior heavily.
An optimal habitat for free range chickens is not a forest or an open pasture, but a combination of a lot of conditions. In our production system for Pollo de Campo, or as Thousand Hills Cattle Company decided to call it "Home on The Range", we observe everything, we take pictures or videos, write it down, discuss what we learned with the other farmers, and then, we incorporate what we learned into the system so that we continually improve the ability of the birds to use natural conditions to their maximum potential. This is where deep observation and learning comes handy. This process of learning and re-learning results in an efficient and sustainable utilization of natural resources to grow the birds, maximum "happiness" if you wish to give their state of mind a name, and a healthy environment where they can be just "chickens".
Things that most of us can observe in a healthy flock for example s
mall birds will follow bigger ones or their mothers around. What we observe is that the larger birds can dig deeper, but they also want the larger stuff. The little one on the other hand scratches the loosen dirt and get the smaller stuff that is just fine for them. After recent rains, many of the seeds that we had spread of different small grains swelled, so the birds go back and forth digging them back up, in the process they get more water and minerals into their system. This process also uncovers warms that are just below the surface. I once watched one of the little white birds jump close to three feet and grabbed a fly "on the fly".
The group in this picture found a high spot with full sun, moisture in the air makes them want to pluck their feathers, dry and dusty makes them want to take a dust bath. This small observation is now fully incorporated into the landscaping for our free range chickens. As we do this, we observe improved behavior (less fighting among them which equals less stress), the more we learn, the more we understand that this is a whole different science altogether and we are happy to share the final product with you.
Growing a healthy pasture takes water as well, rains are key as they also bring down atmospheric nitrogen, again, we could irrigate this patch, but it isn’t the same. This new pasture is growing under a thick cover of hay, a whole colony of warms, insects and microbes is having a good time in preparation of digging themselves into the ground when the birds come out looking for them as they are let loose on this paddock.
We have watched how much birds are attracted to all of the hazelnut we planted in this other paddock. If we had not put the chicken wire around, they would have eaten them down by now. I had learned some years ago that hazelnuts have evolved for thousands of years to attract wild birds to sit around them and fertilize their roots, this may explain that we find them in Minnesota’s oak savanna openings and other similar areas, they absorb most of their nutrients from the top 6 inches or so of soil but penetrate the soil down to 12 feet deep according to Phill Ruther at Badgersert Farm in SE MN. 
These plants are a miracle for sustainability purposes. According to Phil, they compete in production with soybeans, but need no tilling, cultivation, or irrigation. The depth and expanse of their roots also captures nutrients and bring them up, create soil porosity introducing air into areas where new biological colonies can then get established, and on and on we could go. They sequestrate carbon, release none, their stems can be used as bio-fuels, and on top of this, the oil of hazels have the same DNA as olive oil. Their root systems would literally hold a hill from washing away in a flood. I guess we will be able to compete in bio-mass production with the neighbors’ soybean field, while producing a healthy crop of over 9,000 birds per acre. Quite a deal for the consumer, the environment, the farmer, the community and the economy I would say. If you agree, don’t just sit there, go to Thousand Hills Cattle Company and ask them how you can get our chickens.
A community organizer in Faribault worked to organize 14 individuals to do the processing. In the course of one and a half weeks, we all took turns loading chickens into cages, bringing them over to the site, switching jobs when someone got too tired, wet, cold or all of the above. All this happened during the two weeks that it rained non-stop and got really cold as well. It was physically demanding work under miserable conditions. It was almost as if some higher power was seeing if we would give up on the whole project.
learn that community supported agriculture includes growing chickens, but also processing them right on the farm for freshness and health. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll have more opportunities to connect with each other as a community, while supporting those who have been left behind in our current economic system.
