MESQUITE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
BRN Senior Fellows, Gary Nabhan, ethnobotanist and author, and Laurie Monti, cultural ecologist, have hosted an educational workshop series in Patagonia including topics such as the history and uses of mesquite, food preparation using mesquite flour and pods, as well as pod harvesting walks teaching community members how to harvest pods. These workshops were followed by mesquite milling workshops utilizing a hammermill that was purchased thanks to generous support from the Rachel E. Golden Foundation and the Wright-Ingraham Institute. The mill is also available for community use to mill mesquite pods into flour.
These workshops led to the formation of the Mesquite Stewardship Program to create a core group of individuals who will further build skills, learn, connect and collaborate across different communities in Southern Arizona with a shared passion for mesquite and in turn to bring this knowledge to the community at large. The Mesquite Stewardship Program draws members from near and far who participate in regional and online learning opportunities and is open to anyone who is curious to learn about mesquite. New members are accepted on an ongoing basis.
COMMUNITY MESQUITE STEWARDS
The Mesquite Stewards are committed to expanding and sharing the general knowledge about mesquite food uses and nutritional and societal benefits, valued-added products that can be made from mesquite, learning new skills, championing the use of mesquite, exploring the role of mesquite in a restorative economy, and the importance of this iconic tree in our landscapes for habitat and wildlife. Stewards meet monthly to expand their training and knowledge through workshops with experts, and will host community workshops, as well as mesquite milling days for the general public. Stewards are also responsible for maintaining the mesquite mill.
If you’d like to learn more about the Mesquite Stewardship Program, or become a Community Mesquite Steward, please contact Juliet Jivanti, Educational Coordinator, jjivanti@borderlandsrestoration.org.
These workshops led to the formation of the Mesquite Stewardship Program to create a core group of individuals who will further build skills, learn, connect and collaborate across different communities in Southern Arizona with a shared passion for mesquite and in turn to bring this knowledge to the community at large. The Mesquite Stewardship Program draws members from near and far who participate in regional and online learning opportunities and is open to anyone who is curious to learn about mesquite. New members are accepted on an ongoing basis.
COMMUNITY MESQUITE STEWARDS
The Mesquite Stewards are committed to expanding and sharing the general knowledge about mesquite food uses and nutritional and societal benefits, valued-added products that can be made from mesquite, learning new skills, championing the use of mesquite, exploring the role of mesquite in a restorative economy, and the importance of this iconic tree in our landscapes for habitat and wildlife. Stewards meet monthly to expand their training and knowledge through workshops with experts, and will host community workshops, as well as mesquite milling days for the general public. Stewards are also responsible for maintaining the mesquite mill.
If you’d like to learn more about the Mesquite Stewardship Program, or become a Community Mesquite Steward, please contact Juliet Jivanti, Educational Coordinator, jjivanti@borderlandsrestoration.org.
UPCOMING WORKSHOP DATES & EVENTS
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Mesquite Microenterprises Lecture & Mesquite Pod MillingSaturday, October 2, 2021
Schedule: 10:00AM-12PM: Mesquite Microenterprise Lecture with Gary Nabhan Noon-2:00PM: Mesquite pod milling with the BRN Mesquite Stewards Location: Patagonia. Directions will be provided upon registration. Cost: Free Join internationally-celebrated nature writer, agrarian activist and ethnobiologist, Gary Nabhan to learn about value added mesquite products that could potentially generate local livelihoods through the start-up of mesquite microenterprises. We will discuss non-timber forest products from mesquite trees that can support the creation of community kitchens, local honey production, woodworking studios, and other mesquite related endeavors. These mesquite start-ups could reinforce the identity of the community and grow the regional restoration economy. You'll hear about existing success stories including mesquite microbrews, mesquite coffee, and mesquite tortillas to name a few. After the lecture, participants may bring mesquite pods to have milled by the BRN Mesquite Stewards and learn about milling mesquite pods into flour. This workshop is being made possible with the support of the Patagonia Regional Community Fund. Sign-up: To register contact Juliet Jivanti, BRN Education Coordinator at jjivanti@borderlandsrestoration.org. *Participants must wear a mask and adhere to CDC guidelines. |
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"And yet, as global temperatures continue to rise, as groundwater levels plummet, and as rivers and reservoirs dry up, social conflicts and poverty will inevitably worsen in the US/Mexico borderlands. How do we move toward a cohesive, binational plan with tangible solutions to alleviate these problems? We feel that a concerted effort to better utilize the many arid adaptation of mesquite trees can leverage new solutions."- Gary Nabhan
LEARN MORE ABOUT MESQUITE
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MANY THANKS TO SUPPORTERS OF THIS PROGRAM:
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