Santa Fe Food Policy Council Encourages Growing Native, Healthy Food

Share On Social!

Latinos make up over half the population of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and many live without fresh, healthy foods nearby.

One way to bring healthy foods back into neighborhoods is to grow them.

The Santa Fe Food Policy Council, established in 2008 by a city resolution, is encouraging residents to get out and garden.

According to an article in The Santa Fe new Mexican, the food policy council says solutions to the area’s food deserts lie in “getting food,” “learning about food” and also in simply “growing food.”

Last year, the Santa Fe Food Policy Council released Planning for Santa Fe’s Food Future: Querencia — A Story of Food, Farming, and Friends, a comprehensive food plan that address both growing food and improving food accessibility.

According to the report, nearly 10 percent of low-income families in Santa Fe live a mile or more from the nearest grocery store. The food policy council encourages new gardeners to experiment with plants native to New Mexico, like corn, amaranth (a grain high in protein), squash, healthy herbs, beans and berries.

Family and community gardens are a great way to bring fresh, healthy foods into neighborhoods without nearby grocery stores.

Read more about the Santa Fe Food Policy Council’s plan to encourage more folks to grow their own food here.