On Monday, March 24, Chris Fredericks of TerraWalk Farm spoke to the Healthy Archuleta Growers and Producers Forum at the Ruby Sisson Library. The farm is located off Highway 151, south of Chimney Rock, where Chris and his family are farming to bring fresh produce to Archuleta County.
After moving to Pagosa Springs from the Denver Metro area, Chris found a way to turn his love of growing into a thriving farming business. It took a few years, but he has been able to secure access to land and water in an effort to grow a variety of vegetables to offer at local farmers markets through community supported agriculture (CSA) shares, and starting this year, at the farm stand.
At the meeting, Chris shared some of the challenges he has faced growing in southern Colorado, particularly with the climate and the short growing season. One way he helps to offset the short season is to grow specific crops in high tunnels. This helps extend his growing by up to two additional months. He spoke about how the protection of crops by using high tunnels, greenhouses, and grow domes can help growers get an early start on crop production and extend it into the fall months. When outside crops are subjected to early frosts, having access to covered structures can protect those crops that can tolerate low temperatures but would be damaged by frost.
Chris is also interested in how soil health affects farming. His farm is a no-till farm, and he shared his belief that this way of farming helps keep soils fertile for a much longer period. This can be applied to all types of gardening, whether farming for profit or growing for personal use; avoiding the practice of disturbing the soil helps keep beneficial microbes in the soil to break down organic matter. This, in turn, provides nutrients needed by crops to grow and even avoid damage by pests and disease.
It was wonderful to learn from Chris at the Growers and Producers Forum. These meetings help provide the community with information on local growers of fresh produce and livestock products. Supporting these local businesses helps the local economy and ensures that the community gets access to local foods. Please visit the Healthy Archuleta website, www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org, for more information on local food resources and check out our calendar of events page.
Please stay tuned for the topic and presenter at the next Growers and Producers Forum scheduled for Monday, April 28 from 4:00 – 5:30pm at the Ruby Sisson Library.
Healthy Archuleta offers Professional Cultural Competency Session in Mental Health
Healthy communities require collaboration between healthcare providers and the community, recognizing diverse perspectives and cultural backgrounds. Ongoing intercultural development, self-reflection, and understanding cultural contexts are essential. Archuleta County’s rich culture, especially Hispanic and Latino communities, benefits from this approach.
Cultural humility sees each patient as unique, shaped by experiences like heritage, migration, socioeconomic status, and family. Active listening, valuing cultural knowledge, and collaborative relationships honor traditions. This builds trust, reduces disparities, and improves care quality for Latino individuals with mental health challenges. Addressing mental health stigma in the Hispanic and Latino community encourages open discussion and seeking help.
Psychiatrist Dr. Jose Canaca, a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico, will visit Pagosa Springs this April for mental health literacy and cultural competency training for healthcare providers. Dr. Canaca has extensive experience working in rural communities in Latin America and New Mexico, serving vulnerable populations like Native Americans, Hispanic/Latino communities, and immigrants. He leads cultural psychiatry lectures at UNM and has collaborated with COMISCA. The training will take place next Monday, April 7 at 5pm, and 2 hours of CME credits will be offered to healthcare professional attendees who maintain CME, along with dinner. Space is limited. If you are a healthcare professional . Space is limited. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to fsfearchuleta@gmail.com by Thursday, April 3rd to confirm your spot. To learn more about the efforts of Healthy Archuleta, please visit our website at www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org.