Covenant Pathways

COVENANT PATHWAYS FARM (SPIRIT FARM) WAS DEVELOPED TO BE A LIVING EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN RECOVER AND RECLAIM TRADITIONAL FARMING AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, ALONG WITH MODERN PRACTICES, TO ESTABLISH RESILIENCY IN OUR WAY OF LIFE, REDUCING THE DEPENDENCY ON THE VERY FOOD SYSTEM THAT IS HARMING US. WE APPLY ANCESTRAL INDIGENOUS WISDOM INTEGRATING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS ENERGIZED BY NATURE THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING TO GROW NUTRIENT RICH FOODS IN THE SOUTHWEST HIGH DESERT. SPIRIT FARM USES ALL ORGANIC PRACTICES, INCLUDING MICROBIOLOGICAL COMPOSTING, TO HEAL THE HARD HIGH DESERT SOUTHWESTERN SOIL. OUR MISSION IS TO GENERATE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IMPACT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WITH NATIVE TRADITIONS THAT ATTACH THE HUMAN SPIRIT TO THE EARTH. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWERS TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCE, AS WELL AS USE LESS WATER, WHICH IS A CRITICAL STEP WHEN GROWING FOOD IN OUR CLIMATE.

SPIRIT FARM: DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A DEMONSTRATION AND EXPERIENTIAL FARM THAT USES ONLY NATURAL PRACTICES INCLUDING MICROBIOLOGICAL COMPOSTING, TO HEAL THE HIGH DESERT SOUTHWESTERN SOIL AND BE A LIVING EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN RECOVER AND RECLAIM TRADITIONAL FARMING AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, ALONG WITH MODERN PRACTICES, TO RESTORE NATURES CYCLES TO HEAL THE ENVIRONMENT AND ESTABLISH RESILIENCY IN OUR WAY OF LIFE, REDUCING THE DEPENDENCY ON THE VERY FOOD SYSTEM THAT IS HARMING US. THE FARM PROVIDES VISUAL MODELS AND DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIES WITH GROWERS OF METHODS THAT CAN INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCE, AS WELL AS USE LESS WATER, WHICH IS A CRITICAL STEP WHEN GROWING FOOD IN OUR CLIMATE. TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS ARE TRAINED ANNUALLY.

LOCAL COLLABORATION: PARTNERING WITH LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS IS ESSENTIAL FOR ESTABLISHING A FOOD AND ECONOMIC NETWORK THAT EXPANDS INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE, MAKES A HEALTHY VARIETY OF FOODS AVAILABLE, AND CREATES A MARKET FOR EACH OTHER'S PRODUCTS, GOODS, AND SERVICES. ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS OUR PATH TO PRODUCTIVE LIVES, A FLOURISHING ENVIRONMENT, AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR EXPANDING NETWORK STRUCTURE IS A WEB. WE RESPECT THE UNIQUE IDENTITY OF EACH COMMUNITY: WE OPERATE AS A GIFT ECONOMY, IN WHICH RECIPROCITY AND EQUITABLE EXCHANGE OF RESOURCES GENERATES OPPORTUNITY. REGULAR MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND SITE VISITS ALLOW US TO DISCOVER EACH OTHER'S AVAILABLE GOODS AND SERVICES AS WELL AS INNOVATIONS THAT SUPPORT NETWORK ECONOMIC GROWTH. OUR PARTNERS ALL PROMOTE REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION/TRAINING: PROVIDED BI-MONTHLY WORKSHOPS IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT OUR FARM TO CREATE AWARENESS AND TRAIN OTHERS ON SOIL MICROBES AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO HEALING THE SOIL, GROWING NUTRIENT RICH FOODS, RESTORING THE NATURAL WATER CYCLES AND REMOVING EXCESS CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, INDIGENOUS REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, MICROBIOLOGICAL COMPOSTING TRAININGS, FOOD PRESERVATION, GROWING IN A GREENHOUSE, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, ETC. WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN BOTH TRADITIONAL NAVAJO GROWING PRACTICES AS WELL AS REGENERATIVE FARMING TECHNIQUES, WITH THE EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO ASSIST GROWERS, COVENANT PATHWAYS EQUIPS LOCAL INDIGENOUS GROWERS START AND EXPAND THEIR FARMS, SHARING MUCH OF THE 50+ TONS OF COMPOST MADE ANNUALLY ON SITE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES MATERIALS AND HANDS ON ASSISTANCE TO GROWERS IN SEVERAL NEARBY COMMUNITIES. VISITORS, NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE COME TO THE FARM TO TOUR AND EXPERIENCE THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF THE FARM.

BIO CHAR IMPLEMENTATION - A PROGRAM UNDER SPIRIT FARM TO MAKE BIOCHAR TO BE ADDED TO THE COMPOST. BIOCHAR HAS POTENTIAL TO INCREASE THE BIOMASS OF PLANTS, HEALING THE SOIL THROUGH A NATURAL PROCESS. THIS YEAR THE ORGANIZATION IS PREPARING TO RECEIVE THE BIOCHAR MACHINE THAT HAS THE CAPABILITY TO NOT ONLY MAKE THE BIOCHAR, BUT USE THE HEAT TO WARM WATER THAT IS THEN PIPED UNDERNEATH THE SOIL IN THE GREENHOUSE, WARMING THE SOIL IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE GROWING SEASON.