This 2024 growing season, Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) and Terrawalk Farms are partnering with Nourish Colorado to bring low-income older adults (age 55 and older) in Archuleta County locally grown, seasonal, organic produce shares through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
CSAs or farm memberships are a means of creating a mutually beneficial connection between consumers and their farmers. These partnerships result in a bi-monthly bounty of vegetables for the subscriber.
Last Thursday, ASI Executive Director Rose Chavez and Janet Monks, senior program and administrative manager, alongside Archuleta County Public Health Department WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) Coordinator Inez Lobato traveled out on Colo. 151 just past Chimney Rock to TerraWalk Farm, a small family farm located on the western side of Archuleta County.
We were greeted warmly by Chris Frederics (owner of TerraWalk) and Roger Candalaria (owner of Ranchito Alegre and the land where TerraWalk farm is located) once we arrived. Also present was Gretchen Groenke, nutrition program coordinator for Nourish Colorado.
We all gathered together on that beautiful summer day to enjoy a site visit to the farm and enjoy lunch where all the beautiful produce is grown for WIC and ASI clients.
During the visit, we had the opportunity to see all the beautiful gardens and high tunnels growing with a bounty of fresh, seasonal vegetables. We also heard from Frederics and Candalaria how they met several years ago when Frederics moved his family from the Front Range to Pagosa.
Kendall McAllister, a longtime Pagosa resident, is responsible for bringing this unlikely duo together, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the magic they are creating to support our local food system in Archuleta County. In fact, this is the first year that all the produce grown at TerraWalk Farm is going directly to residents of Archuleta County.
Participating clients of ASI receive a fresh, local organic produce box alternating weeks throughout the growing season, which runs June 2 to Oct. 18. Clients pick up their bi-monthly fresh produce boxes at the Pagosa Senior Center. Clients receive a call to remind them to pick up their boxes.
What’s available this season? Below is a sample list of vegetables clients are receiving on a bi-monthly basis:
Produce share 1: Spinach, radishes, garlic scapes, kale, parsley and arugula.
Produce share 2: Lettuce, turnips, baby beets, mustard greens and greens mix #1.
Produce share 3: Spinach, radish, summer squash, greens mix #2, basil, kale and beets.
Produce share 4: Swiss chard, mizuna, carrots, turnips, arugula, summer squash and cucumber.
Produce shares 5-17: Greens of the week (kale, arugula, greens mix, Swiss chard, lettuce or Asian greens) and the following options that are subject to availability: tomatoes, carrots, turnips, cucumber, onion, beets, eggplant, summer squash, garlic and peppers (sweet and hot).
Produce share 18: Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, leeks and cilantro.
In addition to their weekly food, clients also receive a quarterly newsletter that includes simple, relevant recipes, musings and photos of the farm they are supporting.
ASI would like to give a big shout-out to our hardworking farmers who make this program possible and all the clients who are enjoying this beautiful food. We would also like to thank Nourish Colorado for funding this year’s program. We hope to continue to offer this fantastic nutrition program to our community for many years to come.
For more information, contact ASI at (970) 264-2167.
Meals on Wheels, admin volunteers needed
The Community Cafe at the Senior Center is requesting volunteers to help with Meals on Wheels deliveries, with our front desk pickup meals and in the office with administrative tasks.
Please call or text us at (970) 264-2167 to volunteer or for more information.
Farmers market vouchers
If you love to shop at the Pagosa Farmers Market, are 60 or older, or if you are 200 percent of poverty, please call Deb Herera of the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging at (970) 403-2164 to put your name on the list for $50 in vouchers to redeem for local foods.
Then, visit the Pagosa Farmers Market any Saturday during the growing season (starting July 6 and running through the end of September) to redeem your vouchers.
The Pagosa Farmers Market is at the Tennyson Sculpture Gardens and Park on Lewis Street from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Bingo
The Senior Center will be hosting bingo twice a month on Friday afternoons from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Bingo will be on Aug. 23, Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.
Participation is free, and we ask you bring yourself and a friend for joyful fellowship. We will provide prizes from local businesses for all winners, and snacks will also be provided.
No RSVP is required; just show up. All ages are welcome, but we ask those 18 and younger to come with an adult chaperone.
For more information, contact us at (970) 264-2167.
Share lunch Monday through Friday
Join us at the Silver Fox’s Den, aka the Community Cafe, in person for daily hot/cold meals Mondays through Thursdays at the Community Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. It is open to all. Pickup is available all week, including Fridays.
Our dining hall is open to all ages and welcomes you all with kindness and warmth. We provide hot/cold meals for anyone in the community interested in a nutritious and delicious meal. For those 60 or older we request a suggested donation of $6, but no one will be turned away. There is a $10.50 charge for guests under the age of 60.
Meals include a main course, side dish, fruit/dessert, garden salad plus beverage. Some popular menu items include Frito chili pie, pork tenderloin with harvest chutney, Singaporean pork ribs, vegetarian lasagna, Hawaiian shrimp with coconut rice and always a beautiful green salad. Many of our items are locally sourced and organic.
Our chef works with a team of local food professionals to hand-prepare your meal for dine-in service in our cozy dining room (with an amazing view of the San Juans) or for takeout (via our convenient drive-through). Our menu changes daily.
To reserve your meal for the day, please make your reservation via text or phone call to (970) 264-2167 by 9 a.m. weekdays.
Community Cafe menu
Thursday, Aug. 22 — New Orleans corn and sausage bisque, simmered greens, southern biscuit, garden salad, pistachio fruit salad and milk.
Friday, Aug. 23 — Teriyaki beef and peppers, coconut rice, garden salad, vanilla yogurt, fruit and milk.
Monday, Aug. 26 — Ham steak with cherry glaze, scalloped potatoes, garden salad, fruit, brownies and milk.
Tuesday, Aug. 27 — Korean beef with cilantro rice, sauteed snow peas, garden salad, fruit, banana bread and milk.
Wednesday, Aug. 28 — Baja fish tacos, cabbage slaw, zesty black beans, garden salad, fruit, Key lime pie and milk.
Thursday, Aug. 29 — Crispy Codfish with tartar sauce, glazed carrots, wilted spinach, garden salad, fruit, Bavarian cream puffs and milk.
Friday, Aug. 30 — Vegetable lasagna with spinach and white sauce, garlic bread, garden salad, fruit, sunrise muffin and milk.
COVID-19 test kits available
Stop by the Senior Center to pick up a pack of six free COVID-19 tests kits for your personal use. These kits are available to anyone in the public who needs affordable access for health promotion and disease prevention.
Mahjong
Mahjong is a 19th century Chinese tile-based game that is commonly played with four players. Each player receives 13 tiles with a goal to make matching sets and pairs (like poker). To win, a player must form four sets and one pair.
Come to the Senior Center to learn or play every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
Medicare call by appointment
For anyone who needs help enrolling and navigating Medicare plans, the San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging helps with parts A, B and D. They can also help you with fraud concerns and troubleshooting any billing issues you may be having. By appointment only. Please call the Medicare line at (970) 264-0501, ext 2.
Board vacancies
The ASI Board of Directors has multiple vacant positions open. The terms are three years with an option to renew for an additional term.
Potential candidates should be at least 21 years of age or older and must have a passion for adult and aging services.
Supporting ASI
Please support our ongoing operations and programming that provide critical services to some of the most vulnerable in Archuleta County.
You may mail your donation to P.O. Box 3444, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 or please visit our website, http://www.psseniors.org/ (donation button). Donation checks can be written to: Archuleta Seniors Inc. We are located at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. For more information about ASI, please visit http://www.psseniors.org/.
