Food Church Property, named Selah, of southern New Mexico is aiming to operate entirely on existing resources from the immediately surrounding lands. Selah is in its 3rd year of development and first year as a Food Church property.
Food Church Visioneers arrived at Selah in September of 2024, delighted to find an array of existing edible and medicinal plants on the property and throughout the surrounding, undeveloped land. Property owner and Village Visioneer Lindsey had planted test seeds of buckwheat and chia in early summer. The seeds were pointedly scattered where the rain catchment from roof panels would spill over, allowing them to be passively watered throughout the summer. The seeds did exceptionally well without any human management for well over a month, and proved an excellent test case of species that will thrive at this property.
Lindsey had also begun a living “green roof” under another set of roof panels dropping rainwater catchment, above a lower level of the existing structure. The Green Roof bed held test plants of corn and tomatoes which have also been successful, being passively watered by rain catchment from the roof panels above.
The Green Roof bed contained additional space which Food Church Visioneers were able to build up the soil with mulch (free from local community of Timberon) and compost from the property. Visioneer Sarah then planted two kinds of radishes, pennycress, and wild lettuce in the Green Roof area for further testing into the autumn and winter seasons.
Food Church Visioneers were allowed the opportunity to transplant over 30 agave plants, assisting with the removal from a local neighbor’s property and re-planting them in several areas around the Selah property line.
The Selah property is located within a sprawling forested area of ponderosa, juniper, cedar and piñon trees. Food Church Visioneers arrived just as the first piñon nuts of the season were starting to drop. This became an important learning opportunity to observe a large mature piñon forest go through the stages of dropping the piñon nut – one of the most expensive and delicious nuts in the world!
The local area around Timberon, NM is also populated with various fruit trees, many of which are on public lands. Visioneers visited several orchard areas to check on the status of various apple, peach, quince and pear trees. While most trees had already past harvest, there was a plentiful supply of pears from one very old and large pear tree!
Sooo very impressive…I have had the opportunity to visit Selah and have been amazed by the new additions built of all natural materials and carefully engineered to be self sustaining for livable space and producing healthy edible plants as well! Wonderful work being done there!!!