2017 Self-Reliance Fair

Class Descriptions

Fermentation of Kefir & Kombucha

 "Making your own kombucha and kefir is not only cost effective, it’s fun!  Join us as we explore these probiotics, the methods used and learn about what’s needed."   - Cynthia Beiser, Bernalillo County Extension Office

Fermentation of Kimchee & Sauerkraut

 " Probiotics are not just for drinking - eating them is good for you, too.  Kimchee is a growing favorite of chefs around the nation and sauerkraut is a great way to put up all that cabbage you grow during the year.  You’ll learn about both in this session and, time permitting, she’ll talk about fermenting chicken food, too!" 

-  Cynthia Beiser, Bernalillo County Extension Office

Hoop House Construction

"Would you like to extend your growing season?  Would you like to protect your crops from pests and weather?  Build a simple hoop house!  A hoop house (also known as a high tunnel) is a simplified green house.  While similar to a green house in construction, no heating or cooling is supplied and planting is directly into the soil.  Come learn and explore the possibilities!" - Ive Schwebach

Vermiculture

"Vermiculture is defined simply as the growth and maintenance of earthworms, with the out come of Vermicompost. Vermicomposting is the breaking down of organic material through the use of worms, bacteria, and fungi.  In nature, organic matter is decomposed through these organisms.  By managing vermicomposting you are essentially speeding up mother nature's process of breaking down organic matter.  The end product of vermicomposting is a substance called vermicompost or "worm castings". The objective of the class is to give the knowledge and skills needed to successfully raise worms. The few materials you'll need and understanding of sound basic care for the worms."  - Mel Chavez   nmcomposters.org

Bokashi Bucket Composting

Home composting is recycling that produces a useful soil conditioner.  The Bokashi bucket method is a useful choice for, but not limited to, small indoor spaces. It is neat / tidy and requires little physical labor. The science, materials, methods and benefits of several bucket composting options will be presented and demonstrated so that a participant may easily choose, then get started with composting at home.

John Zarola, BCEMC     nmcomposters.org

Composting

Taught by East Mountain Organic Farms. They use a unique way of composting for their 14 acre farm where they grow over 40 varieties of fruits and veggies.

A Year in Keeping Bees

"For this class we will bring a hive set up with 20 frames of visual cards. These cards have different pictures of what is inside a live hive. These cards have the different bees labeled, along with the different stages of development of the brood. They also have additional info about bees and beekeeping. After going through a hive set up and explaining all the terminology we will talk about how a hive progresses through a one year period, and what a beekeeper should be looking at in this year period." 

 - Tyler Schutte owner of NMbeeremoval.com

Permaculture

"Permaculture is an approach - a method - a strategy for designing a resilient, deliberate, sustainable life. If gardening, food storage, grey-water, natural building and alternate energy are tools for self-reliance, then permaculture is the tool box or blueprint that helps to organize and decide how, when and which tool to use. This short class is an overview of the foundational ethics and principles that underlie permaculture, will introduce the design process and illustrate one primary method of permaculture design. Permaculture can help YOU organize yourself and meet the unique personal challenges of creating a functional, more self-reliant lifestyle. Come learn a little more about this singular strategy!"
   - Kathleen Mower is an enthusiastic practitioner of permaculture and holds a Permaculture Design Certificate from Oregon State University. She and her husband live on a small homestead in Stanley where they raise purebred Finnsheep and are working toward a deliberate, resilient retirement in these uncertain times. 

Freezing & Dehydrating

"The freezer and drying class gives research based, expert answers for safely freezing and drying food. Do you know the correct way to make jerky? Which freezer is the best for storing food? Which foods freeze the best and for how long? Come to this class for your answers, as well as food tastings."

 - Cydney Martin, the instructor and Santa Fe County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, teacher the Master Food Preservation program for NMSU at the Extension office in Santa Fe. She can answer your food preservation questions!

Chickens for Food & Fun

“Join us for a discussion of the benefits of keeping chickens for fun and food.  Learn about the different types of chickens, their feeding and care, and how to choose the right flock for your needs.  We will discuss housing requirements, feed types and nutritional needs, laying hens, and meat birds. " 

-  Jossie Neil is a chicken hobbyist who keeps a variety of breeds, some for meat and some for eggs, but mostly for fun.  She volunteers at the Grant County Fair, running the poultry barn and judging poultry.  She believes chickens are like potato chips – you can’t have just one!

Chickens for Food & Fun

“Join us for a discussion of the benefits of keeping chickens for fun and food.  Learn about the different types of chickens, their feeding and care, and how to choose the right flock for your needs.  We will discuss housing requirements, feed types and nutritional needs, laying hens, and meat birds. " 

-  Jossie Neil is a chicken hobbyist who keeps a variety of breeds, some for meat and some for eggs, but mostly for fun.  She volunteers at the Grant County Fair, running the poultry barn and judging poultry.  She believes chickens are like potato chips – you can’t have just one!

Building a Straw Potato Tower

This class will take place out at the pavilion. The greeters will be handing out a map with the schedule so you will know where to go. It will be from 9:30am to 10:20am.

(I will be updating the booths with a description as I get that information from presenters)

Booths Outdoors

MelodyVon Farms
"Melody Cain from MelodyVon Farms is happy to talk chicken (and duck, and goose, and turkey) with you. Did you know baby turkey poults love to be held and want to cuddle with you?  What do you want to know about raising, keeping, and breeding poultry?  Melody will be here to answer your chicken, duck, turkey, and goose questions.  Learn from her knowledge, experience, and love of all things poultry. " 

Wild Fire Team

Discover Solar

 "Is a full service residential solar energy provider. We provide energy evaluations and organise installations of custom designed residential solar module systems to meet individual families needs. Our installation and monitoring partner has been in business since 1995."  - Kefty Eaton

Rabbits

Gardening

Booths Indoors

SELF-RELIANCE EMPOWERED BY ESSENTIAL OILS

 

Hosted by: Kathy Kuehn and family, Wellness Advocates for doTerra

 

"Because of the power of essential oils, many needs will be met in a Self-Reliant lifestyle.

Because they are so potent and concentrated, it just takes a drop or two to establish health and maintain wellness.

Because they have a very long shelf life, they are easy to stock up with the peace of mind that they will last for many years.

Because their shelf life is so long they can be depended on to stay potent in seasoning food.

Because many of them can clean, shine and disinfect, they will be great for cleaning and hygiene.

Because there are ongoing classes teaching how to use the oils for all the above, you will be equipped for whatever the future holds!"

New Mexico Big Horn Gun Club

"The NM Bighorn Gun Club is planning on having a booth at the reliance fair this year.  The gun club maintains a shooting range off Martinez Road in the Torrance County Park.  The gun club sponsors numerous shooting events throughout the year for pistol, rifle, black powder, and shotgun.  We have a lot of shooting opportunities.  Our website is nmbhgc.org. "  -Karma Welchel

Hydroponics

"We have what you need for year round gardening. Including:soils,nutrients,trays and testing apparatus." Gayle Nissen

Self-Reliance

Master Food Preservers

Food is Free

"A local non-profit volunteer organization that encourages social empowerment through the growing and sharing of fresh food.

In it's fourth year, FIFABQ has gone from two moms and their children harvesting and sharing fruit to a full-fledged non-profit organization with branches of interest that include:  Building a demonstrative urban garden from scratch that will include various types of gardening techniques, establishing a partnership with Rio Grande Community Farms where the focus will be learning and demonstrating seed saving techniques, as well as organizing harvesting teams to head up community picking events and distribute locally grown fruit to our community that would otherwise go to waste. 
In 2016, Food Is Free Albuquerque set a lofty goal of gathering over 2,000 pounds for an End Of Season Food Share (this is in addition to the thousands that had been given away through the growing season). With help from many locals, farmers, and volunteers, the group gave away over 2180 pounds of food to over 300 people during their event. Potatoes, apples, parsley, pinons, jujubes, herbs of all kinds, tomatoes, greens, chiles, squash, eggplants, cucumbers, etc. were brought by our community! 

This year, while FIFABQ recoginzes the importance of continuing the collection and distribution of food, they are excited to really dig into the educating of our community, empowering locals to grow and encouraging sharing and community development. 

Stop by for a seedling, information on growing food in our harsh climate, and find out more about our workshops and volunteer opportunities! 

For more information, check out their website: www.foodisfreeabq.com or their Facebook page: Food Is Free Albuquerque." - Trista Teeter & Erin Garrison

Relief Society (Women's Organization)

Gardening

Homesteading

Wild Fire Safety and More

Hand Work; Knitting etc.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me

DeAnn Payne - Paynelessphoto@gmail.com

6th Annual Self-Reliance Fair

Hey everyone! We are in the planning stage for
the 6th Annual Self-Reliance Fair. When the 
schedule is finalized we will be posting it her ASAP! Thanks for all of your support!

Just as a little teaser...we have a class on vermiculture confirmed! I'm so excited to have found such a knowledgeable and experienced teacher!              ***Excited***

So much more to come! Be sure and like our Facebook page. We will be posting lot's of information there in the next few months!

Hello Everyone! Here is the information for the 2016 Self-Reliance Fair!

I am working on getting everything updated, thank you for your patience :)

Classes

(I add class descriptions as I get them)

Living A Simple Life -  Taught by Pres. Jim kearns 

Simple Hoop House Construction -  Taught by Ive Schwebach "A hoop house or high tunnel is a great, cost effective way to extend your growing season, providing pest and weather protection for your crops. Learn simple construction and crop maintenance methods."

Health Crisis in America; How Not To Become A Casualty -  "Health care expenses are the number one cause of personal bankruptcy, and even having health insurance doesn't buffer consumers against financial hardship.  The most common causes of death in America, including heart disease, diabetes, lung disease and stroke continue to grow even though we spend more money per person on health care than any other nation in the world.  The current health care model isn’t working to prevent these illnesses. The good news is that in most cases, these diseases are preventable – but you have to take a different path if you want to avoid these health problems.In this presentation, Dr. Vernon Redd will share information and strategies to put the odds in your favor that will help you avoid the major (and minor) illnesses that can cripple you and lead to both a premature death and financial hardship."  

Introduction to Wilderness Survival Skills 101 - Taught by Sandia Mountain Survival School   "Surviving in the wilderness does not require that you be an expert outdoor survivalist. Surviving in the wilderness only requires that you have a positive attitude, a few skills, and some tools at your disposal. Nothing can be more helpful in avoiding or surviving a dire situation than just plain being prepared. The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to have a true survival situation to overcome. It will be more like an unplanned camping trip." 

Honey Bee Life Cycles - Queen, Worker, Drone -  Taught by Randy Schwartz "The bee life cycle from egg to emerging adult varies with queens, workers, and drones. They all have unique and varied duties that together are essential to the survival of the have.  We will take a close look at the fascinating life cycle and adult responsibilities of the different casts of bees in the hive."   

Seasonal Hive Management Skills - Taught by Randy Schwartz "The beekeeper's year begins with a late winter/early spring hive inspection and ends in the autumn with tasks to prepare the hive for the cold winter.  We will review the many of the seasonal hive management tasks needed to for strong, productive hives."

              

Challenges of East Mountain Vegetable Gardening - Taught by Bill Barrett “East Mountain Gardeners face many challenges.  Our latitude, elevation, in-land location, and topography give us cool nights, hot summer days, cold spring winds, and a short growing season.  Our soil is either clay or rock.  There are animal pests from squash bugs to rabbits, squirrels, gophers, and browsing deer.   I will explore these topics and offer suggestions to mitigate these challenges.  Topics covered include: raised beds, drip irrigation, intensive planting (square foot gardening), companion planting, crop rotation, vegetable variety selection, etc.”                       

Thrive Food Storage - Taught by Cassie Stuart    "Come learn the advantages of storing and using freeze-dried foods. Become more self reliant as you prepare your home for the future. Having a home store of basics can save you: time, money and in emergencies! In this class, you will learn easy techniques to hydrate and cook with freeze-dried foods, tips for rotating your food storage, and how to build your supply without breaking the bank. Hands-on cooking demos to will be sure to satisfy your taste buds too!"                  

Introduction to Canning -   "Understanding how to preserve food is an important skill for self-reliance. This introductory class will teach important principles of food safety and preservation, introduce the resources, tools and equipment for home canning, and discuss methods for preserving (including pre-canning planning and post-canning storage). Also includes a handout with basic recipes. --Kathleen Mower." 

Raising Chicken's - Taught by Janice Spiros "So, you’d like to get started raising chickens? In this class we’ll discuss your purpose for raising chickens. Which breed will work best for you, how to care for them and a bit about coops. We’ll start from “scratch”.                        

Meet the Meat - Taught by Roger Payne - "I love meat, all kinds, lets talk wild game, lets talk butchering, lets talk jerky, let's talk sausage, lets talk canning, and let's talk smoking meats.There are lots of ways you can prepare and preserve meat and some of these might help you if you are in situation without refrigeration.

Wise Water Food Gardening -  Taught by Amanda Bramble of Ampersand  Sustainable Living Center -  "Want to grow food successfully in our harsh climate? Help your seedlings survive the spring winds, summer pests, and blazing sun.Rainwater harvesting and greywater use can be the foundation of desert gardens and Amanda Bramble will present photos that explain how it is done at Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in Cerrillos. Learn how to get the most out of small growing areas through staged plantings, inter-cropping, and perennial plants.  Find out how proper soil preparation, shading and wind protection make a big difference in the health of your plants. "

Booths

(outdoor)

Vermiculture -   Hosted by Miles & Lori Littlefield "Thousands of pounds of food and yard waste are put in our landfills every year.  What a waste of a valuable resource!  Come learn how a couple of pounds of red worms, dirt, the food scraps from your table, and a container can  be turned into nutrient rich compost that will feed your garden and landscape.  No more expensive compost to buy!"

Portable Home Solar Power -  Hosted by Miles & Lori Littlefield"No electricity? No problem!  Come learn a way to harvest the sun's energy to use in your home or on the road.  We will show you a portable solution of capturing New Mexico's plentiful sunshine to use in time of need.No electricity? No problem! We'll show you how to set up a simple solar power system and how to use your car to supply just enough power to your house to get by while the utility grid is offline. Even though you won't have enough power for the A/C and the 72 inch TV, you can make some ice and watch a portable DVD player during a blackout with these simple and relatively low-cost solutions."

Chickens -  "Melody Cain from MelodyVon Farms is happy to talk chicken (and duck, and goose, and turkey) with you.  Did you know baby turkey poults love to be held and want to cuddle with you?  What do you want to know about raising, keeping, and breeding poultry?  Melody will be here to answer your chicken, duck, turkey, and goose questions.  Learn from her knowledge, experience, and love of all things poultry. " 

Sheep & Shearing Demos. -  "Come see live sheep and find information about breeds of sheep and the uses of wool in a self-reliant home. Three scheduled afternoon demonstrations of shearing sheep, plus carding and combing washed wool and spinning the wool on both a wheel and spindle."

-- Kerry & Kathleen Mower

Fodder Systems - - "I will talk about building systems for growing barley fodder to feed horses, cows, goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits. I will describe the nutrition benefits of barley fodder for these animals. I will describe how to build systems for growing the barley, describe the daily costs of buying feed and the labor of preparation and potential cost savings. I will pass out written information and links to on-line information. I am planning to bring a system to demonstrate the operation as well as samples of barley." - Tom Mead

(Indoor)

Herbs for Mental Health- Hosted by Angie True of Calyx Pearl   "The Calyx Pearl Center provides earth-based therapies and herbal medicine for individuals, as well as ecotherapy, dreamwork and botanical workshops. We operate on a sliding scale. We specialize in increasing self-reliance through dietary, herbal and therapeutic support – especially for those coming off of psychiatric medications. For true health, join us in the wild!

          

Thrive Freeze Dried Food Storage -              

 "Food Storage your family will WANT to eat! Sample freeze-dried foods, learn about food rotation systems and how to collect and store a year supply of food. Also, get recipes and great ideas about cooking with your food storage so your family won't even be able to tell when you're using it!
Cassie Stuart, Independent Consultant"     http://cassie.thrivelife.com/home

Bee Keeping -  Hosted by Randy Swartz "Come see a fully enclosed demonstration hive with live bees. There will also be displays of two commonly used hives in New Mexico, Langstroth and Top Bar.  You will be able to see see the essential tools every beekeeper should have.  There will be honey tasting and bees wax/candles to view.  Stop by to see the bees and ask your beekeeping questions." - Randy Swartz

Solar Ovens - Hosted by Richard & Diane Sego  "Oven designs, Sizes, Styles, Benefits, Costs. Live demonstrations, sample foods, ask questions, experience first hand being self reliant.  Use the sun to cook your food."

Home Maintenance, Repair & Beautification- With our large families and stagnated incomes, how do we ever afford the handyman to keep our homes beautiful and in good repair?  Welcome to Do It Yourself! This booth will teach you how to repair holes in sheet rock walls, how to apply caulking in baseboards and door casing and how to replace electrical outlets and switches. We’ll also discuss basic woodworking projects to enhance your home.This booth will familiarize you with the basic tools every home must have and the different types of woodworking tools from hand tools to power tools. What are the benefits of having a miter saw? What can you do with a router? What types of projects can be done with a jigsaw? What are good resources for simple woodworking plans? How do you refinish a piece of furniture that you've bought at a thrift store? How can some basic woodworking skills help you with home improvements and DIY projects? Come hear the answers to these questions and more at the home repairs and woodworking booth at the self-reliance fair!

Water Catchment & Purification - Hosted by Tim Cushman " Rainwater harvesting is the accumulation and deposition of rainwater for re-use on site, rather then allowing it to run off. Rainwater can be collected from rivers or roofs, and in many places the water collected is redirected to a deep pit(well,shaft, or borehole), a reservoir with percolation, or collected from dew or fog with nets or other tools. It's uses include water for gardens, livestock, irrigation, domestic use with proper treatment, and indoor heating for houses etc. The harvested water can also be used as drinking water, longer-term storage and for other purposes such as ground water re-charge."

Schwebach Farm's -  "Gardening in the East Mountain, high dessert climate can have it's challenges, but it can be done and has great rewards.  Tips on garden preparation and planning, seed selection, weed, disease and pest identification/management and irrigation will be offered." 

Seed Savers - Hosted by karen Cox "East Mountain Seed and Garden Co-op

A division of East Mountain Christian Community Helps. We will be starting a seed library where gardeners use our seeds to plant their crops and then save a small part of the seeds grown in their vegetables and return them for the co-ops use the next year.
Our web site is: http://eastmountainseed.org and our email is: info@eastmountainseed.org"

Food is Free - Hosted by Erin Garrison & Trista Teeter "Food Is Free is a movement that is bringing people together to learn about sustainable gardening and sharing the bounty of our endeavors with our friends and strangers.  Locally, this is done by connecting with those who have excess bounty and distributing it those who need it, be it the homeless, our neighbors, or strangers who become friends and advocates.  We encourage others to reach out as well by planting a little extra in their garden, or knocking on a neighbors door to ask if they need help picking a loaded apple tree.  Another part of our mission is teaching our community members HOW to grow food and plants that do well in our climate."  Food is Free                                                                   

Bread Making -  Hosted by Pat & Karisa Mullen "It is a solid, meaningful skill to be able to produce good nutritious food.  BREAD, in its various forms, is perhaps the most basic of all foods, with a history almost as ancient as mankind itself.  A loaf of homemade, whole wheat bread is a warm and wonderful staple of life and will be featured at our basic bread-making booth, along with fermented sourdough breads.  All of these breads are more digestible and much healthier than store-bought mass produced breads.  Would you like to get in the routine of making your own bread?  Like families across the globe who make their daily bread, you can too!  Come check out our helpful booth on simple, basic bread-making, where you can get tips, recipes, see demonstrations, and ask questions"

Sandia Mountain Survival School -  "Sandia Mountain Survival School, LLC is dedicated to teaching proven wilderness survival skills to the general public in an effort to raise conservation awareness and help decrease the chances of lost or missing outdoor enthusiasts in New Mexico. We teach both beginning and advanced students. Topics covered are: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food, Signaling, Navigation, Wild Edible Plants, and Primitive living skills! We offer membership and annual treasure hunts, for real treasure! Guided hikes and Expeditions are another service we offer!"  -  Check out their meet up group too!

Emergency & Wilderness Medicine - Hosted by Chuck Hudson of The Medic Shack. "The Medic Shack is THE place to learn alternative emergency medicine. What you do when to do it and how to do it. If you don't do anything someone may die. The Medic Shack is where herbal medicine, traditional trauma medicine and old combat medic medicine merge into one discipline. How to use your environment to your advantage and to be able to matain the health of your and your family no matter what."

   

ChucFree CPR & AED Training by Lovelace -  "The Lovelace Resuscitation Rangers is a volunteer program offered by Lovelace Health System which includes Heart Hospital of New Mexico @ Lovelace Medical Center, the only hospital in the state dedicated entirely to cardiovascular care. our Mission is to improve outcomes for heart attack and cardiac arrest victims by helping to educate the community on recognizing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack or cardiac arrest, teaching the hands on CPR method and using an automated external defibrillator."

Essential Oils -  "Hosted by Kathy Kuehn and family, Wellness Advocates of doTerra

 Come and learn how essential oils are another powerful tool for the Self-Reliant Lifestyle. 1. Easy to store. 2. Super concentrated. 3. Long shelf life. 4. Powerful properties for wellness and health. 4. Can be used in cooking, cleaning and hygiene. 5. We host classes and provide abundant resources to help you learn how to use essential oils: as well as  equipping you to keep your family healthy and ready for what the future holds!"

2015 Self-Reliance Fair Info!

Welcome, welcome! Here are the details of this years Fair! 

Please share this site with others and we're on Facebook now too!

 

Booths
How to Install Solar Panels - Home Depot and CST solar will be coming to the Fair to show you how to install the solar units Home Depot sells.

Solar Ovens- This dynamic couple cooks in their solar oven often and can't wait to get you excited about them too. Just taste the cookies and bread they make at the Fair and see how really easy it is to use a solar oven!

Fodder system - "I will talk about building systems for growing barley fodder to feed horses, cows, goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits. I will describe the nutrition benefits of barley fodder for these animals. I will describe how to build systems for growing the barley, describe the daily costs of buying feed and the labor of preparation and potential cost savings. I will pass out written information and links to on-line information. I am planning to bring a system to demonstrate the operation as well as samples of barley." - Tom Mead

Bread Making - Let Linda show you the step by step process of how to make a delicious loaf of wheat bread from grinding the wheat to putting it in the oven!

Gardening - Shwebach Farms  "Gardening in the East Mountain, high dessert climate can have it's challenges, but it can be done and has great rewards.  Tips on garden preparation and planning, seed selection, weed, disease and pest identification/management and irrigation will be offered. At the booth will have handouts from the class and information on the farm." - Ive Schwebach

Bee Keeping - "Come see a fully enclosed demonstration hive with live bees. There will also be displays of two commonly used hives in New Mexico, Langstroth and Top Bar.  You will be able to see see the essential tools every beekeeper should have.  There will be honey tasting and bees wax/candles to view.  Stop by to see the bees and ask your beekeeping questions." - Randy Swartz

Wilderness Survival Skills - "Sandia Mountain Survival School, LLC is dedicated to teaching proven wilderness survival skills to the general public in an effort to raise conservation awareness and help decrease the chances of lost or missing outdoor enthusiasts in New Mexico. We teach both beginning and advanced students. Topics covered are: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food, Signaling, Navigation, Wild Edible Plants, and Primitive living skills! We offer membership and annual treasure hunts, for real treasure! Guided hikes and Expeditions are another service we offer!"  -  Check out their meet up group too!

Clothing Construction - "Come and see what you've been missing in the world of sewing.  Explore the possibilities of repurposing the old to make something new!  See examples of children's clothes, quilts, dresses, jackets, alterations, etc.  Ask any sewing questions you might have, and come watch mini demonstrations about sewing on buttons, following a pattern, sewing in zippers, altering clothing, and so on!" - Ariel Babcock 

Sheep -  " You'll find information about the breeds and uses of sheep on a homestead, including using wool. Demonstrations of carding and combing washed wool, and spinning on both a wheel and spindle." - Kathleen Mower

Chickens - "I am part owner of a small farm in the middle of nowhere near Stanley, NM, where my partner and I have been raising a variety of barnyard birds for 16 years now. I’ve had experience with chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, geese, pheasants, peafowl, and pigeons.  Our chickens are currently used to provide eggs and feathers, and I sell both at local farmers markets. I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, but over the years I have learned a few things about keeping these birds fed, housed, and safe (safe is a relative term, considering one doesn’t always realize a situation isn’t safe until something eats your favorite birds). Come stop by at the Self-Reliance Fair, and we can talk basic sustainable chickenry! - Barbara Mann, Gallina del Sol Farm

Hydroponics - Skarsgard Farms will be sending people over to talk about hydroponics and the Harvest boxes they offer. THEY PULLED OUT, SORRY!

HAM Radios - Jim is the guy with the experience and the equipment to visit if you want to know how to be a HAM haha!

Fruit Explorers -  "New Mexico Fruit Explorers doesn't care what an apple looks like, if it's taste is superb!  We collect scionwood from old orchards to preserve long forgotten fruit.  Come join us to learn the magic art of grafting!" - Dwight

Thrive Freeze Dried Foods - "Food Storage your family will WANT to eat! Sample freeze-dried foods, learn about food rotation systems and how to collect and store a year supply of food. Also, get recipes and great ideas about cooking with your food storage so your family won't even be able to tell when you're using it!
Cassie Stuart, Independent Consultant"     http://cassie.thrivelife.com/home

Your Health Matters - Dr. Redd is the guy to talk to when it comes to keeping you and your family well whether the road to wellness for you is a long road or just a few steps away he has the knowledge and experience to help you get there.  What will you do if you can't get your medications in event of a natural disaster or other crisis?                                                                                                       

Classes (descriptions will be filled in as I receive them)

Permaculture - "Permaculture was developed by two Australians in the 1970's after realizing that we will develop permanent cultures only when we learn to develop permanent agricultures that are sustainable. We will discuss permaculture as an ethical design system and see how understanding natural patterns enhances our ability to design sustainable living situations. Permaculture principles help us integrate our assets and needs so we can work thoughtfully and efficiently in implementing our designs." - Christian Meuli

Carpentry - "This basic woodworking class will familiarize you with different types of woodworking tools from hand tools to power tools. What are the benefits of having a miter saw? What can you do with a router? What types of projects can be done with a jigsaw? What are good resources for simple woodworking plans? How do you refinish a piece of furniture that you've bought at a thrift store? How can some basic woodworking skills help you with home improvements and DIY projects? Come hear the answers to these questions and more at the woodworking class at the self-reliance fair!"   - Keri Payne

Raising Meat Rabbits - "Rabbits, the OTHER white meat! With only a buck and two does, one can produce 180 pounds per year of some of the leanest meat and raising them is easy for anyone! Come learn about everything to get started: housing options, feed options, health concerns, breeding costs, meat breeds, function stacking with other animals/sources, pelts and tanning, as well as processing for cooking."  - Trista Teeter

Rocket Stoves - "The rocket mass heater (RMS) us a custom fireplace designed to use a rocket stove design and a large mass or earthen material to more economically heat a home, office, or green house. Reports have shown a 3/4 reduction in wood consumed to heat the same space. Making it the most effecient wood stove ever created. The fact that it can be built by anyone for as little as $50 to fit any space makes it the least expensive stove to obtain." -  Doug Ludington

Gardening - Schwebach Farms "Gardening in the East Mountain, high dessert climate can have it's challenges, but it can be done and has great rewards.  Tips on garden preparation and planning, seed selection, weed, disease and pest identification/management and irrigation will be offered."
- Ive Schwebach

Square Food Gardening - "Learn how to harvest vegetables from your high altitude, arid, plot of land. This class will discuss the square foot gardening method in raised beds. Find out useful tips for what to grow, when to grow it, and how to keep it alive!" - Renee Olson

Emergency Preparedness -

Bee Keeping - "There are several things you should consider before becoming a beekeeper but they are not much different than if you were interested in caring for any other animal.  We will discuss proven steps that all happy and successful beekeepers take before getting started in beekeeping." - Randy Swartz

Herbs for Nutrition - "We all know that 'we are what we eat' and good food is the foundation of health.  In this class you will get to know a few common herbs and everyday weeds that can help us in this goal.  Using herbs with high nutrient density, we can build and maintain our health, recover from illness more quickly, and even minimize allergy suffering.  This class is offered by Dara Saville of Albuquerque Herbalism and is created specially for this event."

Water Catchment - "Amanda Bramble of Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center will offer an introduction to wise water systems that help us conserve and re-use this precious resource.  She will cover the basic elements of rain collection systems including sizing and siting your tank as well as keeping the water clean. Learn the essentials for re-using waste water to grow edible plants.  Amanda will cover what soaps to use, and products to avoid as well as simple and safe techniques for releasing your waste water into your garden." 
-Amanda  www.ampersandproject.org

Fruit Tree Grafting -"At the turn of the century, 1900, there were over 12,000 named varieties of apples in the U.S.   By 2000 there were less than 6,000 and grocery stores carried fewer than 10.  Others were lost to commercial production because they didn't ripen uniformly, didn't color evenly, and didn't have shelf appeal.  Some of the survivors tasted like cardboard, but looked great.  New Mexico Fruit Explorers doesn't care what an apple looks like, if it's taste is superb!  We collect scionwood from old orchards to preserve long forgotten fruit.  Come join us to learn the magic art of grafting!  I am current president of the New Mexico Fruit Explorer's.  We meet monthly to exchange information on growing fruit, nuts, and berries.  I have been growing fruit trees for many years, and started grafting at my granddads knee as a youngster.  I have held grafting workshops in both New Mexico and Alaska." - Dwight 
***You have to RSVP to this class by e-mailing me at paynelessphoto@gmail.com to reserve a spot in this class.  The teacher is purchasing enough supplies for 30 people. The cost is $7 which gets you the materiel's for doing one graft. I will post it here when the class is full. Money will be due in exact change at the start of the class. ***

Plant Propagation - " I think most folks probably have a fair idea how to start veggies. I'd like to give a brief intro to some other strategies, and present resources that have helped me in propagating a wide variety of plants." - Joanne East

2014 Self-Reliance Fair

            Welcome! Here is what will be going on this year at the Self-Reliance Fair.

This is an annual shindig so if you wold like to be a part of the Fair next year by teaching a class or having a booth please let me know. Or if you know someone who would make a perfect addition to the Fair pass their information on to me. Thank You! -DeAnn  paynelessphoto@gmail.com

There will be hot dogs grilled outside this year so you don't have to leave to grab a bite for lunch. There will also be refreshments in one of the foyers which will include dutch oven cobbler!

Greeters will be in the foyer handing out class schedules. Signs will also be up on the classroom doors etc.

                          
                           Sewing 101
This class is for those who would like to start sewing with patterns for themselves or others. We will go over how to read a pattern, which patterns are best, including PDF patterns, and how to sew them together.  We will talk a little about choosing fabrics and what is absolutely essential for this process. Sewing can be easy, fun, and rewarding. - Taught by Jenae Hasler

                    Dairy Goat Basics 
Considering adding dairy goats to your life?  This class will give you some food for thought about goat housing and behavior, milking and kidding demands, necessary equipment, a consideration of goat breeds and more.  - Taught by Cynthia Daly

                    Basic Gardening 
            in the East Mountain Area

This class is for the beginning gardener or for the experienced gardener that is new to New Mexico or East Mountain gardening. Topics covered are site selection, soil preparation, irrigation, understanding what "High Desert" means, growing with the seasons and more. - Taught by Kim Nuckols

                        Seed Starting 101

Have you ever tried to grow a tomato plant in your kitchen window? If you are like most people, you have ended up with an 18" tall, somewhat yellowish stem with 4 or 5 sets of scrawny leaves that looks nothing like the hefty green plants sold in the nursery. There are several reasons why it is advantageous to grow your own plants from seeds. Learn the reasons and, more importantly, learn to grow plants like the pros in your very own home!

 -Taught by Kim Nuckols

Introduction to Essential Oils and How to Use Them in Your Daily Routine 

This class is an introduction to essential oils including history, basic categorizing, and most importantly how to incorporate these potent oils into your daily life.  Following the class will be a hands on lab where students will make two aromatherapy balms: a “calming relaxing balm” and a separate “stimulating energizing balm”. Both can be rubbed on the temples, chest or scalp for long lasting aromatherapy. Let the olfactory sensory begin.

Taught by herbalist Claudia Millan-Rounds

                                  Basic Herbalism
Learning to build a relationship with herbs will be your best resource in finding what will provide you and your family with the best healing aid. Best place to start is right in your own yard. The focus will be around a small number of herbs I have developed a loving relationship with by experimenting with various preparations and uses and most importantly, following them in nature. This class will provide the information I've gathered of my favorite herbs, their medicinal uses, and how to's of preparation. Printouts will be given and discussed about the following: 

• Terminology
• Basic preparation of teas
• Preparing tinctures
• Preparing balms
• Herbal recipes

Bring your own clean small jars and take home a self prepared herbal infused oil and or tincture

Taught by herbalist Claudia Millan-Rounds

Thrive Life (food storage)

"Come to a cooking demonstration and tasting featuring Thrive Freeze Dried Foods.  It can be hard to figure out where to start when it comes to budgeting, storing, and rotating a long-term food supply.  You won't be overwhelmed anymore after you attend this class. You will also be excited to see how cooking with freeze dried foods can hep you save time, save money and eat healthier!  Nothing beats the peace of mind you'll have as you build a Home Store full of delicious foods that you know your family will eat." 

Taught by Amber Pearce Thrive Life Rep

Sustainable Living

This class will be an overview of the essential low tech sustainable systems used at Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center.  This will include the basics of passive solar design for cooking, water heating, and space heating, as well as cooling and ventilation.  Rain collection and greywater use will also be discussed as an essential part of sustainable living in the Southwest. 

Taught by Amanda Bramble of Ampersand Sustainable Living Center.

 Raising Chicks

From egg to coop; what to do when you get your baby and how to know when to let them go. Basic feeding, care, tips and health! - Taught by Sydney Stuart

                                  Couponing
"Most people use coupons, but do you know how to make couponing really worth your while? In this class we will discuss how to make the most out of your coupons by “stacking,” and “price matching”. We will discuss the different kinds of coupons, where to find them, and how to combine them for the most savings. We will also talk about coupon-friendly stores, their store policies, and different valuable rewards programs.  Come spend some time with us learning how to stretch a dollar."   - Taught by Kathy Bullock 

Budgeting- Understanding Debt 

American's have an unhealthy relationship with debt. Understanding debt is key to managing your money, and effective budgeting. - Taught by Mike Patterson

Budgeting- Money Management 

Create a budget that works. Answers the question, "Does a budget tell us how much we can spend, or how much we can save?" - Taught by Mike Patterson

I will post descriptions as I get them from all the teachers. Thanks!

BOOTHS

Demos & handouts on how to make home care products - such as toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, laundry detergent etc. Booth by Carla Ludington

Home Canning - Ask questions and get info on how to can food at home from Kathy Mower a very experienced home canner.

Thrive Life- Learn all about Freeze Dried foods for your home store as well as for your food storage from Amber Pearce. 

Solar Oven Cooking - Richard & Diane Sego are very experienced in cooking in their solar oven and do so weekly. They will have multiple solar ovens to show you how simple they are to use as well as lots of foods prepared during the Fair for you to taste.

Abq Old School - Looking for a place to learn self-reliance skills from throughout the year?! Then talk to the gals from Abq Old School! They offer so many great classes at very affordable prices. 

Your Health - Dr. Redd is the guy to talk to when it comes to keeping you and your family well whether the road to wellness for you is a long road or just a few steps away he has the knowledge and experience to help you get there. 

New Mexico Big Horn Gun Club - A gun club in the East Mountains with a shooting range. They offer classes and a whole lot more be sure to stop by their booth to chat with them.

Communications - Wanna be a HAM? Jim Devenport is a guy to talk to he's got the gear and the expertise to answer your questions about HAM radios and all that good stuff.

Gardening in the East Mountains - TBA

Bread Making - Are you wanting to bake your own bread or have questions about what may be going wrong with the bread you are making? Karissa and Pat Mullen will be there to show you and answer your questions. They will have samples as well as demoing how to make bread. Such a fun and interactive booth.

Emergency prep -72 hour Kits, bugout bags, vechicle kit, and family emergency plan. Come take a look at all these items and see what you need to be ready in an emergency.

4-H Demonstrations -  Members of the Rt. 66 Sharpshooters will be doing short demos of the skills they have learned through 4-H such as raising rabbits and much more. 

Up-cycling & Re-purposing - "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" is the mantra for this booth. Stop throwing away what you can make good use of in a different way. Come learn how in this fun and interactive booth!

More booths will be added very soon. Thanks!

If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you or e-mail me.  -DeAnn Payne paynelessphoto@gmail.com