Rancho Huamuchil is a dream that we, Juan and Montse (with the help of so many of you), are building. It's been almost four years since we began working for this dream and we are ready to take it to the next level.

The first thing we did was rehabilitate the family's water well, since without water there is no life. After this, we built an ecological clay house, with a bio-filter for gray waters, a compost toilet and a rainwater collection tank. We have also been cultivating the traditional milpa (corn, beans, squash and more) using native seeds and without applying agrochemicals, as well as a medicinal garden.

Simultaneously, we founded a community co-op that produces traditional products like mole poblano and chocolate. Our vision is to create sovereignty in every aspect of our lives and this purpose is deeply rooted in our ancestral, Indigenous wisdom.

WHAT WE DO:

Some of what you helped us accomplish so far & our next steps

Water Preservation

In 2020 you helped us rehabilitate our family's water-well. Our community is located in a rural area considered high-risk because of intense and continuous droughts and the decimation of local rivers. For these reasons, we use a variety of water preservation methods in our home and farm. Four years in, we continue to be care-takers of our family's water well but there's much more work to do in order to secure clean water for the future. With your help, starting January 2024, we will be able to collaborate with Indigenous water protectors from our region and create a permaculture design that is more complete and well-structured.

Organic Farming

We care deeply about nourishing the health of our soil because our own well-being depends on this. For this reason, we do not use any form of agro-chemicals and instead we make our own composts and bio-fertilizers. We work with bio-regional heirloom seeds for our milpa and trees. In 2024 we will be actively storing heirloom seeds for the purpose of trading with other farmers, as our ancestors have always done. We will also collaborate with Indigenous permaculture experts from our region to create a holistic farming design. Join us in re-defining what true wealth means: wealth comes from a healthy soil and healthy seeds.

Bio-Construction

We are constantly learning about and applying different bio-construction methods in order to minimize impact on our ecosystem. Simultaneously, for the past four years we have been providing stable jobs in bio-construction while paying above minimum wage to fellow community members. In 2024 our goal is to build rooms for volunteers, a new Temazcal (sweat lodge) and the Montessori school space. We know this will be possible with your support!

Traditional Foods

Semillas Ancestrales is the food co-op that we founded. Women from the community come together to produce mole poblano, chocolate, herbal salts and medicinal products for sale. The co-op has become an important source of income for our members. In 2024 our goal is to travel to deepen our understanding of some of the seeds we work with, to expand our skills and to connect with other rural co-ops.

Community Herbalism

At Rancho Huamuchil we believe that medicine and healing are everywhere and should be accessible to everyone, especially to those who struggle the most. Herbalism is also one of the many ways in which we re-affirm our Indigenous roots and transmit ancestral wisdom to our children. For this reason, we provide free and low-cost herbalism workshops in rural communities within our region. At the same time, many of you have gifted us materials for medicine-making that we transform into free herbal products for people who need them. In 2024 our goal is to expand programming within our region, to create a well-stocked apothecary to serve our community and continue learning about our bio-regional plants and remedies.

Reproductive Health Education

We have been providing free and low-cost workshops on reproductive health and justice within rural communities where access to quality information and care can be scarce. Oftentimes this work is woven with bodily autonomy, herbalism, cultural teachings and gender justice. Our workshops cover pregnancy, fertility, abortion, miscarriage, birth, postpartum recovery, lactation, newborn care and more. With your support we will be able to invite guest speakers and expand our curriculum and programming through the year 2024.

DONATIONS

Support the Legacy We Are Building for the Next Seven Generations

We are building an organic farm and Indigenous Montessori School because:

We invite you to join hands with us to make this vision an actual, embodied reality.

Your Donations Will Be Put to Work Immediately On:

AND MORE!

Thank you for investing in the well-being of Indigenous peoples.

Familia Lucero Olmos