Bienvenidos a la Milpa Mariposa!
What is a milpa?
A milpa is traditional mesoamerican companion planting which brings together diverse plant siblings that work symbiotically to provide nourishment for the community. The three sisters, maize, squash and bean (maize, calabasa y frijol) are joined by tomatoes, tomatillos, chiles, herbs and more.
Preserving milpas is extremely important in this day of mono crop farming because they increase biodiversity, eliminate the need for chemicals and support the regeneration of Mother Earth.
“Hay que repetirlo: los mesoamericanos no sembramos maíz, los mesoamericanos hacemos milpa. Y son cosas distintas porque el maíz es una planta y la milpa un modo de vida. La milpa es matriz de la civilización mesoamericana. Si en verdad queremos preservar y fortalecer nuestra identidad profunda, no sólo agroecológica sino socio-económica, cultural y civilizatoria, debemos pasar del paradigma maíz al paradigma milpa....La fuerza de la milpa no está en la productividad del maíz o del frijol o de la calabaza o del chile o del tomatillo medidas por separado. Su virtud está en la sinérgica armonía del conjunto”-Armando Bartra
“It must be repeated: Mesoamericans don't plant corn, Mesoamericans make milpa. And they are different things because corn is a plant and the milpa is a way of life. The milpa is the matrix of Mesoamerican civilization. If we truly want to preserve and strengthen our deepest identity, not only agroecological but socioeconomic, cultural, and civilizational, we must move from the corn paradigm to the milpa paradigm...The strength of the milpa is not in the productivity of corn or beans or squash or chile or tomatillo measured separately. Its virtue lies in the synergistic harmony of the whole.”Armando Bartra
This community nonprofit project is also about remembering ancestral wisdom and reconnection to Madre Tierra for all.
As one mama, Ilda, says:
“I don’t come to the milpa just for food. I come here to remember my home and help my children remember.”
It is also about empowering our sisters in the Latina Mamas Collective through cooking classes and our farmer’s market stand.
Milpa Mariposa at Farmer’s Market:
In collaboration with Sabina and other Latina mamas we are offering homemade tortillas, tacos, quesadillas, homegrown, freshly nixtamalized posole, atole, champurrado and more. Sabina is an amazing traditional foods chef and loves to share from scratch meals from her pueblo in Oaxaca. Her earnings from the farm stand are helping her save up for her dream of having a food truck someday!
We source many of our ingredients directly from the milpa; tomatoes, tomatillos and chiles make our sauces, maiz for posole, tortillas and warm drinks, winter and summer squashes for our vegetarian mole and tacos, and so on!
In this way we share our love and joy in tending and preparation to deeply nourish the community with food as medicine.
Pictured: Sabina with her traditional tortilla press that was given to her by her mother 20 years ago. After the Almeda fire, it was the only family belonging that remained intact in the ashes.
Latina Mama Cooking Classes:
The latina mamas collective also offer cooking classes where they share traditional recipes from their pueblos. Sabina has already shared many traditional recipes with beautiful community in Ashland and she looks forward to sharing more. Cooking classes are held family style in a home in Ashland. It is a completely authentic experience with open hearted connection and learning!
All classes are fundraisers with all donations directly benefiting each featured mama.
For more on our current local community empowerment projects, click here.
Milpa Mariposa
More on the Milpa….
We especially honor the medicine of La Reyna, Madre Maiz, Corn Mother and the abundance and nourishment she offers. We offer classes teaching the ancestral process of nixtamalization which releases her bioavailability to make masa and hominy for all traditional recipes.
At this time when many can feel helpless about climate change, Madre Tierra reminds us that wherever we are, we can take steps to tend her and be a part of her/our regeneration. Planting seeds, making prayers, sharing gratitude, and tending the land we remember the communal ways of all of our ancestors and return to the interdependence, connection and vitality that she supports.
Here is a beautiful article on the milpa.
We work as a collective and volunteers are welcome!
Please contact sylvia@connectingwithin.com if you would like to volunteer!
