Rainwater Harvesting Videos Available onYou Tube

If you missed the opportunity to attend the Brad Lancaster workshop during Patagonia Trail Days on April 24, there are a series of videos available for viewing on You Tube:


There are three in the series as well as other informative and useful links in the You Tube sidebar - a great easy and accessible convenience if your schedule or work demands don't let you get to these presentations in person.

Patagonia Planet : We're All in This Together

Patagonia, Arizona. April 19, 2010.Let's zero-in on this Whole Planet Earth we all live on ...and take a look at the landscape and its features from a few thousand feet above it all - Gives you a different perspective, doesn't it?
Well, take a good look at it and keep it in your mind's eye when you think about where we are on the surface of the planet.
Locate the Headwaters of The Santa Cruz River in The San Rafael Valley . . . Trace the flow South into Mexico down to San Lazaro as the riverway heads westerly and then North, looping up through now what is now Kino Springs in Nogales Arizona and from there onto Tucson
If you look closely, you'll see outlines of The Sonoita Valley, Sonoita Creek and Harshaw Creek, the man-made Patagonia Lake formed by damming up the creek, The Patagonia Mountains, The Santa Ritas,and centuries-old pathways and trails used as natural migration routes way before Arizona Statehood in 1912, or the founding of the Town of Patagonia in 1898 in what was The Territory of Arizona after the Civil War. After decades of exploitation and extraction of natural resources and overgrazing of the ranchlands, a growing sensibility to restore and conserve our natural resources, and to promote towns in close proximity to them has taken root in the Gateway Communities Project, moving beyond a sustainability that just doesn't work to a regeneration, restoration and resiliency of places and people. Progress you can believe in and activate in what used to be "a sleepy little town", that some people say was dying with a sentiment that some locals had saying, "Thanks for visiting Patagonia, now go home!" or we like it "just the way it was".
History is one thing, but the future is another. It's here, whether you like it or not. The times are changing forward. It's a happy coincidence that both the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and The First Annual Patagonia Trail Days are being celebrated at the same time. We're happy, likewise, that the Arizona Trail Association has chosen Patagonia, the only town directly on the 800+ mile trail, designated in 2009 as a National Scenic Trail, running from the Mexico border to Utah, to kick-off a Gateway Communities Project with a $5000 grant  from REI, an outdoor gear and equipment supplier and the Arizona Office of Tourism, an example of a private-public partnership.
Through the auspices and organization of the Mountain Empire Trail Association (META), a group that has recently connected the past with the future in Phase I of The Patagonia Train Track Trail, with a description and photographs featured in this link: Rails To Trails Conservancy (for a map of The Patagonia Train Track Trail please link to this website Patagonia Train Track Trail Map ), a day of volunteer work on trail segments has been scheduled, along with overnight camping on the Dr. Mock end of the town park, as well as interactive educational exhibits, workshops, discussions and other activities to encourage awareness, intelligent use of land and energy, and appreciation and the benefits of our natural resources for our daily lives and outdoor recreation for residents and visitors alike.
Activities and events are a very full day, from morning to evening. A special point of pride for local people will be the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the dedication of the new Mary Rebecca Cady Reading Room at The Patagonia Public Library scheduled for 11 o'clock. It's a good example of the collaborative work of residents and supporters for the restoration and preservation of an historic landmark building, formerly a hotel-restaurant-dance hall-boardinghouse, one of only two properties in Patagonia on the National Register of Historic Places, that has been lovingly regenerated as an important community resource.

To see what other events are scheduled and when please go this link: Patagonia Trail Days 2010 Schedule of Events

Earth Day Network EARTH DAY 2010 NETWORK is providing a film that was featured at The Sundance Film Festival in 2009 that will be shown on Saturday, April at Cady Hall at 7:00 p.m.. You can see the official 2:29- minute trailer here, compliments of You Tube:

This is more than a movie, it's a movement, a book, and an award-winning blog No Impact Man  by Collin Beavan. Screening time is 1:30 in Cady Hall at The Patagonia Public Library.

Participating organizations, with links provided below, include:
The Nature Conservancy in Arizona http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/
Native Seeds/SEARCH http://www.nativeseeds.org/
Friends of Sonoita Creek http://www.sonoitacreek.org/
Save the Scenic Santa Ritas http://www.scenicsantaritas.org/
Patagonia Community Garden http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M18387
Tucson Audubon Society http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/
Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center http://www.treeoflife.nu/home-index/
The Patagonia Museum Patagonia Museum
Practical Energy 4 Rural Communities Rural Energy: A Practical_Primer_for_Productive_Applications_
Audubon Society’s Research Ranch http://www.audubonresearchranch.org/
Mariposa Community Health Center http://www.mariposachc.net/
Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum http://www.sonoitacrossroads.org/

Your blogger wants to take the time to highlight one of Patagonia's present day pioneers in Permaculture and a future-looking individual willing to teach and share and build the community regenerating our sense of place and how we live here.
On Saturday, May 1st, she'll be opening her own house garden for a tour of earthworks and permaculture principles put into practice.
She says it better than I can in her own words:  
" I design for long-term viability by creating beautiful places that feed, nurture, invite, and give back: to us, to the soil, the water, the air, and the wild. My work is the vehicle through which I em-power and support individuals, groups, neighbors and communities that are interested in creating resilience and self-sufficiency"

At 1:00 p.m in the Community Center Kate will be offering an interactive and information-gathering community forum that welcomes all participants - "What Is A Resilient Community?"
You're encouraged to be there. You're encouraged to to go to her website: http://katetirion.com/

Giving you a balanced feature of the talents organized by the local working group for Patagonia Trail Day Earth Day 2010, Brad Lancaster will be giving a presentation earlier in the day at 10:00 o'clock in the morning in the cafeteria at Patagonia Union High School.
On his website http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/aboutbrad/ he says:
"I believe we all can become beneficial stewards of the land, and partners in the ecosystem in which we live, and I believe that by harvesting rainwater sustainably we can all begin to transform our households from consumers of resources to producers of resources."
Kate and Brad have known each other since 1994. Is it just a coincidence that both of them have red hair, or is it something in the water?

Free camping on the town park, or you can make arrangements for other overnight accommodations (you can find them with this link: Overnight Accommodations: Beds of Patagonia and make a weekend get-away out of this and other regional events on the calendar:

The 95th running of the Sonoita Horse Races will be at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds located at 3142 South Highway 83 (1/4 mile south of intersection 82 & 83) Sonoita, Arizona. The races will be held on April 24-25, and May 1-2, 2010. See details with this link: http://www.sonoitafairgrounds.com/ 

The legendary "El Moro de Cumpas" race is an event, organized by Jo Ann di Fillipo, that will staged again for the second year in Sonoita. More information: Arizona Guide 
In Nogales (that's Ambos Nogales in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico) the Third Annual Charlie Mingus Hometown Jazz Festival goes on all weekend, on both sides of his hometown. Schedules and information you can find here: http://www.mingusproject.com/ 

The Mega Outdoor Adventure Event is ARIZONA TRAIL RACE 300 and 750 - it starts at the Visitor Information Center at Parker Canyon Lake on Friday, April 23 at 09:00 a.m.. winding through Patagonia then on from there ... Get ready, get set, go to http://www.topofusion.com/azt/race.php
Great site with details about track conditions and topo maps!
 

Patagonia Trail Days April 23-25, 2010

Exciting events are being planned for active outdoor recreation enthusiasts connecting with REI's Gateway Communities Project, the wonderful people from the Arizona Trail Association, and the Arizona Office of Tourism to encourage a growing interest in geo-tourism and eco-tourism based on respect for our natural resources, and place-based local rural development to highlight the attractions of towns and regions along the Arizona Trail.
Patagonia is the one town, out of 19 communities located on a new map, that is directly on the trail where two segments connect: Canelo West and Temporal Gulch, featuring pathways from centuries-old early wildlife, Native American and immigrant trails starting at the border with Mexico, as well as passages through the history, culture and traditions of cattle-raising, mining, railroads and ranching in the region - the reasons for the founding of the town back in 1898.
The railroad is gone now, as well as the cattle-pens and ore-shipping  containers around it, having been replaced by a town park that will be the hub of activities for Patagonia Trail Days. One section of the old Santa Fe Pacific Railroad tracks has been converted to a trail - the Patagonia Trail Track Trail -  for non-motorized use  by the Mountain Empire Trail Association in collaboration with other groups.
Now, some 100+ years later we are looking at low-impact or no-impact ways to regenerate the use and enjoyment of our natural resources, to restore vital habitats, and to encourage people to support these initiatives.
This is not just local, it's world-wide. Happening at the same time is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. You might want to join the network: Earth Day Network

Meanwhile, stay tuned to activities for "Planet Patagonia"
http://www.aztrail.org/calendar.html

Sounds of Music at Patagonia Lake State Park

12th Annual 
Mariachi Festival
Saturday, March 20, 2010

After two years of not getting on the events calendar for Patagonia Lake State Park, this popular annual event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with a day of family fun and entertainment..
5 Bands, and 1 group of dancers will make this year's Mariachi Festival memorable.
Enjoy a wide variety of Southern Arizona Mariachi bands on stage. Come join the fun. 10 am: Mariachi Reyes Band, 11 am: Sunnyside High School Band, Noon: Baile Folklorico Tapatio Dancers, 1 pm: Mariachi Juvenil Batiz Band, 2 pm: Pueblo High School Band, 3 pm: Mariachi Plata Band. Schedule subject to change.
In addition, Patagonia offers picnicking, birding and nature walks.

Writers Round-Up 2010 Events Announcement

This year's Writers Round-Up 2010 - moving beyond sustainability for a small audience after seven years of being staged at historic Cady Hall in Patagonia - has been regenerated and morphed into a more wide-reaching  appeal with a new comprehensive format for both featured authors to attract greater attendance of the reading public and to aspiring writers to find out how to get published.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 13 for this one-day showcase of published Arizona authors and their books. Perhaps next year this annual event could be further developed into a three-day weekend with related activities, sessions and workshops.
As usual there will be a special though "private" social reception on Friday night, this year at Durazno, the home of Laura Chester. Fund-raising tickets for that are $0 per person if you're lucky enough to be on the list.
Twenty-four authors accepted invitations from the Friends Board Selection Committee - the first time this event became "invitational".  Seven writers who participated in the past have new books recently published, attesting to the popularity  and marketing of their talents. Nine new writers, not showcased before here in Patagonia, have been added to the line-up of featured authors.
New format features this year are:

• 11:00 BECOMING A WRITER Steven Cox, former Editor at University of Arizona Press and co-author of "Writing Brave and Free" will lead this discussion
• 1:00 GETTING PUBLISHED Gail Woodard, local writer and publisher, will lead this group
• 3:00 RICHARD SHELTON READING from his much-beloved classic"Going Back to Bisbee"

Participation in these discussion circles is free and open to all, but if you wish to attend, please call the Library to have your name put on the list. (394-2010)
Writers* who will attend are Mark Bahti, Betty Barr, Byrd Baylor, Joel Bernstein, J.P.S. Brown, Philip Caputo, Laura Chester, Stephen Cox, Alison Deming, Jane Eppinga, Elizabeth Gunn, Lynn Hassler, Juanita Havill, Mike Hayes, Fenton Johnson, Ken Lamberton, Susan Lowell, Gregory McNamee, Tom Miller, Gary Paul Nabhan, Margaret Regan, Richard Shelton and Stephen Strom.
*Elizabeth Bernays, according to a source, is included here [updated 01/21 @ 3:10 p.m.]
Notably absent from this list is local author Jim Harrison . . .
Noted in passing: Bill Holm, who died last year unexpectedly
This local celebration keeps getting better and better - hit this link for details:
Patagonia Public Library » Friends’ Events
Proceeds from this one-day's writers showcase and social event will benefit the Friends of Patagonia Library, and contribute directly to its collection development.
The Friends of the Patagonia Library is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to support and expand a community of readers and to stimulate a love of books and learning.
It assists in providing financial support by raising funds and promoting the library to the the greater community which it serves.
Board Members:
Janet Winans, President
Lou Schatz
Jack Walsh
Gail Eifrig
Kathleen James
Donna Federici
Kathi Noaker
Andrea Wood


10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The entire event is free, and welcomes adults and children.

Patagonia Christmas Bird Count Summary

Subject: [BIRDWG05] Patagonia, AZ Christmas Bird Count - summary

From: Tom Arny
Date: Tue, Jan 5, 2010, 5:52 PM

The Patagonia, AZ Christmas Bird count was held Dec 27, 2009. About
40 people participated. A preliminary compilation gives us 125
species (including a count week Fox Sparrow). A special thanks to
all who braved a very cold beginning of the day and who turned up
such a good list.
The list of birds seen is given below. Compared to counts in recent
years, very few water-birds were found. Warbler numbers were also
way down. Some sparrow species were down but others were up.
The list of species is given below, with reported numbers. Perhaps
the two most unexpected species were a Poorwill and a Long-billed
Dowitcher. A Broad-billed Hummingbird was a surprise too.

Birding Mail - Arizona and New Mexico Birds - [BIRDWG05] Patagonia, AZ Christmas Bird Count - summary