Aquilli Metzli: Where milpas grow community flows

From seed to table, Humboldt’s local Latine and Indigenous cooperative is creating space to keep traditions and cultural farming practices alive. Aquilli Metzli volunteers get their hands dirty tending to plants in farm spaces located in Hoopa, Carlotta, personal at home gardens and the newly developed student farm. 

Members are brought together by food that reminds them of who they are and those who came before them. They grow a variety of crops, but the root of their practice focuses on milpa, the Indigenous tradition of intergrowing corn, beans and squash. When planted together, these crops benefit each other, ultimately growing stronger together. 

“There is something beautiful about saving seeds and genetics and using traditional knowledge to grow said plants and milpas,” said Aquilli Metzli member, Astrid Reusche. “It’s a really cool way of planting plants that compliment each other and help each other grow.”

For Raul Pacheco, he always wished there was a space to connect to his ancestors in a meaningful way. When he stumbled upon a flyer about Aquilli Metzli, he knew that is exactly where he needed to be.

“I think it’s important to explore your culture through maintaining our traditional foods and making that connection with our relatives and our ancestors,” Pacheco said. “I think it’s really beneficial to work together in this cooperative way, sharing ideas and sharing power as well.” 

Aquilli Metzli hosts monthly gatherings for volunteers to come together for a meal prepped with the crops they have grown. Being new to the Humboldt community, member Leslie Ortega discovered the power of sharing a meal with those who understand you. 

“It’s also really cool to see how many people showed up in our first year of work parties, and just how many creative minds have come together where everyone’s seeing the way its not just planting the seed, its also communally sharing meals, and things that make people feel less isolated,” Ortega said. 

Adriana Salgado, member and part founder of Aquilli Metzli, has owned her small family farm, Wilder Natural Farm, in Humboldt for five years. In this space she has welcomed members to experiment with farming in a collaborative way.

“Farming is very isolating, so it’s been really great to be able to create a space for young farmers and people who think food sovereignty is important to come together, we become friends,” Salgado said. “We went from strangers, in six months, to ride or dies.”

Salgado believes in the power that comes from being self reliant in this work and coming together to do so.

“In this day and age when companies aren’t providing for their workers, when governments aren’t providing for the people, the cooperative is an opportunity for us to provide for ourselves,” Salgado said.

As a long time farmer, Eric Gallegos feels that seeing his passion ignited in others has been the most rewarding part. 

“Being able to do it with my friends now has been really fun and getting to have volunteer parties where people come out and learn all the things I have been doing to grow food, and to get to try some of the food that we have grown is really exciting and just really fills my heart with joy to be able to share that big part of my heart with the people I care about,” Gallegos said. 

Aquilli Metzli began as a space for bonding. Now it has flourished into a community that is stronger because they found one another.

“Just seeing how happy people are when they’re spending time outside moving their body, getting to know each other,” Gallegos said. “That’s what just makes me the most happy.”