| "...THOSE WHO LABOR IN THE EARTH ARE THE | | | | THEY ARE TIED TO THEIR COUNTRY, AND |
| CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD, IF HE EVER HAD A | | | | WEDDED TO ITS LIBERTY AND INTEREST, BUY |
| CHOSEN PEOPLE, WHOSE BREASTS HE HAS MADE | | | | THE MOST LASTING BONDS. AS LONG AS THEY |
| THE PECULIAR DEPOSITS FOR SUBSTANTIAL AND | | | | CAN FIND EMPLOYMENT IN THIS LINE, I WOULD |
| GENUINE VIRTUE. IT IS THE FOCUS IN WHICH HE | | | | NOT CONVERT THEM INTO MARINERS, ARTISANS, |
| KEEPS ALIVE THAT SACRED FIRE WHICH | | | | OR ANYTHING ELSE..." Thomas Jefferson, 1785 |
| OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT ESCAPE FROM THE | | | | Introduction to the Piñon |
| EARTH". Thomas Jefferson, 1789 | | | | Of approximately (14) species of cultivated nuts in |
| Ethno-Agriculture | | | | the United States, the Piñon remains to come |
| According to the book "The History of Agriculture in | | | | under cultivation. |
| Colorado" the primitive plows used to break the soil in | | | | The ancestor of the piñon pine was a member |
| Colorado's first agricultural settlements (San Luis | | | | of the Madro-Tertiary Flora, (a group of drought |
| Valley) were made of piñon wood for its | | | | resistant species), which starting 60 million years ago, |
| superior strength. The Piñon was life to our | | | | its host climate started to change from moist to dry. |
| agricultural communities, and more than a few early | | | | Piñon (Pinus Edulis) grows slowly into a small, |
| exploration parties in the Rockies, both Spanish and | | | | drought hardy, and quite long lived native species of |
| American, were saved from starvation by Pinyon and | | | | the Southwestern United States. It common name is |
| its nuts. The Piñon Pine, the Piñon Nut | | | | derived from the Spanish piñon and refers to |
| and the settlement of humans in Colorado have a | | | | the large seed of the pino (pine). Other common |
| history that traces back to the Basketmaker Culture | | | | names are Colorado Piñon, and nut pine. |
| under the Pecos Classification System. Piñon | | | | Existing woodlands, where Piñon is the major |
| ecosystems have had subsistence, cultural, spiritual, | | | | species, cover about 36 million acres combined in |
| economic, aesthetic and medicinal value to Native | | | | Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona, but |
| American peoples for centuries and continue to be | | | | drought and resulting pine beetle attacks and various |
| widely studied in its past & present zone(s). | | | | pathogens have had considerable effect on |
| Among ethno-botanists and archeologists, a | | | | Piñon stands. |
| consensus is that the first human settlements in | | | | Piñon trees develop in areas with annual |
| Colorado resulted from the Piñon Nut providing | | | | precipitation from a low of 10" annually, to upwards |
| a winter protein source - sustaining life when game | | | | of 22" inches, and where temperatures exist from an |
| animals were scarce - allowing man to build the first | | | | extreme low of -35 Celsius, all within as short as 90 |
| societies (Cliff Dwellings) in Colorado. | | | | days of frost-free annually. In its highest elevation |
| Agriculture in the East beats Western Agriculture | | | | range and northern most latitude, native Piñon |
| Currently, over 80% of the $49 million dollars in Pine | | | | growth can be found in a variety of soil depths, |
| Nuts consumed in the U.S. market are IMPORTED | | | | textures, from rocky gravels, to fine, compacted |
| FROM CHINA, with no benefit to western | | | | clays, and at elevations from 4500 to 7500 foot |
| landowners. "We have thousands of US households | | | | elevations, with isolated specimens up to 9400 feet. |
| who buy & eat Pine Nuts - unaware of their | | | | From research into the most desirable Piñon |
| true Chinese origin". Pine Nuts (Piñon Nuts) | | | | Orchard locations (i.e. low land values, good elevation |
| provide a significant source of protein - in levels | | | | + rainfall, existing high producing, native Piñon |
| surpassing even pecans & walnuts - with | | | | stands), it stands out that those rural communities |
| significant amounts of Vitamin A, Riboflavin, thiamin, | | | | most in need of any economic stimulation were |
| and niacin - "they really have no food rival in the nut | | | | found in proximity to those parameters. Thus |
| world". Also, Piñon trees naturally function as a | | | | Piñon Orchards would be of significant value |
| "great carbon sink" for the planet by removing | | | | from their establishment & Nut harvesting, |
| carbon. "Certainly, as consumers find they are | | | | especially in those areas currently deemed unsuitable |
| unknowingly getting more of their protein from eating | | | | for traditional agricultural crops. It is hopeful that a |
| 'cloned beef protein'' the thought of adding a wild | | | | small, rural community 'Brands' itself around an |
| & natural protein to their diet - like that found in | | | | increasing collection and consumption of Piñon |
| Piñon Nut's - is appealing to the health & | | | | Nuts, i.e....hosting a 'Piñon Nut Festival' theme, |
| environmentally conscious". | | | | piñon nut commodities (candies, menu items, |
| This project involves 'experimental arid land | | | | and their resulting establishment of improved, |
| agriculture' in the creation of a pine nut tree | | | | Piñon Orchards. Thus co-location of active |
| improvement program. Improvement programs of | | | | Piñon cultivation in proximity to rural areas in |
| nut pine trees might involve four main steps: 1) | | | | need of any economic stimulation, may prove to be |
| Selection of superior trees--(i.e. "plus-trees")--from | | | | one of the most exciting benefits. |
| natural stands; 2) Grafting of these superior | | | | Economic Benefits from increased Piñon Nut |
| plus-trees into orchards to produce genetically | | | | Production |
| improved seed (nuts); 3) Field testing of these | | | | Beneficial affects to a local economy develop from |
| plus-trees to identify the best trees and improve the | | | | several different channels: the sale of nuts crops |
| orchard seed ( cone and nut size) by removing | | | | would impact the economy directly, through the |
| inferior trees; and 4) Continued improvement and | | | | purchases of goods and services locally, and |
| development of still-better varieties through | | | | indirectly, as those purchases in turn generate |
| interbreeding of the best trees. It is known that pine | | | | purchases of intermediate goods and services from |
| nut crop size is strongly environmentally influenced, | | | | other, related sectors of the economy. In addition, |
| and that pests and health are important. For example, | | | | these direct and indirect effects increases |
| tip moth activity depresses piñon cone | | | | employment and income, enhancing overall economy |
| production, as does dry weather and high temps, | | | | purchasing power, thereby inducing further spending |
| regardless of the tree's genetics. And tree size, an | | | | on goods and services. This cycle continues until the |
| important determinant of cone crop potential, is very | | | | spending eventually leaks out of the local economy |
| much influenced by soil type, climate, pest history, | | | | as a result of taxes, savings, or purchases of |
| competition, etc. There are so many factors | | | | non-locally produced goods and services. |
| affecting the 'phenotype' -- what you see -- that the | | | | Barriers to Commercial Cultivation of the Piñono |
| only way to determine the characteristics of the | | | | Complexities of water use, water rights and water |
| 'genotype' of a tree is to grow offspring from its | | | | availability in Colorado, and all arid lands of the west.o |
| seeds in progeny testing. | | | | Piñon nut (seed) production is cyclic and good |
| Arid-zone agriculture as it relates to the Piñon | | | | crops can occur at 2-7 year intervals, but the |
| Pine | | | | average crop has been produced at 4.1 yr intervals |
| "As an area of research and development, arid-zone | | | | from a 58 year study.o Slow growth rates in typical |
| agriculture, or desert agriculture, includes studies of | | | | specimens, unless placed under intense cultivation or |
| how to increase the agricultural productivity of lands | | | | grafting practices.o Limited existing knowledge of |
| dominated by lack of freshwater, an abundance of | | | | cross-pollination and nut size and nut yield |
| heat and sunlight, and usually one or more of | | | | improvement from either cultivated or native |
| extreme winter cold, short rainy season, saline soil or | | | | Piñon plantations in the United States.o Limited |
| water, strong dry winds, poor soil structure, | | | | existing knowledge or study of grafting success on |
| over-grazing, limited technological development, | | | | piñon or other nut pines species.o Possibly the |
| poverty..." Wikipedia... | | | | most drought hardy characteristics of any nut |
| Two basic approaches to solutions areo view the | | | | producing plant -increasingly important in a 'global |
| given environmental and socioeconomic characteristics | | | | warming' climate 'onset'.o Higher protein per weight |
| as negative obstacles to be overcomeo view as | | | | than all nuts but cashew.o Piñon has adaptability |
| many as possible of them as positive resources to | | | | to the widest range of soil types.o Piñon incurs |
| be used | | | | little damage from 'browsing' by deer, elk, rabbits, and |
| Vision of the Future - Colorado Piñon Nut | | | | rodents over its entire range.o Higher and best use |
| Orchards? | | | | of arid lands than beef cattle raising on an output of |
| In looking to the future, it is possible to see | | | | protein per acre. (Piñon nuts = 123% more |
| increasing numbers of Farmer's & Landowners | | | | protein efficient per acre than beef.)o Few disease |
| throughout the southwest appraise the benefits of | | | | and insect herbivory concerns. |
| now managing their own unprofitable arid Piñon | | | | The Nut bearing pines historically have had little |
| Woodlands as active "Piñon Nut Orchards". | | | | scholarly focus as a crop producer. In (1917) Dr. |
| Developed breeding, pollination & tree cultivation | | | | Robert T. Norris (NNGA) recognized the pine nuts |
| practices - already in use to improve crop yields on | | | | potential (and future) : "I presume that the extensive |
| Pecan, Walnut, & Apple Orchards can be applied | | | | planting of pine trees for food purposes will have to |
| to economic benefit on a Piñon Nut Orchard. "A | | | | wait until we have advanced to the point of putting |
| farmer can create either a transplant or seedling seed | | | | other kinds of nut trees (walnuts, pecans, etc.) upon |
| orchard, or enhance the productivity of the native | | | | good ground first. Pines will be employed for the |
| Piñon trees already on the land too" said Alan | | | | more barren hillsides when the folks of ... hundred |
| Peterson who is pioneering the research. And with | | | | years from now begin to complain of the high cost |
| Piñon nuts selling for over $15 a pound - this | | | | of living". |
| really does represent a new: "Business Model for the | | | | ..."No sentiment is more acknowledged in the family |
| Environment." | | | | of Agriculturists than that the few who can afford it |
| "CULTIVATORS OF THE EARTH ARE THE MOST | | | | should incur the risk & expense of all |
| VALUABLE CITIZENS. THEY ARE MOST VIGOROUS, | | | | improvements and give the benefit freely to the |
| THE MOST INDEPENDENT, THE VIRTUOUS, AND | | | | many of more restricted circumstances. |