Essential Workers and Table Grapes
Mr. Jim Peterson, left, (Santa Ana Pueblo Vineyard Manager) and Dr. Kevin Lombard, right, (Farmington ASC Superintendent) unloading trellis components at Farmington ASC on Saturday, July 17, 2021. 
Mr. Jim Peterson and Santa Ana Pueblo provided the heavy truck and gooseneck trailer to deliver the components from Farmington ASC to Los Lunas ASC on Saturday, July 17, 2021. 
Newly installed line post with Y-configuration and arms in place at Farmington ASC vineyard. Thanks to Dr. Lombard, ASC staff and interns from Ft. Lewis College in Durango, CO and Navaho Technical University in Crownpoint, NM.
Essential absolutely necessary, indispensable
Work is what the body is obliged to do and play is what the body is not obliged to do. Mark Twain
Essential Worker individual doing indispensable things which her or his body is not obliged to do.
What is it that you are not obliged to do? How much should you be paid to do that? How much would you pay to have that done? Should young children in New Mexico have table grapes to eat? Annual per capita consumption of table grapes in the United States is about 8 lbs. Should children know how to raise their own table grapes? What is the difference between table grapes and grapes used for juice, raisins or wine? What cultivars of table grapes will thrive in New Mexico with reasonable care? Will being able to raise some portion of the family's food supply make a family, community, state and nation less vulnerable to "supply issues"? Will raising their own table grapes encourage kids to eat more table grapes and, more fruit and vegetables in general? Will raising grapes and other fruit and vegetables encourage more physical activity?
Not sure we can answer all of these questions, but Dr. Kevin Lombard (Farmington ASC Superintendent), Dr. Shengrui Yao (Alcalde SC), Mr. Jim Peterson (vineyard manager for Santa Ana Pueblo) some of the ASCs' and SCs' staff and several interns from Ft. Lewis College, Durango, CO and Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM are essential to establishing experimental table grape vineyards at Los Lunas ASC, Farmington ASC, Alcalde SC and Santa Ana Vineyard. With these vineyards funded by NMDA and its Specialty Crops grants, we will begin to explore the suitability of 8 table grape varieties and a trellis/training system for New Mexico growing conditions.
