Voices of Taos

Rachel Leon on Communities of Questa Mariachi

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus [https://www.ncrtd.org/]. This month on “Voices of Taos,” assistant editor Ellen Miller-Goins sits down with Rachel Leon, founder of Communities of Questa Mariachi, a non profit that offers accessible music education and cultural enrichment for youth in Northern New Mexico. Rachel started Communities of Questa Mariachi in 2025 after retiring from teaching. Thanks in part to a grant from the LOR Foundation, the group welcomes students ages 10 and up free of charge. She started the group to help preserve the tradition of mariachi music in Northern New Mexico and to provide music lessons to students who may not be able to afford private classes. Miller-Goins and Leon talk about Rachel’s experience growing up around mariachi music, the challenges involved in running a non-profit organization, and what inspires her to keep teaching music. They also talk about how the program helps foster confidence and pride for the students involved, and how the group has been welcomed by Questa locals. To get involved, call 575-779-0565 or find the group on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/24530382523270337/]. Subscribe to the Taos News [https://www.taosnews.com/subscribe/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Ted Wiard on retirement and Golden Willow Retreat

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus [https://www.ncrtd.org/]. This episode marks the beginning of our new, monthly release schedule. The next episode of Voices of Taos will be released on May 5, 2026. This week on “Voices of Taos,” reporter Olivia Lewis sits down for a conversation with Ted Wiard, licensed therapist, certified grief counselor, and  founder and director of Golden Willow Retreat in Arroyo Hondo. He was also the Taos News Citizen of the Year in 2020. Ted retired on April 1,  25 years after opening Golden Willow retreat with his wife, Marcella, and says that it’s time to open things up for change — both for him and for the nonprofit. He plans on travelling, and is working with Genevieve Oswald on a second book about “emotional sobriety” and how balancing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of life can help us make better decisions and be better people. Lewis and Wiard discuss the importance of recognizing loss as a natural part of life that teaches us about transition and growth. Golden Willow Retreat aims to provide a space for healthy grieving and healing for anyone experiencing a loss.  Learn more about Red Willow Retreat [https://www.goldenwillowretreat.org/] Subscribe to the Taos News [https://www.taosnews.com/subscribe/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Rerun: Nan Fischer on growing food, climate change and water conservation in Northern New Mexico

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus. [https://www.ncrtd.org/] This week on Voices of Taos, please enjoy this repeat presentation of a conversation between former  copy editor and reporter Emery Veilleux and Nan Fischer, lifelong grower, founder of the Taos Seed Exchange and author of "A Monthly Guide to Growing a Sensational Garden in Northern New Mexico and the Rocky Mountains." This episode originally aired on March 29, 2025. Fischer discusses growing food in Northern New Mexico, from difficult environmental conditions to well-suited plants to best practices for conserving water. As Taos comes out of a dry winter, Fischer and Veilleux discuss adapting to growing food in a changing climate. Fischer, who has kept garden journals for 20 years, shares some of the climactic trends she's tracked over time. "It used to be challenging here but predictable, and now it's challenging and unpredictable," Fischer says. Subscribe to the Taos News [https://www.taosnews.com/site/subscribe/subscribe-to-the-taos-news-digital-online-website-print-home-delivery-out-of-state.html] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Charles Curtin on The Power of Regenerative Thinking in the Face of Crisis

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus. [https://www.ncrtd.org/] This week on "Voices of Taos," copy editor and reporter Emily Sender sits down with Charles Curtin, conservation practitioner, educator and author who has lived for 3 decades in New Mexico. Charles’ recent book, “Place-Based Solutions: The Power of Regenerative Thinking in the Face of Crisis” examines what Curtin calls “‘prosilience’ — the capacity not just to endure crises, but to leap forward through them.” Emily and Charles discuss the book, Charles’ work as a conservation practitioner in New Mexico, Maine, Kenya and beyond, as well as his perspective on finding hope and solutions in a world of complex, interconnected crises. They also discuss Charles’ upcoming book event at SOMOS on March 27 (Friday). Learn more about Charles Curtin's work [https://www.charlescurtin.com/] Subscribe to the Taos News [https://www.taosnews.com/subscribe/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Nick Streit on fly fishing, warm winters and river health

This episode is brought to you by the NCRTD Blue Bus. [https://www.ncrtd.org/] This week on Voices of Taos, reporter Stephanie Gates sits down for a conversation with Nick Streit, owner of Taos Fly Shop and executive director of Friends of the Rio Grande. Nick and Stephanie talk about how this year’s warm, dry winter has affected fly fishing in the region and what further changes in the climate could mean for fishing and river health going forward. They also discuss how the potential for forest closures and wildfires could affect fishing in the region. Nick also talks about his work with Friends of the Rio Grande, a nonprofit that works on the preservation and stewardship of the Upper Rio Grande Valley. He and Stephanie talk about a virtual fencing project being done with Alianza Agri-Cultura de Taos that uses electronic collars to train cattle to avoid ecologically sensitive areas to help protect riparian and watershed health. Learn more about Friends of the Rio Grande [https://www.riograndefriends.org/] Read more about the fly fishing season [https://www.taosnews.com/news/environment/low-snow-ebbs-and-flows/article_1a2e1aed-9a3b-58f3-ab80-bf17ceb0b6fd.html] Subscribe to the Taos News [https://www.taosnews.com/subscribe/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.