Hi, I’m Emma Q Dewey, your local dirt detective!
I am a dirt and plant nerd hailing from the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the last decade, I have been a farmworker and an herbalist, and continue to be a wearer of MANY hats within the local food system. I have also provided technical assistance to BIPOC and LGBTQA+ farmers in regenerative strategies, soil health testing, and business development since 2019.
My love for dirt and plants originated along the acequias and the Bosque of the South Valley, and the South Valley is also where I developed my passion for agriculture more than ten years ago as a farm intern for a local 30-acre organic farm. My education in dirt and plants has been an organic one, not rooted in academia but rather in the soil itself, learning through experience and through the wisdom of other farmers I’ve had the outstanding pleasure of working beside.
Over the past several years, I have become a super sleuth when it comes to soil. So much personal research has gone into deciphering soil health tests, and my work has taken me all across New Mexico, allowing me to sample soils for over 50 farmers from over 15 locations statewide, including six Pueblos and the Navajo Nation. This data has been meticulously collected and allows me to provide in-depth reports on results that account for the specific contexts of soils in each region I sample. I am continually fascinated by soil and the growth of plants, and each soil test and consultation I conduct has something new to teach me.
My Approach
Working with farmers in New Mexico has shown me that soil tells a profound story of colonization and its impact on agriculture. Indigenous cultivators practiced regenerative farming long before colonizers imposed industrial methods that degraded the soil. I’ve observed stark differences between these soils and those in gentrified areas, as well as a direct link between desertified soils and limited community access to fresh produce.
My goal is to help growers decolonize agricultural practices, to help them grow in a way that works with nature rather than trying to control it. Through Dirt Detectives, I conduct soil health testing to uncover information beyond our senses. This data guides us in mimicking natural processes to support soil regeneration, drawing on the wisdom of the region’s first inhabitants. By blending science with ancestral wisdom, we support entire ecosystems, including soil, plants, wildlife, ourselves, and our communities.
Dirt Detectives was founded on the principle that the more people taking care of the earth, the better. When we care for the earth, it provides for us, supporting us in caring for our communities.
Consultations
Consultations with Dirt Detectives are one-on-one and are a conversational style. I believe in spending more time listening than talking, and believe that we are equal partners in finding practical solutions for building soil health.
Support
While my resources at this time are limited, it is my goal to offer you the utmost support in your soil health journey.