We are pleased to announce our 2023 cohort of Los Sembradores Farm Apprentices. The group has just begun their work together as of May, and will complete our learning in November 2023.
Currently, the Sembradores are reflecting on their experience with home gardens and family work. The days have been full of planting, watering, and weeding. We have a variety of things in the hoop house: turnips, cucumbers, greens, carrots, radishes, and a variety of volunteer flowers. We look forward to finishing Spring, and welcoming the summer heat. We have watched the fruit blossoms, and it looks like we will have a promising abundance of apples, plums, and apricots. We are also working with almasigos to plant once the final frost in the valley is near. We are talking a lot about insects, taking note of all the beneficials and some flea beetles that are causing problems. Last but not least, we have done a hive inspection for our honey bees. They are healthy, happy, and abundantly collecting pollen, and nectar.
We look forward to our year with the apprentices, and to all of the amazing learning they will implement in their personal garden and at our farm site. We plan to nurture the land, use the acequias, and feed our surrounding communities.
MEET BODEN!
“My name is Boden Franklin. I grew up in El Salto, just north of Taos. After high school I spent some years living outside of the US, but returned to New Mexico in 2020. I currently live, farm and raise a small herd of sheep in San Cristobal with three of my dear friends. I am a plumber and natural builder. I love spending time with the water and being in the mountains. It’s an honor to join the Los Sembradores program and to learn from such incredible acequia knowledge keepers. I care deeply about building food autonomy in our communities through reviving and protecting traditional farming practices, planting ancestral seeds and regenerating land and land-based lifeways. I believe in the power of our acequia communities to protect and heal the land and our beloved water. I am looking forward to learning more about building soil health, making remedios and caring for fruit trees.”MEET CLAUDIA!
“My name is Claudia Vialpando, I’m 20 years old, and I grew up in Rio Rancho, and recently moved further north. I like to snowboard, crochet, and practice my photography skills. I want to see the growing process of the foods I eat. I’m excited to learn about remedios and certain healing properties of plants, I’m also excited to learn more about beekeeping. So far I’ve already learned a lot in the garden. I really enjoyed learning that queen bees have baby queens who take some of the swarm and leave to find a new place to start her own hive. Also there are so many different types of bees for instance there are bees that live underground, and bumble bees don’t make much honey at all.”
Vincent Garcia
Bendiciones Piadosas En Esta Carrera! A most wonderful program that I ask for “Godly Blessings in Abundance!” Love it So Much!