By Donne Gonzales, NMAA Farm Trainer
The NMAA Los Sembradores Farmer Training program has successfully trained and graduated four more incredible young acequia farmers over the course of 2022 and 2023! Apprentices worked closely with mentors at our demonstration site, Chicoyole Farm in Chamisal, and had the chance to incorporate learnings into their own land in their home communities.
As of March 2024, we will begin the eighth year of Los Sembradores and continue to support our gente to work the land, use acequias, and grow healthy fruits and vegetables for many communities in Northern New Mexico.
We invite you to learn more about our recent program graduates, and their dreams and successes as young farmers, as well as our new Los Sembradores Farm Blog!
2022 Cohort
Alex Griffiths of San Cristobal had a beautiful season on her land bringing acequia water back to a piece of property that hadnt been planted in 15+ years. She grew blue corn, beans, calabacitas, carrots, avas, and so much more. She created an apple cider press and sold fresh cider at her local market when the Fall came.
Michelle Martinez of Rio Lucio had a beautiful garden full of raspberries, avas, alberjon, corn, onions, zucchini, carrots, turnips, and flowers. She worked closely with her family, and they were so proud for her to carry on the tradition. Creating value added goodies such as chicos, and cooking meat in her family horno was amazing.
2023 Cohort
On November 8th, 2023 we celebrated the completion of a successful farm year for the 2023 cohort. We worked closely together from May- November. The year was tricky as we had frosts until July, however we still managed to have great success inside the hoop houses where we had an abundance of root crops, cucumbers, and some greens. The fruit was overflowing, and we worked with apricots, plums, peaches, and apples.
Boden Franklin had a successful garden in San Cristobal where he grew blue corn, beautiful beans, wheat, oats, root crops, and a variety of flowers. He worked closely with animals, and cooked lamb in the horno. He was so good at being in community and loving neighbors.
Claudia Vialpando had a high tunnel garden project. The arugula grew abundantly for her, as did chard, amaranth, sunflowers, and beans. Zucchini and melons produced but struggled. She shared goodies with her family and friends. She had a great love for jelly making and fruit processing and hopes to create a value added jelly business in the future.
Los Sembradores Farm Blog
In an effort to further support your acequia farming, and to share the great work of our Los Sembradores Farm Training program, we are thrilled to have launched our new ‘Los Sembradores Farm Blog’. Throughout the season, the Los Sembradores Blog will share stories, media and helpful tips from our Farm Training program, as well as other articles about topics that support the strengthening of our inter-generational farm communities.
We hope you will join us in reading and responding to blogs, and also sharing your own stories and skills with our community. If you have an topic you would like to write about, or that you would like to see us report on – be welcome to contact us at: donne@lasacequias.org
Wishing you all a blessed planting season, and an abundance of food, growth, and health!
Learn more about our program at: www.lasacequias.org/los-sembradores-farmer-training
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