Our program is led by Farm Trainer, Donne Gonzales, with support from Edward Gonzales and other experienced farmers and acequiero/as. Growing up on the land, Donne and her family have always maintained summer gardens and small livestock, and this has developed in her a great respect and love for gardening and traditional practices. Donne speaks proudly of how rich we truly are to have sacred land, water, and native seeds – and acequias and farming as a way of life. She believes strongly in sharing gardening skills, traditions, and her querencia for the land and acequias to individuals of all ages.

I was raised in Virginia, where I studied art. Through art, I explored my connection to family photos of agricultural scenes and traditions from Bolivia. My love for nature grew from the photographs and stories my mother brought with us to the States.

This program provides me with an opportunity to connect with my heritage as I learn to grow and make traditional foods from my home country. I’m interested in learning about food preservation and traditional farming methods that work in semi-arid climates. I’m excited to build a foundation of knowledge that will help me plant on my family’s land in Bolivia.

I look forward to caring for my grandparents’ peach orchard and using sustainable methods of crop production. I work and live on a ranch, where I enjoy caring for horses and painting in a studio stall in my free time. I’m inspired by nature and by the ways we are connected to the land and to each other. I can’t wait to learn from the farmers and friends in this program!

A lifelong resident of Cibola County, Donald Jaramillo was born in 1968 and is the seventh of eight children. He graduated from Grants High School in 1986.

In his late twenties, Jaramillo began a 20-year career in printing. He started as a small press operator for a preacher in Milan and eventually worked his way up to operating the large press at the Cibola Beacon newspaper in his mid-thirties.

In 2004, Jaramillo became publisher of the local newspaper and later co-purchased the 50-year-old publication. After leaving the newspaper business in 2017, he served the City of Grants as a project manager, city manager, and director.

In 2024, Jaramillo discovered a passion for gardening and now serves as garden director and facility coordinator for the Grants Community Pantry, where he is developing a 2.5-acre community garden and farm for local residents. He is excited to learn from Los Sembradores, especially about soil health, irrigation techniques, and cultural values, and is proud to be building a garden that will provide fresh produce for Cibola County residents for years to come.

Jaramillo lives near the entrance to the beautiful Zuni Mountains and enjoys hiking, exploring, and the outdoors. He has helped raise seven children: one son and six stepchildren.

I recently moved to Vadito, New Mexico, to my grandpa’s property after living on the East Coast for over a decade. This place has always called to me, and I am beyond thankful to finally be here. I studied art in Richmond, Virginia, and fortunately fell into my first farming job after graduating.

Farming brought me a deep sense of peace and connection to the land, to the people I was lucky enough to work with, and to my family who came before me. There isn’t a feeling that compares to the reciprocal nurturing that farming provides and allows.

Now that I’m living in Northern New Mexico, in the place my ancestors once called home, I’m thrilled to direct my learning in ways that further our deep traditions of cultivation both for the land and for our mountain communities. I have so much to learn and feel humbled to be part of this program.

When I’m not working outside, I’m drawing in my art studio, spending time with friends, or hiking with my partner and puppy. I love learning from others, especially about bugs, flowers, Spanish, and wood carving.

I am excited to be part of the Sembradores program! I live in Valdez, New Mexico, and serve as a commissioner on the San Antonio ditch. I also work with young people at Taos High School as a heritage Spanish language teacher. I am committed to developing educational practices both on the land and in the classroom that uplift the language and cultural knowledge of Northern New Mexico.

I look forward to learning how to grow more food on the land. My fields currently cultivate mostly alfalfa and wheat, and I hope to create a garden that serves as a place to experiment with heritage and heirloom seeds, especially those that thrive in dry conditions.

Because so many young people do not have access to land and water, I hope to offer the garden as a collective space where we can learn and grow together.