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.

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.

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.