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Agri Nature Center

A green field with the Sandia Mountains in the background

Discover Your Great Big Holistic Farm Life

By Agri Nature Center, Events2 Comments

Setting Priorities, Land & Climate Challenges, and Finding Opportunities

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Designed for curious, beginning farmers, this free day-long workshop introduces agriculture in the Middle Rio Grande Valley, including environment, community, markets, and farmer goals.  Activities will include on-farm tour, guided self-assessment, expert presentations, and panel discussions to examine farming options in the Middle Rio Grande Valley, climate trends, principles of regenerative agriculture, and crop choices matched to consumer demand in local markets, ranging from CSAs to commercial and municipal entities.  Participants will self-assess their attitudes about farming as individuals and as members of family and community, thereby identifying gaps and goals for improvement.

  • Agricultural climate and trends, now to the year 2100.
  • Appreciate the major soil types and irrigation needs in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
  • Farm tour of best practices, infrastructure, and equipment choices.
  • Find out how to join markets in the area.
  • Consider your attitude about running a small farm involving finances, family, community, and future generations.

Agenda

  • 8:30 AM Arrive at the Los Ranchos Agri-Nature Center4920 Rio Grande Blvd. NW.
  • 8:45 AM Welcome from Rio Grande Community Farm — Jamie Welles, Ex. Dir.
  • 9:00 AM Overview: The Holistic Picture
    • Self-knowledge pre-assessment
  • 9:15 AM Knowing Your Attitude: The ABC Model — Bruce Milne
    • Assess Your Attitudes about farming, money, food, family, work
  • 10:15 AM Break
    • 10:30 AM Gap Analysis: What are my priorities for creating success?
  • 11:00 AM Sense of Place: Land, Water, and Climate Trajectory
    • Geography 101 — The Middle Rio Grande Valley – Chris Duvall
    • Climate Change, 1985 to 2100 — NM Envir. Dept.
  • 12:00 PM Lunch Outside
  • 12:30 PM Panel: Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture
    • 12:45 PM Incubator programs at RGCF, Tres Hermanas Kitchen — Jamie Welles, Anzia Bennet
    • High-value Specialty Crops
  • 1:45 PM Break
    • 2:00 PM How to join markets: public, private, institutional
    • Principles of regenerative agriculture
  • 3:00 PM Tractor Ride Tour: RGCF and Agri-Nature Center — Kelvin Schenk
    • Soils, no-till, & cover cropping
    • Infrastructure & Equipment
    • Solar power & carbon neutrality goal
    • Weather station for smarter irrigation
    • Beneficial biodiversity
  • 4:45 PM Assessment of Today’s Program — Colleen McRoberts
  • 5:00 PM Adjourn and Pre-Registration for the Next Workshop
Hops in hops yard

What we do

By Agri Nature Center2 Comments

The Agri Nature Center role is to encourage a new generation of farmers and growers through programming and giving the community the tools and resources to become a competant in their field. We do this by outreach, education, farming projects and research in small scale agriculture. We welcome new farmers to grow on our lands or in our community. We build connections to help new growers and farmers from land to grant funding.

Land at Ag Center

About the Agri Nature Center

By Agri Nature CenterNo Comments

The Land

The Agri Nature Center is a 25 acre property with large building facility of classrooms and warehouse located at 4920 Rio Grande Boulevard N.W.

The lands consist of Lavender field, Orchard, Hops Yard, Vineyard, 21 Raised beds, Hoop house and Fields of Alfalfa.

The Facility

The Agri Nature Center is community facility for our agriculture mission. At the facility we host festivals, conferences, workshops, farms camps, master gardeners, volunteers to help achieve our agricultural goals. The facility is also has a seasonal farmer who farms the property.

Programming

Explora

Explora and the village of Los Ranchos host Farm Camps for kids in spring, summer and fall 2020 at the Ag Center.

Sign up