The East Valencia Urban Gardens Program aims to build climate resiliency, protect soil and water resources, and increase access to healthy local food and economic opportunities through youth in the Meadow Lake and Cerro Mission areas of Valencia County, New Mexico. The program established demonstration gardens in 2016 that provide educational opportunities and classes. A youth internship program and East Mesa Grower's Market were also created. The program seeks to expand garden spaces, partner with more schools, and create district-wide farming internships through collaborations with local organizations.

1. East Valencia Urban
Gardens Program
CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCY, SOIL AND
WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION, FOOD
ACCESS AND YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES

2. Valencia
Soil and Water
Conservation
District
• 1,438,000 acres
• Valencia County, parts
of Socorro and
Bernalillo Counties
• Includes parts of Isleta
and Laguna Pueblos

3. East
Valencia
‘East Mesa’
• Meadow Lake and Cerro
Mission
• 10,000 people
• 100% elementary students
receive free or reduced lunch
• $27,608 medium income
• 50% below poverty level
• Over 50% Spanish-speaking
homes

4. Background
 VSWCD Co-Chair of the
Board surveyed door-to-
door
 Climate Change Resiliency
Community Meetings
 NACD Urban Ag Grant in
2016 to implement East
Valencia Urban Gardens
Program (EVUGP)

5. Community
Meetings
• Educational
opportunities
• Stronger
Community
• Youth Opportunities

6. Goals
 Community resiliency
 Soil and water resource
protection
 Healthy Local Food access
 Economic Opportunities
 Youth opportunities

7. Meadow Lake Community Demonstration
Garden
2016 2019

8. El Cerro Mission Community
Demonstration Garden
2016 2019

9. Community Demonstration Gardens -
Getting Started
Community volunteers
Soil Testing Valencia County Support

10. Soil Amendments
Soil donations from community members

11. Soil Amendments
County maintenance helps to till compost at
El Cerro Mission
Straw bale donation to use as mulch

12. Water Conservation
Heavily mulched paths
Water HarvestingDrip Irrigation

13. Wind Protection

14. Pollinator plants

15. Appropriate Crop Selection

16. Planting Time!
First year - 2017

18. Classes and Workshops
Jijube Fruit Tree Workshop Hoop House Johnson-Su Bioreactor

19. Seed to Supper Class Series

21. Community Events
Food Fiesta

22. Kids Groups Pilot Program 2017-2018

24. Youth Internship Program, 2018-2020
 10 Interns 2018, 15 Interns 2019
 2020: 2 Youth Leaders added
 Food growing skills
 Small business skills
 Teamwork
 6 months > 8 months
 Funding: Conservation Fund (Kellogg
Foundation)
 Funding: Youth Development Inc.

25. Planting native variety of white corn.
Planting tomato transplants

26. Interns weighing the harvest
Interns building a
compost bin
Building a sign for
kids to paint.

28. East Mesa Grower’s Market

29. Financial and Technical Assistance
Program
Summary of Program:
 Funds projects that conserve soil and
water resources and provide habitat for
wildlife and pollinators.
 Reimburses projects up to 75% of cost.
 Must be VSWCD Mil Levy taxpayer.
 Ranking process.
https://www.valenciaswcd.org/

30. Examples of Projects
• Water harvesting tanks
• Hoop houses
• Cover crops
• Native plants
• Soil erosion project
• Stream restoration
• Irrigation using water
conservation
• Regenerative
agriculture practices
• Holistic grazing
practices

31. Program
Sustainability
 2017 Recipient of grant through The
Conservation Fund (Kellogg Foundation funding)
 2018 Recipient of Permaculture Grant through
New Mexico Community Foundation
 2020 Recipient of NACD Urban Agriculture
Conservation Initiative Grant
 Partially funded through VSWCD Mil Levy Tax
2018 – July, 2020
 Donations
 Programming for Sustainability
 CAB
 Youth Leaders
 Community Leadership
 Partnerships

32. Partnerships
 NMSU Valencia County Cooperative Extension
Services
 I-CAN (Ideas in Cooking and Nutrition)
 Valencia Community Government
 Youth Development Inc.
 Valencia Community Action Network
 Valencia Community Gardens
 Community Wellness Council
 Friends of Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area
 Valencia County Master Gardeners
 New Mexico Farmer’s Markets
 Young Farmer’s Coalition
 Rural Farmer’s Coalition
 Farm To School
 Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust
 Natural Resource Conservation Service

33. Looking
Ahead!
 Garden Expansion
 El Cerro Mission – 3x larger, fruit trees, private
plots, kids section
 Community Advisory Boards
 Food distribution
 Donation systems, develop growers’ market
 Kids Groups
 Each garden, Partner w/ NMSU Extension
 School Garden and Greenhouse Network
 Develop partnerships to create District-wide
farming youth internships, apprentice and
training opportunities
2020 NACD Urban
Agriculture Conservation
Initiative Grant Recipient

35. Harvest Time!!

37. Thank you!
Lindsey Díaz
406-599-8121
EVUrbanGardens@gmail.com
https://www.valenciaswcd.org/east-
valencia-urban-garden-program/