My Path to Ag

If I ever saw myself becoming something while growing up, being a farmer was definitely not in my scope of possible careers. I had dreams in various points of my life of being a teacher, an environmental lawyer, and an environmental scientist. Throughout the several years in college that I spent trying to find my way in a career that would allow me to spend a majority of my time outdoors, I was never able to bridge the scientific rigors of academia with the more cultural aspect of Indigenous knowledge. Although I found true joy in my sustainability minor and lost my motivation in obtaining my degree I can still regard myself as being a teacher, and someone who cares deeply about the environment.  It wasn’t until my senior year of high school where “agriculture” was introduced as something other than a “low paying occupation.” That perceived stigma was perhaps the same one that led me down the path to pursue environmental science instead of agriculture after graduation. My high school agroecology teacher, Luke Reed, obtained student internships at the Zuni Conservation Program for some of the students in his class. That was the Summer I realized how important and at the same time how agriculture was absent in my community. We took care of a couple small community gardens, but the fields were empty and the farming villages were silent. We were also tasked with cataloging the small seed bank which was a small list but it contained family names and crops like chile, squash, melon, corn, beans, tobacco, and cotton. All of these were staples in the Zuni everyday life. I believe this was my first aha moment. I had made the connection of people no longer putting agriculture as a priority and having these precious seeds becoming lost and endangered. I still wonder to this day what happened to those seeds? Were they planted? That Summer I also found myself in the midst of a lot of males, being a petite introverted female I was used to the idea that I was probably not as useful in the agricultural realm of hard, back breaking work. However, I was there to learn and I appreciate that no one gave me flack for my stature and for helping me gain trust in my own abilities to do the work. 

Zuni Sustainable Ag Internship 

As with most college students it was a time of intense growth and personal struggles. I am now aware that as a  first generation student to go to college how much pressure and lack of preparation I had.  I often felt alone, lost and unable to voice my emotions during my college years.  I found solace in the environmental science department and especially in my professor's (Gary Weissmann) attention to the fact that I was intelligent. He could see that I was struggling but was also aware that the university system was completely negating the learning styles of a diverse student population. I joined my professor’s research team after I took his Hydrogeology course. My final research project was titled: Agricultural Methods of Zuni Pueblo: Harvesting Water and Soil. 

UNM Hydrogeology Final Project 

I knew then how crucial indigenous knowledge was in all aspects of environmental stewardship and conservation, but the intrinsic knowledge that indigenous people carry is a lot harder in convincing the more formal scientific approach of peer reviewed journals, scientific experts, etc. I was conducting other research related to hydrogeology, but I found more passion in what the sustainability studies classes were bringing me. I was part of the yearly planning of the UNM’s Sustainability Expo and from there my agricultural passion started to shine more as well. Here you can find a link to a blog write up about Zuni Waffle Gardens that I wrote for that class. https://abqstew.com/2016/04/20/the-benefits-and-age-old-success-of-waffle-gardens-a-history-on-one-of-the-oldest-sustainable-farming-methods-of-the-southwest/ One of my influential teachers in sustainability studies was Jessica Rowland. In my opinion she has provided more of her students towards a natural shift in earth stewardship and sustainable careers than anyone I know. Her influence was built on not just learning, but in action. At this point I was solidified in my longing for a more hands on experience with agriculture. A few years later I found myself in a farmer training and business acceleration program that would shape my individual passion for agriculture, but my deep rooted agricultural connection that I am still seeking to strengthen in my local community and more so in my Zuni Community. At this moment, I am truly grateful for the lovely and empowering connections I have made with other people that are dedicating their life and work to creating more communities centered around agriculture and its ability to create equality and wealth that goes far beyond economic impacts. I am confident that the choices I have made to get me to this point have all been worth it. Follow your passions, align with a supportive community and keep showing up for yourself in doing the work that gets you closer to your goals. More of my agricultural journey to come.