High Desert Silvopasture Field Day

Courtesy of NM Soil Working Group

Silvopasture is the practice of incorporating trees and shrubs into animal grazing pasture. At Rio Nutrias, the goal is to provide pasture for animals between beneficial tree and shrub lines, create a food forest, and protect the soil from wind and heat. By stacking ecological functions the whole becomes larger than the sum of its parts.

Rio Nutrias Farmstead is located at an elevation of 7,500 ft. in Northern New Mexico. Field Day hosts Lucas and Chelsea Esquibel are working to improve the soil surrounding their immediate homestead by creating a high desert Silvopasture on about 3 acres of degraded cow pasture. So far, they have removed sage brush, installed 5 swales, spread compost and mulch, seeded a fall cover crop, and protected the area from grazing.

At this Field Day we’ll introduce the concept of Silvopasture and its soil health benefits. You will get hands on experience with:

• Seeding a cover crop with a no-till seed drill;
• Spreading mulch;
• Planting windbreak tree seedlings on swales.

The work on the Silvopasture has been done through the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program (HSP). At the workshop, Chelsea and Lucas will share their story of participating in the HSP and you can meet HSP co-lead Katie Crayton.

As always, this Field Day is free of charge. Overnight camping is welcome! A delicious, locally sourced lunch will be provided. Please sign up in advance so we know how much food to prepare.

• When: Saturday April 12, 2025 at 10am - 5pm
• Where: Rio Nutrias Farmstead, Tierra Amarilla
• This is a free field day, but please sign up so we know how much food to prepare: https://forms.gle/DntvqFz4sYZo76RRA

​As always, this Field Day is free of charge. Overnight camping is welcome! A delicious, locally sourced lunch will be provided. Please sign up in advance so we know how much food to prepare.​

This Field Day is presented by NM Healthy Soil Working Group in partnership with the Seeding Regenerative Agriculture Project, Alianza Agri-Cultura de Taos and Taos County Economic Development Corporation.