This project is collecting stories and personal histories of farming within the Middle Rio Grande region of New Mexico. It emerged out of discussions between members of the UNM Food Systems Collaborative and community members involved in food systems work during a Spring 2025 workshop. Casey Holland first articulated the idea, then we continued to work together to develop it.
The goals of the project are:
1) To contribute to the goals of our community partners to capture place-based
knowledge that can support resilience in our local food system, document the
knowledge of experienced farmers, and share this knowledge with others.
2) To provide opportunities for students to learn about and be connected within their local community and foodshed, and to learn and practice community-engaged research methods.
In the first phase of the project, students in a Fall 2025 Research Methods class interviewed 10-15 farmers using oral history techniques that encourage narrators to share their own personal stories, talk about what motivates them in their farming work, how farming has changed since they started and how they have adapted. The oral histories will also invite participants to share their own priorities, stories, and ideas in a participantcentered interview. We will continue to conduct oral history interviews through at least Summer 2026 and for as long as we have the resources, capacity, and farmers who want to participate. The first 20 farmers who participate will receive a $100 gift card in recognition of their time and expertise.
The oral histories are recorded and transcribed. They are not be anonymous because we recognize that these stories and histories are connected to individual experiences and want to acknowledge that expertise and knowledge. The transcripts are archived in the Center for Southwest Research at UNM, and in a community archive that we build in collaboration with our community partners. We are also working on ways to make these oral histories available to the farming community and the broader community in exhibits, presentations, and other materials that are most relevant. For instance, we plan to present some stories and begin a shared discussion at the AFSC farmer gathering in April 2026. Other classes will also work with these oral histories to build out exhibits, blog entries, and other community-facing articulations. In the long run, these histories may be published in public facing or academic research, but that is not the primary goal. The project prioritizes community goals and we have developed this project collaboratively with our community partners.
Dr. Marygold Walsh-Dilley, University of New Mexico
Associate Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies
Casey Holland, Chispas Farm
Farmer
Sayrah Namaste, American Friends Service Committee - New Mexico
Co-Program Director
Jacqueline Kelley-Cogdell, University of New Mexico
MS Graduate Student, Department of Geography & Enviornmental Studies
Jessica Rowland, University of New Mexico
Senior Lecturer II & Associate Director, Sustainability Studies Program