Regreening the Waterfall Meadow at Hacienda Dominguez & Chelenzo Farms

After conversations with a permaculture and an agave specialist, as well as record-high summer temperatures over the summer of 2023 and no precipitation during our usual monsoon season of July and August that year, we decided to change the original plans for the project.  Instead of creating a field of succulents with other native plants that was located a quarter of a mile from our primary operation and any source of supplemental water (if nature did not supply any), we decided to modify our plans by planting in an acre where we had already done substantial conservation work with the building of water harvesting earthworks and the regeneration of the soil through a preceding soil health rejuvenation project.

In addition to the limits that our natural resources presented for this project, in the process we discovered that the original field destined for project implementation had an extraordinary amount of "soil crusts" (aka cryptobiotic, cryptogamic, or microbiotic crusts), which are living soil crusts that form when cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, and bryophytes colonize the surface layer of arid soils. As a result, we were advised not to disturb such a delicate desert landscape.

According to Steven D. Warren of the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, "Biological soil crusts...are common in most deserts and perform functions of primary productivity, nitrogen fixation, nutrient cycling, water redistribution, and soil stabilization. The crusts are highly susceptible to disturbance. When disturbed, biological soil crusts lose their capacity to perform their ecological functions. Natural recovery of disturbed crusts can range from several years to millennia... Intense and/or repeated disturbance may eliminate crust organisms and diminish carbon inputs into the system (Kasper, 1994; Johansen et al., 1998). In harsh environments, reductions may last half a century or more." (Source: Role of biological soil crusts in desert hydrology and geomorphology: Implications for military training operations, The Geological Society of America Reviews in Engineering Geology XXII 2014).

Moreover we experienced an unexpected resignation of one of our key contributors to the project, our farm manager who was tasked with a major portion of project implementation. Without her help, it became increasingly difficult to devote time and resources, when other farm activities and initiatives were more pressing.  

Thus, our project plans were shifted to "Field D," a one-acre plot that is one of four fields (Fields A-D), which are part of a project that is supported by New Mexico Department of Agriculture's Healthy Soil Program.  The dryland farming project began September 23, 2022 with the creation of terraces supported by water harvesting earthworks where we eventually planted agave. With the objective of regenerating the health of the soil on an arid parcel that had approximately 15% vegetation, on the terraces of Fields C & D we spread compost, cover crop seed (winter wheat, winter rye, hairy vetch and  fava bean), and hay as mulch to retain moisture. We also placed juniper branches atop the mulch to prevent the wind from sweeping away the straw. Miraculously, nature complied and two weeks later we had four days of rain in early October, which led to a significant growth of cover crops on these terraces.

On June 10, 2023, we hosted a workshop with two dozen volunteers that helped us plant five types of 400 succulents with multiple varieties of each (# indicated in parentheses). These included Agave (21), Cholla (2), Dasylirion (3), Opuntia/Cactus (2), and Yucca (9). There were 200 plants, 40 of each type planted in Field A, and 260 Agave planted in Field D.   

Due to our limited resources, primarily labor, our plan was to water the newly planted seedlings once a week. However, the worldwide record high temperatures of July hit and we watered the plants twice a week, but this was not enough to sustain the plants and ultimately nearly half did not survive.

On December 17, 2023 we conducted an inventory of the agave in Fields A & D with the following tabulation:

We observed that there was a high rate of survival and that the plants seem fairly thriving (solid green pencas, the agave leaves) on the top and mid terraces of Field D, which are as a greater slope and more sand, rock and clay. We had observed similar conditions for agave in the Gila Forest of New Mexico on a foraging trip in 2022. As agave needs to have well draining soil, this correlates well with why those placed higher on the field did better.

We covered those agave that had survived with landscaping fabric to protect them against the frost and expected snowfall this winter. During the first week of March we uncovered all the plants with a forecast of above 33 degrees for most of March and some much needed precipitation. We found that almost all survived, but some of the bottom run pencas had either browned considerably or died. Apart from frost, we suspect that since we used dark landscape cloth to cover the plants, the lack of sunlight may have contributed to their partial withering as well.

Most of the cholla and cactus have survived, as most were native species. However, we have observed that much of the cactus, where planted or already existing have large portions eaten from the pads, presumably by wildlife in need of some succulent nourishment (and a source of water). None of the agave show any signs of being eaten by wildlife.

As a result of our research thus far, where climate change and drought remain significant factors in sustainable agriculture we recommend growing agave and other succulents indoors, in greenhouses or high tunnels, for a few years prior to planting outside in order to increase the plants' rate of survival. The need for patience when it comes to planting alternative drought resistant crops like succulents presents an inherent conundrum, especially considering that market forces and financial farm sustainability often press for more immediate results.  

That said, patience is a virtue. Allowing and supporting growth can reap many benefits, considering the prospective multiple uses of agave and other succulents.  These include the production of human food sources, such as cactus fruits and pads and agave hearts for specialty ethnic markets; fermented livestock feed; biofuel; fiber for household products; use for forest fire lines; encouragement of water conservation through the propagation of commercial and residential xeric gardens; distillate products such as tequila, mezcal and sotol; ecosystem restoration through the increase of pollinators and residual wildlife.

We also inventoried a few hundred agave seedlings that we keep in our makeshift nursery (a 10 x 12 insulated shack), and found that 75% had survived thus far this year. Rather than risk losing a significant portion of our crops, we plan on delaying the  planting these in the fall of 2024, after the extraordinary heat anticipated again this summer. At this time, we are also planning to plant the other native plants  that were part of the original planting plan on the cover-cropped terraces. These include amaranth, saltbush, tomatillo, and sage bush. We have already planted tomatillo starts in our greenhouse, and may plant a portion earlier in our drip irrigated gardens, rather than risk their demise as part of our dryland farming project. 

The planting of 60 cottonwood tree seedlings acquired from the US Forest Service and honey locust tree seeds (collected locally) were also part of the original plan, and were planted in May of 2023 in the original planned area. However, due to the unforgiving lack of precipitation in 2023, all have died. As a substitute, we have acquired mesquite trees, which we pan on integrating in Field D and which are being used as nitrogen fixers, specifically coupled with agave planting as part of the Billion Agave project, which is a "ecosystem-regeneration strategy recently adopted by several innovative Mexican farms in the high-desert region of Guanajuato." (https://regenerationinternational.org/billion-agave-project)

We also plan to continue expanding our building of water harvesting earthworks (one rock dams, zuni bowls, check dams, etc.) as an extension to the east of Field D and are considering building retention ponds with the clay purchased that was intended to be used for the retention pond in the original area of the project. 

We have worked closely with one of our advisers, Marsella Macias, a graduate student at UNM who is working on cultivating agave. 

We are also looking to partner with other organizations, so that we may offer the planned mezcal education sessions, to be led by Ms. Macias. This includes the Santa Fe Community College Foundation Board of Governance, which Lorenzo is a member of. He is working directly with the Executive Director to prospectively plan mezcal/agave education sessions with community leaders.

Being that we have moved the project from the original intended "waterfall meadow" to Field D, the plans to implement semi-circular buffer strips no longer are relevant or apply. That said, the purpose of the semi-circular buffer strips was to help diminish wind soil erosion and to offer protection to our planted succulents and native crops. This remains an issue in Field D, which we hope to mitigate with the planting of buckwheat on the terraces between the rows of agave plantings, where we previously successfully planted cover crops. This planting may not take place until after July however, to avoid the anticipated intense heat, but the 10-12 week growth period would synchronize well with establishment period of agave seedlings that we intend to prospectively plant in August. There is a possibility that we may choose to wait another year, to sustain further growth and strength from our agaves that have kept in our greenhouse.   

During the project period we continued to build out indigenous-inspired and contemporary water harvesting structures. In general, these structures all served similar purposes - to either down water from rainfall and collect sediment, as well as to spread water away from naturally occuring arroyos (gullies) and in turn minimize soil erosion. The one-rock dams (named so because they are only one rock high) are used to slow down water flow in gullies; Zuni bowls also slow down water, but also collect the water in its bowl shape; the zanja y bordo (Mexican ditch-and-berm) have the berm on the down-hill side of the berm, so that succulents can be well-draining to prevent rot-rot; and Keyline structures work with the contour of the land in order to convey and stay water.