Bernalillo County and FUSE are collaborating to help the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Space turn a 34-acre property into a community asset that supports health, economic opportunity, and cultural heritage. The site sits across from a high school and within walking distance of two more, making it well suited for agricultural education. After a round of community planning, the County settled on three uses: education and demonstration gardens with gathering space, leasable fields of roughly a quarter acre to two acres for small growers, and habitat space with walking paths. The effort also responds to an aging farming population in New Mexico, offering younger and beginning farmers affordable land access while strengthening local food security.
Beginning in Fall 2026, FUSE Executive Fellow Juperi Johnson will build relationships with schools, the Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District, County Extension, local agri-food businesses, acequia and neighborhood associations, and nearby residents, including participants in the County’s beginning farmer and youth agriculture programs. Johnson will facilitate and document stakeholder input, help consultants incorporate it into the master plan, prepare materials for County leadership, and help formalize new partnerships. At the same time, Johnson will research how other communities fund and operate small agricultural hubs and use that research to build an operational plan and lease templates, including alternative payment options like labor in lieu of cash. By October 2027, the County will have launched initial operations on part of the property and will hold the plans, partnerships, and tools needed to finish development and sustain the site long term.
