Agri Nature Center Presentation Highlights Regenerative Farming, Community Programs

William Carleton, director of the Larry P. Abraham Agri Nature Center in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, presented on November 14, 2025 at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church in Corrales. The program, delivered at 2 p.m., reviewed the center's regenerative agriculture initiatives across education, research and economic development. Attendees learned about hands on programs, farm camps, and community outreach designed to connect youth and residents to farming traditions.

The presentation foregrounded practical training and community engagement as central to the center's approach. Carleton described programs that pair classroom and field experience, expose young people to agricultural careers, and support local producers through research based practices that aim to restore soil health and increase resilience. The center frames these activities as part of a broader strategy to sustain small scale farming and to cultivate economic opportunities rooted in local food systems.

For Sandoval County, the event underscored several policy considerations. Regenerative agriculture practices relate directly to county land use planning, water management decisions and economic development priorities. Efforts to expand hands on agricultural education touch K through 12 programming, vocational training pathways and workforce development agendas that county leaders and school districts must weigh when allocating resources. Community based farming initiatives also intersect with preservation of agricultural lands and discussions about zoning and open space that often figure in local elections.

Institutionally, the Larry P. Abraham Agri Nature Center operates at the intersection of education, research and economic development, which positions it to influence multiple local stakeholders. Collaborations between nonprofit centers, school systems and county agencies can amplify the impact of small scale agriculture, but they also require coordination on funding, permitting and program evaluation. The event in Corrales served as a public forum where residents and officials could assess how these partnerships might scale and where public investment could yield measurable benefits.

Civic engagement emerged as an implicit theme. Public presentations like this provide a venue for community members to learn, ask questions and shape priorities. They can inform voter opinions on matters such as agricultural support programs, water conservation measures and land use regulations. As Sandoval County faces competing demands for growth, housing and preservation of rural traditions, informed civic participation will be central to policy outcomes.

The presentation offered concrete program background while signaling the need for ongoing dialogue between community groups and policymakers. Residents interested in local agriculture and education policy should monitor future events and county deliberations where program funding, school partnerships and land use decisions are discussed and decided.