Cultivating Agave Using Regenerative and Indigenous Methods

Chelenzo Farms, located twenty miles south of the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a regenerative farm that applies permaculture, soil health, and agroecology principles. It has three operating principles of research, education, and community. It practices dryland farming, focusing on the cultivation of agave and native plants. 

With over 200 varieties, agave can be distilled to make liquor, fermented for livestock feed, and made into textiles. In fact, 75% of those varieties have been cultivated in Mexico for thousands of years. Thus, agaves have long supported a variety of pollinators in the Southwest and along the border with Mexico in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, with the best known one being the endangered Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis). Hawkmoths, hummingbirds, bees, wasps, and other insects also pollinate agave.

Agaves are able to use water efficiently because they utilize the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) process, an alternate form of photosynthesis. CAM succulents open their stomata during cooler nighttime temperatures to minimize water loss and have evolved to store rainwater during the summer monsoon season and conserve it throughout the year. These drought-resistant plants can help agricultural producers in the Southwest become more resilient to climate change. 

Chelenzo Farms is growing a number of CAM succulents including agave, cholla, cacti, yucca, and desert spoon along with other native plants to increase drought-adapted plant populations. Their regenerative agriculture practices improve soil health, boost plant diversity, and restore pollinator populations while conserving water resources. In line with its permaculture and organic practices, the farm does not apply chemical herbicide or fertilizers. The farm has implemented a number of innovative water conservation practices including creating Indigenous-inspired water-harvesting earthworks and the cultivation of drought-resistant plants that support its focus on dryland farming. Chelenzo Farms also plays an active role in the community by hosting workshops and supporting other local farmers. The farm’s owners hope to showcase a sustainable production system and increase appreciation for native plants and ecosystems.