The Farm Park Team

Land Manager

Jesus is a lifelong farmer and farmworker. Jesus brings great love and knowledge of agriculture to the farm park. He is skilled in vegetable production, irrigation, soil health, and caring for bees.

Director of Operations & Development

Meet Meg Mercier. Born and raised in Colorado, Meg has spent her adult life living and learning in the Pacific Northwest. Her experiences in the food service industry, political campaigning, and nonprofits (including a service term at the Farm Park in 2019-2020) have guided her path to the San Luis Valley. Seeking to synergize a love for community organizing and growing food, Meg is excited to return to the Park and help the plants and programs grow. Meg likes to spend free time walking her one-eyed dog, identifying wild plants, skiing, rock climbing, gardening, and cooking for friends.

Facilities Manager

Salai has been a volunteer at the Farm Park for the last 3 years, working land projects, planting seedlings and watering trees. Salai has a background in gardening, landscaping and has been serving our community through the public library. She implemented literacy projects like the “Little Free Libraries”. She is joining our team at the Rio Grande Farm Park where she will be able to apply her abilities on the land and with our community.

Education Assistant

Isabela and her siblings grew up playing at the farm long before it was ever Rio Grande Farm Park. She helped her mom plant and harvest food from their family's plot, including dragon tongue beans they stewarded from Guatemala.

Isabela is getting her education degree with hopes of becoming a teacher. She gets to exercise her teaching skills with our Rising Stewards high school program and supporting the educational programming at the Farm Park.

AmeriCorps Farm Assistant

Ana was born and raised in Mexico City and wishes to learn how to run a community-centered farm, hoping she can one day take what she learns and apply it back home. She’s passionate about social justice issues, including food and environmental justice, and her favorite band BTS. Interested in the symbiosis of nature, Ana hopes to implement some permaculture practices in the farm park to further the goal of a healthy, regenerative farm.