Working the Llano Sin Agua: A Regenerative Ag Summit and Range School, 2025
About the Program
When: July 10th-11th, 2025
Venue:
Sociedad Protección Mutual de Trabajadores Unidos
S.P.M.D.T.U. (603 Main St, Antonito, CO 81120)
The Wright-Ingraham Institute, Conejos County Conservation District, and Colorado State University Extension co-presented Working the Llano Sin Agua: A Regenerative Ag Summit and Range School for Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico Producers —a two-day, in-person gathering focused on regenerative agriculture, rangeland health, and drought resilience in the San Luis Valley and the Taos Plateau.
Hosted in Antonito, CO at the historic Sociedad Protección Mutual de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU), the event brought together ranchers, researchers, conservation professionals, public health experts, and community members to share tools, knowledge, and stories for sustaining life and livelihoods in drylands.
Participants and attendees shared practical knowledge, connect with valuable resources, network, and collaborate on solutions to improve rangeland health and water resilience in the region.
Overview
Thursday, July 10 – Congreso at SPMDTU Hall
The Congreso program offered a full day of panels and workshops addressing a range of urgent and interconnected topics, including soil health and grazing strategies, animal health and disease management, local food systems and meat processing infrastructure, and the impacts of drought on public health and water quality. The day also included tools for collaborative planning and community resilience, culminating in an asset mapping workshop led by the Wright-Ingraham Institute.
Friday, July 11 – Range School to BLM Lands and the Taos Plateau
Friday’s Range School offered an immersive, in-the-field experience with site visits to nearby rangelands, including Punche Valley, Ant Hill Well, and locations in the Taos Plateau. Participants learned directly from producers and specialists through hands-on demonstrations in soil diagnostics and revegetation strategies, grazing practices on both public and private lands, plant identification, animal health, field notation, and range monitoring tools.
Program Speakers & Presenters Include:
- Jim Armendariz, NM NRCS Rangeland Management Specialist and Grass-Finished Beef Producer
- Peter Vigil, District Manager, Taos Soil & Water Conservation District
- Dr. Kathy James, Environmental Epidemiologist, Colorado School of Public Health
- Kathy Whitman, DVM, Veterinary Extension Specialist, Colorado State University
- Lucas Salazar, Sixth-Generation Rancher and TCEDC Mobile Matanza Program Developer
- Larry Brown and Madeline Wilson, CSU Extension
- Patrick O’Neill, Soil Health Services, Agronomist
- Annie Overlin, CSU Rangeland Management Specialist
- Carl Thomson, Luciano Sandoval, Marinha Santos, and others from BLM, USFS, and NRCS
- Jocelyn Catterson, Artist and Community Engagement Lead, Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust
- Geoffrey Rawling, Senior Field Geologist, NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
- Angie Mestas, Conejos County Conservation District and CSU Extension
- Will Jaremko, Extension Agent, New Mexico State University, Taos
Full Agenda
Thursday, July 10 – SPMDTU Hall, Antonito, CO
8:00 a.m. – Breakfast and tabling from presenters and producers
9:30 – Opening Address (Wright-Ingraham Institute, CSU Extension, Taos and Conejos Conservation Districts)
10:00 – Soil Health & Grazing for Resilience (Jim Armendariz)
11:00 – Keynote: Soil Conservation Districts – Past & Future (Peter Vigil)
12:00 – Lunch
12:45 – Cattle Production Economics Workshop (Larry Brown & Madeline Wilson)
1:00 – Animal Health on Private and Public Lands (Kathy Whitman)
2:00 – CO/NM Partnerships for Local Meat Systems (Lucas Salazar)
3:15 – Drought, Water Quality & Public Health (Dr. Kathy James)
4:00 – Asset Mapping & Collaborative Planning (Dylan Gauthierf & Jocelyn Catterson)
5:00 – Refreshments & Music
Friday, July 11 – Range School and Field Tour
8:00 AM – Meet at SPMDTU by 8:30 a.m. for departure.
Stop 1: Punche Valley
- History of Agriculture and Water in the Valley (Nathan Coombs, Geoffrey Rawling)
- Soil Health Diagnostics (Patrick O’Neill)
Stop 2: Ant Hill Well
- Rangeland Management on Public and Private Land (Carl Thomson, Jim Armendariz, Helena Brunn, Annie Overlin, Luciano Sandoval, Mar Santos)
- Forage Value and Grazing Strategies (Will Jaremko, Annie Overlin, Luciano Sandoval)
- Animal Health (Kathy Whitman)
- DIY Monitoring & Field Notes (Angie Mestas and Jocelyn Catterson)
This event was supported by:
Conejos County Conservation District
Wright-Ingraham Institute
Colorado State University Extension
Center for Collaborative Conservation
And many other local and regional partners
