By Gregory Sullivan, Ph.D., Environmental Management and Systems
“I have stirred into the ground the offal and the decay of the growth of past seasons
and so mended the earth and made its yield increase.”
Wendell Berry
A new generation of ranchers in Northern New Mexico is returning to their roots—not simply to continue their families’ traditions, but to redefine what ranching can look like in a changing climate with lower amounts of rainfall, intense short periods of rain, and higher temperatures. Longstanding challenges, such as drought, overgrazing, and monoculture practices, have led to poor water infiltration and high erosion rates, particularly during the monsoonal season from June to September. In response, innovative ranchers are turning to regenerative practices, including a water-focused land management method called Keyline Design.
Originally developed in 1946 by Australian rancher and engineer, P.A. Yeoman, Keyline Design leverages the natural contours of the landscape to slow, spread, and sink precipitation, enhancing both water retention and soil health. The objective is to increase forage production by improving soil health, achieving deeper water infiltration, and reducing soil compaction. In the high desert region of Northern New Mexico, Keyline Design can be used to lay the groundwork for silvopasture, an agroforestry practice that integrates trees and shrubs into grazing systems. The goal is to provide pasture for animals between tree and shrub lines, to create a food forest, and to protect the soil from wind erosion. By stacking ecological functions, “the whole system becomes larger than the sum of the parts.”
Chelsea Esquibel giving planting instructions at the Silvopasture Field Day, while Lucas Esquibel is filling the no-till drill with cover crop seed.
Meet the Esquibels
Rio Nutrias Farmstead is the Esquibel’s family ranch 15 miles south of Chama near Tierra Amarilla, at an elevation of 7,500 feet. Annual rainfall in the region averages about 19 inches in a good year. In the past 20 years however, most years have been in moderate or severe drought conditions. The ranch is located in USDA Hardiness Zone 7, although the ranchers believe it is shifting toward Zone 8 due to the impact of climate change. The landscape features rolling hills and is dominated by Inceptisols and Mollisols soil. “White clay” is a common term given to much of these soils on the ranch. Forest cover is mainly Piñon-Juniper interspersed with stands of Ponderosa Pine.
Chelsea and Lucas Esquibel have returned to the family ranch to continue its legacy with a forward-thinking vision. Former professionals in global public health and engineering, respectively, the couple is applying their expertise to implement sustainable land management practices. Their mission is clear: improve soil health and forage production through silvopasture to support their livestock and enhance the land’s resilience against climate stress.
The ranch currently supports a commercial herd of 80 head of Limousin cattle. The Esquibel’s goal is “to take a small piece of the ranch that was not highly utilized for cattle and make our farmstead on it. This is both our home and an area to slowly work on raising chickens, supporting pollinators, planting fruit trees and improving the soil.” In addition to their cattle operation, the Esquibels periodically raise pastured poultry for both market and household. The ranch plan calls for a future on-site meat plant to process their livestock.
The Yeoman’s Plow slices through the soil without turning it.
Silvopasture in Action
With support from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Esquibels developed a comprehensive conservation plan for their ranch. This plan includes water management strategies, forage and tree species selection, erosion control measures, and soil enhancement practices. They also were awarded grant monies from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program to fund the necessary inputs for site development, such as soil amendments and composting material, electric fence, and services to prepare the ground. The total grant amount received was $18,000.
While awaiting reimbursement of their purchases, they secured bridge financing through the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group –a nonprofit unaffiliated with the NM Department of Agriculture– until they received payment for their out-of-pocket costs. They said that “the key elements that we learned and applied were the healthy soil principles and also water retention through Keyline Design.”
In the spring of 2025, the Esquibels hosted a field day in collaboration with the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group to demonstrate the advantages of silvopasture. The event drew 25 ranchers from the area interested in learning silvopastoral practices. Participants took part in hands-on activities such as seed inoculation, planting trees, building wire cages, planting swales, and applying mulch.
Preparation of the Silvopasture Site
An area of five acres was chosen as a test plot. The area has a slope and lies on a north–south transect. First, a drone was used to get a rough contour map of the area. Then, contours were identified on the ground with a laser level and marked with flags, beginning from the top of the slope to the bottom.
On the upside of the ridge, a shallow trench or swale was dug and filled with branches, resulting in a modified Hügelkultur. The trench collects runoff, allowing moisture to saturate the root zone of a row of trees planted on the ridge. Over time, sediment and decomposed organic materials create a sponge to hold moisture and promote microbial activity–a primary way to achieve soil health.
Between the ridges a swale was groomed using a Ford 65 Hp Tractor with a Yeoman Plow attached to break the hard pan. The distance between the swales was determined taking into account the slope aspect as well as design goals for the landscape.
Inoculation of seeds
A combination of grass and legume forage seeds were planted between the contour lines. For this five acre demonstration,150 lbs of a custom mix was prepared by Pawnee Buttes Seed, Inc. of Greeley, Colorado, including Triticale Spring [71%], Cowpeas [25%], and Italian Ryegrass [4%]. The Cowpeas fix nitrogen in the soil for improved soil health and plant nutrition.
Seeds were inoculated with Johnson-Su (J-S) compost made from on-farm feedstocks to stimulate the soil microbiome and plant root growth. It takes about one year to produce the Johnson-Su compost in a DIY bioreactor, resulting in enough inoculant to be shared with other farmers and ranchers. All the materials needed to construct the bioreactor can be bought at the local hardware store. This blog post about Johnson-Su compost includes YouTube presentations describing construction of the unit and preparation of the inoculant.
To make the seed inoculant, compost is thoroughly mixed with water to achieve the consistency of pancake batter. The slurry is poured on the seed in a 50 gallon container at a ratio of one gallon of slurry per 50 pounds of seed. The barrel is then sealed with a lid and placed on its side and rolled for 10 minutes to get complete coverage of the seed with inoculant (a cement mixer works really well, too). Then, the seed is poured onto a tarp, raked and left to dry. The coating and drying of the seed is best done inside a shed or outdoors in the shade to prevent degradation of the inoculant. If an electric fan is available, the air flow allows for quicker drying.
The treated seed mixture is planted in the swales using an 8 foot wide no-till drill. Several passes are made over each swale until all the seed is evenly dispersed for good coverage. After drilling the seed, bales of straw are shredded and spread to retain soil moisture and maintain a conducive growing environment.
Seedling roots are being dipped in compost tea before planting.
Planting Trees
Three varieties of bareroot tree seedlings—Chokeberry, Hackberry, and Gambel Oak—were chosen and ordered at low cost through the New Mexico Forest Service Conservation Tree Program. These species are well-suited to higher elevations ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 feet and thrive in the Piñon-Juniper landscapes.
A post hole digger is useful to make holes for the seedlings on the ridges, approximately five feet apart and deep enough to hold the full length of seedling roots. Before planting, the roots were dipped in a compost tea solution made by massaging a mesh bag of J-S compost in a bucket of water. The seedlings were then placed into the prepared holes, with care taken not to plant them too deep.
These trees offer numerous environmental benefits. They help stabilize the soil, reduce erosion on slopes, and increase biodiversity. By supporting pollinators and providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, they contribute to a more resilient ecosystem. Additionally, trees aid in carbon sequestration, playing a meaningful role in mitigating climate change. An added benefit is that ripe chokeberries can also be used to make excellent jam and a flavorful, fruity wine.
The perimeter of the five-acre field is enclosed with a five-foot-high, three-strand electric fence, designed to keep both livestock and wildlife out of the planting area. In addition, each young tree is protected by a five-foot-high hog wire cage with a circumference of six feet and secured to a six-foot metal fence post. To shield the seedlings from intense afternoon sun during the summer months, a simple shade structure may be used. It should be placed on the southwest side of the seedlings to reduce heat stress and sun exposure.
Looking Ahead
Chelsea and Lucas are pioneering a regenerative approach to restore underutilized rangeland in the High Desert Southwest. Through the use of a silvopastoral system that incorporates contour ridges and swales, they are effectively capturing water, reducing erosion, and building long-term soil health. Between rows of young trees, they are establishing a mix of perennial grasses and legumes that provide high-quality forage for small livestock—primarily chickens and meat rabbits. By integrating water management, biodiversity, and rotational grazing, their system fosters ecological resilience while supporting sustainable livestock production.
Since planting, the site has already started to transform—the once white clay and sagebrush-dominated landscape is greening, and the trees have grown. These early signs of success reflect Chelsea’s and Lucas’s belief that with thoughtful land stewardship and strong community engagement, it’s possible to establish a new model of regenerative ranching tailored to the challenges of the High Desert.
Over time, they plan to expand the silvopasture approach to other suitable areas of the ranch, introducing regionally appropriate grasses, legumes, and trees to enhance both productivity and resilience. Their commitment to soil health not only honors a legacy of family ranching but also looks forward—laying a strong foundation for a more sustainable and climate-adapted future for their ranch, their family, and the wider community.
As Wendell Berry reminds us, healing the earth requires working with nature’s cycles—stirring back into the soil the remnants of past growth to mend the land and increase its yield. Chelsea and Lucas embody this regenerative vision, nurturing their ranch into a resilient landscape where grass grows between the trees, livestock thrive on healthy forage, and the land continues to renew itself for generations to come.
All images by Isabelle Jenniches CC BY 4.0
Leave a Reply