Stars and Seeds Flow Fund gives awards to women practicing regenerative farming and grants to women-led organizations serving the land, water, and more-than-human communities of New Mexico.
-
In 2025, Stars and Seeds supported 10 women farmers across New Mexico, each stewarding land through regenerative practices rooted in care, resilience, and long-term ecological health. For the Stars and Seeds Circle, regenerative agriculture is embodied by women with a deep and sacred relationship to land, water, and traditions across seasons. They are women who understand how critical soil and seed are in planting and growing, and appreciate the interconnectedness of ecosystems.
15 new farmers have been chosen for 2026, their profiles are coming soon!
-
Since Stars and Seeds began in 2023, the Stars and Seeds Circle has given 22 grants to organizations led by women rooted in love for the lands, cultures, and traditions of New Mexico. These community caretakers bring strength and balance in uncertain times. The grantees’ work spans youth leadership, arts and culture, birth justice, and anti-uranium activism, representing diverse communities across the state.
Regenerative Farmer Awardees
-
![]()
Betty Ojaye (Diné) Shiprock, NM
A retired educator and grandmother born and raised in Shiprock, Betty spent her childhood working on her family’s 16-acre farm. Her farmland, an allotment on the Navajo reservation, holds her family’s history and resilience: “This land is more than just soil and crops—it is a legacy.”
-
![]()
Camilla Trujillo, Española, NM
Born and raised in Rio Arriba County, Camilla received her first seeds from her grandmother almost 50 years ago. Her farm currently produces fruit, vegetables and medicinal herbs, with a focus on pollinators and compost. In her words, “I have always known that food and medicine come from the land.”
-
![]()
Donne Gonzales, Chamisal NM
A mother of two from Chamisal, Donne grew up tending summer gardens and caring for small livestock with her family. Those experiences rooted her in a strong sense of querencia for gardening, community, and traditional practices.
-
![]()
Heidi K. Brandow (Diné, Kanaka Maoli)
A Diné (Navajo) and Kanaka Maoli woman, Heidi restores and cultivates plants traditionally used for Navajo textile dyes, many of which also hold phytoremediative properties, so they can heal land damaged by extractive industries while sustaining cultural practices tied to them.
-
![]()
Melanie Kirby, Vadito, NM
Melanie hails from the southern Rocky Mountains, and is a member of Tortugas Pueblo, with mixed Indigenous, Caribbean, and European ancestry. She began keeping bees 28 years ago, and they continue to introduce her to the interconnected dynamics of agroecology, cultural diversity, scientific inquiry, and creative communication.
-
![]()
Reisha Lewis Adams, Shiprock, NM
A Navajo farmer based in Shiprock, with a background in public health, Reisha practices regenerative agriculture through Muddies Farm, with a focus on restoring land health, improving water efficiency, and building long-term food sovereignty.
-
![]()
Reyna Banteah, Pueblo of Zuni, Albuquerque, NM
Based in Albuquerque, Reyna is a proud member of the Pueblo of Zuni, and focuses on sustainable growing, seed saving of Southwest-adapted varieties, and increasing access to healthy, culturally relevant foods for local communities.
-
![]()
Sunny Dooley, Vanderwagon, NM
For over 45 years, Sunny has shared the Diné Hózhójii Hané teachings in a variety of settings in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the United Kingdom, the European Union, West Africa, and the Navajo Nation. She is a filmmaker, poet, writer, gardener, land steward, teacher, and organizer of positive possibilities for true change to take root.
-
![]()
Crystiana "Tiana" Baca-Bosiljevac
Tiana is a farmer, seed steward, and educator from Albuquerque who has been farming since 2012. She and her partner farm, raise goats, and steward seeds in the South Valley at Tierra Luna Farm, cultivating resilience and fostering a community of seed-conscious eaters.
-
![]()
Valerie Jack, Diné reservation, NM
Valerie’s farm on the Diné reservation, FNR Legacy Farm, is built on the teachings of her grandparents and implements regenerative agricultural land-care practices focused on restoring soil health, improving water efficiency, increasing biodiversity, and building long-term resilience.
Stars and Seeds Grantees List Available Upon Request