Rio Grande Community Farm

The Vision Garden Project at Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) is an inclusive outdoor education and accessibility initiative designed to expand equitable access to nature-based learning, gardening, and workforce development opportunities for approximately 500 pre-K through high school youth in the Albuquerque area. As a nonprofit community farm rooted in education, food justice, and land-based learning, RGCF will use Outdoor Equity Fund support to develop an accessible outdoor classroom and deliver hands-on programming that serves youth in Albuquerque, focusing on youth with disabilities and diverse learning needs. Primary goals of the Vision Garden Project: - Increase physical and social access to gardening and nature-based learning for youth with disabilities and diverse learning needs - Provide hands-on gardening and environmental education experiences for Albuquerque youth - Provide opportunities for high school interns with hands-on learning in inclusive and accessible garden and outdoor classroom design - Create and showcase an inclusive, accessible outdoor learning space that models best practices in accessible garden and outdoor classroom design. The program will primarily serve pre-K through middle school students from schools across Albuquerque, with a smaller workforce development component for high school interns. RGCF maintains a close partnership with the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and will prioritize participation by youth with disabilities who often face barriers to safe, accessible outdoor learning environments. By hosting programming at a community-based nonprofit farm, the project offers youth a supportive setting for exploration, skill-building, and engagement with nature that may not otherwise be available to them. Outdoor activities will include hands-on, sensory-rich gardening and environmental education experiences such as planting, harvesting, soil exploration, nature-based art and craft activities, and guided exploration of the garden landscape. Programming is designed to support multiple learning styles and abilities while connecting participants to broader concepts of ecology, land stewardship, and inclusive design. High school interns will participate in an intensive two-week learning experience focused on the Vision Garden. Interns will learn principles of inclusive and accessible garden and outdoor classroom design, assist with program delivery, and gain hands-on experience supporting and facilitating nature-based learning for younger students. This component builds leadership skills while preparing interns for future education or career pathways in environmental and community-based work. The intended impact of the Vision Garden Project is both immediate and long-term. In the short term, youth participants will gain confidence in outdoor spaces, practical gardening and environmental knowledge, and a stronger sense of belonging in nature-based settings. In the long term, the project will establish a permanent, accessible outdoor classroom at RGCF that supports ongoing youth programming, school partnerships, and community engagement. The Vision Garden will also serve as a demonstration site for inclusive outdoor education in Albuquerque. The program will take place at Rio Grande Community Farm, located within Los Poblanos Fields Open Space, and will operate throughout the growing season during the school year and summer sessions. Oversight will be led by RGCF’s Education Programs Director in collaboration with The Mountain Dojo and community and school partners.