PO Box 721 San Luis, CO 81152 

sangredecristoacequia@gmail.com

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

• Colorado Soil Health Update

• Colorado Land Link - Securing Agriculture's Future on the Land

• Sculpture Proposal

• Santana

• Acequia Video

• Costilla County Conservancy District Updated & Info

• Colorado Open Lands Conservation Easement Info

• Board Contact Info

• Water Use Law

Colorado Soil Health Program Update - formerly known as STAR +

The Colorado Soil Health Program (CHSP) is a Colorado Department of Agriculture program funded with Climate Smart Commodities grants from the federal government. The program is designed to incentivize producers to practice any of the five soil health principles.

To refresh our memories, the five principles are:

1) Minimize soil disturbance,

2) Soil Armor: Keep the soil covered,

3) Keep living roots in the ground to feed the soil and soil biology,

4) Plant diversity: use cool and warm season grassed and broad leaf plants

5) Incorporate Livestock with proper grazing management.

Each producer isenrolled for in the program for three-year period. Producers are eligible for reimbursement on a 1 to 1 basic for expenses they incur implementing a soil health practice.

The first-round enrollments occurred in 2023 enrolling 120 producers, 24,000 acres with 19 local partner/entities. First round incentive payments to producers totaled $393,350

The second-round enrollments began October ’23 and ended March 15, 2024. A total of 252 producers and 23 new partner/entities were enrolled. The Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association qualified as a the “eligible entity for Conejos and Costilla counties allowing for ten producers to be enrolled between the two counties. Three producers from Conejos County and seven producers from Costilla County are

participated in the second-round enrollments.

Producers enrolled in the program receive a soil moisture monitor system and a soil test the first and third year of the program. The soil sample will include A DNA microbiome test will also be performed on these samples. To date, 370 soil samples have been collected and a little over 300 soil moisture monitor systems installed.

As part of the CSHP, each partner/entity is eligible for a $25,000 equipment grant. The SdCAA used their equip grant money to purchase a 2024 Esch 5612 no-till drill with 5.5” planter spacing. The beauty of no-till drills is that you can plant directly into field stubble (corn, wheat, etc.) with minimal soil disturbance (one of the five soil health principles).

The drill is available for rent to producers.

To request a rental contact:

Regan Velasquez at 253-219-8427

or teleshoe28@gmail.com.

A tractor with 4-remote hydraulic connections and 50 hp is required to operate the drill.

Colorado Land Link is Securing Agriculture's Future on the Land

• Creating innovative solutions to the challenges of agricultural land access

• Providing education and resource support to farmers, ranchers, land owners, and land seekers

• Maintaining a professional network of agricultural land owners, producers, and non-profit partners

• Facilitating productive connections between aspiring farmers and current land owners

Colorado Land Link: Overview

Colorado Land Link, a program of Guidestone Colorado, helps beginning and next generation farmers and ranchers find access to land and resources needed to launch successful agricultural businesses. Guidestone and partners work with agricultural landowners and transitioning producers to assess the viability for a match on their land. Colorado Land Link publishes a Land Access Database, where any landseeker can explore land tenure opportunities across the state. For landowners that do not want their information listed publicly, Guideseone also maintains a private database only accessible to registered landseekers. In addition, Guidestone facilitates matches by helping landowners and landseekers assess their goals, competencies and readiness for land and land management transitions.

For Non-Farming Agricultural Landowners

• You are interested in philanthropically providing a life-changing opportunity for a next generation agricultural producer.

• You would like to see your land managed in a way that makes it productive.

• You value Colorado’s agricultural legacy and want to ensure that it retains that character well into the future.

• You know that America faces a crisis of aging farmers and the future of food and farmland is uncertain. However, you’ve also heard about the growing and passionate base of next generation farmers and ranchers who are eager for opportunities, but are priced out of traditional entry methods into agriculture.

For Current Farmers or Ranchers

• You would like to find a successor to your agricultural enterprise.

• You want to ensure that your legacy is carried on.

• You value an agricultural lifestyle and the community, economic, and environmental benefits that comes from a strong agricultural base.

  
  

Colorado Land Link can also provide significant financial benefits to landowners in the form of tax incentives or lease revenue, however defined.

For Landseekers

Landseekers begin the process of finding farmland by submitting a landseeker application. Landseekers then receive 1-on-1 consultation with Guidestone staff before connecting with landowners in Land Link’s database. 

How does Colorado Land Link work for Landowners?

Step 1 – Submit a Land Listing

The first step in the Land Link process is to submit a land listing to be included in Land Link’s database. There is no financial commitment to list, however, donations are appreciated and support Land Link’s operations. By signing up, you will also receive Guidestone’s quarterly Colorado Land Link eNewsletter, which contains news and opportunities, information about regional workshops, and most importantly, ensures that you are a part of the Colorado Land Link community!

Step 2 – Matching Process

Once you have submitted your Land Listing, we will make it available to our database of landseekers and update you with the status of the search. Regardless of whether or not there is a match, we will begin sharing resources and opportunities with you as they arise.

Please contact colandlink@guidestonecolorado.org or call 719-239-0955 with questions, and follow @coloradolandlink!

Sculpture Fundraiser

Thank you for the opportunity to present this proposal for a permanent outdoor public

art installation in San Luis, Colorado. Huberto’s Sculpture Studio specializes in

providing high quality limited edition bronze sculpture. Special attention is paid to

function, visibility, detail, and use of space when creating a sculptural design.

It is my intention, as an artist to provide you with the highest quality of a fine art

reproduction. This work of art is created to reflect the special significance of the acequia culture that is prevalent in our land and water San Luis de la Culebra communities of the Culebra Watershed.

The sculpture will represent the heritage of the acequias by depicting a regador, an

individual irrigating the ditch holding a tapanco (tarp) to direct the flow of water near a

headgate. The figure will stand approximately 6 ft. tall. The second sculpture of a

regador 5 ft. 6 in. tall within the design will depict a younger generation of farmers

learning the techniques of the acequia culture.

Huberto Maestas

Stay tuned for updates on this project!

The Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association will be represented at the

Costilla County Conservancy District’s booth during Santana weekend.

The booth will be at the town park.

“The Acequias”

The Sangre De Cristo National Heritage Area (SdCNHA) and Discovery Road are bringing forward the story of acequias in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. The half-hour documentary episode titled “The Acequias” introduces viewers to an intriguing profile of a Ditch Rider, who oversees the distribution of water to the farms and ranches.

Costilla County Conservancy District

Farm Park

The Costilla County Conservancy District is in the process of developing a Farm Park for San Luis and the surrounding communities. With a recently acquired parcel of 18 acres located East of San Luis, this property will be home to public space that will be used for growing food and fiber, agriculture and acequia education, along with demonstration grazing practices for all to participate in. Funding through the sale of CCCD-owned properties as well as state and federal grant proposals are helping turn these possibilities into a reality. Any and all constructive feedback of what community members would like to see within the Farm Park would be of great value.

Colorado Open Lands

Protect Your Land and Water Rights Forever

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government entity which contains permanent restrictions on the use or development of land in order to protect certain values of that particular property. A conservation easement can ensure that the water rights you have used on your land always stay with the land.

The conservation easement is recorded in the county records and binds all current and future owners of the land. If you think of private property rights as a bundle of sticks, conservation easements give you a way to fulfill your intentions to protect your land by donating one of the sticks, like the right to subdivide and the right to commercially develop.  Then you, the landowner, receive certain tax benefits recognizing your donation. COL “holds” the conservation easement, but does not own the property or get involved in day-to-day management.

The majority of conservation easements that Colorado Open Lands holds protect working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and scenic views from public roads or nearby public land. A conservation easement does not allow the public to access your land (unless you want to allow access). A conservation easement does not prevent you from mortgaging, leasing, selling, or passing on your land, subject to the restrictions of the conservation easement.

Colorado Open Lands has worked with ten families in Costilla County to conserve their land, together with water rights on fourteen acequias. Depending on your property, funding may be available to compensate you for the value of your conservation easement in addition to state and federal tax benefits.

To learn more or explore a conservation easement on your land and water rights, contact Joel Nystrom, Conservation Manager, at jnystrom@coloradoopenlands.org or via phone at 719-496-1708.

Association Board  

• Jock Jacober, President - 970-319-8962

• Regan Velasquez, VP - 253-219-8427

• Charlie Maestas, Treasurer - 719-992-1090

• Emelin Martinez, Secretary - 719-480-1230

• Delmer Vialpando - 719-298-2089

• Steven Romero - 719-588-2502

WATER USE LAW

In order to use water from any stream or river in Colorado you must have an adjudicated right. Water in the Culebra Watershed decreed to the acequias may only be used by the parciantes (landowners) on those acequias who use the water to irrigate their land. Using water from a stream or acequia without an adjudicated right is stealing and in violation of Colorado Revised Statutes.