Cultivate is a project of the El Paso Community Foundation to convene and educate the community about food systems and sustainability. Cultivate is an engaging forum on food systems and sustainability where locals will share brief presentations of their inspiring work. Following the presentations, an informative short film is often presented. Guests are encouraged to enjoy refreshments and engage presenters in discussion and collaboration. Farmer, restauranteur, educator, urban gardener or just someone who cares about local, sustainable food; everyone with an interest is welcome to join us to change the way we think about food and where it comes from.

Upcoming forum:

June 18, 2025

• “Design for Collectivity in a Transboundary Airshed” - Stephen Mueller, Associate Professor / Director of Research, POST—Project for Operative Spatial Technologies, Texas Tech University Huckabee College of Architecture El Paso (HCOA)

• “Desert Bighorn Return to the Franklin Mountains” - Lois Balin, Urban Wildlife Biologist

• “The Little Farm that Could” - Marty Loya, Co-Owner, Growing with Sara Farm

• Featured short film “Cafe´ Y Aves, a project of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute” directed by Roshan Patel.

Prior Cultivate Forums:

March 5, 2025

• “Green Hope Project: Trash to Treasure” - Candace Printz, Green Hope Project Founder & President/Assistant Director of Fine Arts for Socorro ISD

• “Our Amazing Bees” - Bob Reneau, Master Beekeeper

• “The Rio Grande Colonias Food Business Center is OPEN!” - Valerie Venecia & Ruby Aguayo, Program Director and Business Development Coordinator, Rio Grande Colonias Regional Food Business Center, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso

• Featured film “sym-bee-o-sis” directed by Neil Losin.

• Featured film “Lions of West Texas” directed by Ben Masters.

January 29, 2025

• “Growing Access, Cultivating Change: Spoon Flower Grocery’s Impact on Food Equity in El Paso” - Adriana Clowe, Director and Co-Founder, Desert Spoon Food Hub

• “Lower Valley Composters” - Veronica Perez, Owner/President and Patricia Garcia Co-founder/Vice President Dirt y Girls Compost

• “When it Rains in El Paso: Water Harvesting for Urban Trees” - Mike Gaglio, Biologist/Managing Member, High Desert Native Plants LLC

• A short documentary film “Harvest Rain” by DSP Media for the Cuenca los Ojos Foundation.