Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Updated by Marisa at 7:30 pm on Sunday, Sept 7, 2025

BYOB*! (* boxes)

LOTS of volunteer opportunities listed below... 

🍅🍅🍅 Harvest Weights - Running total: over 700 lbs.

                    July 24: 34 lbs.

                    Aug 5:    58 lbs.

                    Aug 7: 38 lbs. 

                    Aug 12: 76 lbs.

                    Aug 14: 106 lbs.

                    Aug 19: 146 lbs.

                    Aug 21: 67 lbs.

                    Aug 26: 140 lbs.

                    Sept 2:  191 lbs. (approx.)

                        

Page contents:

  • Volunteer Info (where, when, what to bring)
  • Upcoming Events & Other Activities
  • Photos from this summer


Volunteer Info (where, when, what to bring)


1)    Marisa Thompson's Urban Horticulture Program (Agrivoltaics & Tomatoes in 2025)
 Harvesting TOMATOES -- From here on up past the first frost, we'll be harvesting tomatoes (and chiles) every week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please bring boxes with you if you'd like to take some home. I'll keep a running total of harvest weights below.


                Where: NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas
                1036 Miller Road
                Los Lunas, NM 87031

    • May-October - Tuesday & Thursday Mornings, 8 am - 11 am. 
      • Our volunteer mornings are at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center, meetings either in the Learning Garden or adjacent veggie rows, or pruning activities in different fruit orchards. Park in the main parking lot and follow the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONES on foot to find the group wherever we're working that day. 
      • As of July 24, tomato harvests have officially started! 
      • What to Bring: BOXES for tomatoes! and a Water bottle/canteen/vessel, Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, long sleeves/pants, Sturdy fieldwork shoes that can get muddy, Gardening gloves (we have extras, if needed), Camera! Please help me snap pics of our pruning adventures for posterity 

      • As always, you are welcome to arrive late or leave early on these days. 👍

    2) Lebanon and Beyond Planting at the ABQ BioPark -- Sign up to help plant in the new Lebanon and Beyond section of the Botanic Garden on select days in mid-September! Sign-ups are limited to 10 people per shift. Each shift is 3 hours. Note from BioPark Curator of Plants Maria Thomas: "We encourage you to stay for the duration of each shift but if you only have a couple of hours to spare, we are happy to have you! Tasks will include planting shrubs and perennials, planting container arrangements, watering, topdressing beds with mulch, and assembling furniture." Read about the project: https://www.didierdesignstudio.com/work/med-garden

     

    Upcoming Events & Other Activities

    • Thursday, September 11, 9 am - 4 pm - "Botany for Gardeners" presentation by Marisa Thompson for the Doña Ana County Extension Master Gardener training program in Las Cruces. (Volunteers are still welcome to harvest tomatoes at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center with Alexis and the team!)
    • Wednesday, September 17th, 5:30 pm- "Gardening at the Pueblo"- learn about arid plants and irrigation at Santa Ana Native Plants, with Mike Halverson and Marisa Thompson! 
    • Friday, September 19, noon - "Plant Adaptations to Heat & Drought" webinar presentation by Marisa Thompson for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Saturday, September 20th, 9:00 AM- "Gardening at the Pueblo"- learn about worm composting and growing sunflowers at the Tamaya Wellness Center, with John Zarola and Sandoval County Cooperative Extension!
    • Tuesday, Sept. 30, Presentation by Marisa Thompson at the Farmington Public Library
    • Oct. 6-8, 2025 Southwest Turfgrass Conference & Expo, Ruidoso. More info: http://southwestturfgrass.com/
    • Friday, October 10, noon - "Hose Bib Irrigation for Trees" webinar presentation by Richard Perce for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Thursday, October 16, Presentation by Marisa Thompson for NM Nursery Growers Association at Osuna Nursery
    • Friday, October 24, noon - "Passive Rainwater Harvesting" webinar presentation by Anthony Luketich & Bobby Mullin for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Tuesday, October 29, 1-3 pm - "Ristra Making Workshop" at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center. See flyer below for more details.

    • Have another program you'd like me to list here? Email me the details: risi@nmsu.edu



    Pics from this summer:

    Volunteers and interns — replanting failed tomatoes and moving solarization plastic on 7-17-25




    Summer Fruit Tree Pruning workshop with TreeNM & volunteers on 7/10/25. 


    Carol and I found these five hornworms on her tomatoes, and one was pooping when I took the pic.  📸 7-14-25. M. Thompson. 


















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