Agave Heritage Festival: Field Notes – Tending Agave in the Living Desert

Field Notes: Tending Agave brings together growers, land stewards, and producers from across the U.S. and Mexico to explore the practices, landscapes, and traditions that shape how agave is cultivated today. 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM | Setting Up an Agave Farm Community-led session Moderated by Ian Beger (Castle Rock Hot Springs) Ofelia Lichtenheld (The Agave Farm) Eric Lichtenheld (The Agave Farm) George Coppock (Arizona Adobe and Agave Co) Agave growers working in U.S. drylands share practical, field-tested lessons from the field, moving beyond “plant it and wait” toward strategies that support long-term performance and resilience. The conversation explores species selection, farm layout, and early decisions that shape successful agave systems in arid environments. 10:00 AM to 10:00 AM | Regenerative Agriculture in Arid Landscapes Community-led session Moderated by Salvador Peribán Doug Richardson (Drylands Farming) Deanna Moore (Agave Lab) Katie Herzog (Reverie Ranch) This panel explores how regenerative agriculture can support climate-resilient working lands in dry and semi-arid regions. The discussion touches on soil health, water stewardship, crop diversity, and practical approaches that farmers and land stewards are using to strengthen long-term resilience in working landscapes. 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Agave Cultivation and Traditions Across Mexico Moderated by Francisco Terrazas (Tequila Interchange Project) Andres Cruz (Mezcal Vago) Dr. César Iván Ojeda Linares (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) Agave cultivation in Mexico is rooted in generations of knowledge, tradition, and regional practice. This panel explores the cultural, social, and agricultural perspectives that shape how agave is grown today, highlighting diverse producer experiences across landscapes and communities.         Part of the Agave Heritage Festival To celebrate and sustain the cultural, ecological, and economic significance of agave through binational collaboration, storytelling, and community-rooted experiences. We bring together voices from the Sonoran Desert and beyond to honor agave’s legacy and ignite collective action for a more resilient future.