Strengthening Puerto Rico's Farmers & Food System

The second quarter of 2026 was an exciting season of growth at Monte Azul. From hands-on workshops and volunteer days to new demonstration plots and alternative crops, our farm in Yabucoa continues to serve as a living classroom where farmers, volunteers, and community members can learn, experiment, and grow together.

80 Participants Building Practical Agricultural Skills

This quarter, 80 participants joined three hands-on workshops focused on skills that farmers can put directly into practice:

• Farm Equipment Maintenance – helping producers maintain their equipment, reduce costly downtime, and extend the life of essential farm machinery.
• Silvopasture – exploring how trees, forage, and livestock can be integrated to create more productive and resilient agricultural systems.
• Drip Irrigation – demonstrating efficient irrigation techniques that can conserve water while improving crop production.

These workshops are part of our commitment to making practical agricultural education accessible to farmers and aspiring farmers across Puerto Rico.

More Than 250 Hours of Hands-On Volunteering

Learning at Monte Azul does not stop in the classroom. Volunteers contributed more than 250 hours this quarter while gaining firsthand experience with sustainable farming techniques.

Through planting, field preparation, crop care, composting, and other farm activities, volunteers helped us expand our production while learning skills they can take back to their own farms, gardens, and communities.

Testing a New Crop for Yabucoa: Dragon Fruit

Innovation means being willing to experiment. This quarter, we planted more than 40 dragon fruit plants to evaluate their potential under Yabucoa's growing conditions.

The planting will serve as a demonstration for local farmers interested in alternative crops and diversification. As the plants develop, we will be able to share what we learn about their production, management, and potential as another opportunity for Puerto Rican growers.

1.5 Acres Planted Without Herbicides

We also put another 1.5 acres into production with sweet peppers, eggplant, and dwarf plantains—all grown without herbicides.

Instead, our team is using biodynamic inputs and compost produced right here at Monte Azul to build soil health and demonstrate approaches that reduce dependence on external agricultural inputs.

For us, these fields are about more than producing food. They are demonstration spaces where we can test sustainable practices under real-world conditions and share the results with the farmers we serve.

Your Support Makes This Possible

Every workshop taught, volunteer trained, crop planted, and new technique tested contributes to a larger goal: building a more sustainable, resilient, and locally rooted agricultural economy in Puerto Rico.

Monte Azul exists to create spaces where people can learn by doing—and where new ideas can be tested before farmers take the risk of implementing them on their own farms.

Thank you for helping us plant the seeds of a stronger agricultural future. We are excited to see what grows next.