Each month Questa community officer Maria Gonzalez fields an array of questions from Questa residents. Some locals will ask Gonzalez about community projects they want to pursue. Others will ask her about upcoming community events, or the work that the LOR Foundation is supporting in Questa.
But there’s one question that seems to come up more than any other: Do you know where I can rent or borrow a van or bus?
Transportation has been a long-running problem for many Questa organizations. Local groups often need help transporting residents to and from events or other important community programs. That was the case for Questa’s do-it-all nonprofit, Localogy. The nonprofit’s youth programs take local kids on experiential learning trips throughout the Questa area. While Localogy currently has a bus, transportation was a limiting factor for its activities, as well as for families with kids in programs like the Vida Camp. Over the summer, Daniel Hutchison, Localogy’s executive director, approached Gonzalez about the group’s transportation challenges, sharing his idea to acquire two new vehicles to support their activities. With LOR’s support, Localogy will buy a 15-passenger van and a second bus this fall, helping local youth expand their learning, explore Questa, and build connections.
“It’s pretty important because the point of our youth programs is engagement with the community,” Hutchison says. “And you can’t do that unless you’re out and about.”
Localogy’s transportation network is not the only community project Hutchison and the nonprofit have been working on lately. Cultivo, an agricultural apprenticeship initiative, is another Localogy program that is expanding with LOR’s support. Cultivo aims to train the next generation of Questa farmers and ranchers, equipping young growers to one day start their own operations and continue Questa’s agricultural legacy. The program started in 2024 with the looming retirement of local farmer Daniel Carmona, owner of Cerro Vista Farm, Hutchison says.
“We have a farmers market as part of our suite of programs and that was put in jeopardy because the local main grower was aging out and retiring,” Hutchison says. “We just kind of took that challenge and turned it into an opportunity.”
In Cultivo’s first year, emerging farmers have been growing and marketing their vegetables at the Questa Farmers Market. LOR’s funding will help Localogy expand the program into its second year, opening more opportunities for local apprentices while strengthening the mentorship they receive. It’s an effort that will not only serve the young people who participate, but the Questa community at large.
“Questa has a long history as a self-reliant and resilient community, and that was based in its agricultural roots,” Hutchison says. “Part of the vision for a new sustainable economy [in Questa] is agriculture.”
Those interested in the Cultivo program can contact Gaea McGahee at growersmakers@gmail.com or (575) 649-0831 for more information. Questions about Localogy’s transportation assistance should be directed to Hutchison at info@localogy.org or (575) 613-6808.
Community projects like Localogy’s excite Gonzalez because they offer tangible benefits to Questa locals, improving quality of life. As the year comes to a close, Gonzalez is looking for more ideas that will meaningfully enhance the lives of residents. Maybe you’re one of the people who has asked Gonzalez where you can rent or borrow a van. Do you now have a solution? If so, Gonzalez would love to hear it.
You can contact her to set up a time to chat at maria@lorfoundation.org or (575) 665-2001.
LOR works with rural communities in the Mountain West to enhance livability and prosperity while preserving the character that makes each community unique.
