MESA Program

MESA’s very own Outreach and Partnerships fellow Claire Hambrick was honored to attend and present at the American Community Gardening Association’s ( Community Gardening Association) annual conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she presented MESA’s programs and mission, and connected with community gardening and sustainable agriculture leaders from across the country!

Big shout out to ACGA for their generous invitation to attend and present at their wondrous conference!

When Mark Cain and Michael Crane welcomed their first MESA Steward to Dripping Springs Garden, they never imagined the lasting relationships and global impact that would grow from the experience. Over two decades, Dripping Springs has hosted 20 Stewards from Peru, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and beyond...Read more in our June 2026 newsletter! 🌸 🌼 🌻 🌷 🌹 🪻 💐

🔗https://mailchi.mp/mesaprogram/mesa-taproot-june-2026-newsletter-ppifuvlzo4

Rodrigo Lecca’s SPRIG mini-grant and research examines how Farmer Field Schools contribute to sustainable cacao production in Peru’s Amazonas and San Martín regions. Through farmer interviews, field visits, and mapping, he is exploring the role of agricultural education in strengthening sustainability, improving knowledge-sharing, and supporting rural farming communities. 🇵🇪🌰🌱

🌱 Inspired by projects like Rodrigo's? Apply for the 2026 SPRIG Mini-Grant by June 30!

🔗https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zzVNwUrMHlaF9UizbqVaRMvM6i0IR1jh/view

📢Last chance to enroll! Travel with purpose this June! MESA’s NGO partner, the @学校法人 アジア学院／Asian Rural Institute in Tochigi, Japan will welcome this season’s GAPP Fellows to learn alongside a multicultural community from villages across the globe during three weeks of learner-center classroom sessions, hands-on practice, and observation trips. 🇯🇵🌾

When: May 31st-June 19th, 2026

Where: Asian Rural Institute in Tochigi, Japan

Why: Gain hands-on regenerative farming experience and learn the fundamentals of agroecology alongside a multicultural community of grassroots rural leaders from the majority world.

Learn more here: www.mesaprogram/japan