Announcing Inaugural Taos SEED Participants

March 3rd, 2026 The Taos Destination Stewardship Network is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the pilot Taos SEED Program. 

The Taos SEED (Sustainable Experience & Entrepreneur Development) Program – is a pilot initiative designed to help turn strong place-based ideas into sustainable, revenue-generating tourism experiences authentically rooted in the cultures, communities, and landscapes of Taos County. 

Through seed funding, business development support, and peer learning, the program is piloting a new kind of support for local entrepreneurs to grow experience-based offerings that deepen visitor engagement while strengthening community benefit, cultural integrity, and long-term economic opportunity in the local tourism economy. Congratulations to the eight businesses and organizations selected for this first SEED cohort, whose projects reflect the creativity, stewardship, and entrepreneurial spirit shaping the future of tourism in Taos.

Whitefeather Native Cultural Tours — Developing Grounds for Community Gathering
Tier 2 — Growing & Established
Whitefeather Native Cultural Tours is developing a dedicated cultural gathering space on family land on Taos Pueblo homelands. Founded by the late Kevyn Whitefeather and now carried forward by his brother, Harold Cordova, the project creates a place for visitors and community members to gather through story, song, shared meals, and cultural learning rooted in the living traditions of the Red Willow people. By strengthening Indigenous leadership in Taos’ tourism landscape and creating space for respectful cultural exchange, the project advances inclusion and equity while ensuring tourism experiences remain grounded in cultural integrity and stewardship of the land.

El Tros Farm Experience — Highlighting Acequia Culture and Living Agriculture
Tier 2 / 3 — Growing, Established & Collaborative
The El Tros Farm Experience invites visitors into a working generational farm rooted in the acequia traditions of northern New Mexico. Through farm stays, agricultural tours, and hands-on learning, guests explore the cultural and ecological relationships between land, water, and community that have sustained the Taos Valley for centuries. By centering Hispano agricultural knowledge and partnering with local producers and educators, the project creates new income streams for small farms while offering visitors a deeper connection to Taos’ living heritage.

Heritage Inspirations — Expanding Place-Based Tour Experiences
Tier 2 /3— Growing & Established
Heritage Inspirations is expanding immersive Taos experiences including guided cultural day tours, educational eBike rides, and night sky programming rooted in the region’s dark-sky landscapes. These experiences connect visitors to the layered cultural history of Taos while creating opportunities for local guides, educators, and small businesses to participate in tourism. As a locally owned, woman-led company, the initiative emphasizes collaborative storytelling and shared economic benefit across the community.

Futuros Ancestral — Heritage Arts & Land-Based Workshops
Tier 1 / Tier 2 — Emerging & Concept
Futuros Ancestral is developing hands-on revenue generating visitor workshops centered on Northern New Mexico’s ancestral arts, including weaving, natural dyes, adobe architecture, and traditional foods. By connecting visitors and locals directly with heritage artists, the program creates new income streams for tradition-bearers while helping younger generations reconnect with cultural practices that have shaped the Rio Grande Valley for centuries. The initiative strengthens cultural continuity while building experience-based tourism rooted in land, craft, and community knowledge.

La Cara de Cosecha — Reviving Taos’ Historic Saffron Tradition
Tier 1 — Emerging & Concept
La Cara de Cosecha aims to revive saffron cultivation in Taos by distributing saffron corms and training to local farmers, reconnecting with a crop first brought to northern New Mexico by early Hispanic settlers. The project supports small-scale agricultural income while celebrating the cultural heritage tied to saffron cultivation in the Taos Valley. By linking farming, storytelling, and future heritage-based experiences, the initiative strengthens both local agriculture and cultural tourism.

Picuris Pueblo Museum Gift Shop — Supporting Indigenous Artists & Cultural Learning
Tier 2 — Growing & Established
The Picuris Pueblo Museum is advancing the (re)emergence of its Museum Gift Shop, creating a welcoming entry point for visitors to learn about Picuris history and culture while supporting Indigenous artists. The shop will feature locally made artwork, books, recordings, and cultural materials, generating income for artists and creating new jobs in a rural area of Taos County. By connecting museum experiences with community storytelling and creative entrepreneurship, the project strengthens Indigenous representation and economic opportunity within Taos’ tourism landscape.

Taos Pilgrimage Feasibility Study — Exploring a Place-Based Walking Experience
Tier 1 — Emerging & Concept
This project explores the feasibility of a Taos pilgrimage inspired by traditions like the Camino de Santiago. The concept invites visitors to experience the landscape through walking routes that connect cultural sites, local businesses, and community stories. By involving local guides, artists, and small businesses, the project seeks to expand who participates in and benefits from tourism while offering visitors a slower, more reflective way to experience Taos.