Whether or not you believe in it, just hold that thought for a moment.

My name is Art, and I’m the founder of Dilia Knoll Farm.

A couple of years ago, I worked for a large bank. One of the perks of my position was the opportunity to take continuing education courses, with the company picking up the tab — so long as it was relevant to my job. My official title was Experience Design Senior Lead, which meant I led a team focused on making sure customers had a seamless, enjoyable experience while banking online through the design interface.

I signed up for an online course through Cornell University — eCornell — that would award me a professional certificate. The class was several months long and culminated in a major project: designing a mobile app. The course outlined everything from market research to creating detailed profiles of target users, all with the goal of developing an app that could be prototyped and tested as if it were live.

My app idea? A matchmaker app — but not for romantic relationships. It came to me while I was taking the course, and it had a lot to do with a conversation I was having with a nephew at the time. He was in his early 20s and struggling with relationship challenges. We spent weeks texting and talking on the phone, brainstorming ideas for resolving conflicts in his life. (It worked out for him, but like many young adult relationships, it was an on-again, off-again situation. But that’s a different story.)

Then, the idea for my app clicked. Instead of pairing people up romantically, I would create an app to match young adults with trusted mentors — someone they could turn to for advice and life experience, without the awkwardness of talking to a parent. The mentor would offer insights into life experiences the young person hadn’t yet had. The catch? The young adult (the “mentee”) would choose their mentor, and the mentor could either accept or decline the invitation.

The concept was approved and prototype worked great. I got a perfect score and earned the certificate.

Fast forward to a month ago. I moved to New Mexico — never set foot in the state before. I bought a house in a tiny remote town and was ready to start my new adventure in regenerative farming. I discovered a grant offered by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program. To apply, I needed a project sponsor, so I reached out to the local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). I also had to present my goals to them in person.

I had a fantastic meeting with the SWCD for Guadalupe County in Santa Rosa. I was lucky enough to attend the last meeting of the year, as little did I know, there was a holiday party right afterward.

Enter Mary. She was the one who immediately backed my project and made the first motion to approve the sponsorship. And then she did something even more unexpected — she invited me to stay for the holiday party.

The party was wonderful — potluck food was fresh and everyone was friendly… I couldn’t have felt more welcomed. I learned that Mary had lived in Anton Chico for many years. I asked if she’d be willing to show me around the historic town, and she graciously agreed. Not only did Mary take me on an amazing tour of Anton Chico that afternoon, introducing me to local people like the postmaster and the head librarian (by the way, Anton Chico has a modest yet unexpectedly impressive library!), but she also became a wonderful guide to the land grant area.

Anton Chico Land Grant. Photo: Art Tran

Fast forward to now, and Mary has become one of my closest friends. She’s not only been a fantastic support in my new life here, but she’s also opened doors to a whole new world for me in New Mexico.

So, whether or not you believe in karma, I’m pretty sure Mary and I could’ve matched perfectly on that mentor app. Sometimes, the universe has a funny way of making connections happen when you least expect it.

Anton Chico and Seedbroadcast

Past years, SeedBroadcast coordinated with Anton Chico residents in community events.

Featured photo: Unknown. New Mexico scrublands.