Tonatiu Anceno Knoop

Tonatiu Anceno Knoop (he/him/el), or Tona, as he is commonly known as, joined LandPaths in November of 2022 as a Bilingual Stewardship Field Specialists. In this role, he works with the community to help foster a love of stewarding and caring for the land. He loves learning and teaching about the endless wonders of the natural world.

Born in San Francisco, but raised in Sonoma County, Tona has spent time living and studying in Mexico and Uruguay. After graduating from Sonoma State University where he studied Literature and Philosophy, Tona worked for several nonprofits, most notably the CURA Project, where he addressed issues of food insecurity, economic, and environmental sustainability in Sonoma County. While still in college, Tona worked in a wide variety of fields, from construction, to commercial kitchens, to teaching language, to name only a few!

Tona has been working with the land since he was old enough to walk; working with his father as a gardener/landscaper in the United States, and with his family in Mexico as a farmer. At home in Rohnert Park, Tona keeps a bountiful garden in his backyard; he can proudly say that he only buys produce during the winter months, if ever!

In his spare time, Tona loves doing anything outside; gardening, hanging out with his cat, climbing tall mountains, backpacking, camping, and exploring the wilderness in any season and any weather. He loves music, philosophizing, and literature, as well as traveling the world to experience new food and culture.

An avid writer, Tona dreams of a self-built, off-grid homestead with a farm to feed him and his family, a typewriter that pumps out best-selling novels, and a workshop for his spontaneous and sometimes slightly insane DIY projects. His absolute favorite thing to do is try new things and get out of his comfort zone, stretching the limits of his negative capability. He loves a challenge and loves overcoming a challenge even more.

Tona believes that there is always more one can do, learn, and experience, and he lives every day with that in mind as he makes his way in the world.