Exhibit Opening: An Enchanted Vision
2021-12-18 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
A deep appreciation of farm and ranch life in New Mexico is the impetus behind an upcoming art show at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

“An Enchanted Vision: The Artistic Celebration of Farming and Ranching in New Mexico” features the artwork of artist Sue Nichols. Her artwork is on display in the Museum’s Arts Corridor, beginning with a reception on Dec. 18 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The 30 creations in Nichols’ show are mostly oil paintings, but there are also stained glass and watercolor works in the show.

As a native New Mexican and member of a fifth-generation farm and ranch family, Nichols’ artistic inspiration stems from the rich cultural, historical, and geographical landscape of the Borderland region. The varied aspects of New Mexico, from sunsets, abandoned adobes, and stark plains, all combine to tell the story of this unique area.

Nichols’ art portrays a historical reflection of agrarian and indigenous New Mexico, ranging from depictions of past generations and days gone by to present-day youth engaged in agricultural endeavors. Sue’s artistic work incorporates multiple mediums and inspires a desire to preserve all of the unique enchanting charms that make New Mexico so special.

The show will be on display through March 2022.

The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show
2022-02-19 09:00 - 17:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show brings together wholesale and resale dealers of both cut and uncut gemstones, rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry, and jewelry-making supplies. Educational information also is part of the show. The event is hosted by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, sponsored by Frank Parrish, and organized by Las Cruces Event Planning. Admission, which includes all of the Museum’s regular offerings, is $7 for ages 12 and older, $4 for children ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and under. For more information about this event, please call Las Cruces Event Planning at (575) 522-1232.

The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show
2022-02-20 10:00 - 17:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show brings together wholesale and resale dealers of both cut and uncut gemstones, rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry, and jewelry-making supplies. Educational information also is part of the show. The event is hosted by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, sponsored by Frank Parrish, and organized by Las Cruces Event Planning. Admission, which includes all of the Museum’s regular offerings, is $7 for ages 12 and older, $4 for children ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and under.For more information about this event, please call Las Cruces Event Planning at (575) 522-1232.

The Trial of Billy the Kid
2022-03-04 14:00 - 15:00 | NM
Las Cruces author and historian David G. Thomas will talk about his book, “The Trial of Billy the Kid,” at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 4. This book is about Billy the Kid’s trial for murder in Mesilla, and the events leading up to that trial. The result of Billy’s trial helped seal his fate, and yet Billy’s trial is one of the least-known events of his adult life. This presentation in the Museum’s Theater is being held in conjunction with the new exhibit, “Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico.” Before the presentation, members of the Museum’s living history group will be in and around the Museum’s exhibits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 4. Guests are invited to see the exhibits and interact with some of our historic characters. Regular admission applies: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.These activities kick off Cowboy Days, which continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. The Museum is closed on Sundays.

Cowboy Days
2022-03-05 09:00 - 16:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Demonstrations, living history, and family fun are the focus as Cowboy Days returns to the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces for the 22nd year.
The event is Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5. The Museum is closed on Sunday. The Friday activities begin with members of the Museum’s living history group interacting with guests in the galleries. The historical characters will share their stories in exhibits around the Museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Some of the characters include Buckshot Roberts from the Lincoln County War, Fray Lorenzo, rancher Charles Martin, mercantile proprietors Cal and Mrs. LaPoint, and Nellie, who will share a day in the life of a rancher’s wife.
Following the living history program on Friday, Las Cruces author and historian David G. Thomas will give a presentation called “The Trial of Billy the Kid” in the Museum’s Theater at 2 p.m. Thomas, who authored a book with the same title, will share rarely reported details of the Kid’s trial in Mesilla. The presentation is being held in conjunction with the opening of the Museum’s new exhibit, “Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico.”
Regular Museum admission applies to Friday’s activities: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens (60 and over), and $3 for children 4 to 17.
A variety of family activities are planned for Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for Saturday is $10 per carload and includes all the Museum’s standard offerings.
Saturday’s activities begin with demonstrations from 9 a.m. to noon, including Colcha embroidery, weaving, sewing, twining, wool spinning, and chair caning. The blacksmith shop will be open for demonstrations all day, and visitors can take a chuck wagon tour in the Museum’s new exhibit, “Riding Herd with Billy the Kid.”
Horseshoeing is another popular demonstration and it takes place from 10 to 10:30 a.m. and from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on the South 20 portion of the Museum’s campus. The Southwest Dairy Farmers’ Mobile Dairy will be on site to do milking demonstrations and a dairy program at 9:30, 10:30, 1:30 and 3:00. Sheep shearing in the Sheep & Goat Barn will take place throughout the day, and the Back Country Horsemen will be stationed near the Historic Green Bridge. Also near the bridge will be Museum living history characters giving a talk on branding.
The Parade of Breeds cattle program is a staple of Cowboy Days. Livestock Manager Greg Ball brings each breed into the Round Pen to discusses their history and characteristics. The Museum has seven different breeds of beef cattle. This popular program is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Linda McDaniel of Alamogordo will be at the Museum with her herding dogs and they’ll demonstrate sheep herding at 10 a.m., noon and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Music and activities will create a lively atmosphere throughout the Museum’s Courtyard on Saturday. Singer/musician Kenny Arroyos will perform from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., while the Ramblin’ Rangers will perform from 11 a.m. to noon, and from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. At noon, there will be a line dancing demonstration by Sol Ballroom in the Courtyard. The Art of the Historical Fashion Show will follow from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Courtyard activities include games and crafts for children, as well as informational booths. There will be bandana making and farming-in-a-glove kits, and New Mexico Ag in the Classroom will be doing butter-making demonstrations. Other organizations providing activities include Branigan Library, 4-H, New Mexico Meats, High Noon Leather, Master Gardeners, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico Cattle Growers, Asombro, Cowbelles, and the New Mexico Chile Pepper Institute.
Due to Covid restrictions and staffing issues, there will be no stagecoach, pony, or train rides this year. Pets are not allowed. For more information, please call (575) 522-4100. A division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces.
Friday, March 4

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Living history characters in the Museum’s galleries.
2 p.m.: Author and historian David Thomas presents “The Trial of Billy the Kid.”
Saturday, March 5

All day: Museum exhibits. Children’s games and activities in the Courtyard. Food trucks south of the Bruce King Building. Blacksmith demonstration at the Blacksmith Shop. Sheep shearing demonstration at the Sheep & Goat Barn. Branding talk near the bridge. Back Country Horsemen near the bridge.
9 a.m. to noon.: Demonstrations, including butter making, twining, sewing, wool spinning, and chair caning in the Organ View Terrace.
9:30 a.m.: Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy milking program on the South 20.
10-11 a.m.: Kenny Arroyos performs in the Courtyard.
10-10:30 a.m.: Horseshoeing demonstration on the South 20.
10 a.m.: Sheep-herding dogs demonstration on the South 20.
10:30 a.m.: Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy milking program on the South 20.
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Parade of Breeds in the Round Pen.
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Ramblin’ Rangers perform in the Courtyard.
12 p.m.: Sheep-herding dogs demonstration on the South 20.
12-1 p.m.: Line dancing by Sol Ballroom in the courtyard.
1-1:30 p.m.: Horseshoeing demonstration on the South 20.
1 p.m.: The Art of the Historical Fashion Show in the Courtyard.
1:30 p.m.: Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy milking program on the South 20.
2-3 p.m.: Kenny Arroyos performs in the Courtyard.
2-3 p.m.: Parade of Breeds in the Round Pen.
3 p.m.: Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy milking program on the South 20.
3-4 p.m.: Ramblin’ Rangers perform in the Courtyard.

Artist's Reception: Seasons of Enchantment: Painting the New Mexico Farm & Ranch
2022-04-23 12:00 - 14:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The talent of the New Mexico Watercolor Society will be on display in a new art show at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
“Seasons of Enchantment: Painting the New Mexico Farm and Ranch” features 28 works of art by members of the society. An opening reception is planned for 12 to 2 p.m. on April 23.
These watercolor paintings celebrate the daily life of New Mexico farmers and ranchers and their families, evoking a sense of time and place. They elevate the ordinary to extraordinary and reflect the wonder of the landscape and its people.
The paintings include rural landscapes, livestock, farming and ranching scenes, and wildlife.
Watercolors from members of both the Albuquerque and Las Cruces chapters of the New Mexico Watercolor Society have been selected by Juror Lynn McLain, AWS, NWS. The Society honors and celebrates the medium of watercolor through the support of highest aesthetic standards, education of the public, promotion of community engagement, and facilitation of member development. The Albuquerque chapter began in 1969 and the Southern Chapter celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The show features paintings by John Glass, Laurel Weathersbee, Barbara McGuire, Susan Davis, Patricia Black, Jay Leutwyler, Junko Nakao, Robert Highsmith, Richard Harris, Penny Thomas Simpson, Tina Little, Dorian Clouser, Tom Cassidy, Mark Cirzan, Dave Cook, Tina Stallard, Rachel Murphree, Bonnie Deming, Rebecca A. Johnson, and Nancy Frost Begin.
The show will be on display in the Museum’s Arts Corridor through July 30, 2022.

Nancy Frost Begin

Blessing of the Fields
2022-05-13 10:00 - 11:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum will celebrate an old tradition with the annual Blessing of the Fields procession on Friday, May 13.
At 10 a.m., the colorful procession around the Museum grounds begins with the blessing the animals, plants, and acequia. Visitors who come to the Museum to participate in the procession from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. will not be charged admission.

The event begins with the Prayer of the Four Directions, led by Patrick Narvaez, and Cacique of Corporacion de los Indigines de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de Tortugas and Tortugas Pueblo.
Leading the procession will be Most Reverend Peter Baldacchino, Bishop of the Las Cruces Diocese. Students from Las Cruces Catholic Schools will be among the participants.
The bulto carried during the procession was created by Las Cruces artist Virginia Maria Romero. Other Museum art and objects related to San Ysidro and the Blessing of the Fields tradition from the Museum’s collection will be on display, including a large wooden statue of San Ysidro.
The Museum will also have a plant sale as part of the festivities. Vegetables, flowers and desert plants grown in the Museum’s greenhouse will be featured in the sale.
This marks the 22nd year that the Museum has held this program, which focuses on a long and rich history.

Fiber Extravaganza
2022-06-18 10:00 - 14:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Come enjoy seeing and learning about the beautiful creations that are produced locally by fiber artists on June 18 at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.
The Fiber Extravaganza is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Regular Museum admission applies: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.
Demonstrations are a big part of the event, with the following planned: Natural dye, Colcha embroidery, quilting, twining, sewing, weaving, triangle loom weaving, embroidery, basket weaving, and rigid heddle weaving. The High Canyon Weavers & Spinners Guild will be here to offer demonstrations of wool carding, inkle loom weaving, and table loom weaving.
Guests can try table loom weaving and there will be a limited number of tiny looms and yarn to distribute. The Bureau of Land Management will have a yucca bracelet making activity, and the Oveja Project will have interns demonstrating wool spinning.
Tye Lightfoot of the United States Department of Agriculture will be in the Museum’s theater to talk about cotton processes.
The weekly education program for children – All Aboard the Ag Wagon – will feature a fiber arts craft activity from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Other groups with booths at the Fiber Extravaganza include: The Las Cruces Knitting Guild, Njoy Beads, Threadbear, My Place Jewell, Weaving for Justice, and the Dona Ana Arts Council.
The Farm & Ranch Museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces. For more information, call (575) 522-4100.

Summertime on the Farm
2022-07-16 10:00 - 14:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Enjoy a day of family fun at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Admission is $10 per carload.

Summertime on the Farm is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, and features activities, games, food trucks, and music. The day begins with a bicycle parade for children (12 and under) beginning at 10 a.m. The parade across the bridge and around the South 20 portion of the Museum campus includes prizes. Registration for the parade begins at 9:30 a.m.

For more information, call (575) 522-4100.

Culture Series: Victorio Peak
2022-08-11 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The monthly Culture Series returns to the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in August and the first lecture focuses on one of the enduring mysteries in the region.
Historian Jim Eckles’ talk at 7 p.m. on Aug. 11 is called: “Victorio Peak: One Hundred Tons of Gold or Just One Hundred Tall Tales.” The presentation, hosted by the Friends of the Museum, will be in the Museum’s theater and admission is free, although donations will be accepted.
Milton Noss claimed he descended into Victorio Peak in Dona Ana County in 1937 and discovered a huge tunnel. At the end of the tunnel were rooms with skeletons chained to the floor and gold bars stacked like firewood – the math led to claims of 100 tons of gold. In 1939, he collapsed the entrance when it was dynamited to make it larger. Since then, Noss himself, various family members, and a horde of others tried to regain access to the fabulous treasure. Newspaper accounts talk about billions of dollars in gold hidden there.
These searchers and claimants have been prevented from simply leveling Victorio Peak because, after World War II, the tiny mountain became part of White Sands Missile Range. Although the missile range considers treasure hunters as trespassers, the Army has allowed four different searches at the peak. During the last one, Noss descendants were there for several years.
Eckles will detail the legend and some of the efforts to find the gold and explain why they haven’t found anything. Eckles is a retiree from the missile range where he worked in the Public Affairs Office for 30 years. One of the most popular questions he received while conducting tours of the missile range was, “Can we see Victorio Peak?” Because of the persistence of the 100-tons of gold legend, Eckles included a whole chapter to it in his book “Pocketful of Rockets: History and Stories Behind White Sands Missile Range.”
Eckles has been on and inside Victorio Peak and dealt with many of the treasure claimants. He says it was a nice break from explaining Trinity Site or why there are roadblocks during missile tests.

Exhibit Opening: The Color of Dreams: Photography by Wayne Suggs
2022-08-20 13:30 - 15:30 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Wayne Suggs says “landscape photography is magical to me.” The renowned New Mexico photographer will share some of that magic with the Farm & Ranch Museum.
The opening for his show, “The Color of Dreams,” is Saturday, Aug. 20 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The public is invited to meet Suggs and enjoy refreshments at the free opening reception in the Museum’s Arts Corridor. Regular admission is required to see the rest of the Museum: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.
The Color of Dreams exhibit features 25 of Suggs’ most-recent photographs that are included in his book of the same title. His images capture the beautiful, rugged landscape of New Mexico. Whether the composition includes night skies, cacti, petroglyphs, boulders, or abandoned structures, Suggs’ photographs have a distinct feel and look.
“For 47 years, I’ve held a camera in my hand,” said Suggs, who has lived his whole life in Las Cruces. “My love and passion for the art of photography has continued to grow with each passing year. To return in my mind to that moment in time, and to remember the joy I felt when I pressed the shutter has made the photographs a part of who I am. I’m not in love with my photographs, I’m in love with all the experiences, the friends I’ve made, and most of all, being out in nature.”
The 2015 New Mexico Magazine Photographer of the Year has won numerous awards, including The Oliver Award for his work in night photography with petroglyphs. His work can be seen in national, state, and local publications such as New Mexico Magazine, The Reflector Astronomy Magazine, New Mexico Travelers Guide, and the Wilderness Society publications. He currently teaches photography for Muench Workshops.
“These days, teaching photography is a big part of my life,” he said. “I get just as much joy from teaching someone how to capture an image as I do in taking my own. I still crave the solitude of the wild places, but with my camera, I feel I am sharing a small glimpse of the reverence I feel in the wild.”
The art show will be on display through Dec. 3, 2022.

Community Appreciation Day
2022-08-27 10:00 - 16:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The Farm & Ranch Museum’s annual Community Appreciation Day is Aug. 27. There is free admission for everyone on this day and the fun is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Demonstrations will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pony rides are tentatively planned for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ($5). There will also be a plant sale.
Visitor may enjoy all of the Museum’s regular offerings, including the indoor and outdoor exhibits, and tours to see the livestock.
For more information, call (575) 522-4100.

Culture Series: Write What You Know, with Carol Potenza
2022-09-08 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
New Mexico author Carol Potenza is the speaker for the Sept. 8 Culture Series presentation at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
The lecture, hosted by the Friends of the Museum, begins at 7 p.m. and admission is free. The title of Carol’s talk is: Write What You Know: Creating Mysteries in a Historically Rich and Culturally Diverse State.
New Mexico, with its scenic beauty, depth of history, and culturally diverse people, provides a fertile field for writers, from Fabiola Cabeza de Baca to Tony Hillerman to Rudolfo Anaya. Writing—whether fiction or nonfiction, novels or newspaper articles—takes hard work and dedication. Authors spend countless hours on research, character creation, plots, editing, marketing, and publishing their work.
Carol will talk about her process, the ghost stories woven through her novels, how her scientific background shapes her stories, and the unwritten rules that can have a profound effect on a writing career. Please join her for what she hopes will be a lively discussion on the content of her books and how New Mexico has shaped her writing career.
Carol taught biochemistry at New Mexico State University before transitioning to a full-time mystery writer. Her first book was the Tony Hillerman Prize winner, Hearts of the Missing, followed by The Third Warrior and Spirit Daughters, the second and third book in the Nicky Matthews mystery. Unmasked is the first book in her De-extinct Zoo mysteries.
Carol loves the combination of strong women sleuths, paranormal and murder mystery, mixed with science or, as she likes to call it—BiocheMystery. She sets all her books in the beautiful state of New Mexico, where she lives with her husband, Leos, and her extremely grumpy chihuahua, Hermès. You can visit her at www.carolpotenza.com and on Instagram and Facebook at @carolpotenzaauthor.

Culture Series: Big Cats of New Mexico
2022-10-13 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Mountain lion research in New Mexico is the subject of the next Culture Series at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.

The “Big Cats of New Mexico” presentation at 7 p.m. on Oct. 13 is organized and hosted by the Friends of the Museum. Admission is free.

Dr. Travis Perry, a biology professor at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., will talk about his New Mexico mountain lion research, meaningful outdoor education, and creating a field station in the Gila National Forest. In 2021, Dr. Perry founded Natural Curiosity, a nonprofit based in Hillsboro, N.M. that created the station for hands-on education, back-country skills, and conservation research in the Gila.

As a community ecologist, Dr. Perry’s interests are quite broad as reflected in his research with Furman students on species as diverse as the bunched arrowhead (endangered plant) to spotted salamanders to meadow voles to desert bighorn sheep.

Dr. Perry thrives on engaged teaching, giving students first-hand experience in the subject matter. He believes that these are the academic experiences, more than any others, that change lives. He has introduced students to the wilderness of New Mexico, the South African bush, the tropical forests of Costa Rica, and the natural environments of South Carolina. Perry feels his greatest professional achievement as an educator has been the design and implementation of Furman University’s Wild Semester, a conservation biology study-away program.

The Dairy Spot Grand Opening
2022-10-29 10:00 - 14:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The dairy barn at the Museum has a new look, a new name, and lots of fun, new activities and exhibits.
The Dairy Spot: Discovery Center opens to the public with a special celebration on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Caliche’s Frozen Custard will be on site to provide a free 5-ounce serving to the first 500 visitors, and guests are invited to make their own ice cream using Ziplock bags. Milking and other demonstrations also are part of the fun. Regular admission applies ($5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17), and it includes all the Museum’s regular offerings.
With this renovation, The Dairy Spot: Discovery Center will continue to share New Mexico’s dairy history but will be more child-friendly and have more interactive exhibits. This brighter, livelier venue includes a multi-use public space that can be used for everything from demonstrations to children’s birthday parties.
The Southwest Dairy Farmers’ $30,000 donation to the Museum last year made the renovation possible.
Visitors to The Dairy Spot will enjoy videos of ice cream making, the process of pasteurization, and farm to table. Some of the topics featured in The Dairy Spot are the breeds of dairy cattle, sources of milk from around the world, a cow’s anatomy, nutrition, cheese, ice cream, butter, and lots of fun facts. Among the interactives are a butter churn, a cheese fridge, and an “I spy” activity featuring a house with various dairy products.

Culture Series: Coexisting with local wildlife
2022-11-10 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Local wildlife and how to coexist with these species are the focus of the next Culture Series presentation at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.
Colleen Payne, Public Information Specialist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, is the speaker. The program begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10 in the Museum’s theater and admission is free. The Friends of the Museum organize and host this monthly series.
The desert Southwest is home to many iconic species such as mule deer, javelina, coyotes, bobcats, and rattlesnakes. Learning about these species, their behavior, and what to do if you encounter one will help keep both you and the animal safe.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish oversees all hunting and fishing across the state. With hunting season in full swing, this is also a great opportunity to bring any questions you may have about that. Colleen will be available to answer any questions about hunter education programs, Operation Game Thief, how to obtain a fishing or hunting license, and potential career opportunities in the Department.
Colleen Payne is a lifelong resident of New Mexico and has nearly 25 years of experience in the outdoors, primarily hunting and fishing. After graduating from New Mexico State University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in animal science, she dedicated her career to wildlife conservation and education. Mentoring new hunters and educating the public on the positive impacts of hunting and fishing are her highlights of the job.

HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market
2022-11-19 09:00 - 16:00, 2022-11-20 09:00 - 15:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market returns for the eighth year at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
HomeGrown will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $10 per vehicle, and the first 100 vehicles at the event each day will receive a free shopping bag.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture again will be partnering with the Museum to co-host the show.
With the holiday season right around the corner, HomeGrown is a great opportunity to sample and shop for New Mexico award-winning food products.
Attendees can expect about 60 vendors, the majority representing a variety of food and beverage companies from around the state, many of which are New Mexico —Taste the Tradition® and Grown with Tradition® members. Each booth will offer locally produced products, such as salsas, nuts, candy, and wine for attendees to sample and purchase. The show also features handmade art and crafts made from agricultural resources.
For more information, please call (575) 522-4100.

Culture Series: Before Billy the Kid
2022-12-08 18:30 - 19:30 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
What made Billy the Kid tick? Author Melody Groves will discuss the answer to that question and many more during the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum’s next Culture Series presentation.
The lecture, “Before Billy the Kid: The Boy Behind the Legendary Outlaw,” is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8 in the Museum’s Theater. This presentation is organized and hosted by the Friends of the Museum and admission is free. It is being held in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibit: Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico.
Groves will have copies of her books, including Before Billy the Kid, to sign and sell at the event.
An easy life was not in the cards for William Henry McCarty. Born around 1861, the boy who grew to become Billy the Kid sang and danced his way into the hearts of almost everyone around him. What do we really know about this Southwestern icon? Many stories throughout the 150 years since his untimely death have transformed a polite, friendly, personable young man into something he was not. Orphaned at 13, Billy fought his way through life only to be betrayed time after time.
In this talk, Groves will discuss Billy’s personality, his desires, his loves, and his ultimate demise. What made Billy the Kid tick? What you learn may surprise you.
Las Cruces native Melody Groves loves anything Western. She has authored non-fiction books: Ropes, Reins, and Rawhide: All About Rodeo; Historic Bars of the Southwest; Butterfield’s Byways; When Outlaws Wore Badges; and Before Billy the Kid. Her fiction includes: The Colton Brothers Series: Border Ambush, Sonoran Rage, Arizona War, Kansas Bleeds, Black Range Revenge, and Trail to Tin Town. Also Maud Overstreet Series: She Was Sheriff and Lady of the Law. In addition, she writes for Western and regional magazines. Vice President of Western Writers of America, she also plays rhythm guitar in an Albuquerque band. She currently lives in Albuquerque.

Exhibit Opening: Rural Life in New Mexico: Paintings by Carlitta Harvey
2022-12-17 13:30 - 15:30 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
“Rural Life in New Mexico: Paintings by Carlitta Harvey” is a new art show that opens in the Museum’s Arts Corridor with a reception from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17. Admission to the reception is free, but regular admission applies to the rest of the Museum. Twenty-three of Carlitta’s oil paintings are featured in the show, which continues through April 1, 2023.

Farm-La-La
2022-12-20 16:00 - 19:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Experience a fun, festive winter evening at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
The Museum is hosting a new holiday event, Farm-La-La, on Dec. 20 from 4-7 p.m.
Families can take trolley rides across the bridge and around the lighted, 47-acre campus, take part in fun activities, watch the children ride the ponies, tour the exhibits and galleries, and enjoy hot chocolate, s’mores, and even ice cream. Admission to the event is $5 per family. The pony rides for children are $5 per ride. The trolley rides and other activities are free with admission.
Some of the activities include making marshmallow snowmen and Christmas tree ornaments.
Farm-La-La is supported by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, along with Home Depot and Pioneer Bank of Las Cruces. This celebration is part of a series of New Mexico Traditions holiday events within the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs’ museums and historic sites. #NMTraditions

Culture Series: Satellite Observation and Tracking in Southern NM
2023-01-12 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The little-known history of satellite observation and tracking in southern New Mexico is the topic of the January Culture Series presentation at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.
The lecture by Bill Godby of White Sands Missile Range is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12, in the Museum’s Theater. Admission is free. The presentation, organized and hosted by the Friends of the Museum, is in conjunction with the Museum’s popular exhibit about White Sands Missile Range: Home on the Range: From Ranches to Rockets.
Southern New Mexico has long been the home to incredible night skies. The astronomical “seeing” has provided many opportunities for scientific research. This presentation will discuss people, places and technology in our area that have played a significant role in satellite tracking and the space race. Topics include the International Geophysical Year or IGY, beginning on July 1, 1957, the launch of Sputnik 1 and Explorer 1 satellites, the beginnings of the world’s first satellite tracking station and satellite tracking program, and Moonwatch, a highly successful global satellite observation program.
Bill Godby grew up in Flint, Mich., attending the University of Michigan-Flint, receiving a BA in both anthropology and philosophy in 1993, followed by a master’s degree in 1999 from the University of Hawaii where Bill began his career as an archaeologist for the U.S. Army. Leaving Hawaii in 2009, Bill joined the cultural resource management team at White Sands Missile Range and has led efforts to document Cold War era resources, receiving the Governor’s Distinguished Heritage Program Award in 2018.

Culture Series: The Mountain Pride Stagecoach
2023-02-09 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The colorful, rich history of the “Mountain Pride” stagecoach is the subject of the next Culture Series presentation at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
Steve Dobrott of the Hillsboro Historical Society is the speaker for this lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9 in the Museum’s Theater. Admission is free. The Culture Series presentations are organized and hosted by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
In this slide presentation of historic photos from the archives of the Black Range Museum, Dobrott visually relates his extensive research on the famous old stagecoach that once ran the Lake Valley, Hillsboro, and Kingston stage line from 1889 to 1916. The cast of characters include J.W. Orchard and his infamous wife Sadie, who among others, were once co-owners of the stage line.
The Hillsboro Historical Society is hoping to work out a long-term loan agreement to have the stagecoach exhibited at the newly refurbished Black Range Museum in Hillsboro. The stagecoach is currently at Lincoln Historic Site in Lincoln, N.M.
Dobrott, past president and current board member of the Hillsboro Historical Society, managed Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch in south-central New Mexico for 24 years. He stayed on to be the ambassador for Ted Turner Expeditions (now Ted Turner Reserves), an eco-tourism business, before retiring in Hillsboro.

The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show
2023-02-25 09:00 - 17:00, 2023-02-26 10:00 - 17:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show brings together wholesale and resale dealers of both cut and uncut gemstones, rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry, and jewelry-making supplies. Educational information also is part of the show.

The event is hosted by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, sponsored by Frank Parrish, and organized by Las Cruces Event Planning.

Admission, which includes all of the Museum’s regular offerings, is $7 for ages 12 and older, $4 for children ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and under.

For more information about this event, please call Las Cruces Event Planning at (575) 522-1232. Also, visit www.LCMuseumRocks.com

Cowboy Days (School Day)
2023-03-03 10:00 - 16:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Cowboy Days at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum begins with a special day of educational presentations on Friday, March 3.
The Museum welcomes area school children for field trips from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The students will visit about 20 stations around the facility as they learn about cowboy life and more. The Sheep to Shawl program, with shearing demonstrations, takes place most of the day at the Sheep & Goat Barn.
Some of the presenters on March 3 are musicians and storytellers Crow & Karla of Las Cruces, Fort Selden Historic Site, Master Gardeners, Back Country Horsemen, Mesilla Valley Cowbelles, High Noon Leather, City of Las Cruces Museums, Branigan Library, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, NMSU Cooperative Extension Services, Asombro, Doppler Dave Speelman from KVIA in El Paso, New Mexico Ag in the Classroom, and fiber arts demonstrations by Museum volunteers.
The Western Writers of America will have a presentation called “Writing the West” at 2 p.m. in the Museum’s Theater. Authors participating include Ollie Reed Jr., Natalie Bright and Carol Potenza.
The public is invited to check out the activities, shop at the plant sale, and visit the Museum’s exhibits, and livestock. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular Museum admission applies on Friday, March 3: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.

Cowboy Days
2023-03-04 09:00 - 16:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Culture, skill, and entertainment will be in abundance at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum’s 23rd-annual Cowboy Days celebration.
The fun is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. The family-friendly admission price is $10 per carload.
This year marks the return of the Castro family performance group of Lienzo Charro El Pedregal in Vado, N.M. Daniel Castro and several of his family members perform trick roping and traditional charreada demonstrations from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Charreada is a festive event that features a variety of equestrian activities, as well as costumes and music that bring a uniquely Latino culture to a sport that has its roots in Spain. Seating is limited for these performances in the Round Pen.
The Parade of Breeds cattle program is a staple of Cowboy Days. Livestock Manager Greg Ball brings each of six breeds of beef cattle into the Round Pen to discusses their history and characteristics. This popular program is from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Linda McDaniel of Alamogordo will be at Cowboy Days with her working dogs. They will demonstrate herding at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Pony rides for children ($5) are from 9-11 a.m. and from 1-3 p.m. with a limited number of tickets available.
Horseshoeing demonstrations are scheduled for 10-10:30 a.m. and 1-1:30 p.m. Chuck wagon cooking, blacksmithing, and fiber arts demonstrations also will take place throughout the day. The local chapter of the Back Country Horsemen will do horse care demonstrations, such as saddling and grooming, at 10:45, 11:45, 12:45, 1:45, 2:45 and 3:45.
Cowboy Days guests will enjoy listening to the music of Las Cruces’ Neal McCowan (12:30-3:30 p.m.), having lunch at the food trucks, and shopping at the craft booths and Museum plant sale.
The Western Writers of America will do a presentation called Writing the West in the Museum’s Theater at 2 p.m. The authors participating include Jane Little Botkin (WWA two-time Spur Award winner), Natalie Bright (Will Rogers Medallion Award winner), Carol Potenza (Tony Hillerman Prize winner), and Ollie Reed Jr. (WWA Stirrup and Branding Iron Awards recipient.
Reed, Potenza and Bright also will do a presentation at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 3 in the Theater. This special “school day” of Cowboy Days is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with several hundred area school children touring the Museum and visiting about 20 educational activity stations. Some of the presenters on March 3 are musicians and storytellers Crow & Karla of Las Cruces, Fort Selden Historic Site, Master Gardeners, Back Country Horsemen, Mesilla Valley Cowbelles, High Noon Leather, City of Las Cruces Museums, Branigan Library, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, NMSU Cooperative Extension Services, Asombro, Doppler Dave Speelman from KVIA in El Paso, New Mexico Ag in the Classroom, and fiber arts demonstrations by Museum volunteers.
A highlight on Friday, March 3 is the Sheep to Shawl program with sheep shearing most of the day, beginning at 10 a.m. The public is invited to enjoy the educational activity stations, the sheep shearing, plant sale, and see the Museum’s exhibits and livestock. Regular Museum admission applies on March 3: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.
Admission to Cowboy Days on March 4 includes all the Museum’s regular offerings, including the popular exhibit: Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico. Pets are not allowed at the Museum.

Schedule:

Saturday, March 4

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Continuous activities: Wool carding, spinning and weaving demonstrations, chuck wagon cooking, blacksmith demonstrations, craft booths, food trucks, plant sale, exhibits.

9-11 a.m.: Pony rides for children near the Pony Barn. ($5). Limited number of tickets.
9:30-10 a.m.: Horseshoeing demonstration on the South 20.
10-10:30 a.m.: Working dog demonstration near the Sheep Barn.
10:15-11:15 a.m.: Parade of Breeds cattle program in the Round Pen.
10:45 a.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Charreada and trick roping performance in the Round Pen.
11:45 a.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.
12-12:30 p.m.: Working dog demonstration near the Sheep Barn.
12:30-3:30 p.m.: Neal McCowan music in the Courtyard.
12:45 p.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.
1-3 p.m.: Pony rides for children near the Pony Barn ($5). Limited number of tickets.
12:30-1 p.m.: Horseshoeing demonstration on the South 20.
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Parade of Breeds cattle program in the Round Pen.
1:45 p.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.
2 p.m.: The Western Writers of America in the Theater.
2:30-3:15 p.m.: Charreada and trick roping performance in the Round Pen.
2:45 p.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.
3:30-4 p.m.: Working dog demonstration near the Sheep Barn.
3:45 p.m.: Back Country Horsemen’s horse care demonstration near the Bridge.

Culture Series: Cotton in the U.S.
2023-03-09 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Cotton and its history in the United States is the subject of the next Culture Series at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
The presentation is at 7 p.m. on March 9 in the Museum’s Theater. The monthly Culture Series is organized and hosted by the Friends of the Museum. Admission is free.
Ed Hughes, a longtime lead researcher for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Lab near New Mexico State University, is the speaker. Hughes, who worked in the cotton industry from 1976 until his retirement in 2017, will cover the history of cotton ginning and production in the U.S. from the earliest days on the East Coast to its migration to New Mexico and beyond. Hughes will talk about the importance of cotton over the history of its production.
Hughes was born in Quay County New Mexico and grew up on a small cattle ranch near Nara Visa, N.M. He received his bachelor’s degree from NMSU in 1972 and a master’s degree in agriculture engineering from Ohio State University. Hughes and his wife, Patricia, moved back to Las Cruces in 1976 when he went to work for the USDA’s Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Lab.

Culture Series: Abandoned History
2023-04-13 19:00 - 20:00 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
Researching and photographing New Mexico’s ghost towns and settlements is the subject of the next Culture Series presentation at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
The Culture Series, organized and presented by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, is at 7 p.m. on April 13 in the Museum’s Theater. Admission is free.
The title for this presentation is: Abandoned History: Uncovering The Stories of New Mexico’s Settlements & Ghost Towns. Presenters Bridget Harrington and Michael Moore are Albuquerque-based photographers and documentary historians working together as Enchanted Byways Photography.
They will talk about their process of researching these sites, everything from using Google Earth to find the settlements to substantiating details using a variety of resources. Harrington and Moore will provide snapshots of four southern New Mexico communities and the stories left behind.
Both lifelong photographers who don’t make their primary living from photography, Harrington is a graphic artist and marketing communications specialist and Moore is an engineer, small engine pilot, and son of a National Geographic photographer. They met on a web group for New Mexico photographers and quickly learned that they have a joint passion for not only photography and the state of New Mexico, but also for history and socio-cultural mysteries. What started as a project to see the state grew into a quest to create compelling images of little-known places and share the buried stories behind them.
Using out-of-print books, rail maps, cemetery records, and old newspapers that were published when these places were vital, they strive to make history real, relatable, and relevant. Moore has spent over 2,600 hours on research to create a pinned Google Earth map – with layers of settlements, pueblitos, and features like mines, old rail lines, scars from wagon paths, and shipping points – that they use for navigation. In their work, viewers can not only see what is left of places whose names are not widely known, but also learn about the lives of the people who lived and worked there … everyday people of no prominence who nevertheless had roles in building the framework of the state we live in today. What they also find is that through the progress of history, many things about humanity – family bonds, faith, the desire to create meaning in life, necessity and ingenuity. You can find their work on Facebook, under NM Byways, and on Instagram under @enchantedbywaysphoto.

Exhibit Opening: Grace in Motion: Photography by Nirmal Khandan
2023-04-15 13:30 - 15:30 | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The delicate beauty of hummingbirds, their incredible movement, and their critical work as pollinators are all captured in a new photography exhibit at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
“Grace in Motion” features photography by Nirmal Khandan. The show opens with a reception from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on April 15 in the Museum’s Arts Corridor. Admission to the opening reception is free. Regular Museum admission is required to see the rest of the Museum.
“As a nature/wildlife photographer, I have been sharing with my family, friends, and social media the joy and pleasure of creating photographs of hummingbirds,” said Khandan. “Through this print exhibit, I hope to share my photography with wider audiences fascinated by hummingbirds and their aerial acrobatics.”
The exhibit features 36 portraits of hummingbird species common to the region interacting with local flora. The photographs, mounted on acrylic, metal, or canvas, are for sale and Khandan said the names of those who purchase one of the prints at the reception will be put into a drawing to receive $25 off their purchase. He will draw two names.
“I hope viewers will appreciate the up-close view of nature’s mutualism as the hummingbirds take just what they need from the flowers without harming them in any way, while helping them with pollination,” Khandan said.
A civil engineering professor and Ed & Harold Foreman Endowed Chair at New Mexico State University, Khandan began photographing birds in his native Sri Lanka and continued his hobby after moving to Las Cruces in 1998.
While Khandan’s technical expertise and talent in composition are evident, there’s much more to his work. Through this exhibit, he also hopes to raise public awareness about the valuable ecosystem services that hummingbirds provide through pollination.
