New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum

Culture Series: Lescombes Family Vineyard
2023-11-16 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The Friends of the Farm and Ranch Museum’s Culture Series presentation this month is on The Art of the Vineyard in the Mesilla Valley: The Lescombes Family Vineyards. The presentation is in the Museum Theater at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 16. Our speaker is Emmanuel Lescombes. Admission is free.
It is documented that the Mesilla Valley region was the first in the United States to actively cultivate grapes for winemaking in 1629. The Lescombes Family Vineyards has been producing wine in the Mesilla Valley since the1980s. Before expanding their art to New Mexico, the Lescombes family produced wine in Algeria and Burgundy. This presentation is planned to be a fun and informative sharing of stories about this multigenerational family and its contributions to vineyard and wine development in the Mesilla Valley. It is planned in conjunction with the museum’s annual HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market on November 18-19.

Get to Know Your Museum Coffee: Stephanie Hawkins
2023-11-09 10:00 - 11:00
Stephanie Hawkins, curator for the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, will explain her work at the Museum at the monthly Get to Know Your Museum Coffee. The gathering will be on Thursday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. in the Education Classroom at the Farm & Ranch Museum.
Get to Know Your Museum coffees are hosted each month by the Friends of the Farm & Ranch Museum, a non-profit organization that works to support the Museum’s mission by raising money to fund exhibits, programs, events and other activities.
Hawkins recently joined the Farm & Ranch Museum after more than five years with the Las Cruces Museums as the education curator. In addition to explaining her responsibilities at the Farm & Ranch Museum, she’ll explain more generally what museum curators do. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends.
For more information about the event, contact Jean Olson (sec.friends.nmfrhm@gmail.com). For information about the Friends organization, contact friends.nmfrhm@gmail.com.

Culture Series: Billy the Kid
2023-10-30 19:00 - 20:00
“Our Favorite Outlaw of the American West: Billy the Kid” is the title of a special edition of the monthly Culture Series.
Award-winning author Mark Warren is the speaker for this free presentation in the Farm & Ranch Museum’s theater at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 30. The Culture Series is hosted by the Friends of the Museum.
In the late 19th century, a young man named Henry McCarty changed his name to William H. Bonney and became one of the best-known historical characters of our Western mythology. Who was this young Irish lad who was so loved by the Hispanic community of the Southwest? Warren presents the lesser known facts about Billy the Kid’s life and the war-torn land that he loved to give an audience a new understanding of the dichotomous nature of history. One person’s “bad man” is another person’s “good guy.”
Mark Warren is an award-winning author, educator, and Western historian. He lectures on Native American history and survival skills, and Western Frontier History presenting at museums and cultural centers around the country. He has been honored by the Spur Awards, The Historical Novel Society, the Will Rogers Medallion Awards, the Peacemaker Awards, and most recently, Warren was a recipient of a 2022 Georgia Author of the Year Award for his book Song of the Horseman.
Warren’s books will be available for sale and signing following the lecture, including “A Last Serenade for Billy Bonney.”
The presentation is being held in conjunction with the museum’s ongoing exhibit, “Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico.” The Museum’s Billy the Kid sculpture by Las Cruces artist Bob Diven will be moved to the lobby to be displayed on the evening of this lecture.

Culture Series: Living with Urban Wildlife in the Southwest
2023-10-12 19:00 - 20:00
“Living with Urban Wildlife in the Southwest” is the title of the October 12 Culture Series presentation at the Farm & Ranch Museum.
The free presentation, hosted by the Friends of the Museum, begins at 7 p.m. in the Museum’s Theater.
Colleen Payne, Southwest Region public information specialist for the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, will be the presenter. She will discuss what wildlife species may be encountered around Las Cruces, how to keep you, your pets and wildlife safe, and what the Department of Game & Fish does to support wildlife in the area.
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.

Community Appreciation Day
2023-08-26 10:00 - 16:00
The public can experience the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum for free on Aug. 26 as part of the annual Community Appreciation Day.
The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities for the day include the Parade of Breeds cattle program at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. There also will be demonstrations during the day, as well as food trucks, and a children’s craft activity. Pony rides for the day have been canceled due to the flooded condition of the riding ring after Friday night’s rain.
In conjunction with Community Appreciation Day, the Friends of the Museum will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Museum. Cake will be served from 1-2 p.m., or as long as it lasts, and the group also will kick off the Friends Market, which includes a plant sale and Museum merchandise.
Guests can tour all of the Museum’s exhibits, including: The Dairy Spot: Discovery Center, Riding Herd with Billy the Kid: The Rise of the Cattle Industry in New Mexico, Home on the Range: From Ranches to Rockets, Antidotes: Seeing Beauty, Finding Connection, Beyond the Farm: Groundbreaking Agriculture, Wheels & Gears, and much more.
Visitors can also check out the Museum’s livestock, including six different breeds of cattle, horses, sheep, and a donkey.

Exhibit Opening: Antidotes: Seeing Beauty, Finding Connection
2023-08-19 13:30 - 15:30
“Antidotes: Seeing Beauty, Finding Connection” is a photography show opening in the Museum’s Arts Corridor with a free reception on Aug. 19 from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
The show features 33 beautiful landscape and wildlife images by photographer Elizabeth Abrams of Las Cruces. The show also includes a “Death and Life” display, a memorial work dedicated to horses and other animals.
“My own journey of reconnecting with the landscape of the Chihuahuan Desert has brought experiences of deep healing and meaning,” Abrams says in her Artist Statement. “I think about photography as a practice of seeing the land and animals with love, care, and attention, and acknowledging our interdependence. This is my way of contemplating the mutual antidotes humans and the rest of nature might be able offer each other in facing the unique challenges of the times we live in.”
Elizabeth Harvey Abrams is a nature photographer and interdisciplinary artist. She grew up in Alamogordo and Las Cruces with multiple generations of farming and ranching on both sides of her family. Abrams returned to Las Cruces after a 15-year career in federal government and related work in Washington, D.C. After changing careers, she now practices as a mental health counselor focusing on grief, trauma, and ecotherapy.
The show will be in the Museum’s Arts Corridor through Dec. 2, 2023.

Summertime on the Farm
2023-07-28 16:00 - 21:00
Make plans to enjoy a fun, family evening at the Museum on July 28.
The second-annual Summertime on the Farm begins at 4 p.m. with most of the activities continuing until 7 p.m.
Learn how to make ice cream using a Ziplock bag and enjoy your treat. Take a trolley ride around the Museum’s livestock corrals and barns. Check out the various demonstrations, including milking by Southwest Dairy Farmers. Enjoy games, activities, and the scavenger hunt, or shop at the plant sale.
Children 12 and under can participate in the annual bicycle parade at 5 p.m. Costumes and decorations are encouraged, and prizes will be awarded. The Museum is not responsible for unsecured bikes.
There also will be pony rides for children ($5 per ride) from 5:30-7 p.m.
Food trucks will be on hand, including Mad Street BBQ, Rez Tacos, Kona Ice, and Kona Coffee. Also enjoy cotton candy and other treats from Sugar Drip. The Department of Cultural Affairs Wonders on Wheels also will be at the event.
As the evening begins to cool, enjoy live music by the Rockin’ Blue Geckos from 7-9 p.m. on the grass in the Museum’s Heritage Garden. The band plays everything from country, to rock, to blues. Bring your blankets or folding chairs.
Admission for the entire event is $20 per carload (cash preferred). Most of the activities will take place from 4-7 p.m. before the concert begins. Admission includes all of the Museum’s regular offerings, including exhibits.
This event is being held in conjunction with 4-H Achievement Week and hundreds of projects created by their members will be on display throughout the Museum.
Pets are not allowed at the Museum and alcohol cannot be brought onto the premises.
For more information, please call (575) 522-4100.

Fiber Extravaganza
2023-06-17 10:00 - 15:00
The public is invited to enjoy a day of fiber arts demonstrations at the third-annual Fiber Extravaganza. Skilled demonstrators from around the state will do wool carding, spinning, weaving, sewing, Colcha embroidery, cotton ginning, and more. Regular Museum admission applies to the demonstrations on Saturday, which are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A big part of the event this year is the addition of workshops, planned for June 16-17. The fee for each workshop is a non-refundable $25, with an additional material fee for the instructor in some of the workshops (see below). Unless specified otherwise, workshops are open to ages 16 and older.

Space is limited for the workshops. To register, please contact LuAnn Kilday at the Museum at luann.kilday@dca.nm.gov or call (575) 522-4100. All workshops are supported by the Friends of the Museum.

Basket Weaving Workshop
June 16
10 am to Noon
Workshop participants will get the opportunity to create a basket or tray using primarily pine needles. The workshop includes pine needles and all other materials necessary to create a basket or tray with handles. Also included is an instructional booklet, written by instructor Ric Rao. Material fee to instructor: $15.

Nålebinding
June 16
10 am to Noon
This technique predates knitting and crochet. In Danish, the word nålebinding literally means “binding with a needle” or “needle-binding;” also naalbinding, nalbindning, or nalebinding. The technique is distinct from crochet or knitting in that it involves passing the full length of the working thread through each loop. The workshop will be taught by Susan Jewell. Material fee to instructor: $5.

Colcha Embroidery
June 16
10 am to 1 pm
As part of our Fiber Extravaganza, a colcha embroidery workshop will be taught by two award-winning colcha artists from northern New Mexico, Julia R. Gomez and Annette Gutierrez Turk. The kit includes fabric with the design imprinted, yarn sufficient to complete the design, needle, and booklet on the technique. The workshop is limited to 12 people and open to ages 13 and up. All levels of expertise are invited. Simply bring your sewing scissors and your enthusiasm. Material fee to instructor: $15.

Beginning Stitching
June 16
10 am to Noon
In this class, Sara Greer will teach the basics of crocheting from the chain stitch to the double crochet. We will cover pattern reading and learning the language and abbreviations in the crochet world. If you choose knitting, you will learn how to cast on, knit, purl, bind off, and pattern reading. This class is open to ages 13 and up.

An Introduction to Painting on Silk
June 17
10 am to Noon
Instructor Judy Licht will guide participants in creating a 10-by-10-inch silk painting. There will be stencils and many images to inspire you. Painting on silk is an addictive medium! There is no other surface so lively and receptive.

The Art of Color
June 17
10 am to Noon
Learning how to use color effectively in an art endeavor adds excitement and cohesiveness to your work. Sally Quillin will cover the basics of using a color wheel, creating a mood through use of color, and choosing colors that go well together. You will also create a fun project to experiment with the color theories learned. Material fee to instructor: $5.

Tatting
June 17
10 am to Noon
Shuttle tatting is an old form of lace making. Utilizing knots and picots, tatters create a lace that can be made into almost anything. Tatting requires very minimal equipment and only a few different types of stitches, so it is an economical and portable craft. In this introductory class, Tiffany Ward will teach basic tatting: the double stitch, rings and chains, and joining stitches. Reading patterns and best types of thread will also be covered. All required materials will be provided. Students may wish to bring a pair of scissors and/or thread crochet hook, though these are optional. Material fee to instructor: $6.

Exhibit Opening: Beyond the Farm: Groundbreaking Agriculture
2023-06-02 13:30 - 16:00
The Farm & Ranch Museum is opening a new exhibit that uses the inspirational stories of seven remarkable individuals to explore the importance of agricultural research in an everchanging world.
“Beyond the Farm: Groundbreaking Agriculture” opens in the north corridor of the Museum on June 2. A free, opening reception with refreshments is planned for 1:30 to 4 p.m.
Farmers and ranchers keep us fed, clothed, and sheltered. With fewer farmers, less land in agriculture, and more people to feed, the demand to increase efficiency and productivity is clear. Through the support of land grant universities like New Mexico State in Las Cruces, researchers have increased our quality of life and continue to work towards solving worldwide challenges like hunger and disease.
“New Mexico State University has supported the groundbreaking research and discoveries of several agriculturalists and food scientists,” said Farm & Ranch Museum Executive Director Heather Reed. “These people have a unique story to tell as they overcame challenges, broke barriers, and made contributions to agriculture that paved the way for future scientists and healthier generations.”
The Beyond the Farm exhibit shares the individual stories of a diverse group of people connected to New Mexico State University (NMSU).

Blessing of the Fields
2023-05-12 10:00 - 11:00
The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum will celebrate an old tradition with the annual Blessing of the Fields procession on Friday, May 12.
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.
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 23rd year that the museum has held this program, which focuses on a long and rich history. San Ysidro, the patron saint of farmers, lived from 1070 to 1130. He worked in the fields for a wealthy landowner and was known for his devotion to God, his humility, and his generosity to those less fortunate than him.

The story of San Ysidro has been passed down through the generations and still inspires many farmers and their families in the Mesilla Valley. For many years, workers in San Miguel would make a pilgrimage each May, stopping at all the villages along the valley.

The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces. For more information, call (575) 522-4100.

(Canceled) Culture Series: The Civilian Conservation Corps in NM
2023-05-11 19:00 - 20:00
This event has been canceled. The speaker for the May 11 Culture Series will not be able to attend due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Wonders on Wheels
2023-05-06 10:00 - 15:00
Come experience the artworks of beloved Santa Fe artist Gustave Baumann on the Wonders on Wheels mobile museum!

The bus will be at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 6.Gustave Baumann created stunning woodblock prints of New Mexico landscapes and colorful marionettes of New Mexico folk characters. The exhibit, Hand of an Artist, Heart of New Mexico, is sponsored by the New Mexico Museum of Art.

Come meet Freckles, Baumann’s mischievous marionette. Immerse yourself in Baumann’s many New Mexico landscapes and join us for a hands-on activity.

Wonders on Wheels is a program of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. We bring museum exhibits to rural schools, libraries, and celebrations.

Exhibit Opening: Grace in Motion: Photography by Nirmal Khandan
2023-04-15 13:30 - 15:30
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.

Culture Series: Abandoned History
2023-04-13 19:00 - 20:00
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.

Culture Series: Cotton in the U.S.
2023-03-09 19:00 - 20:00
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.

Cowboy Days
2023-03-04 09:00 - 16:00
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.

Cowboy Days (School Day)
2023-03-03 10:00 - 16:00
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.

The Museum ROCKS! Gem & Mineral Show
2023-02-26 10:00 - 17:00, 2023-02-25 09:00 - 17:00
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

Culture Series: The Mountain Pride Stagecoach
2023-02-09 19:00 - 20:00
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.

Culture Series: Satellite Observation and Tracking in Southern NM
2023-01-12 19:00 - 20:00
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.

Farm-La-La
2022-12-20 16:00 - 19:00
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

Exhibit Opening: Rural Life in New Mexico: Paintings by Carlitta Harvey
2022-12-17 13:30 - 15:30
“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.

Culture Series: Before Billy the Kid
2022-12-08 18:30 - 19:30
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.

HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market
2022-11-20 09:00 - 15:00, 2022-11-19 09:00 - 16:00
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: Coexisting with local wildlife
2022-11-10 19:00 - 20:00
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.

The Dairy Spot Grand Opening
2022-10-29 10:00 - 14:00
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: Big Cats of New Mexico
2022-10-13 19:00 - 20:00
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.

Culture Series: Write What You Know, with Carol Potenza
2022-09-08 19:00 - 20:00
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.
