New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum

NOTICE OF REGULAR OPEN MEETING - NM Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum Board Meeting
2026-05-07 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, 88011, United States
The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum will hold a board meeting on: Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Conference Room located at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM, and virtually on Microsoft Teams. Read more on the Notice.
Meeting Agenda
Please contact Michael Kuechmann at (575) 522-4100 or email michael.kuechmann@dca.nm.gov if you need additional information.
If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the meeting, please contact Michael Kuechmann at (575) 522-4100 at least three days prior to the meeting, or as soon as possible. Public documents can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the administrator if an accessible format is needed.

Blessing of the Fields Educational Event
2026-05-15 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Tradition continues at the 26th Annual Blessing of the Fields at New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum on Friday, May 15.

From 10 – 11 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 will not be charged admission. Admission will be free until 12 p.m.
The event begins with the Prayer of the Four Directions, led by Patrick Narvaez, Cacique of La Corporación de los Indígenas de Nuestra Señora 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 San Ysidro bulto (carving) carried during the procession was created by Las Cruces artist Virginia Maria Romero.

This marks the 26th 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. San Ysidro’s story 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.
New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces. For more information, call (575) 522-4100.

Get to Know Your Museum featuring Terry Melendez, Friends Greenhouse Coordinator
2026-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Denver)
This month’s Get to Know Your Museum highlights the volunteer work of Terry Melendez as Friends Greenhouse Coordinator. Learn about the Museum’s living collections and the role of plants in New Mexico’s agricultural story. Coffee at 9:30 a.m., followed by the talk at 10 a.m. FREE and open to everyone!
Get to Know Your Museum is a monthly series hosted by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum that gives the community a chance to meet the people behind the exhibits and programs. Each session features a museum staff member sharing insights into their work, from curatorial projects and public relations to exhibit design and education. Designed to foster connection and transparency, the series invites Friends members and the public to engage directly with staff and learn more about one of Southern New Mexico’s most valuable cultural institutions.
