We can’t believe it’s summertime already! In these longer days, we are recognizing our accomplishments and looking forward to what is in the works for the rest of 2025. Walk through a timeline of our wins from January to June.
What we’ve accomplished …
Winter
Jan. 23: New Mexico AgrAbility exhibit explores how farmers and ranchers with disabilities innovated and adapted to continue their agriculture careers through the AgrAbility program resources. Find this exhibit in the Traditions/Legacy Gallery. The Museum had the pleasure of hosting the annual AgrAbility conference during the last week of March too.
Home on the Range: Ranches to Rockets, one of our past exhibits, is on view at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. Go check it out at another NM Department of Cultural Affairs museum!
March 8: We celebrated the 25th Annual Cowboy Days, our largest annual event, despite wind and rain. For next year, the event will be held in early April in hopes of better weather.
Spring
Amador Coaches – Buddy Ritter donated coaches that belonged to the Amador family, who were influential in Las Cruces and owned the Amador Hotel. Buddy visited the Museum to present a plaque and now we have signage about the coach in the lobby. A second coach is in collections and we’re planning on when that one will roll out to the public.
April 12: Moon Tree Unveiling – Around 20 community members and community partners from NASA, White Sands Missile Range, Tortugas Pueblo, and the Las Cruces Space Festival gathered to recognize the Moon Tree’s significance combining Indigenous traditions and future technologies in the education garden.
May 12: Her Land in the Governor’s Gallery – A comprehensive version of “Her Land: Women in Agriculture” exhibit, featuring eight influential women, was installed in the Governor’s Gallery in Santa Fe, and will be on view until Sept. 20. This rotating exhibit at the Museum elevates the pivotal role, resilience, and experience of women who continue to shape the agricultural landscape of New Mexico.
May 16: Blessing of the Fields was beautiful this year. Our exhibits team designed a San Ysidro display in the south corridor with retablos, colcha, and bultos from our collection. Volunteer Curtis Hinton made loaves of bread from a Jemez Pueblo recipe to share at the end of the procession.
Increased Collaboration with New Mexico State University (NMSU) – With help from Master Gardeners and Doña Ana County Ag Agent Jeff Anderson, yellow horn trees were planted to the west of the main building. These trees are flowering and thriving in their new home. In addition, we also hosted Little Ranchers Summer Camp for first through third graders to learn about agriculture with the NMSU STEM program.
Interns from NMSU – Madeleine Fazenbaker interned this spring and created videos about the Museum’s education and living history demonstrations as part of her program at the Creative Media Institute. Check out her videos on Facebook and/or Instagram! Currently, Dolores Melchor, a NMSU anthropology intern, is working with PR Specialist Alison Penn to learn about museum marketing through December.
What we’re looking forward to…
Summer
American Alliance of Museums Accreditation – As of late June, the Museum submitted its reaccreditation with the American Alliance of Museums. Once renewed, this accreditation will cover the next 10 years and provides resources to ensure we are providing excellence as a museum.
Future farm and wool display – Discussions are taking place to have a container farm in collaboration with Doña Ana Community College and NMSU and a wool display with an NMSU Animal Science professor.
Education garden will re-open soon! The educational Discovery Garden has been officially named “Jardín de Tortugas Pueblo” by a vote from the Museum’s governing board. Stay tuned for an opening date!
Annual repairs – Around the grounds, landscape irrigation is being repaired and DCA Facilities and Maintenance Division invested $1,22,781 in unexpected repairs during the past three years.
Fall & Winter
Nov. 22-23 HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market – Save the date for this great opportunity to sample and shop for New Mexico’s award-winning food products and handmade arts and crafts. Many of the vendors are New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s “Taste the Tradition®” and “Grown with Tradition®” members and represent different regions of the state. If you are interested in vending, please email Desirie Lara, Museum Experience Supervisor, at desirie.lara@dca.nm.gov or call 575-522-4100. Stay tuned for more information!
Dec. 10 Farm La La – Join us for a fun, festive holiday evening experience at the Farm & Ranch Museum featuring thousands of Christmas lights, trolley rides, crafts and activities, and tasty treats. Farm La La is part of a series of New Mexico Traditions events and activities held throughout the state during the holiday season from the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
