Maite went missing from just north of Lomas on Chelwood Park Blvd NE in ABQ on the night of 8/23. She’s a tan and brown tortie point with blue eyes. $1,000 reward for safe return- NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Please share, even if outside our neighborhood! Thank you.

Tell Heinrich the proposed changes to Section 106 of the NHPA in his bill are unacceptable

Looking for stable recommendations for horse boarding in the Santa Fe area. Cost is not an issue. I prefer 24/7 turnout access -- I do not want any stall time. I ride Western and do trail riding and have an easy keeper, so nothing fancy, just a safe, clean and healthy environment for my horse. Thanks!

Planning a 10-day trip to New Mexico from December 19–29. We’re thinking of visiting Santa Fe, Taos, and potentially Ruidoso.

Do these places typically get much snow in December? I haven’t driven in snowy conditions very often, so I’m trying to gauge how likely we are to encounter snow or icy roads while driving between these destinations.

Taos just had its annual Taos Wool Festival, which got me wondering how sheep and wool became such a big part of the economy of Northern New Mexico in the first place.

So I did some digging into the colonial sheep trade, weaving, and the economic geography of the region. Then I imagined how a young Taos landowner in the 1760s might have recognized the business opportunity, to walk in someone else's shoes for a bit.

Here's the resulting essay. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who knows more about this part of our history.

...

The Sheepish Economy of Colonial Taos

Why sheep became the woolly gold of Taos and Northern New Mexico—making some men rich and integrating this remote province into global trade.

Remember this scene from The Graduate? At the party? Mr. McGuire advising Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock?

...

Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Benjamin: Yes, sir.

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?

Benjamin: Yes, I am.

Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean?

Mr. McGuire: There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?

Benjamin: Yes, I will.

Mr. McGuire: Enough said. That’s a deal.

...

When I first saw this scene as a young man, I cringed along with Benjamin. I thought, “God! Just open my veins, why don’t you!?” But rewatching it as an old geezer, I thought, “Plastics? In the late ’60s? That’s some solid advice right there.”

...

And so I imagine a similar scene in 1760s Taos. Señor Benjamín Vidal is just home from university in Mexico City, about to take over his late father’s extensive land grant and not sure where to begin. He’s attending a dance party in his honor at La Hacienda de los Romero—a fandango. Elderly Don Romero, his padrino, takes him aside, like Mr. McGuire, only instead of “plastics,” he whispers “sheep.”

As it turns out, Benjamín Vidal is more worldly and ambitious than Benjamin Braddock. He’s also land rich and cash poor. He intends to turn that around. Don Romero’s advice inspires him.

Sheep solve several problems. First, while his land stretches for leagues across the valley and into the mountains, relatively little of it is arable. Water is the limitation. Several perennial creeks flow down out of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains onto his grant, but only the land near the creeks can be farmed. Irrigation with the acequias increases his farmable land, but only so much. The majority of his grant is grassland, sagebrush scrub, and steep, forested mountainsides.

His father did trade their surplus wheat and maize, but grain is bulky to move. Shipping a few hundred pounds to Santa Fe by wagon might make a profit, but there isn’t much potential for expanding the trade that way. And forget shipping by the ton. The Rio Grande isn’t navigable for commercial shipping, especially not through the Rio Grande Gorge. No grain barges are going to be moving south through New Mexico from below the gorge to El Paso del Norte, let alone to the Gulf of Mexico.

Timber has the same problem as grain. Fine to harvest and sell for local use, but without a navigable river, it can’t become a major export. Not at scale.

Señor Benjamín is determined, though. His hacienda is largely self-sufficient, and his neighbors will trade with him for the basics. But he wants more than the basics for himself, his future wife, and his children. Some things he needs, like firearms and certain medicines, aren’t made in New Mexico. Firearms and other weapons are especially important on a frontier where raids threaten settlements and livestock. And then there are the niceties of civilized living that must be imported—black pepper, sugar, chocolate, silks, fine china. And a pocket watch! Señor Benjamín desires nothing so much as a fine English pocket watch! Preferably a Mudge!

Sheep might be the answer, he thinks. Maybe Don Romero is really onto something!

...

Since the Rio Grande isn’t navigable, Señor Benjamín’s connection to the rest of the vast Spanish Empire is via the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the overland trade route running south from the Rio Grande Valley through El Paso del Norte and onward into Mexico. Benjamín can connect to it where it starts, at San Juan Pueblo (now Ohkay Owingeh), a bit south of Taos.

Farther south from El Paso lie Chihuahua City and Parral, important commercial centers serving the silver-mining country. Those miners need to eat. Mutton is popular and sells well. And most importantly for Señor Benjamín, the sheep can walk themselves to market! With guidance from a few shepherds, of course!

Señor Benjamín already has a flock, though until now it’s been small, just enough to feed and clothe his hacienda. But he could expand over the years. He has those thousands of acres of grass and scrub in the valley. He could graze them there in the winter, then drive them up into the rich mountain pastures in summer. Or rather, his men could.

And sheep are more than merchandise. Unlike a wagonload of grain, a flock can grow on its own: ewes bear lambs, and the animals yield wool year after year. In a country where coin is scarce, sheep are wealth on the hoof.

Sheep take less labor to herd than fields take to farm, too. Good thing, because labor is scarce in colonial New Mexico.

And there’s a way he could expand his flocks without reassigning too many of his own men to shepherding—the partido system. He could entrust sheep to other shepherds under agreements that give him a share of the growing flocks. They would get access to livestock they might not otherwise afford (along with most of the risk), and he could increase his holdings without lifting a finger.

But is this the best use of his stock? Is he getting the most value from the trade?

His Spanish ancestors brought sheep into New Mexico—the ancestors of today’s churros, a hardy breed, well adapted to the dry, cold climate, sparse vegetation, and rugged terrain. They’re relatively small, but they breed readily, provide good meat, and can thrive on grazing land poorly suited to cultivation. Perfect for the land around Taos, in other words.

Better yet, sheep grow wool. Churro wool is long, strong, and relatively coarse, making it excellent for weaving durable blankets, rugs, and other textiles. It’s not the soft, fine wool prized for expensive European clothing, but it’s well suited to sturdy fabrics that people need and will pay for.

...

Moving products down the Camino Real is expensive, though. Overland travel always is. And the journey to Chihuahua, Parral, and beyond to Mexico City can take months. Wagons and pack mules can carry only so much, far less than river barges or oceangoing ships. Drovers and other workers need pay, plus food, water, and equipment, which take up valuable space and drive up costs. Raids and theft make security another expense. Goods sent over such distances need to be valuable enough to justify their weight and transportation costs.

Finished woolen goods can fetch prices that offset the overland shipping and leave a profit—products like blankets, serapes, hats, shawls, cloaks, ponchos, saddle blankets, and durable woolen cloth for clothing.

Why not make some of those goods right on his own hacienda? Ship them south to the markets and earn something beyond the proceeds from mutton sheep or raw fleeces? Finished goods could fetch good prices if he can find enough hands to make them.

It’s another way to make use of available labor. Not that there’s much idle labor in colonial New Mexico. He sees that he can put the captives and servants of his own household to work at the looms. Even the old and infirm could spin wool. They ought to earn their keep, he thinks, the wretches. And winter might leave some hands available for spinning and weaving. A perfect time for handicrafts. Besides, “Manos ociosas son los juguetes del diablo” (“Idle hands are the devil’s playthings.”)

Many of his own people and neighbors already know how to spin wool, weave cloth, and make clothing and other useful goods, Spanish settlers and Native Americans alike. Why not supply surplus wool to them and resell the finished products? Surely his neighbors would welcome the chance to earn some goods or credit themselves? It’ll enrich the entire community!

Or, so Benjamín dreams, his grandiosity and nobleza obliga in full blossom.

He’s decided. Sheep will make his fortune.

...

But it wouldn’t happen overnight. Protecting flocks and getting livestock and goods to distant markets would be risky. Señor Benjamín would need years to build his flocks, organize the enterprise, and find buyers.

Then, in 1786, Spanish authorities reached a peace agreement with the Comanches. It did not end every danger on the frontier, but it eased one of the greatest obstacles to raising and trading sheep. By now a middle-aged man, Señor Benjamín—no, Don Vidal!—could finally realize the vision Don Romero had planted in his head two decades before.

...

Señor Benjamín Vidal and his land grant are fictional, of course. But men like him did recognize and pursue such opportunities throughout Northern New Mexico in the 18th and 19th centuries. We can't know if they were all as insightful and forward-looking as Señor Benjamín, but they knew a good thing when they saw it.

Sheep raising and woolen production were already part of colonial life; as security and trade conditions improved, their commercial importance expanded, especially from the late 1780s through the early decades of the 19th century. The economic factors Señor Benjamín recognized helped make that possible. Many prominent families came to count much of their wealth in sheep.

Pueblo and Navajo communities also participated in this expanding economy, raising sheep and producing and trading woolen textiles, though in different ways and to different degrees. Sheep and wool became an economic engine throughout the province.

Large flocks were driven south into the mining regions of northern Mexico for meat. Raw wool and finished woolen goods, most of the latter produced in households, also found markets. These markets complemented one another, though the amount of cloth that could be made depended on available labor. New Mexico developed a solid reputation for its blankets and other durable woolen products, a reputation that continues to this day.

Sheep raising and wool production remained important across Northern New Mexico, including Taos, well into the 19th century.

Though it’s worth saying that not everyone made a fortune. The partido system often favored wealthy flock owners over shepherds, who could find themselves burdened with debt or liable for livestock losses. Sharecropping for shepherds, you might say. And while household spinning, weaving, and garment making offered opportunities to earn income, merchants and other powerful intermediaries could get a bigger share of the profits. Some colonial textile production also relied on coerced Native American labor—that is, slavery.

...

Still, sheep and wool brought wealth and trade to New Mexico. As a whole, the province prospered on the backs of sheep. Eventually, though, times changed. They always do.

After the American conquest in 1846, and especially with the arrival of the railroad in New Mexico in 1879, the region’s old isolation began to fade.

The very geography that had made wool such a good business was becoming less important. Railroads could move huge quantities of goods cheaply, including factory-made textiles from the industrial East. Local weavers and other wool workers found it increasingly difficult to compete with mass-produced blankets, clothing, and other woolen goods. At the same time, railroads opened larger markets for commercially produced wool.

Sheep ranching continued, and in some areas remained a substantial business well into the 20th century. But it changed, too. Breeds producing finer wool competed with the old churros. Later, synthetic fibers captured much of the market once held by wool. Large commercial ranches, changing land ownership, restrictions on traditional communal grazing, and competition from other livestock industries gradually transformed the business.

The traditional woolen textile industry declined, while sheep ranching increasingly became part of a larger, competitive livestock industry. The old combination of local flocks, household production of woolen goods, and long-distance trade no longer occupied the central place it once had.

...

But sheep ranching and traditional wool-working crafts never disappeared, not entirely.

Today, Taos and the surrounding communities are still known for their handmade woolen goods. Taos holds the annual Taos Wool Festival. Traditional weaving survives in places like Chimayó and at workshops and studios throughout Northern New Mexico. Other wool-working crafts continue as well.

The market is different now. Instead of producing mainly everyday blankets, clothing, and saddle gear for working people, many artisans create beautiful woven textiles and other handmade woolen goods for collectors, tourists, and people who appreciate traditional craftsmanship. What was once an ordinary necessity has become an art form, often commanding prices that would have astonished Señor Benjamín (and astound me today!)

The old wool-working traditions remain part of the region’s cultural identity, carried on by Hispano, Native American, and other artisans, each with their own histories and traditions.

The old churro sheep survive, too, prized for their distinctive wool, tasty meat, and history. Today, you can buy their grassfed lamb directly from local ranchers and yarn made of their wool from specialty stores in Taos and Chama.

Sheep and wool aren’t central to the economy anymore, but for a few centuries, they were like gold. Or oil.

Our Señor Benjamín was wise to heed Don Romero’s word: “Sheep.” That boy did better than get on a bus.

...

CC BY 4.0 | This essay has also been posted on u/OakieMcDoakie and other social media.

I used to attend New Mexico Tech, and some of my experiences with students felt more like high school than college. I know that doesn’t describe everyone, but I’m curious: have others had similar experiences, or did I just run into a few people who weren’t very welcoming?

Has anyone else been experiencing degraded performance from Centruylink in the past 24 hours? I have a run a bunch of tests from my house, and notice that things seem to be ok to Albuquerque, however upstream from Albuquerque things get really bad depending on how the connection is be routed.

Just interesting, not sure if it shows that they see real oportunity or what. But I don't think the Speaker for the House has ever visited us TWICE near an upcoming election before??
(and the oportunity might just be soaking up donations??)

https://sourcenm.com/2026/10/13/us-house-speaker-johnson-returns-to-new-mexico-for-gop-congressional-hopefuls-fundraiser/

I cant find this guy anywhere in my house and figure he must AT LEAST be somewhere in the state of New Mexico? All I can think is that I packed him somewhere to go with me and maybe he got left behind?? Im not sure, but he was a gift from a very close friend and he is very precious to me. He is literally the ONLY ONE like this. Has anyone seen him around?

I was born and raised in Tucson Arizona but my grandmother is New Mexican Hispano from Las Vegas, NM. We have roots in New Mexico going back many generations (we don’t know exactly how far back, but at least before 1850) and my grandmother´s first language was Spanish, and she spoke with a thick accent all her life. I eventually was able to learn spanish as well and have become fluent, in no small part due to effort to an connect with this side of my family and embrace my love for the Southwest and my Southwestern roots.

My question comes from the following: my grandma is the only grandparent I have who isn´t white/anglo, and I wonder how to think about my identity or claim is as hispanic, specifically New Mexican. In Arizona, every ethnically New Mexican person I have met has been like me, where they are only partially hispanic and are mixed.

How common is it for New Mexican hispanos in New Mexico to be mixed with anglo and how does that affect their/your identity with being Hispanic and your relation with being from the Southwest?

In what universe is the median income for New Mexico $67,800? Sounds wrong.

Pacheco Canyon to Hyde Park.

In April a blog post shared that casting for RHONM had finished and filming would begin shortly. Has anyone in NM seen anything or heard anything about this project? Is it actually happening?

Picture taken in far western Taos County looking western at about 7 AM.

Hoping I can ask a question to someone in NM working in HR, thanks!

My spouse and I are planning a ~10 days trip to New Mexico in December. Our flight will be to and fro from Albuquerque.

Here is the itinerary so far: Albuquerque —> Santa Fe —> White Sands NP —> Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns. Will likely head back from Carlsbad to Albuquerque, but wondering if there are any worthwhile places to stop for a night or two on the way? Are there any other places in New Mexico you’d recommend adding to the itinerary?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Does anyone that works or been to UNMH recently know what the palivion building is from what I’ve seen it’s basically the children’s hospital since the opened the critical care tower. I’m asking because I have clinicals for school there in a few months but don’t know the hospital at all and I’ve heard it’s huge. Just trying to get an idea if I’m going to be working with mostly pediatrics or adults.

I recently came across the Las Vegas KOA YouTube channel. The have a series on NM Outlaws that I thought was interesting.

https://youtube.com/@lasvegaskoa?si=eTv-nM3O6snPaQtg

Traveling to ABQ for a roadtrip starting in NM in November. I’m staying a night in downtown after a day of hiking around ABQ and I want to hangout and appreciate the city. I am estimating to have about 4-5 hours after sunset to hangout before I get tired. I’ve heard mixed reviews about ABQ but I know that its going to be really cool and new to me.

I love nightlife & city life- particularly breweries, cocktail bars, pubs, and late night dive bars.

I like observing culture via seeing how people drink, how they mingle at bars, and what conversations & discussions are had.

Please share recommendations or anything helpful & thanks :)

So. I was just banned from the Albuquerque sub for responding in kind to some rabid person on a thread regarding the gubernatorial race. This troll reported some of my replies as harassment, and then I reported all of his replies to me as harassment. He called me a misogynist, implied numerous times that I'm MAGAt and would be voting for hull, all hysterical rants.

Wtf is up with the mods on that sub, anyway?

I was in New Mexico this summer from Ireland and I really loved it. the state is so interesting and different, it probably some of the most unique history in america. there is something so charming about new mexico, it really is beautiful, but also kind of haunting in a way. there is a lot of really interesting folklore from the native americans and the old west, as well as the nuclear age. I really love the state and I'd love to go back.

Lucky to live about 15 minutes to a lot of trails!