Archive for February, 2008

LAS CRUCES — A new exhibit at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum brings to light the contributions to New Mexico’s cultural, civic, economic, and creative life of Jewish merchants, bankers, miners, ranchers, and even a Jewish governor of Acoma Pueblo.

“Jewish Pioneers of New Mexico, 1821-1917″ is on display in the Museum’s Legacy Gallery from Feb. 29 through June 15, 2008.

The legacy of New Mexico’s Jewish pioneers is alive today throughout the West, where descendants carry their names and their values into a new millennium. The lives of these pioneers testify to the importance of family, cultural identity, community service, and cross-cultural alliances. Until recently, this history has remained fragmented in family stories.

Between 1750 and 1850, many German Jews came to America to escape economic hardship and religious persecution. In the 1840s and 1850s, the first Jewish immigrants to New Mexico established themselves as merchants, sending for relatives as soon as they were able. They married local women or traveled to Europe or cities in the United States to find Jewish brides. By 1860, half the Jewish population of the territory was related.

During the Civil War, Jews served the Union cause as soldiers and suppliers. After the war, they expanded into new occupations – banking, politics, law, mining, and ranching. The railroad arrived in New Mexico in 1879, and a new wave of Jewish immigrants reflected their conservative Eastern European origins. After New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912, most of these families returned to urban centers to educate and marry off their children, and the pioneer era came to a close.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Regular admission is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and $2 for children ages 5 to 17. For more information, please call (575) 522-4100.

by Bianca L. Granado 

Las Cruces, NM – Basketball won’t be the only entertainment at the 2008 WAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. Beginning Wednesday, March 12 through Saturday, March 15 there will be a variety of activities and entertainment on the north side at the Pan American Center parking lot at New Mexico State University for fans to enjoy.

The following is a list of scheduled events and times:

Wednesday, March 12th – “Family Day” 4 to 6 p.m.

Magician, face painting, balloon artist, jumping booth, Pistoleros, twister, fire trucks, National Guard basketball, poster making station, free popcorn

Live radio remote

Thursday, March 13th – “Up, Up and Away” 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Tethered hot air balloon rides w/ photo ops, balloon glow in the evening, rocket launchers, piñatas, various food vendors, mariachi music, and ballet folklorico

Friday, March 14th – “The WAC Goes Back” 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m

Antique car show, swing and other types of “oldies” music (live performances), dancing, various food vendors

Saturday, March 15th – “Wild, Wild, West” 12 to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, gun fight, dancing, Native American performances, live performance by Josh Grider, various food vendors

March 13th – 15th – “New Mexican Shopping Experience” Th. – F. 11am – 6pm & Sat. 3pm – 6pm

Tents showcasing local vendors selling New Mexican products.

For more information contact Maria Roth, assistant athletic director of NMSU, at (575) 646-4126.

All-session passes for the 2008 WAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament are on sale now at the Pan Am Ticket office at New Mexico State University.

Student all-session passes both reserved and general admission for the tournament are $30 each, while all-session passes for the general public range from $60 to $450 for reserve seating and $35 for general admission. All-session passes include 16 games set-up in nine sessions.

Students from other WAC member institutions can also purchase their all-session pass for a separate reserved seating section.

Seating in the lower bowl for students is reserved seating, while seating in the upper bowl corners are general admission. Students must present a valid student I.D. to purchase student tickets and will be limited to two tickets per I.D.

Single game tickets will go on sale March 10.

For more information call the Pan Am Ticket Office at (575) 646-1420.

New Mexico’s ranching heritage comes to life on March 8-9 when the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum hosts Cowboy Days.

The ninth-annual festival features two days packed with demonstrations, music, book-signings, children’s activities and great food. This year marks the first time the celebration will be held during the spring and admission is only $1 per person. The activities are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.

Cowboy Days 2008 begins with the second-annual Dutch Oven Lov’n Cook-Off at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Teams in the cook-off will create a main meat dish, bread and a dessert, all in a Dutch oven. Hundreds of dollars in prizes will be awarded to the winners and festival-goers will get to sample the food.

One of the new features this year will be the picturesque longhorns from Folsom Falls Ranch near Folsom, N.M. Cowboys from the ranch will saddle the steers and ride them around the museum campus during the event.

Renowned Western author Max Evans will give a lecture about his newest book, “For the Love of a Horse” on Saturday and sign books. Evans, of Albuquerque, has won dozens of awards and two of his novels – “The Rounders” and “The Hi-Lo Country” — were made into major movies. Also on Saturday, Fred Balmer of Folsom will sign copies of his “Festus” children’s book series.

Entertainment on Saturday includes award-winning Western singers and musicians such as Lorraine Rawls of Talent, Oregon; Dennis Jay of LaVernia, Texas; Eddy Harrison of Las Cruces; Washtub Jerry and Glenn Moreland of Fort Davis, Texas; Sid Hausman of Tesuque, N.M.; and Syd Masters and Swing Riders from Edgewood, N.M. On Sunday, the popular local band, Steve Smith and Hard Road, will perform, as will James Michael of Las Cruces..

Demonstrations during both days include working cattle on horseback, blacksmithing, milking, sheep shearing, sewing, weaving, quilting, dowsing, and the very popular Charros El Pedregal from Vado. The charros perform a variety of colorful and exciting Mexican-style rodeo demonstrations. On Sunday, Pat Howard will have his working dogs performing herding demonstrations.

“Six Guns and Shady Ladies,” a historical performance group from El Paso, will do gunfight re-enactments and living history demonstrations throughout both days.

Children’s activities both days include pony rides, leather stamping, stick horse racing, a shooting gallery and mazes. Also, Pete Paulson’s stagecoach, a Cowboy Days staple, will be on hand to give free rides around the museum campus.

Food booths and Western arts and crafts vendors also will be part of the festivities.

At 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, the museum will celebrate the opening of the Children’s Discovery Garden. This interactive area for children in front of the Bruce King Building emphasizes fun and learning.

As a prelude to the festival, the museum will play host to a fund-raising event at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 7. Lorraine Rawls, guest curator of the museum exhibit, “Gardians of the Camargue: The French Cowboy Tradition,” will do a special presentation and there will be wine, cheese and a silent auction. Lorraine also will give supporters a sneak peek of a new documentary called “The Gardians” which profiles a centuries-old cowboy culture in France. Admission for the event is $25 per person and the proceeds will benefit the museum’s education department.

Harvest Cooking Class
March 4, 2-4 p.m.
Chef Carol Koenig will teach us some new ways to prepare spinach, carrots, and garlic. Pre-registration is required. $30

Museum Soiree
March 7, 7 p.m.
You are invited to an exciting evening of wine, food, music, and fun. Lorraine Rawls, curator of the exhibit, “Gardians of the Camargue: The French Buckaroo Tradition,” will lead special tours of the exhibit and provide a sneak peek of a documentary about this centuries-old cowboy culture in France. There will be a silent auction as well. We invite you to join us for this fund-raising event to support our educational programs. Call (575) 522-4100 for ticket information. $25 per person.

Ninth-Annual Cowboy Days
March 8 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 9 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Come enjoy two days of cowboy fun as we pay tribute to New Mexico’s ranching traditions. The festival includes the Dutch Oven Lovn’ Cook-off on Saturday, along with music, demonstrations, arts and crafts vendors, book-signings, pony rides, stagecoach rides, gunfight re-enactments, Indian dancers, children’s crafts and rodeo activities and plenty of food. Admission is only $1.

Spring Lecture Series
March 13, 7 p.m.
“Alternative Fuels: Hype or Solution”
Dr. Terry Crawford from NMSU will discuss the production, use, and future of alternative fuels in the United States. Audience participation is encouraged. Free.

Rag Rug Festival
March 15-16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This is a spectacular event featuring women artisans from across New Mexico. The weekend is sponsored by the New Mexico Women’s Foundation. Rag rugs, hand-woven items, jewelry, fabrics and handmade crafts will be available for purchase. Free admission.

Rag Rug Festival Workshops
March 15: Kids Knitting class for ages 8-12, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $20. Weaving a purse for adults, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., $25. Needle Tatting for adults, 1:30- 4:00 p.m., $25. Beginning Knitting for adults, 1:30- 4:30 p.m., $25.
March 16: Inkle Belt Weaving for adults, 1- 2:30 p.m. $25.
Pre-registration is required for all classes. Please call for more details.

Cooking With Class Dinner
March 18, 6-8 p.m.
Kurt Depner is the chef this month for our gourmet cooking class. You don’t want to miss his enthusiastic presentation and his unique way of preparing delicious cuisine. Pre-registration is required.$30

Dowsing Workshop
March 22, 1-3 p.m.
Learn basic dowsing techniques from an expert! Tools are included. Pre-registration is required. $20.

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