Rural Northern NM towns? (Santa Fe, Taos: houses, schools, live)

[desertdenizen]

Hi All -- I've made a few posts asking about various small towns in N. New Mexico. I figured that it might be better to broaden my question: Rather than ask about a specific town, ask you all what small towns are, if not friendly, at least not hostile to outsiders. As to location, our basic criteria are North of I-40, and no further east than Taos, and where you can grow a decent garden (without a greenhouse.)

We've looked at houses in a lot of out of the way places: Vallecitos, Costilla, Cerro, Cuba, Regina, Velarde, Alcalde, etc..... And I've done searches on city-data on all of these places (many times!) And, of course, we try to get info out of realtors, but, well, they want to the sell a house, so they aren't what you'd call unbiased, and we take their opinions with a grain of salt.

We came close to getting a place in Vallecitos last summer, but were held back, being unsure about the attitudes of the locals. Some people we talked to said, if you're a good neighbor, they'll eventually accept you, to those that said, forget it, they'll never accept you.

As I've said before, I can understand oldtimers be leary of new people -- they don't want people coming in and trying to change things, and we both understand and respect that. But in any particular town, once they saw we were just quiet folk, farming and raising animals (just chickens and a cow), would we be able to make friends, be part of the community? Are there any small towns like that in the part of New Mexico we're looking?

(And yes, we know we'd probably do fine in the outskirts of Santa Fe or Taos, but as you all know, it's a lot more expensive in those areas...)

[GregW]

I doubt if different towns are all that different in welcoming new folks. In other words if you are good neighbors they will accept you. Just pay attention to what other folks do for community activities and ask to join. Expect to do some grunt work but that is the test. They all had to do that too. I expect to learn Spanish well enough to converse when I move to NM but that will be a while.

[catman]

desrtdenizen: The growing season is quite short north of I-40 and from Taos west.

[Danbo1957]

Northern New Mexico contains the hillbillies of the Rocky Mountains - most native hispanic people in those isolated towns are descendents of just a few families that came here several hundred years-ago.

Look at homes in towns closer to Taos and Santa Fe proper. Also, once you get north of Chama, you are more in tune with Southern Colorado culture, you can look there too.

[bradly]

The Española Valley soundds like the Place..

Not too expensive. Great jobs. Great schools, [EVHS Grad]
Not too urbanized, perfect for gardens and farms.
Perfect sized town of 13,000 with all the stores you need.
The people in Española are very accepting, others will disagree..but I was raised in that area.

[Danbo1957]

Originally Posted by Joghurta

That's a truck load of BS you're selling here!
I lived in those mountains for almost 5 years and the people there are many things, but inbred hillbillies descendants of just a few families they are most definitely not.

I lived in those mountains for 15 years, and I loved every minute of it. Martinez, Vigil, Baca, Otero, Chavez, Aragon, and Lujan - you met, and and have known many of them.

Anywhoo...

An easy and fun historical read:

EatingNM: Hispanics

A nice history about Juan Bautista Vigil, for those not familiar:

New Mexico Office of the State Historian : Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid (1792-1866)

[debbie at bouontiful]

Maybe all of us that want to move to Northern New Mexico should pick the same town so we have friends. Just kidding, I really want to move to N New Mexico myself, the Chama area. I am going to check Pagosa Springs out this year while I stay at Corkin's Lodge this September.

[brightdoglover]

Isn't Pagosa Springs in Colorado?

[catman]

Yes, it is, but it's not far from New Mexico.

I'm curious about your user name. Are you someone who is bright that loves dogs, or do you only love bright dogs?

[brightdoglover]

Heh, both. However, I've had to relax my liking of bright dogs (herding mutts) to accommodate my odd adoptions. Regarding the beagle/basset, I guess he's bright- if there's food involved.
I think I got the name a long time ago when a friend wanted me to respond to a Yahoo personal and I needed a name. It's served me well on CD, if not for a long-ago date.