El Rancho De Las Golondrinas (Santa Fe, La Cienega: 2009, to buy, living)

[ziaAirmac]

El Rancho De Las Golondrinas is a living history museum south of Santa Fe in La Cienega. It's tucked in behind where the old 'Downs' (defunct horse race track.) used to be. It's manned almost entirely by volunteers who make every effort to learn and share about Spanish Colonial life on a Northern New Mexico Rancho. They have special weekends with themes, and the Spring Festival and Children's fair was this past weekend. Volunteers work at various stations around the rancho, demonstrating crafts such as dyeing, sheep shearing, tortilla & bread making (a personal favorite of mine), traditional dances and spinning wool. There were two plazas filled with locals artists of all kinds and places for kids to do hands on crafts and activities. The owner of the gift shop makes every effort to buy from local artists and there's a food vendor on the property. For those looking for a change of pace from the museums and galleries in downtown Santa Fe, it can be a nice option.

Here's some pics from the past weekend:















Dress for sun and possible afternoon gusts/showers.


http://www.golondrinas.org/index.html

[tecpatl]

Las Golondrinas is a wonderful place, especially if you enjoy the history of New Mexico. A view of what life was like in the early days...and how hard life was for the early settlers. It started out as a privately built project that was donated to the Museum of New Mexico, much like the two properties in Dona Ana (referenced in another thread) are being donated for museums in the future.

[tecpatl]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-c...ew-mexico.html
Link to thread about the other properties referenced above. Such a great thing!

[Poncho_NM]

ziaAirmac, Thanks for the pics. Enough to jog my memory of yet another place to visit which is on my 10 year old list....

Rich

[lalahartma]

Thanks for bringing this up!

[Mike Horrell]

Hmmmm... I think I recognize a budding tinsmith....

Thanks, Zia... that's now on our list.

[Poncho_NM]

Mike:

Hehehe... Yea, I saw them little hammers....

I try a little tin hammering. Sometimes it is relaxing. Other times my hands cramp up.


Rich

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

Mike:
Hehehe... Yea, I saw them little hammers....

I try a little tin hammering. Sometimes it is relaxing. Other times my hands cramp up.

Rich

I tried flint knapping at a seminar given at the Open Spaces HQ on Coors, but
I gave up within a half hour, the pressure that had to be exerted with both
thumbs and shoulders was just too much. I do other handcrafts, but they don't
require as much physical effort.

[tecpatl]

I can nap without flint....and do so whenever I can (which is not very often)

[ziaAirmac]

The Santa Fe Wine Festival is coming up and would be a great time to see Golondrinas because the full complement of volunteers is on hand. On top of that we usually get that eclectic group of people that ends up at these big Santa Fe events, so if you're into people watching, it's a fun one. There's all sorts of wine from local growers, and they usually have a beautiful poster available. I'll be there demonstrating so look me up if you make it.

http://www.golondrinas.org/julyevents.htm