Left to right: Laurie Bahmer, her niece Lisa, and brother Jeff Bahmer.

The Post traveled recently to New Mexico with Laurie Bahmer, of Howard City. “My brother and his family live in Las Cruces, NM. I went to visit them, as I hadn’t seen them in many years,” she said.

This picture of The Post with part of the Bahmer Family was taken at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Museum on January 14th, 2016. This museum highlights New Mexico’s ranching and farming history with indoor and outdoor exhibits. “It is a working ranch and farm, and you never know from year to year what they will be growing in the fields,” said Laurie.

She explained that the entire campus is 47 acres and in addition to the fields they have livestock corrals, Skaggs Dairy Barn, a sheep and goat barn, and a green house. “In the horse and cattle barn is a saddle shop featuring saddles made by the legendary saddle maker Austin ‘Slim’ Green. There is also a working blacksmith shop where people can actually apprentice!” she remarked.

“Indoors you will find Ventanas Rooms (windows), the Tortugas Gallery (turtles), the Rio Hondo Room (deep river), along with a theater, gift shop, and a corridor dedicated to…nuts!”

Las Cruces grows and exports pecans, peanuts, pistachios, and piñones. “Our favorite was dark chocolate covered pecans. Another of our favorites was Peanut Butter & Co All Natural Dark Chocolate Dreams. It tastes just like Reese’s but doesn’t have all that sugar. This is a peanut butter spread that they won’t let you take in your carry-on on the airplane. Next time we plan to mail it to ourselves,” she explained.

“In New Mexico they also grow and export chiles. An interesting fact is that red and green chiles come from the same plant. The green chile is younger and hotter, while the red chile is sweeter and milder. Apparently, people in New Mexico are constantly having competitions to see who can come up with the hottest chiles. Expect to have chiles or salsa with everything you eat, including huevos y tocino (eggs and bacon).”

Thanks, Laurie, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!