About Valencia County, NM

The 2010 Bosque Farms Fair came off as usual this past first weekend in August. Families with young children are the first and main focus of this annual event, and this year was no different. Horse events like western pleasure riding, reining and barrel racing abounded, with several age classes including adults, but only a few of the latter participated. Inside and outside were the usual art displays, canned goods competition, and church and political party booths. Outside was the rodeo arena and the food, lots of it from barbecue to sno-cones.

For us grown-ups, besides the food, there's a great antique car show with prizes for almost every entrant. Lots of memories! This is a fun event, not a serious competition, and the kid in every grownup had a blast looking at these antiques. The police got in on the action with their new stealth Mopar and their batmobile. Bosque Farms probably has more police per capita than any town in NM. The policemen probably should have gotten an award for stading around in navy blue uniforms on a 90 degree afternoon. Everyone of us had a favorite. One woman was heard to wonder how many of the back seats had been used by young couples parking back in the day. Remember those days? A red 1934 Ford Phaeton won best of show. It was before my time as a Baby Boomer. I can imagine that its back seat would have featured the stars above along with passion below.

Laura Warden and I brought up our four girls in Bosque Farms and live here to this day. While they were growing up we Wardens participated in almost every Bosque Farms fair event. Allison nearly won the greased pole climb even though she was up against mostly strapping boys. Elizabeth made top points on her new paint horse Wrangler while one old horse grabbed and munched a blade of grass on the way 'round the show ring. Jessica and Elena knocked 'em dead at the talent show Saturday evening. Even Dad won the best of show in the adult singing competition one time with a performance of a number from Will Rogers' Follies. Please be reminded there's not much adult participation. Maybe not enough! Those days were fun! Maybe someday I'll sing again to set a good example for my grandchildren. Watching children grow up in a safe, secure environment is just one good reason for living in Bosque Farms, New Mexico.

Jubilee at Los Lunas in the largest active adult community in New Mexico. It’s beautifully set amidst a backdrop of gorgeous mountain vistas and offers a pleasant year-round climate. The Los Lunas area is a nature lover’s paradise with fantastic options for outdoor recreation. Located just south of the community, the El Cerro de Los Lunas preserve features 1,444 acres of natural open space, breathtaking views and great trails for walking, jogging or hiking. Residents also appreciate the close proximity to restaurants, theaters and shopping as well as numerous golf courses and casinos. Also just 20 minutes away is the bustling town of Albuquerque. Rich in history and culture, Albuquerque is a fantastic city to discover and offers an exciting line-up of yearly festivals including the International Balloon Fiesta, New Mexico Wine Festival and the popular Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festival.

Nestled at the base of the El Cerro de Los Lunas Mountains, Jubilee is a very desirable, gated NM active adult community. It is set within the larger Huning Ranch master planned community and is being developed by Janamar Communities. Jubilee at Los Lunas has been carefully designed to feel like you’re living in an intimate location with a quaint, small town feel, yet it is also very convenient to transportation, recreation and health-care facilities.

The amenities of this active adult community in New Mexico are world-class! The newly opened recreation center it the finest facility of its type in New Mexico. Named Villa Jubilee, this amazing complex is beautifully decorated and thoughtfully designed. The first phase of Villa Jubilee opened in June 2009. It includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, an aerobics & dance studio, arts & craft rooms, a game room and community room for group meetings or social gatherings. Residents are thrilled with the new facility and are anxious for future phases which are planned to include a resort-style outdoor swimming pool, indoor lap pool, ballroom, commercial kitchen, tennis courts and bocce ball courts. There are also plans for miles of walking and biking paths to be created throughout the community as construction continues as well as lovely neighborhood parks.

Homes at Jubilee Los Lunas begin in the high $100’s and go up through the high $300’s. There are 13 single family floor plans to choose from ranging in size from 1,143 to 2,872 square feet. Interior designs of the homes at this unique 55+ NM community include two bedrooms, two baths and two-car garages at a minimum. Larger floor plans offer additional spaces such as a home office, extra bath and oversized garage. Buyers can choose from numerous optional upgrades to create the home of their dreams with gourmet kitchens and spa-like bathrooms.

For more information and photos of this and other NM active adult retirement communities please visit 55Places.com. To stay in touch with us please join our Facebook page by clicking the Facebook link below.

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Currently, the dishes are not operating on weekends or holidays, due to a lack of off-site operation capabilities. However, according to DeCamillo, the city will save even more once the dishes begin operating 7 days a week.Since January, Belen has seen $1,000 savings on its electric bill, thanks to its new solar dishes, installed last July. By the end of the year, officials estimate the dishes will save almost 50 percent on the city's electric bill-- that's nearly $20,000.

According to Andrew DeCamillo, planning and zoning director for Belen, "The money ... goes into a general fund for other expenses that we have. The credits are accumulating."

But saving on the electric bill isn't the only bright side to the solar dishes. They're also an ideal eco-friendly energy source for the city of Belen, and they are capable of generating a good deal of energy for their relatively small size.

The dish manufacturer, Infinia Corp., also supervised implementation of solar dishes in four other public sites nationwide, including Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque.

The solar dishes are widely visible to the public, and, according to Charlie Walker, director of U.S. commercial sales for Infiniti, that's a positive. "People want to see the dishes operating. The city of Belen is an excellent visual representation of how the units operate."

Currently, the dishes are not operating on weekends or holidays, due to a lack of off-site operation capabilities. However, according to DeCamillo, the city will save even more once the dishes begin operating 7 days a week.

I was down in Los Lunas NM this morning showing equestrian properties. I saw a few nice homes, then on the way back I stopped at the Los Lunas Rail Runner Station.

The NM Rail Runner has 8 northbound departures from the Los Lunas station on weekdays.

Railrunner service to Los Lunas began in December 2006.

The station was completed after that, and this was the first chance I had to stop by and check it out.

When I saw the words "Coffee Shop," I knew I had to peek inside. What I found was two really nice people working on getting the lunch menu together. It smelled really yummy!

If I had more time and if I hadn't had a big breakfast I would have sat down and had a bite at Bosque Coffee Roasters.

Maybe next time.....

Los Lunas offers the best of both worlds-rural living and an easy commute to work in Albuquerque. If this sounds appealing to you then you should visit my website and start your search for Los Lunas Horse Properties.

If there is one word that can be used to sum up the small, quaint burg of Los Lunas, New Mexico, it would have to be diverse. The word provides an adequate description of virtually everything about the village, from its history and culture, to its economy and population. Situated just south of Albuquerque, far enough to be considered rural, yet still close enough to be convenient, one can come across vast, open alfalfa fields and green chili crops, as well as farmland serving as home to cattle, sheep, and horses. This all makes for a peaceful, laid-back pace of life that residents of Los Lunas greatly treasure and strive to maintain. With such appealing environs, many of the homes that comprise the inventory of Los Lunas NM real estate offer incredible panoramic views and large lots that allow for some privacy between neighbors. And amidst it all, like a queen overseeing her kingdom, the mighty Rio Grande flows much like it did in days gone by, an ever-present reminder of the true enchantment that the lands of New Mexico always seem to deliver.