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Los Lunas, NM is really a perfect blend of old and new!Settled over 300 years ago, this little town half an hour south of Albuquerque boasts historic old adobe structures that house charming New Mexican restaurants, historic churches, and authentic New Mexico haciendas. Acres of lush, irrigated valley land are still being farmed to produce abundant crops of chilis, alfalfa, corn, and much more. But Los Lunas is not locked into the past, by any means. There are up-to-the minute new subdivisions to suit all tastes, and even a new gated subdivision especially designed for the 55 and over set: Jubilee Los Lunas! The new Rail Runner provides quick and easy commuting into Albuquerque, enabling residents to completely bypass morning and evening rush hours on the road, while the Starlight Multiplex Cinema makes movie-going easy for all ages. We've got our share of accomodations for weary travelers, with various restaurant and motel chains available right by the freeway exit. Community spirit thrives in our local schools, and in community-wide events like local parades... Looking for a great small town in central New Mexico? Or perhaps for a peaceful horse property, or other rural home with easy commuting in to Albuquerque? Come check out Los Lunas today! |
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The small town of Belen, NM, half an hour south of Albuquerque, has a local Farmers Market every Friday afternoon and evening.
I love farmers' markets!
So last week I stopped by, and found some great, really fresh local produce, plus home-made jams and jellies, all-natural, locally made soaps, raw honey (completely local, of course!) and even roasted sweet corn, prepared fresh, on-site!
Buying local is the green and eco-friendly thing to do, and the offerings at the Belen Farmers' Market included lots of organic and all-natural options, making this an even "greener" option for local residents!
The farmer's market is held every Friday from July through October, from 4:30-7 p.m., at Anna Becker Park on Reinken Road.
So, if you live in Valencia County, come on out and join all the rest of the locals in Belen---I'll even make it easier for you by providing the map below to help you find it!

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Ever visited friends or relatives in Europe? If so, maybe you've been impressed, as I was, with how much Europeans walk or bike for their various daily errands. Our friends and relative in Germany and Holland wouldn't think of wasting gas to go out and pick up groceries, for instance. They'd head out to a local market on foot, or on a bicycle equipped with a little carrier basket, instead, and reap the multiple advantages of better health, trimmer waistlines, lower fuel costs, and cleaner local air! Now, part of the reason for that is that Europeans have eschewed ourr typical suburban sprawl, so that local markets, bakeries, butchers, etc., are all in pretty close proximity to our friends' homes. But I've started wondering whether I couldn't put some of that "walk-or-bike" mentality into practice here at home.
As you'll notice from the map at right, a two-mile radius frorm my home takes in a huge percentage of areas that are, shopping-wise, a good deal less than useful! I can, for instance,
None of these are terribly helpful from a shopping perspective! (Although I can purchase some of the wonderful, completely local raw milk that I wrote about in a recent post, directly from one of my Bosque Farms neighbors, Sunshine Dairy.) But really, the only direction in which I can reach anything remotely "shoppable" is to the east, on Bosque Loop and Highway 47. And there is still not a Walmart or superermarket to be found. But I did find a lot of wonderful small businesses, locally owned, featuring local products that I can patronize while getting some great exercise as well! Here are some of my great local options:
So, OK, here in Bosque Farms, where it's a 15-minute drive to the nearest supermarket, I still find I can walk or bike to get organic food, fresh produce, local milk, honey, and apples, restaurant meals, and half a dozen leisure activities. And it's a plus for my figure, my pocketbook, and my carbon-footprint! What's in your 2-mile circle? |
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The latest buzz about honey is that it can actually help eliminate or reduce seasonal allergies, but there's one caveat: it's got to be very, very LOCAL honey!
Since bees make honey from pollen, which they collect from flowers in their area, by eating local honey produced right in your own neighborhood, you will be ingesting the same pollens that trouble you come spring. According to a recent article at www.citynews.ca, it's also important that the honey be raw and unfiltered, so as to tetain these pollens and not have them filtered out. This gradual exposure to the local pollens is thought to build the immune response to the pollens, much as immunological injections from an allergist gradually work to reduce the "hay-fever" symptoms of seasonal allergies to various pollens. Veterinarian Michael W. Fox, in his column in the Washington Post, even recommends honey for relieving pets' seasonal allergies!
We've always had the advantage of lots of local honey options here in Bosque Farms, NM, where we live. Our next-door-neighbors keep hives, and occasionally gift us with some of their fresh honey. That's about as local as it gets, since I'm not up to trying my hand at beekeeping myself! And then, there are two local honey farms right here in Bosque Farms, from which we've often bought honey. It's not next door, but it's within a mile or so, and I don't think we grow any plants around our house that don't also grow a mile down the road! And, if I'm out of honey, and decide to just pick some up while at the supermarket, our local grocery carries honey produced just down the road in Los Lunas, NM. Not quite as nearby, but I'll bet that five-mile strectch stille qualifies as pretty "local" as far as the pollen strains are concerned!
It seems it can't hurt, and may help, so get out there and find yourself some local honey. Try a couple of spoonfuls daily through the winter, and see if your spring allergies aren't improved! |
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Not yet ready for prime time with your horse? Here's a great option for NM horse and rider pairs who could use some competition experience in a low-stress environment: Horse Play Days!
The competitions are geared to skill levels rather than age, so your sixteen-year-old novice rider won't have to compete with the kids who've been doing competitve barrel racing since the age of five! The events are especially good for green horses, green riders, or both. The Horse Play Days focus on barrel racing, flags, and pole-bending. The competitions are open to all, and the cost is low: just $5 per event to compete, and only $3 per event for an exhibition ride. The Horse Play Days will be held on the following Sundays beginning at 1:00: April 20th, May 25th, June 8th, and July 6th. There will also be a Friday evening competition on August 22nd at 7:00 p.m. For more information, contact J.T. Edmonds at 864-8035. For information about horse properties, or just the New Mexico Horse scene in general, visit my website, or contact me any time by email at Laura@LauraWarden.com or call my cell phone at (505)869-7223.
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