Taos: a cultural potpourri

Taos Plaza

Originally published in Enchanted Homes

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, crowned by Wheeler Peak, enclose the town of Taos in a magical protective ring. Located in the New Mexican desert, the city contains a mix of Native American, Spanish, Anglo, mystical, artistic and hippie ingredients. The roots of this cultural potpourri arise fromTaos’ unusual history, that began a long time ago.

The Taos Pueblo, built between 1000 and 1450 A.D., was chosen as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Christmas Eve at the Pueblo attracts hundreds of visitors every year. It often features Los Matachines, a representation of the conquest drama in which El Toro, la Malinche and los Abuelos, all wearing elaborate costumes, perform a lively dance. It is followed by a procession, when a statue of the Virgin Mary is paraded around the plaza. Hispanic and Native American elements are present in this dance, and they are representatives of two key cultural and ethnic influences inTaos.

The Spanish roots can be traced back to 1540. Legend has it that when Hernando de Alvarado, a Spanish conquistador, saw the sun rays shining on the Taos Pueblo adobe houses, he thought he had finally arrived to one of the mythical Cities of Gold. As for the Anglo presence, it didn’t begin until the late 19^th century after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. OnceNew Mexico became a territory of theUnited States, slowly, but steadily, more Americans started traveling on theSanta Fe Trail and searching for new homes in the Southwest.

Though New Mexico didn’t become a state until 1912, American artists began to settle in Taos as early as in 1899, attracted by its impressive landscapes and the quality of the desert light. The Taos Society of Artists was created in 1915 with Ernest L. Blumenschein and Bert G. Phillips among its founders. In the 60’s and 70’s a wave of hippies in search of a bucolic life discovered the area and their communes gave Taos a distinct psychedelic touch.

Downtown Taos

A sculpture of Padre Martinez by Huberto Maestas ofSan Luis,Colorado, presides over Taos Plaza, at the heart of the town. It is a thriving center where you can hop from a restaurant to a gallery to one of the many gift shops. Local musicians and touring artists often perform on the stage under the covered gazebo. An easy stroll from there will take you to the John Dunn House Shops, a charming, block-long pedestrian walkway lined by independently owned stores. Coffee Cats, with an adobe fireplace and a cozy atmosphere, offers a long list of espresso and chai drinks as well as smoothies and gelatos.

The Kit Carson Park, just 2 blocks north of the Plaza, is a great place to go for a walk, play tennis or volleyball or simply breathe in fresh air.  The Solar Festival in June and the Wool Festival in October are held there and the park also hosts other fairs and events throughout the year.

If museums are your thing, there are plenty in the downtown area. The Harwood Museum of Art, the second-oldest art museum in the state, is home to collections of well known artists like Larry Bell, Agnes Martin and Ken Price. The Blumenschein Home and Museum contains a great collection of the Blumenschein family’s art, plus works by other famousTaosartists, and European and Spanish Colonial style antiques.

Taos Canyon

Several trails of varying difficulty course through Taos Canyon. On highway64 East/Kit Carson Road is the Camino Real Ranger Station. Those interested in hiking can go to the Devisadero Loop Trail, which is located right beyond the Ranger Station. It has peaks to climb and an inspiring landscape full of green, red and golden hues. Hikers will enjoy panoramic views of the town and its surrounding mountains.

El Prado

A charming suburb located about 2 miles north of the Taos Plaza, El Prado is a combination of meadows and ranch lands with small shops, restaurants and coffee houses.Orlando’s, a popular restaurant that has been voted “Best Mexican Food inTaosCounty” since 2005, is famous for its smothered burritos and homemade flan. The Millicent Rogers Museum has an impressive collection of Native American jewelry, textiles and collections of southwestern art.

Hondo/ Seco

Located at 7,634 feet of elevation, Arroyo Seco is a small and somewhat eccentric village of galleries, shops and cafes. Its Fourth of July parade is a beloved tradition, full of color, music and food. The Taos Cow, voted one of the top ten ice cream shops in American by Bon Appétit Magazine, sells a delicious, all-natural ice cream. It also serves breakfast and lunch.

Arroyo Hondo has well preserved century-old adobe homes. The historic John Dunn Bridge is located right there. And Manby Hot Springs, with two sand-bottomed rock pools (clothing optional), is a hidden gem in the desert.

Ranchos de Taos

It is home of the most photographed church in the country, dedicated to San Francisco de Asis, that inspired works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams and many other artists. Right up the hill from the church is the historic Trading Post Café, where acclaimed Chef René Mettler works in his open-air kitchen. The Taos Country Club, with manicured greens and four sets of tees, is only a few minutes from Ranchos.

Taos Canyon

 

 

 

 

From greenhouse to table

Photo: Tina Larkin

Trey Frisbie, 9, hands his great-grandfather William Woosey, center, the peppers Woosey and his son-in-law Mike Barwick, right, grew in their greenhouse

Originally published in Taos News

Greenhouses are the perfect answer to our short growing season. Among the many advantages of owning one are having fresh veggies, fruits and herbs at your doorstep and knowing exactly what is in them. Growing your own food saves money and trips to the store. And a greenhouse can also function as a communal space where the family meets, works, reads—and eats.

Michael Barwick has built a standalone greenhouse where he and his family grow cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapenos, chiles, onions, potatoes, and pineapples. There are also different varieties of orchids, cacti and dahlias.

The structure is 24 X 24 feet and has a galvanized frame with insulated Plexiglas panels. It is a climate-controlled greenhouse with one thermostat for the heater, another for the exhaust system that takes the air out, and a third one for the misting system.

The place is big enough to double as a family room. In the summer, Barwick said, they simply bring a table to the greenhouse, pick up veggies and fruits and eat right there.

The most expensive part of building a greenhouse is the setup. Some kits, like the one used by Barwick, cost up to twelve thousand dollars, but the investment is eventually recovered by the amount and quality of the vegetables harvested.

“If our greenhouse were set up without the flowers we could grow vegetables for ten families all year around,” said Barwick.

Barwick bought the greenhouse kit three years ago. He hasn’t recovered the investment yet, but that is not the most important issue for him. “It’s more about knowing the quality of the food, the fact that everything is organic, the authenticity of it,” he said. “And the enjoyment of working here with my family, of doing things together…”

Now, considering that the greenhouse yields around three thousand dollars of produce a year, it will turn out to be a profitable investment after all. “We give a lot of food away,” said Barwick. “Right now, it supplies three families—us, my daughter’s family of five and my son.”

In the summer, many plants are taken outside and they make the Barwick residence’s backyard look like an oasis.

The greenhouse also guarantees a steady supply of veggies. “Once you have stuff established, it isn’t seasonal anymore,” Barwick said. “You can have jalapenos and tomatoes every week, no matter if it is summer or winter.”

When asked for advice to those who want to build their own greenhouse, Barwick said, “First, they need to know how serious they are about it; that determines the size of the unit, if it is climate-controlled or insulated panels. They also need to figure out if they are going to grow edible produce or potting plants, to choose the size of the greenhouse. There are lots of great websites about greenhouses and greenhouse supplies.”

He is planning to add hydroponics to the greenhouse next year. “We have done a lot of research about it and found out that a hydroponics system takes very little space and has high productivity,” he said. “This is also a great way to get started if you have limited space.”

Tips for building a greenhouse

The most important thing is location. It should be in a place where it gets as much sunlight as possible.

They can be attached or freestanding structures. The former is closer to the home’s sources of electricity, water and heat, thus saving in building costs, but they tend to be smaller. The latter gives more location choices and the temperature doesn’t fluctuate as often as in small places. But it requires the installation of a heating system and a water source.

A watering system is essential unless you have a lot of time to devote to watering every plant yourself.

Automated systems with thermostats (that should always be located away from the sun) are keys to maintain a suitable environment for plants.

You don’t need to spend lots of money to build a greenhouse. Using PVC pipe is a good, inexpensive option. The plastic film used for covering can be recycled when it needs replacement.

An excellent book on this topic is The Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion, Revised: Growing Food & Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace (Fulcrum Publishing; 2000), by Shane Smith. The author deals with topics like the greenhouse environment (light and temperature, ground beds and containers) as well as pollination, crop spacing and growth of different kinds of vegetables, flowers and herbs.

To buy the book go to

http://www.amazon.com/Greenhouse-Gardeners-Companion-Revised-Sunspace/dp/1555914500

There are Lowes coupons or promo codes available for greenhouse building supplies.

 

Happy birthday to Agnes

Picture taken from

http://harwoodmuseum.org/March22

Agnes Martin’s 100th Birthday

As part of the Remarkable Women of Taos celebration, the Harwood Museum of Art has planned a series of events and exhibitions to celebrate the centennial of Agnes Martin’s birth. Among them is a fundraising event at the Ranchos Trading Post Cafe on March 22 at 6 p.m. The restaurant was chosen because of the long and deep connection that the artist had with it. She had a special place there, both physically (a table in the patio) and in its owner’s heart.

“Agnes started coming into our restaurant the day we opened it, in October 1994,” said Kimberly Armstrong, owner of the Trading Post Café. “She liked to talk to me and spoke often of her art and the things that inspired her, like the light here, nature in itself…even waking up in the morning was an inspiration to her!”

Martin had few close friends, and Armstrong feels honored to have been one of them. They would take trips together once a month and visited the sand dunes,Farmington, Corrales, and Ghost Ranch. “It was a pleasure to travel with her,” said Armstrong. “She saw life with the eyes of an artist, and transmitted that feeling too.”

Martin drove to the Trading Post Café by herself and usually dined alone. “She loved food,” said Armstrong. “She would have fillets and all kinds of red meat, fish, tomatoes…She also liked to have a glass of red wine every day with her lunch.”

When Martin could no longer drive, she would have people bring her to the restaurant, but she still went there every day.

Armstrong’s husband, Rene Mettler, a chef at Trading Post Café, played a big role in this relationship. “She was enthralled with his culinary expertise and they would sit and have red wine together,” said Armstrong.

The Harwood Museum of Art approached Armstrong last year when the whole event was just coming together because they knew Martin’s connection with the restaurant. “We were so pleased,” said Armstrong. “She was a lovely soul and we were very fortunate to have her in our lives. I am happy to share all these wonderful memories with the community.”

The birthday party it is not going to be a typical sit-down dinner but a social affair. “There will be different stations (a carving station, a pasta station and many more) so people will interact with each other and with the food,” explained Armstrong. There will be music, too. Agnes Martin will be represented in a variety of ways, like a beautiful cake for her 100 birthday.

The next day, Friday, March 23, the film “Agnes Martin: With My Back to the World” will be shown at the Museum at 7 p.m., followed by a discussion. On Saturday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Harwood will also present a day-long lecture program featuring scholars and artists focusing on the life and work of Agnes Martin. The whole series is a unique celebration for the Canadian-born painter who lovedTaos, its color, light and foods.

 

Advance tickets for the Agnes Martin Centennial Birthday Party are available at the Museum Admissions. For more information, contact development@harwoodmuseum.org.

Or call 575-758-9826

 

The year of the women

Mabel Dodge Lujan

Photo taken from http://taos.org/women

Originally published in Taos News, Special Sections

2012 is the centennial year ofNew Mexico’s statehood. It is also the year of the Remarkable Women of Taos. For that reason March, which is Women’s History Month, will be celebrated here in a spectacular manner.

“The idea of Remarkable Women of Taos as a theme for the year came because of two very prominent artists, Agnes Martin and Beatrice Mandelman, who made Taos their home and whose centennial birthday parties are celebrated this year,” said Susan Longhenry, director of the Harwood  Museum of Art. “So the Town of Taos, as an organization, got the idea of celebrating these women and their contributions to the town’s history. Later on, it was decided to expand the celebration and include other notable women who have shaped, and are shaping, our community.”

On the same line Cathy Ann Connelly, director of Public Affairs and Tourism for the Town ofTaos, said, “This year, in conjunction with the state’s centennial, we are celebrating our remarkable women and underscoring why they were drawn to Taos’ unique and wonderful attributes.”

And the project was born.

The women online

The website www.taos.org has devoted a whole section to the celebration of these women’s lives and accomplishments.  The ‘Legends’ are those who changed or enhanced the community of Taos in the past, like Mabel Dodge Lujan, Agnes Martin, Bea Mandelman, Georgia O’Keeffe, Millicent Rogers and many others.

“Since the town is recognizing remarkable women who are among us today, there are also profiles of artists, businesswomen and women who are currently working in health and education and preserving our great outdoors,” said Longhenry. Painter and author Amy Cordova, santera Lydia Garcia and Native American fashion designer Patricia Michaels are among them. “We want to recognize them all, both historic and contemporary,” said Longhenry.

Santera Lydia Garcia

Liz Cunningham is the hostess of a blog called “Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Remarkable Women of Taos.” In October 2010 a question occurred to her as a result of the blog: ‘What if the Remarkable Women of Taos was the 2012 Town of Taos theme?’

As Cunningham related, “Subsequent meetings with Cathy Connelly, Susan Longhenry, Janet Webb, Steve Parks and Karen Young around the idea initiated the 2012 Remarkable Women of Taos theme.” Cunningham is also a curator and co-author of the award-winning book In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein. She has researched and lectured on the lives and contributions of Lucy Harwood, Mary and Helen Blumenschein, Helene Wurlitzer, Millicent Rogers, Mabel Dodge Luhan and other luminaries. The Town of Taos hired her to write 30 profiles on historic and contemporary women.

March 22^nd, a special day

The Remarkable Women of Taos Kick-off News Conference at the Harwood Museum of Art will take place on Thursday, March 22, at 11 a.m.  There will be a panel discussion moderated by Longhenry. The news conference will be held in the Agnes Martin gallery.

The March 22^nd event continues at noon with a screening of “Remarkable Women of Taos: What’s in the Water?” a 30-minute film featuring forty remarkable northernNew Mexico women. Many of them will be in attendance. The film was produced by Peter Walker and Krystina Siebenaler, of Swashbuckler Media. This activity is free and open to the public.

“They are all women who are living inTaostoday and who have made a noticeable contribution to our community,” said Longhenry. “They were interviewed for the film and they are also being invited to the screening. We hope to make the people in Taos aware of their accomplishments.” The women portrayed in the film have shared their passions, advice and the challenges they met in life.

The same day, at 6 p.m, the Agnes Martin Centennial Birthday Party will be celebrated with a fundraising event at the Ranchos Trading Post Cafe, which was one of the artist’s favorite restaurants. “She used to have her own table there and everybody knew her,” said Longhenry. Proceeds from the fundraising will benefit the Harwood’s exhibitions.

“The party will be a wonderful way to pay tribute to Agnes,” said Longhenry, “There will be people who knew her and remember her well. The dinner will include a birthday cake for her, too.”

To commemorate this occasion, the Harwood Museum will also host an exhibition of a little known body of Martin’s paintings from the late 1940s and 1950s. “Agnes Martin: Before the Grid” will trace the entire span of Martin’s early work, beginning with early portraits, a still life and landscapes.

Explorations: Tours and workshops

Associated to the celebratory spirit is the Remarkable Women of Taos, 4-night and 5-day Seven Directions Custom Tours, scheduled for May 18-22, July 20-24, and October 12-16, 2012. The tour will introduce the participants to the rich tapestry of women (Native American, Hispanic and Anglo) who came from all corners of the world to makeNorthern New Mexicotheir home.

Connected them with the celebrations is also the upcoming workshop “Meetings with Remarkable Women” that will be held at the Mabel Dodge house, from June 1 to June 3. This workshop usesTaosas a focusing point to explore a number of questions, like who are the remarkable women ofTaosand what makes them remarkable? What about Taos over the decades has provided such a supportive environment for strong, independent-minded women?

These questions are also inspirational. They not only refer to historical figures, but can be applied to many of us, to shape our identities as Taoseñas and women at the present time.

More information about celebrations, tours and self guided trips can be found online at http://taos.org/women

Or contact: Joan Griffin: jgriffin@griffinassoc.com, (505) 764-4444 ext. 222, (505) 261-4444.

To visit Liz Cunningham’s blog go to http://mabeldodgeluhan.blogspot.com

The Harwood Museum of Art of theUniversityofNew Mexicois located at238 Ledoux Street,Taos,NM 87571. Phone: 575-758-9826

Advance tickets for the Agnes Martin Centennial Birthday Party are available at the Museum Admissions. For more information, contact development@harwoodmuseum.org.

Frieda Lawrence (1879 – 1956)

Picture taken from

http://taos.org/women/profiles-legends?/item/79/Frieda-Lawrence

Bonnie Lee Black’s ABC’s of healthy cooking

Photo: Tina Larkin

Originally published in Taos News

A healthy approach to healthy cooking boils down to three basic points—attitude, balance and creativity. This is the philosophy of Bonnie Lee Black, former New York chef and caterer, who teaches Healthy Cooking and Bread Baking in UNM-Taos’ Culinary Arts Program.

Black, who also teaches English and Creative Nonfiction Writing at UNM-Taos, is the author of two memoirs –Somewhere Child (Viking Press, 1981) and How to Cook a Crocodile, a Memoir with Recipes (Peace Corps Writers, 2010). The latter book is slated to receive an award from Gourmand International at the Paris Cookbook Fair in March in the category of Charity and Community (North America).

Black’s Healthy Cooking class, which is taught atTaosHigh Schoolon Friday evenings, is full. No wonder, considering the interest that the subject matter raises. We all want to be healthy. And most of us love to eat. Preparing nutritious and healthy meals does the trick, and Black’s students are all eager to learn.

The lessons include stocks and soups, vegetables and salads, grains and beans, lean proteins, fruit desserts, as well as healthy ethnic meals. They also cover mis-en-place (preparation), timing and presentation.

Black’s students are taking the class for a variety of reasons. One just had gastric bypass surgery and wants to continue losing weight; another, who has a hectic schedule, wants to learn easy-to-prepare, hearty dishes that she can take to work. One young man simply wanted to learn how to navigate his way around the kitchen.

“We all have different kinds of hunger,” said Black. “We are hungry for knowledge, recognition, love and beauty, among other things… not just food. But when people use food to satisfy all these hungers, they’re likely to become obese.” Therefore, she urges her students to cook meals that are not only healthy but also beautiful, to satisfy that craving for beauty that exists in all of us.

Black’s suggestions to create beautiful and healthy dishes:

Use lots of lettuce and greens in the salad. You can eat as much lettuce as you want without worrying about calories. Besides, greens make the dish look “happy.”

Eat with your eyes first. The French are very good at that. For them, food is practically a religion and they take great care in presenting it in an enticing manner.   Make your plate a work of art, full of colors.

Focus on increasing your daily intake of whole grains, lean proteins, colorful vegetables and fruit, and healthy dairy products — following the government’s new dietary guidelines found at the website <choosemyplate.gov>

To lessen your dependence on pre-packaged and “fast” foods, do more cooking “from scratch” at home. The more confident you are in the kitchen, the less need you’ll have for pre-packaged meals.

Use healthy cooking techniques, such as steaming, grilling, stir-frying, poaching, and microwaving.

Learn to choose the healthier carbohydrates, such as those found in fruits, vegetables, whole wheat and whole grain products.

“A balanced, healthy diet can be both enjoyable and nutritious,” Black says. “Bountiful, flavorful and healthful are all adjectives that could be used to describe it.”

Every chef has a favorite kitchen appliance. At the moment, Black’s is a small, white, Hamilton Beach immersion blender. “I like it because it makes blending vegetable soups easier, quicker, and safer,” she said.

As for favorite foods, she leans toward homemade healthy breads and soups, especially in the winter months. (See her recipe below for a yummy soup that calls for blending). “Breads and soups are comforting, healthy, and delicious!” Black said.

She also loves teaching bread-baking. “The process of bread baking teaches patience, attentiveness, and respect (especially for other, smaller, life forms) like nothing else you might make in the kitchen,” she said.

Chicken Stock  – “Liquid Gold”

2 pounds chicken bones (with some meat on them) raw, and/or left over from a roasted chicken

4 medium carrots, scrubbed and chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 medium onions, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 stalks celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces

3 medium cloves of garlic, unpeeled and left whole

10 whole, black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 small bunch of fresh parsley stems

Cold water

Place all ingredients in a tall stockpot large enough to hold everything comfortably.  Cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer, and skim off any foam or fat that rises to the surface.  Cook at a simmer for several hours, uncovered.  Strain and cool quickly.  Refrigerate or pour into plastic containers and freeze.

Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

(Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Light cookbook [Clarkson Potter, 2011])

Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

4 medium sweet potatoes (2 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ to 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped

7 cups chicken stock (follow recipe above, or use low-sodium store-bought)

Reduced-fat sour cream, for serving

Toasted flour tortilla wedges for serving (optional)

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and season with salt and pepper; cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add cumin and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sweet potatoes, chipotle chile to taste, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid summer, partially cover, and cook until sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a spoon, about 25 minutes. Let soup cool slightly, then blend with immersion blender (in the pot) or, using a stand-up blender, in batches (being careful not to fill blender bowl more than halfway, to avoid spillage). Divide soup among eight bowls and top with sour cream. (156 calories per serving)

Bonnie Black’s Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Step One: Make the “sponge.” In a medium-size bowl, combine 1 package active dry yeast, 1 cup lukewarm (not hot, or you’ll kill the yeast) water, and 1 cup bread flour. Stir well, cover loosely (so the mixture can breathe), and allow to sit on your kitchen counter overnight (during which it will bubble up and then calm down). [Note: Making this “sponge” ahead of time will give your bread extra flavor and extend its shelf life.]

Step Two: Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt with 1 cup warmish (not hot) milk, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (such as canola), 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 cups bread flour, and the above “sponge” mixture. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Step Three: Knead the dough. On a clean, flat counter or table, spread 1 cup of bread flour in a dinner-plate-size circle. Scrape the contents of your big bowl onto the floured surface and knead rhythmically and steadily with both hands (being “both strong and gentle – at the same time,” I tell my students) for 10 whole minutes. (Don’t skimp on the time.) If your dough is sticky, add more bread flour in small increments.

Step Four: First Rise. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place in a large, buttered bowl, turning to butter all sides. Cover loosely and allow to double in bulk at room temperature. This will take a shorter time (under an hour) in a warm room and a longer time (up to about two hours) in a cool room.

Step Five: Punch and Form. Place the doubled-in-bulk dough on a floured surface, and knead it again, briefly, to eliminate its puffiness. Form into the size and shape you wish – small dinner rolls, larger hamburger buns, freeform round or oval bread loaves, or traditional loaves made in bread pans.

Step Six: Second Rise. Cover your bread(s) loosely and allow to double in bulk again at room temperature (which, again, will take longer in a cooler kitchen than a warmer kitchen).

Step Seven: Bake, Cool, Serve. Bake your bread in a preheated 375-400-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, until “GB & D” – golden brown and delicious! Remove from pans (if using) and let bread cool on a wire rack before eating.

Promotional codes are always available for cookbooks on healthy eating.

 

Adding warmth to your home—fireplace or wood stove?

 

Traditional Kiva fireplaces are amongTaos’ more picturesque features, portrayed in paintings and postcards. Their earthy beauty has been, for a long time, part and parcel of the town’s charm.

A pioneer fireplace builder is Carmen Velarde, a native Taoseña and an acclaimed artist who also made retablos andsantos—images of saints carved in wood. Velarde is now a lively eighty–year-old. Her fireplaces, which she built not only inTaosbut all over the country, can be admired at theSageBrushInnConferenceCenterand at Quality Inn, as well as in many private homes. They are made of adobe and follow a traditional construction style.

Velarde learned how to build fireplaces from her grandparents, Trinidadand Julian Ybarra, who raised her. “They remodeled houses and built fireplaces and hornos (ovens),” she said. “They also knew how to make bricks. I helped them since I was a little girl and that was how I learned all I know today.” Later on, she became a builder herself. She used no paint in her fireplaces, just different kinds of earth like tierra colorada and tierra blanca (red and white earth) and tanners. Using the traditional methods and materials was a need, not a choice.

“Until the fifties, we didn’t have a lot of construction materials here, except for adobes,” she said. “Few people had iron wood stoves. In my own family, we cooked in a fireplace until I was 8 or 9 years old.”

What distinguishes Velarde’s fireplaces is the artistic touch that she added to them. They are all handmade, one-of-a-kind structures. She also built bancos and niches to suit her clients’ wishes.

Velarde paid great attention to safety issues. After building a fireplace, she would teach the owners how to keep it in working order. “If you have a fireplace, the most important thing is to keep the chimney clean,” she said. “Make sure that you clean it at least once a year, or two if possible. If the fireplace needs plaster, all you need to do is apply a coat of slip.”

Carmen Velarde’s fireplaces are known for their energy efficiency, but this is not the case of many traditionally built fireplaces, according to Bob Bishop, owner of Tierra Wood Stoves.

“With a traditional fireplace, 90 percent of the heat goes out,” said Bishop. “All the heat you pay for, be it propane or natural gas, is being sucked out of the house.”

If people want to add the touch of a warm hearth to the house, he suggests getting a wood stove instead. “You can add one that looks just like a Kiva fireplace, or choose amongNew England, Danish and American Federal Period styles,” he said. “We have sixty models of fireplaces and wood stoves in our showroom. And if you already have a fireplace, use either an insert or a hearth heater that sits in front of it. This way you can keep your existing fireplace, save money and enjoy a comfortable, cozy atmosphere.”

Bishop recommends hiring a certified installer to add the insert or the hearth heater. “We use Southwest Chimney Specialists, a local man who is certified and very good at it,” he said. “This isn’t necessarily a project that you want to do yourself.”

He also suggests cleaning the chimney once a year to avoid the danger of fire. “But don’t take the ashes out too often,” he said. “It is advisable to keep half an inch or even an inch of ashes so the stove is insulated and easy to light.”

Ashes can be used to clean the glass on the fireplace or stove door. Take a paper towel, make it into a ball, damp it, dip it on the ashes and clean the door with a circular motion. “Of course, you can buy a product that does the same thing,” he added. “We have it in our store. It’s basically ashes in a bottle.”

Both traditional fireplaces and modern wood stoves add a feeling of warmth and coziness to any house. Whichever you have, or choose to add, make sure to keep the chimney clean and in working order. The best fireplace or wood stove is the one that doesn’t burn the house down!

 

Tierra Wood Stoves is located at 1519 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur Taos, NM.

Phone: 575-758-9880.

Renovation on a Budget

Originally published in Enchanted Homes Magazine.

When you decide to renovate your house, it is advisable to make a list of the tasks that you can do on your own, and another for the more complicated projects that are best to leave up to the professionals—wiring and plumbing work, adding another room or changing the layout of an existing one. In some cases, electrical or building permits are required. To find out if you need one, visit the official website for the Taos County planning department

“There are some details that can be added to make a house unique,” said Lafe Harrower, contractor and builder, owner of Lucus Construction. “Among them are tile work, smooth or textured plaster, vigas, beams, timber frame ceilings, and custom fireplaces.”

While you may need an expert to add tile to the walls or install a new fireplace, there are still many improvements that can be done with little money and plenty of enthusiasm. For example, when my husband and I decided to renovate our kitchen, we sanded and painted all the kitchen cabinets. They had a natural finish; we chose peach shades to give the kitchen a warm feel. Because the kitchen and the living room walls were all white, this turned out to be a nice touch that brightened up the place. We also added some color to the bathroom (which was also white) by painting the exterior of the bathtub, one wall and the shower stall.

There were smoke stains above the opening of the fireplace. To cover them up, we gave it a coat of the same peach color that we had used in the kitchen cabinets. It really changed the mood of he entire living room. Now it is a Taoseño room, for sure!

Lafe Harrower’s list of simple DIY upgrades:

1. Check the roof of the house for leaks.

2. Make sure that the window’s glazing has good seal.

3. Check that all weather-strips are in place and working well.

4. Check all exterior wood for weathering. It’s easy to refinish exterior wood by sanding and reapplying a UV resistant sealer and stain. This should be done twice annually.

5. Take care of interior doors and if they are damaged, get new ones. Most interior doors are standard size and can be replaced easily.

6. Replace handles in door knobs, faucets and drawer pulls.

7. Replace kitchen sinks, vanity sinks, and toilets.

8. Repair interior plaster cracks, then paint. A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for any room.

9. Clean the carpets or, if your budget permits it, buy new ones.

10. Reface kitchen cabinets.

If you are going to undertake a remodeling project on your own, find out how much time you will need to put into it. Then decide if you actually have it, or want to devote it to renovation tasks. “You need to make sure that you have the necessary skills and tools to complete the project,” said Craig Simmons, president of Eco Builders, an environmentally conscious company. “Correcting a poorly made DIY work may cost more in the end that hiring the pros to do it in the first place.”

Simmons also shared some useful tips about renovations:

To add more sunlight, especially on the south side of the house, choose a window that has the top as high as a regular doorway and convert it into a door. You can use an insulated glass door. There are very nice used ones at the Habitat for Humanities ReStore.

If your boiler or your hot-water heater are old and need to be replaced, you can buy one dual system unit. They are very efficient and will save a lot of money in your heating bill and in your domestic hot water bill. They pay for themselves in a short amount of time, just in fuel savings.

Take the doors off the upper kitchen cabinets to create open shelves. That will give a more spacious look to the kitchen.

Finally, don’t underestimate the appeal of a nice looking yard. Plant shrubs and flowers. Decorate it with outdoors furniture, candles and birdfeeders to make it look inviting. This will extend the living area of your house and can become a private sanctuary as well.

 

Lafe Harrower, Lucus Construction

PO Box 361

El Prado, NM 87529

575-776-1190

http://lucusconstruction.com/contact.htm

 

Craig Simmons, Eco Builders

P.O. Box2133

El Prado,NM87529

575-770-1275

craig@ecobuilderstaos.com

http://www.ecobuilderstaos.com/