Preserving cultural heritage, open space & trails, urban forest, agriculture and architecture
Our Mission
Friends of Los Ranchos is an non-profit organization of people working together to preserve our Village, land, wildlife, culture, and heritage. Our goal is to encourage a sustainable lifestyle while fostering kindness and a sense of community that respects every person and includes every voice.
Our History
In 2004 Joe Craig launched our organization to purchase and preserve open space in cooperation with the Village of Los Ranchos. The Village is a jewel in the Middle Rio Grande, just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Towering cottonwoods and lush open spaces, migrating birds, wildlife and farm life, our cultural richness and archeological heritage give us an easy pace, a connection to nature, and a place in history. Our goal is to support sustainable development in keeping with what makes the Village unique.
An early acquisition for the Village, by Friends of Los Ranchos in partnership with the Village of Los Ranchos. 50 stunning acres of open space, trails and wildlife preserves in North Los Ranchos.
Our team
All volunteer
Friends of Los Ranchos is a 501(c)4 non-profit incorporated in New Mexico in 2018.
Marsha Adams
President
Marcia Smiley
Vice-President
Bob Keers
Treasurer
Nancy Nangeroni
Secretary
Gordene MacKenzie
Friend and advisor
Below are short snippets on a couple of other things we’ve made happen:
2020 Internship Funding
The Friends of Los Ranchos, Inc. is pleased to announce its funding of a 2020 Fall / Winter Internship at the Village of Los Ranchos’ Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center. This funding is a result of an Economic Grant from Bernalillo County and has enabled the Village to hire Sarah Daniels as an Ag Program Intern.
Sarah grew up Albuquerque and attended the Lavender Festival in her youth. She came to the AGN Center after seeing a lavender field volunteer day posting on Facebook and became a regular in Spring and Summer of 2019 and 2020. Sarah has also worked with the Wagner Farm at both the Chile U Pick and the Downtown Grower’s Market. Additionally, she volunteered to help with grants for the AGN and at the Los Ranchos Growers Market.
The Fall / Winter Internship was developed for 5 months to help Sarah further her career in Agriculture. The Internship will offer Sarah the opportunity to learn all the groundwork, planning and implementation work that goes in to getting ready for the growing season.
Sarah’s long-term goal is to plan and develop her 70-acre farm in Belen. The Village and Friends of Los Ranchos are proud to support this initiative and help grow new farmers in our community.
Welcome to our Los Ranchos Family, Sarah Daniels!
Friends Jennie Schulte and Furgus Whitney celebrate the move of the Historic Schulte House at the Agri-Nature Center