Fort Selden Historic Site: Updates from our…
Preservation, Collections, and Maintenance
Hello, this is Ranger Kevin here with an update on maintenance activities! We are in the process of upgrading the electrical systems. Quotes to replace the aging HVAC are being obtained by the facilities crew and we hope to move that forward soon.
A mosquito problem earlier in the summer posed a challenge in how to deal with them. We decided to dry and mow the entire parade ground. Easy enough, however, while mowing, a safety switch on the mower went out, leaving us with a partial mowing. This left grass tall and an ideal location for mosquitoes. It took a couple weeks for the part to arrive, but once the mower was repaired and the grass dried out, the mosquitos began leaving the area. With grass mown and irrigation back on, all is well again!
Programs and Activities
Hey there, this is Ranger Mike. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Instructional Coordinator Emily Wilson (pictured below)! If you haven’t had a chance to meet Emily yet, please come on down to the Fort and introduce yourself. She’ll be planning and running many of our great educational activities.
Thankfully this summer wasn’t as hot as last year, but we received about the same amount of rain. Our garden did much better, as we added shade structures and a simple irrigation system, thanks in large part to Ranger Kevin and our custodian, Jerry. I recently held a salsa program, not only demonstrating how to make various salsas, but talking about how chile came to New Mexico and why it’s such an integral crop in the Mesilla Valley. We have big plans for our gardens next year, so stay tuned!
This fall my goal is to utilize our horno, or outdoor adobe oven. In October we will be holding an horno restoration workshop with help from expert Dave Harkness who is responsible for about 30 hornos around the state. In November we will be firing up the horno and cooking breads in honor of Thanksgiving. We hope to see you this fall at the Fort!
Article credit: Wendi Laws, Regional Site Manager, Fort Selden and Taylor-Mesilla Historic Sites
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