El Rancho de Las Golondrinas (The Ranch of the Swallows)

This old working ranch about 5 miles from Santa Fe, has been opened to the public as a museum and we were fortunate enough to get a private tour as Annie works with the brother of the guy who runs the place......some of the adobe structures were built in 1700's....they are maintained with new adobe plaster every year. The ranch was a stopping place on the old "Camino Real" from Mexico City to old Santa Fe.

We were told that the Spanish brought the ideas of these ovens to the American Indians and they liked them and kept the tradition.

There were some guys trimming the hooves of this sheep. At certain times of the year they shear the sheep to get the wool....

then the local Weavers Guild comes in and cords the wool, dies the yarn with all locally produced plants, spins it and then weaves on this 1610 weaving loom from Europe...all authentic stuff!

There were 3 old grinding mills on the 200 acre ranch. This one was constructed in 1873 in Truchas, New Mexico and brought here in the 1960's when this ranch was was being restored.

Powered by water turning this wheel underneath the mill house.

Inside the house the mill can grind corn or wheat producing cornmeal or flour.

The ranch is run by mostly volunteer labor and can be rented for special events such as weddings and parties. A nice look into Spanish Colonial life!!