Las Cruces to Deming, New Mexico – 1 April 2024

Our next stop was at Saddlehawk Ranch, a Harvest host. This not for profit ranch had a number of horses, chickens, cows, goats, mules and donkeys and provides economically and physically disadvantaged people the opportunity to learn about horse riding and carriage driving. Most of the animals had been rescued from slaughter houses. Not sure how this couple manage to feed all the animals but Im quite sure they are not sponsored in anyway by the government.

We were parked opposite the outdoor pens of some of the horses, 4 calves and a donkey who every so often would utter a very mournful hee-haw scaring the pants off Jax. Situated slightly behind the pens was a chicken coup which had a number of chickens and roosters. We were warned to wear closed shoes because of tarantulas and snakes but thank goodness we didn’t see any. There were a number of quails running round who looked like they had worms hanging from the tops of their heads.

It was extremely windy that day and the owners were away for most of the day working at a nearby gas station. When they returned in the early evening we watched them feeding all the animals.

I loved being close to the animals – such gentle creatures. These are my favourite types of Harvest Hosts.