2023/2024
It seems I mostly talk and write about the "rain mainly in the plains" of Northern New Mexico, but it is the most important conversation because so much life there depends on moisture. 2024 has been a drier year than the previous wet summer. To be continued...
2022/2023
What a big difference a lot of rain makes! This summer monsoon starting on June 18th was the best one we've seen in New Mexico in the last twenty five years. It doesn't solve the bigger ongoing drought situation in the southwest but it sure helped things this year.
As we move on into 2023 we will pray for continued moisture. This was the first summer in many years we didn't need to feed hay and the cows really benefited from the abundant green grass.
I am finalizing the dates for the first "Men's Retreat" at the ranch in the summer of 2023, and it will be co-sponsored by the Creative Healing Arts Center. More details to follow.
2021/2022 Moving the Vision Forward
The vision behind the Creative Healing Arts Center (CHAC) is being re-emphasized moving in 2022 and certainly Covid-19 and the prolonged drought have slowed the rhythms of many activities - and life goes on in the mountains. We had some decent rains during the monsoon season in 2021, however it is pretty obvious climate change is upon us and we will all need to form deeper relationships with Mother Earth and the elements (air, earth, water, fire) - just to adapt and survive. Certainly in the lands west of the Mississippi we will all have to become more conscious about how we use water in the times ahead. I believe places like the CHAC will become living examples of how "we" can be taken care of by Mother Earth when we consciously take care of her and her precious resources - especially water in the arid mountain areas of the Southwest.
It's time for all of us to step forward, be accountable and use our creative expression to increase awareness about this fragile moment in history. What we thought was going to happen in future generations' lifetimes is happening now. Who knows what we can do to slow down and influence climate change, but I am one to believe that this moment of such extreme volatility can be offset by collective efforts and consciousness from all of us...starting with one good deed followed by another. In many of the ways that social networking has created many complexities in daily life maybe, just maybe it can be used to help unify a movement where we the people take a stand for what's really important - LIFE provided by Mother Earth.
Meanwhile with the increased dryness we are spending time and resources buying and hauling hay for livestock, as well as putting the finishing touches on a few of the environmental projects. We've had to rebuild a small fence area around a portion of the pond to maintain a riparian environment for wildlife. This includes growth of plants, wildflowers and willow for more protection of birds and small wildlife.
2020 Programs
The USFS has been thinning the forest in the Tres Piedras mountains because of the long term dry weather predictions. As much as I hated to see so many trees cut and the forests thinned around the ranch and even on some parts of it controlled by the forest service, I believe it is necessary. The idea is to make room for mountain grasses to make a comeback in the thinned areas as well as decreasing some of the potential for wildfire.
2019 Programs and Projects Underway
1. What a change one year makes!
Unlike recent years, 2019 has been one of the wetter years at the ranch in a long time. It started with some heavy, deep late snows from the winter and have carried forward with several spring rains.
2. More Changes
In late 2018 we lost a ranch partner and dear friend, Bill Casto. It took the wind out of my sails for a few months in early 2019, but gradually my inspiration returned with the ranch and all of the projects there.
3. Re-establishing mountain grasslands
In 2019 we completed some government contract work with the:
a. Natural Resource Conversation Service (NRCS) - clearing of fourteen acres of mountain sage and reseeding with mountain grasses
b. Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) - reseeded six acres of previously cleared and seeded land
In total we drilled close to twenty acres of new grassland
4. Erosion Control
We completed two different erosion control projects. One project consisted of smaller rock dam structures designed to slow the water flow down reducing the erosion effect of running water.
The second project was an addition to some larger dam structures we had built in 2017. These dams used layers of brush and rocks for larger filtering actions with water and erosion. These dams not only slow the water down but they also filter the sediment thus filling the ditch in over time.
2018 Programs and Projects Underway
1. Working hard to survive the ongoing drought - this has been one of the driest years since I have been in New Mexico. We are praying for rain daily as most of the springs and watering holes have been dry for months. The monsoon rains have finally arrived and we're hoping the moisture continues through late summer and fall.
Much of the ranch work is on keeping the fences mended and feeding the few head of cattle and horses hay. The price of hay has gone through the roof because without rain the hay production is down in New Mexico and Colorado to the north. Nevertheless we have 4 baby calves and some hungry moms trying to keep them nourished with rich milk. Below are some pictures of some new calves and a picture of me introducing our baby (Claire Avalon) to one of the ranch babies!
The photo below is of the ranch brand which stands for three large granite rocks and TP short for Tres Piedras. Designed by my good friend and ranch partner, Bill Casto.
2. The Mules - we've posted many pictures over the years of Cowboy and Dwayne and they have been living the life of leisure since they moved to the ranch 3 years ago. They were shipped off to a mule trainer, Ta-Willow Romero in Moriarty, NM in November, 2017. She has had her hands full training these big boys and they are coming along nicely. My intention is to use them for rides high into the mountains of the Carson National Forest as well as have them for some equine therapy with people as time goes along. Mules are smart, sensitive and highly intelligent animals and they will be great contributors to the Creative Healing Arts Center and our future projects helping get people out in nature.
3. Other projects currently underway
a. purchasing hay for fall and winter
b. mending fences
c. remodeling plans for A-frame cabin
d. planning for a 2019 fundraising retreat onsite @ the ranch in Tres Piedras
100% of all donations go directly into ranch needs such as these - any donation amount is greatly appreciated with no amount too small - feel free to designate the area you'd like to support
1. Hay purchases
2. Fencing materials - wire and metal posts for fence maintenance
3. Clearing 15 acres of sage so more grassland can be established - preferred method would be mechanical
4. Reseeding fields with mountain grasses - 25 acres - 10lbs/acre seed
Wish-list items for the future
1. Used 4-wheel drive ranch truck ~ $4000 - $10,000
2. A small used bulldozer ~ $10,000 - $15,000 to help in the maintenance of the ranch
3. Remodeling the A-frame cabin - windows, flooring, new doors, porch, electrical work ~ $15,000
4. A 30' yurt or 30' dome to be used for workshops and gatherings ~ $25,000
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2017 Programs
Scope of work for the year
It is with focused intention that the CHAC will continue working with various government agencies in 2017, and is striving to be a bridge between these agencies and the local Tres Piedras community, as well as communicating about these efforts in a world wide setting, so that all can witness the benefits of cooperative behavior.
- Continue the program started in 2014 with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife – United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – spring enhancement, riparian environment, mountain grass establishment, monitoring of the small headed golden weed rare plant, and monitoring of ranch bird populations with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. Completion of initial contract.
- Continued implementation of the program started in 2016 with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS/USDA)
- Potential cooperative Landscape Restoration Project with the USDA – United States Forest Service (USFS) and the CHAC. After a slow start I am seeing the potential for a synergistic effect of working with the USFS and our adjoining lands.
Completed Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) projects on the ranch
1. Erosion control dams - built out of layers of rock and brush to filter back dirt, slowing water flow reducing erosion. Five dams were built in a large ditch suffering from long term water runoff. Completed July/August 2017.
2. Sage Brush Reduction test plots - we are continuing to conduct test projects reducing some of the overgrown mountain sage. As much as I love the smell of the mountain sage it is crowding out all of the other natural vegetation of which mountain grasses are a more desired food source for wildlife. In the plots below we tested a herbicide that targets the sage and even though we do not expect to use chemicals on the property going forward, we received funding to test out a small acreage to record the effectiveness of this treatment. The treatment worked quite well, but in the future we will use equipment, which is far more costly to remove the sage and some cooperative prescribed burning with the USFS to decrease the sage population to a more cooperative balance with other plants. Project completed August 2017.
The gray area to the left in the picture is the treated area. There are two types of mountain sage - black sage is a smaller plant that puts out a chemical itself and eliminates grass and competing plants. The mountain grasses immediately started coming back to life once given the opportunity.
3. New Pond project - always in need of more water and water conservation on the ranch the NRCS helped provide funding for a new pond located in one of the deep ravines on the ranch. Now we just need a huge rain for this pond to fill up. Project completed December 2017.
2016 Programs
- We started a series of new projects with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This series of projects will continue the Creative Healing Arts Center’s intention of putting conservation on the ground in Tres Piedras with our ranch, and it will help the local environment by decreasing erosion and increasing habitat for wildlife, as well as the ranch animals. These projects include: erosion control, improved fencing to better separate segments of the ranch as well as protecting the riparian areas and the Aspen grove. Additionally we will be reclaiming 14 acres from sage overgrowth and restoring these acres to native mountain grasses. Lastly we will be adding a new pond in one of the runoff ditches to decrease erosion and increase wildlife habitat and more riparian environment.
- In July, we began one of the fencing projects that separates the back part of the ranch where the 14 acres are being reclaimed. We also started treating the sage and will be bush hogging the sage in 2017 and planting the acreage in mountain grasses.
2015 Programs
November, 2015 the Creative Healing Arts Center received a wonderful donation from Alison Eakin. Thank you Ali, we so appreciate your generous gifts!
The donation included cows, calves and a bull for the ranch. As well many farm items such as: a livestock trailer, a utility trailer, gates, fencing materials, a tiller and implements, hay, solar equipment, a wood burning kitchen stove, and many other useful farm items.
May 20, 2015 – Creative Healing Arts Center (CHAC) Update
- Large Spring – the spring melt of snow has been better than expected and the water flow from the main spring and snag spring has been exceptional. The net result is a pond that has been filled to capacity with water, I’m bordering on calling it a small lake!
- b. Large Spring – water running down to pond
- Pond – I am so excited to share this video of the pond and it’s greatly enhanced size due to the work on the springs and the nice snow melt in March and April. * To compare the amounts of water – look at these pictures from 2014 and the way the pond looked then – notice the fence and the grasses and the actual pond size – and contrast those with the video from 2015.
- Grasses – because of the wetter spring we have a nice stand of grasses coming up in the areas we seeded last Fall, I’m hoping we continue to get nice moisture through the monsoon season and the grass continues to get rooted and grow.
May 1, 2015 – Creative Healing Arts Center (CHAC) Charlie Griak Video Update
May 20, 2015 – Hoot Owl Motel Renovation in progress
Vision - The Beginning
The Creative Healing Arts Center is an intentional community of healers, artists, environmentalists and everyday people taking a stand for this planet utilizing these guidelines:
- Creative expression is a direct path to healing
- We are all connected through our thoughts, intentions, actions and energy
- Love is the greatest force in the Universe
- We are born with an inherent right to be on this planet
- We all have the capability to heal ourselves and thrive in life
- Gratitude is another direct path to healing - Be Grateful!
The Creative Healing Arts Center provides a place where visitors may learn how to heal themselves with creative expression in conjunction with conscious energy exchange with the surrounding nature of the New Mexico high desert.
Positive, healing, light and love-filled messages will spiral out of the Creative Healing Arts Center to people, nature, and Mother Earth.
Educational programs with topics such as:
- Land, water, and wildlife conservation
- Sustainable architecture and building methods
- Gaining a greater consciousness of life force energy exchange between humans and plants and animals to create a mutually beneficial existence on this planet
- Creative Arts programs demonstrating this vision
The Creative Healing Art Center will take responsibility to help create harmony on this planet and beyond. The overall energy of love, creation, respect, and gratitude will be strive for at all times. It is a spiritually based 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization and not limited to a specific religious belief. Peaceful co-existence with all things will be a requirement for visitors and participants to the Creative Healing Arts Center.