About 4Fords: 2 years in

4Fords is 80 acres in rural north central New Mexico, 45 minutes south of Pagosa Springs and 35 minutes north of Chama.  To get here, you have to drive 2 1/2 miles down the narrowest, muddiest, curviest county road you’ve ever seen, and over  Miller Creek 4-5 times (depending on the time of year), hence the name. (There’s a 6th ford to get up our driveway, but it is usually a dry arroyo.)  It’s called Miller Canyon. There are times when the creek is a raging 6′ deep torrent, but not often.  The road ends at the Jicarilla Apache Reservation boundary.  It is near the South San Juans Wilderness area.  The Continental Divide crosses the road above our place at 7200′.

The 80 acres encompasses an 800′ cliff topping out on Monero Mountain to include around 10 acres of flat mesa and great views.  There are about 15 acres of Ponderosa pines, and 55 acres of high desert P-J forest.  Theres a 1600 sf strawbale/adobe house which had no working doors or windows when we arrived, a coldroom (like a root cellar), an unfinished sunroom, a barn, 6 sheds, a greenhouse and chicken coop, all well-built in the 1990’s, but sadly neglected.  There’s a well and cistern, neither of which were working when we arrived.  A 30′ deep arroyo zigzags across the property.  Elk and turkeys seem to own the place, along with coyotes, mountain lions and bears.

This blog is my attempt to make sense of what we’re doing.  And have fun in the doing.