Growing the Mesilla Valley: NMSU Extension Office Through the Years at the Branigan Cultural Center

The newest exhibit at the Branigan Cultural Center tells the story of the NMSU Agricultural Extension Office, which has played an important role in local agriculture for over a century. Titled Growing the Mesilla Valley: NMSU Extension Office Through the Years, the exhibit opens Friday, April 3 and runs through Saturday, August 15. There will be an opening reception from 5 – 7 p.m. on April 3 with a gallery talk starting at 5:30 p.m.

From breakfast until the last late-night snack, our days are filled with our connection to food. In Southern New Mexico, where green chiles and pecans are king crops, the rich mix of Indigenous, Hispanic, and Anglo food traditions have created a unique local cuisine.

Our relationship to food is also an important part of our community story. Since 1914, New Mexico State University’s Extension Office has produced a variety of publications that address many different food-related subjects. Growing the Mesilla Valley presents a fascinating mixture of circulars, bulletins, handbooks, and guides from the Extension Office that focus on recipes, cooking, foodways, and changes in food storage and preservation over the years.

Topics featured in the organization’s publications include livestock processing, growing a vegetable garden, canning and food storage, recipes, and much more. These types of materials remain an important part of the organization’s mission to improve the lives of New Mexicans through academic, research, and Extension programs. People can access these documents at their county extension offices, through related agencies, and online.

In addition, historic photographs of NMSU’s various farming operations and home economics classes are also included. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Erin Wahl, Associate Professor with the Archives and Special Collections, and NMSU students Isabella Sanchez and Joshua Cdebaca.

The Branigan Cultural Center is located at 501 N. Main St. and is open from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday  and 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday. There is no admission fee. The museum is accessible from Roadrunner Transit Route 1 Stop 1. For additional information, visit the website at https://www.lascruces.gov/museums or call (575) 541-2137/ TTY 711.