2019 February enchantment

enchantment The Voice of New Mexico's Rural Electric Cooperatives

Clean, Green, and Lean

February 2019

NewMexico - Fonts OUTLINED.indd 1

2

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

11/29/18 12:19 PM

enchantment

February 1, 2019 • Vol. 71, No. 02 USPS 175-880 • ISSN 0046-1946 Circulation 89,291 enchantment (ISSN 0046-1946) is published monthly by the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, 614 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87505. enchantment provides reliable, helpful information on rural living and energy use to electric cooperative members and customers.

Over 89,000 families and businesses receive enchantment Magazine as electric cooperative members. Non-member subscriptions are available at $12 per year or $18 for two years, payable to NMRECA. Allow four to eight weeks for delivery.

Periodical Postage paid at Santa Fe, NM 87501-9998 and additional mailing offices.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

CONTENT

16

09

Clean, Green, and Lean New Mexico's electric cooperatives go for the green.

11

Co-ops Got Sol Several electric cooperatives shine with their solar and wind projects.

Postmaster: Send address changes to 614 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87505-4428. Readers who receive the publication through their electric cooperative membership should report address changes to their local electric cooperative office.

THE NEW MEXICO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION

DEPARTMENTS

provides legislative and educational services to the cooperatives who are members of the Association that deliver electric power to New Mexico’s rural areas and small communities. The mission of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association is to strengthen, support, unify, and represent Cooperative member interests at the local, state, and national levels. Each cooperative has a representative on the association’s board of directors, which controls the editorial content and advertising policy of enchantment through its Publications Committee.

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Charles Pinson, President, Central Valley Electric Cooperative, Artesia George Biel, Vice President, Sierra Electric Cooperative, Elephant Butte Tim Morrow, Secretary-Treasurer, Springer Electric Cooperative, Springer BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Duane Frost, Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, Mountainair Chris Martinez, Columbus Electric Cooperative, Deming Grant Clawson, Alternate, Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, Grants Lance R. Adkins, Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, Clovis Robert Caudle, Lea County Electric Cooperative, Lovington Robert Quintana, Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative, Mora Thomas G. Rivas, Northern Río Arriba Electric Cooperative, Chama Preston Stone, Otero County Electric Cooperative, Cloudcroft Antonio Sanchez, Jr., Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative, Portales Joseph Herrera, Socorro Electric Cooperative, Socorro Travis Sullivan, Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Clayton Wayne Connell, Tri-State G&T Association, Westminster, Colorado Charles G. Wagner, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, Oklahoma

06

04

Current News

05

View from enchantment

06

Hale to the Stars

06

Enchanted Journeys

08

Energy Sense

13

On the Menu

14

Book Chat

16

Vecinos

17

Market Place

19

Backyard Trails

19

Youth Art

20

Your Electric Co-op

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

David Spradlin, Springer Electric Cooperative, Springer MEMBERS OF THE PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Thomas G. Rivas, Chair, Northern Río Arriba Electric Cooperative Chris Martinez, Columbus Electric Cooperative Grant Clawson, Alternate, Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, Grants Robert Caudle, Lea County Electric Cooperative Joseph Herrera, Socorro Electric Cooperative NEW MEXICO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION

614 Don Gaspar Avenue Phone: 505-982-4671 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Fax: 505-982-0153 www.nmelectric.coop www.enchantment.coop Keven J. Groenewold, CEO, kgroenewold@nmelectric.coop Susan M. Espinoza, Editor, sespinoza@nmelectric.coop Tom Condit, Assistant Editor, tcondit@nmelectric.coop

13

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Rates available upon request. Cooperative members and New Mexico display advertisers email Shaylyn at enchantmentads@nmelectric.coop or call 505-2522540. National representative: American MainStreet Publications, 800-626-1181.

Advertisements in enchantment are paid solicitations and are not endorsed by the publisher or the electric cooperatives that are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. PRODUCT SATISFACTION AND DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY LIE SOLELY WITH THE ADVERTISER. Copyright ©2019, New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

On the Cover Rows of solar panels make up the 25-MW Alta Luna Solar Project near Deming. Photo courtesy of Tri-State Generation and Transmission. enchantment.coop • February 2019

3

current news I research • trends • letters

Opening Day of the New Mexico Legislature

T

he First Session of the 54th Legislature convened at noon on January 15th. This legislature marks a 60-day session and adjourns March 16th at noon. Democrats control 26 seats in the Senate, while Republicans hold 16. Democrats hold a 46-24 majority in the House of Representatives.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered her first State of the State speech which included renewable energy. As governor, she is: “Committed to increasing our renewable portfolio standard—50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 80 percent 10 years after that, and I ask you to fulfill that commitment with me. Not as a ceiling but a starting point, with an ultimate goal of even greater renewable production. This is our promise to future generations of New Mexicans. Because clean energy is the future, and we all know New Mexico has the sunshine and the wind capacity to be a global leader in this new era.”

Congratulations to this month’s photo winner: Pat McNabb, who is reading the December enchantment with her mule, Sara.

McNabb writes: "This picture is of my mule, Sara, and I reading the December 2018 issue of the enchantment. Sara is 37-years-old and very well read!" Photo

by Pat's daughter, Tommie McNabb.

The McNabb's are members of Lea County Electric Cooperative.

They win $20!

4

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

Energy Efficiency

Legislative Almanac

Tip of the Month

The guide to New Mexico's senators and representatives who represent you, and much more useful information. To Get Your FREE Legislative Almanac: • Send a $1.42 stamped, self-addressed, 9”x12” envelope to: NMRECA, 614 Don Gaspar Avenue • Santa Fe, NM 87505 • Download the smart app to your smart device from any of the two app stores.

Search for: NMRECA Legislative Almanac.

A Service Provided By: The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NMRECA) and electric cooperatives who are members of NMRECA.

Download the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s

Legislative Almanac

to your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

Scan this QR Code to get the app!

Or search for

NMRECA Legislative Almanac

Dry towels and heavier cottons separately from lighter-weight clothing. You’ll spend less time running the dryer for lighter-weight items, which saves energy. Source: energy.gov

Reader Letters

Priceless Smile My child won a youth art drawing in December. She was so excited to see her picture in the monthly newsletter, priceless smile! She has asked several times if her money had come in as I had told her we Download the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative would start aAssociation’s savings account and Legislative Almanac start teaching her todevice. save money. to your iPhone, iPad or Android Can you tell me what the process is Scan this QR Code to when she will receive her award? get theorapp!

—Jennifer, Hondo Or search for

NMRECA Happy to report the Youth Artist Legislative Almanac received her check just a few days

after Jennifer's email arrived.

—Ed.

Download the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s

enchantment

Legislative Almanac

to your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

mthis Scan onthly QR Code to ph tapp! o winner geto the Or search for Take a photo of you holding NMRECA YOUR MAGAZINE LegislativeAND WIN!

Almanac

Simply take a photo of you or someone with the magazine and email it with a few words about the photo. Include your name, mailing address, and co-op name, send to: enchantment@nmelectric.coop

One lucky member will win $20. Deadline is February 11, 2019. Submitting your photo(s) gives us permission to publish the photo(s) in enchantment, Facebook, and other media outlets.

Download the New Mexico Rural

Cooperative Association’s How to Electric Contact enchantment Legislative Almanac

Phone 505-982-4671 Scan this

to your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

QR Code to get the app!

Email enchantment@nmelectric.coop Facebook Or search for facebook.com/enchantmentnmreca NMRECA Legislative Almanac

Mail 614 Don Gaspar Avenue Santa Fe, NM 87505

Community Events events@nmelectric.coop Display Ads enchantmentads@nmelectric.coop Book Chat Inquiries enchantment@nmelectric.coop

view from I enchantment

A shared vision with the members

V

ision it has been said, is the bond that brings people together. Whether in a society as large as a nation or a group as small as a family, their shared view of purpose is what defines them—to themselves as much as others. A vision’s power lies in its ability to express a common desire in a simple timeless manner.

One may ask why this is important. Because you—the member—told us it’s important. In our last membership survey, we asked members how they viewed their co-op and what energy issues they cared about. Members cared about outage response time, reliability of service, community involvement, supporting renewable energy, concern for the environment, and controlling costs to name a few.

Members were given three different aspects of electric service: impact on the environment, affordability, and reliability. When asked to rank the top two, 73 percent chose reliability one or two. Sixty percent chose affordability and 25 percent chose impact on the environment.

Members were given a list of various generation sources and asked their level of support for each type. The two highest levels of support for generation were solar and wind at 85 percent and 83 percent, respectively.

In the last couple of months, the New Mexico electric co-ops have announced two major solar additions to their resource mix. Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) has negotiated a long-term renewable purchase power agreement (PPA) with Invenergy. This project, located in Lea County, will be a 220 megawatt (MW) generation facility with an estimated annual output of 600,000 megawatt hours.

Likewise, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association (Tri-State) has negotiated a long-term renewable PPA with juwi. This project, located in southern Colorado, will be a 100 MW generation facility with an estimated annual output capable of serving 28,000 rural homes.

These projects further diversify Tri-State’s and WFEC’s generation portfolio and continues to lower costs for members. WFEC portfolio will hold 270 MW of solar, 955 MW of wind, and 260 MW of hydropower. Tri-State’s portfolio will include 185 MW of solar, 367 MW of wind, and approximately 600 MW of hydropower.

Around the state, many of your local co-ops have built smaller community solar and wind projects. These range in size from a fraction of a MW to 5 MW. In these cases as well, they meet the economic criteria of the local co-op.

These renewable generation resources over the last decade have gone from untried and emerging technologies to mature and economical resources. Today, they compete on a cost-effective basis with other generation technologies.

In the beginning, portfolio standards were adopted to ensure the development of these technologies. Today, your electric cooperative and their wholesale providers (Tri-State and WFEC) have surpassed those standards and are adding large blocks of renewable power based on affordability and reliability. So not only are we able to meet your top two issues, it is being accomplished in a manner that is also important to members—environmentally friendly generation.

Co-ops share a vision of our purpose to bring the benefits of a modern-day lifestyle to people living outside our country’s cities. Our contribu-

tion to this vision is reliable electricity at affordable prices. This is good for our local communities and enhances the rural quality of life.

The co-ops will be part of a broad-based group to address renewables and other issues in the 2019 legislative session. Your local co-op boards and management will be advocating on your behalf on several fronts, so stop them on the street or in the coffee shop to get an update.

After all, an electric co-op is more than a store that sells electrons. It is more than a utility providing an essential service. It is an organization that shares a vision with its members and a focus on improving the rural quality of life.

By Keven J. Groenewold. P.E. Chief Executive Officer New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association

enchantment.coop • February 2019

5

hale to the stars I by alan hale

Crab Nebula

F

ebruary marks the first time in several months that all five bright planets are visible during a single night. They are collected into two groups in either the evening or the morning sky, with up to three to four hours elapsing during the middle of the night when none of them are visible.

Mars remains high in the western sky during the evening hours, setting around 11:00 p.m. It continues to fade as it lags farther and farther behind Earth. On Tuesday evening, the 12th, Uranus will pass close to Mars. Meanwhile, Mercury, the innermost world of our solar system, becomes visible low in our western sky during dusk throughout the last half of February.

Three to four hours after Mars sets, the giant planet Jupiter rises in the southeast, and is fairly high in our southern sky by dawn. Later, brilliant Venus rises and shines in our predawn sky. In early February, Saturn rises before dawn. The latter two

worlds pass each other on Monday morning, the 18th—forming a rather striking conjunction in the process—and effectively switch places thereafter.

One of the prominent constellations in our western evening sky is Taurus, the bull, primarily marked by two star clusters: the compact dippershaped Pleiades, and—to the east—the large “V”-shaped Hyades, usually taken to represent the bull’s “face.” To the east of the Hyades are two stars that mark the bull’s “horns,” and just to the north of the southern “horn” is a fuzzy cloud of gas—visible in small telescopes—called the “Crab Nebula.”

This is the remnant of a supernova—a massive star that exploded and blew itself apart—which was visible from Earth’s skies back in the year 1054, and which was observed by, among others, sky-watchers in the Orient as well as by Native Americans at Chaco Canyon. The Chaco culture witnessed and recorded the thin crescent moon passing by the

Native American petroglyphs from the 11th Century at Chaco Canyon, which likely depict the crescent moon close to the supernova of 1054 which produced the Crab Nebula. The series of concentric circles with streamers extending to the right (at bottom) is possibly a depiction of Halley’s Comet in 1066, when it passed unusually close to Earth. Photograph courtesy Michael Lloyd of Wild Light Imaging Studio. supernova; the moon will again be close to the Crab Nebula on Tuesday evening, the 12th.

enchanted journeys: Submit your community event to: events@nmelectric.coop

6

February 2 • Artesia

February 9 • Alamogordo

February 16 • Upham

February 23 • Hobbs

Fantasy Pathfinder Teen Event Artesia Public Library • 575-746-4252

Star Factory Oliver Lee Memorial State Park • 575-437-8284

Tour Spaceport America • Spaceport America Visitor Center• 575-267-8888

feBREWary fest Lea County Event Center • 575-397-3202

February 2 • Deming

February 9 • Silver City

February 16-18 • Vadito

February 23 • Red River

Stars N Parks Astronomy program Rockhead State Park • 575-546-6182

Chocolate Fantasia Family Karate Center • 575 538-2505

February Fun Fest Sipapu Ski Resort • 800-587-2240

Just Desserts Eat & Ski River Street • 575-754-6112

February 2 • Farmington

February 16 • Clovis

February 21-24 • Angel Fire

February 23-24 • Chama

Family Astronomy Night • Farmington Museum & Visitor Center • 505-599-1425

Valentine’s Day Murder Mystery Dinner Clovis Civic Center • 575-935-5000

5th Annual Military Winterfest Angel Fire Resort • 800-633-7463

Sno-Ball Hot Air Balloon Rally Downtown • 575-756-2184

February 2 • Socorro

February 16 • Gallup

February 22 • Portales

February 23-24 • Kingston

Etscorn Star Party Etscorn Campus Observatory • 575-835-6802

All Night Fright Night El Morro Theatre • 505-726-2600

Cello Recital ENMU Music Building • 575-562-2373

Steel Beautiful Sculpture Show & Sale Kingston Antiques & Art • 575-895-5461

February 2 • Stanley

February 16 • Grants

February 22-23 • T or C

February 28 - March 5 • Red River

Annual Sheep Shearing The Wool Shed • 505-204-6127

36th Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon 100 Iron Avenue • 505-287-4802

A Gathering of Quilts Ralph Edwards Auditorium • 575-894-2959

Mardi Gras in the Mountains Red River Conference Center • 575-754-2366

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

What Kind of Hearing Aids Do Doctors Use? The same ones they recommend to their patients!

Doctors love MDHearingAids® for the same reasons patients do.

These FDA-registered, medical-grade hearing aids have the same high-tech features found in more expensive hearing aids yet cost one-fifth the price.

Advanced Hearing Aid Technology

Nearly invisible!

For Less Than $200

“MDHearingAids are better than expensive clinic hearing aids, which cost thousands more,” says retired physician Dr. Robert A. “I have had five pairs of expensive hearing aids and MDHearingAids are just as good,” adds retired neurosurgeon Dr. Brian L.

So Strong Even Doctors Can’t Break Them MDHearingAids are made to last, backed by a world-class support team.

Says one forgetful neurologist: “My MDHearingAids went through a complete washer and dryer cycle.

I placed them on my ears and — ay caramba! — they were working fine! Can you believe that I did it again? I found them at the bottom of the washer… still working!”

Big Sound.

Tiny Price.

CRISP, CLEAR SOUND

STATE-OF-THE-ART FEATURES

NO AUDIOLOGIST NEEDED

MDHearingAids were created by a board-

Automatic dual-directional microphones, adaptive noise suppression, speech enhancement technology, and dynamic range compression are just a few of the features that help you focus on the conversation, not the noise around you.

Save time and money, cancel those audiologist appointments! Advanced hearing aid technology lets you easily program and adjust your MDHearingAid at home. Set-up is fast and easy, too, going from box to ear in just five minutes.

certified otolaryngologist frustrated that patients couldn’t afford the high price of hearing aids. So, he did the only logical thing…he created a low-cost, feature-packed hearing aid that costs one-fifth the price of a comparable hearing aid.

Try it RISK-FREE for 45 Days

Try MDHearingAids risk-free with a 100% money-back guarantee for 45 days. Just call toll-free or visit the website shown below. Call now and get free shipping plus a free, one-year supply of batteries.

Call Toll-Free 1-800-292-0942

Visit www.GetMDHearingAid200.com

Free 1-Year Supply of Batteries with Offer Code JF32

The Doctor’s Choice for Affordable Hearing Aids

enchantment.coop • February 2019

7

energy sense I by patrick keegan and brad thiessen

4

Stop air leaks. Small gaps

A draft stopper or “door snake” helps keep out cold air during winter months. Photo Credit: Michelle Vigen, Clean Energy Resource Teams.

6

Low-Cost Energy Tips for Renters

Dear Pat: It’s great to read about all the ways energy efficiency improvements to the home can save money, but what about folks like me who are renting or don’t have a lot of money to spend? Are there things I can do to reduce my energy bills? —Chelsea Dear Chelsea: That’s an excellent question. Not everyone can replace their furnace with an air-source heat pump, whether they’re renting, or their budget won’t allow it. Here are seven low-cost efficiency tips that can help you reduce your energy bills.

1

Mind the thermostat. You

might trim your energy bill by managing the temperature in your home. The Department of Energy suggests setting your thermostat to 68 degrees F on winter days. If that’s too cool, try other ways to stay warm like layering with an extra sweater.

You can save more energy by turning down the thermostat even lower at night or when no one is home.

8

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

2

Go programmable. If you

don’t always remember to adjust your thermostat manually, you could benefit from a programmable model.

In the right situation, set correctly, programmable thermostats can save $150 a year. Some programmable thermostats can be managed from your smart phone or other devices.

Before you purchase one, make sure your landlord approves.

3

Try zone heating. If you don’t

mind less-used rooms being colder, you might be able to save energy (and money!) by zone heating. Electric baseboards make it easy because they typically have thermostat settings on the units or in each room. Portable electric space heaters can also be a good tool for zone heating if they are used safely and wisely in the area you spend the most time.

Keep in mind, if you’re using space heaters, you’ll need to reduce the heating you’re supplying to the rest of the home.

around windows, doors, wiring and plumbing penetrations can be major sources of energy loss. This problem can be alleviated with a little weather stripping and caulk, but you should check with your landlord before you get started. Better yet, convince the landlord to do the work!

A $10 door draft stopper (also known as a “door snake”) is a simple way to block gaps underneath exterior doors.

Sealing air leaks around your home could shave up to one-fifth of your heating and cooling bills.

5

Manage your windows and window coverings. Your

windows may be letting heat out during the winter and letting heat in during the summer. Window coverings like medium or heavy-weight curtains

and thermal blinds can help. On cold winter days, window coverings can keep warmth inside and improve comfort.

Opening up window coverings when you’re receiving direct sunlight is a ‘passive solar’ technique that can help cut your heating costs. You can also cover windows with clear plastic to reduce heat loss and air leaks. During the summer, keep window coverings closed to block the sun and to keep windows from heating the cooler indoor air.

6

Look for energy wasters.

There are also small steps you can take every day to reduce your energy use. Water heaters should be kept at the warm setting (120°F). Wash dishes and clothes on the most economical settings that will do the job and always wash full loads. Use the microwave instead of the oven when possible.

THE TRUSTED CHOICE SINCE 1976!

We stock the area’s largest supply of all things pertaining to water!

• Solar well systems • Plumbing fittings • Water storage tanks • Pressure tanks

• Full septic systems • Poly pipe • PVC pipe • Fencing supplies

We are proud to serve our local community and provide cost-effective solutions for any water or well project.

On behalf of everyone at Williams Windmill, we want to thank all our customers for their patronage and look forward to serving the Southwest for many more years to come!

Exit 156 • Frontage Rd • Lemitar NM (575) 835-1630 williamswindmill.com

en , a e r n G d , L n e a a e l n C New Mexico electric cooperatives turn on to renewable energy.

By Mary Logan Wolf

Where some see little but flat ground and endless sky, Elmer White sees potential.

The 82-year-old landowner grew up amidst the vast high plains of the Llano Estacado. His family home, just south of Grady, received power from Farmers’ Electric Cooperative (FEC) in 1938.

That proud moment signaled a positive transformation for rural residents.

Today, there’s another change blowing in the wind, one that is elevating desperate rural economies, boosting income for landowners, and bringing clean, affordable energy to electric cooperative members.

Embraced by many, scorned by some, the towering turbines and shiny solar panels of the state’s burgeoning renewable industry represent nothing short of an energy revolution. Elmer White, for one, is grateful for it. “We have four 1.65 megawatt turbines on our property and four more on the way,” says White. “I can look out the window and watch them turn. To me, they look like beautiful ballet dancers on the prairie.”

In 2017, New Mexico’s wind capacity grew faster than any other state, for a total installed capacity of 1.1 gigawatt today. When you consider 1,000 kilowatts (kW) equals one megawatt (MW), and 1,000 MW equals one gigawatt (GW), that’s a lot of power—enough for nearly 300,000 homes.

Thanks to White and other landowners who convinced developers of eastern New Mexico’s wind potential, and FEC’s eagerness to purchase locally produced energy, in 2014 Curry County became home to one of the first wind farms in the region, named after the renowned German composer, Johannes Brahms— Brahms BEP Wind I & II. On a good day, the 20-MW project provides electricity for roughly 6,200 FEC members through an attractive pur-

chase power agreement arranged through the co-op’s wholesale power provider— Oklahoma-based Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC). Western Farmers Electric Cooperative generates and sells electricity to 21 electric co-ops, including Central Valley Electric Cooperative headquartered in Artesia, FEC headquartered in Clovis, Lea County Electric Cooperative headquartered in Lovington, and Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative headquartered in Portales.

Currently, the third largest electric cooperative purchaser of wind energy in the nation, WFEC raised eyebrows in 2003 by embracing the gusty

Photo of the 20-MW Brahms BEP Wind I & II wind farm near Grady. Photo courtesy of Farmers' Electric Cooperative.

enchantment.coop • February 2019

9

resource long before federal regulations required power plants to reduce their use of carbon-emitting fossil fuels, namely coal. WFEC’s agreement to purchase 74 MW from Oklahoma’s first wind farm sparked the wind rush in the Sooner state. WFEC has since added more than 51 MW of solar power to its generation portfolio for a mix of roughly 28 percent wind and solar.

“We took the position that as long as we can buy a product that lowers our overall cost, that’s what we were going to do,” says Gary Roulet, CEO of WFEC. “If natural gas were cheaper, we’d have gone in that direction, but renewables were cheap then, and they’re cheaper now.”

Roulet is hardly alone in his estimation of clean power. FEC General Manager Lance Adkins says his co-op initially took a cautious approach toward renewables, but as the price per kilowatt-hour (kwh) fell from roughly 12 cents per kwh to two to three cents per kwh today, their skepticism vanished.

“We could see several advantages. One, the project is good for our local area. There’s not a lot of economic opportunity in rural America, and this provides revenue for our schools and property owners. We also knew it would be a reasonably priced resource over the long term,” says Adkins.

While the intermittent nature of wind and solar power make it difficult to rely on 24/7, the ability to lock in purchase agreements for years in advance eliminates the price volatility that plagues natural gas.

“If there’s a hurricane in the Gulf, the price of natural gas goes through the roof, and the price of electricity goes up with it,” Adkins adds. “Wind farms produce at a level price, so there are no surprises.”

Driven by a decades-old mission to provide reliable and affordable power to their member-owners, FEC must balance rising costs across a dwindling revenue stream gleaned from barely 3.1 members per mile of line.

Photo of the 25-MW Alta Luna Solar Project near Deming.

Because co-op members tend to Photo courtesy of Tri-State Generation and Transmission. be older and less affluent than urbanites, often they lack the 10

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

financial resources or the desire to invest in rooftop solar panels. Knowing that part of the energy they use comes from an emissions-free source gets high fives among members, Adkins says.

Residents of the high desert appreciate another benefit that comes with renewables: water conservation. Electricity generated by wind and solar saves billions of gallons of water, a precious commodity in a region that averages 15 inches of rainfall a year.

Green Standards

The rapid growth of wind and solar farms across the country is largely attributed to attractive tax incentives for developers, improved wind and solar technology, and state mandates to increase the use of clean fuels.

Enacted in 2004 and amended in 2007, New Mexico’s renewable portfolio standards (RPS) require investor-owned utilities such as PNM and Southwestern Public Service Company to increase their use of renewables to 20 percent by 2020; co-ops must abide at a level of 10 percent. New Mexico legislators are expected to debate a proposal this session that could raise RPS standards to as high as 80 percent. Because electric co-ops are pursuing renewables for economic reasons, co-op officials believe the government enforcement is unnecessary.

“Our use of renewables is right at 30 percent for the past two years. That’s far and above what’s required of us. Our message is, let us increase renewables when it makes the best economic sense for us and it isn’t harmful to our members,” says Adkins.

Keeping tabs on the statehouse is the Santa Fe-based New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NMRECA). “What people need to understand is electric co-ops are nonprofit, and every nickel we spend has to come out of our member’s pockets,” says NMRECA CEO Keven J. Groenewold.

The reason lies in the intermittent whims of Mother Nature. “The sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. That means for every renewable you add; you have to have other generating capacity to back it up,” Groenewold says.

The reliability of renewables becomes less problematic as energy storage technology advances and battery prices drop. Forbes maga-

zine predicts the prices for utility-scale lithiumion batteries will fall by 52 percent by 2030, but Groenewold questions the rapid timeline, likening battery development to the evolution of desktop computing, a process of some 40-plus years. “I think it will happen, but not as quickly as some people believe,” he says. “But when it does happen, it will be a game changer.”

Time to Shine

From its headquarters in Colorado, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (Tri-State) operates 5,562 miles of high voltage lines that deliver electricity generated from coal, natural gas, and a mix of renewables including wind, solar, and hydropower. Its customers include electric co-ops and public power districts in four states, including eleven cooperatives in New Mexico.

Susan Hunter, Tri-State origination manager, says state renewable standards prompted them to “dip their toe in” the renewable market in 2008, but falling prices and increasing interest in green power among member systems soon became part of the company’s motivation. “Certainly, in the early stages we did it for compliance reasons, but now renewables help stabilize our rates and, in some cases, put downward pressure on our rates, which helps our member systems with their power costs,” Hunter says.

Last year, nearly one-third of the power consumed by Tri-State’s co-op systems, came from the associ-

Co-ops Got Sol

Electric co-ops in New Mexico are turning toward the sun to provide a locally generated source of electricity for members via distribution-scale solar arrays. Distribution solar projects are typically smaller arrays of 10 megawatts or less that allow members to enjoy the benefits of going green without the expense of installing a home rooftop system. The size of the arrays provide important materials and power cost savings that can be passed along to members. The following electric cooperatives who are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association have solar arrays and/or wind farms, and are provided power from the listed generation and transmission co-ops:

Active Projects

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association → Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Moriarty: Estancia Solar Project, 2 MW, online October 1, 2018. → Columbus Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Deming: Columbus Solar Project, 1.85 MW, online October 6, 2017. → Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Mora: Storrie Lake Solar Project, 1.50 MW, online May 16, 2014. → Otero County Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Cloudcroft: • Alamogordo Substation Solar Garden, 150 kW, online May 3, 2014, expansion of output March 1, 2017.

• Carrizozo Solar Project, 3 MW, online February 26, 2018. → Springer Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Springer: Springer Solar Project, 1 MW, online April 28, 2015.

Active Projects

Western Farmers Electric Cooperatives → Farmers' Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Clovis: • Brahms BEP Wind I & II, 20 MW, online February 6, 2014.

• Caprock Solar Project, 25 MW, online December 1, 2016. → Lea County Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Lovington: • Anderson Wind, 15 MW, online December 30, 2014.

• Middle Daisy Solar, 5 MW, online November 22, 2017.

• Sterling Wind, 30 MW, online July 20, 2017.

• Wildcat Wind Farm, 25 MW, online July 2, 2012.

Project Under Development → Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Grants.

Photo of the 30-MW Cimarron Solar facility in Colfax County.

Photo courtesy of Tri-State Generation and Transmission.

enchantment.coop • February 2019

11

ation’s burgeoning 1,200MW portfolio of renewable Photo of the 25-MW Wildcat Wind Farm near Lovington. resources. More than half of TriPhoto courtesy of Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.

State’s 85 MW of utility scale solar originates in New Mexico, ranked as the second sunniest state in the nation with an installed solar capacity of 777.1 MW and growing.

Tri-State purchases 100 percent of the power produced at the 25-MW Alta Luna Solar Project near Deming, and the 30-MW Cimarron Solar facility in Colfax County. When it came online in 2010, the Cimarron project was one of the largest solar facilities in the United States. Today, Tri-State is the biggest cooperative buyer of solar power in the country.

That position will be rapidly eclipsed by another generation and transmission cooperative, WFEC, which is poised to become the largest co-op solar power buyer via the soon-to-be-

Currently, five co-ops in New Mexico through Tri-State produce clean energy via distributionscale arrays.

Deming-based Columbus Electric Cooperative’s (CEC) 1.85-MW solar array came online in 2017. When the sun is high, the 20-acre collection of interconnected panels cranks out power for 700 homes. CEC General Manager Chris Martinez says one advantage of generating their own electricity is the reduction in energy waste that occurs as power travels long distances along the line. Known as “line loss,” the problem is blamed for six percent of annual energy losses among utilities and can be especially troublesome for co-ops that serve remote areas.

Distribution-scale arrays also help co-ops by providing a low-cost generation resource during high usage periods when fossil fuel prices increase. Martinez says peak relief played less of a part in CEC’s solar project because the cooperative’s peak coincides with the summer monsoon

For More Details

Visit the following websites for more details. The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NMRECA) website lists all the electric cooperatives that are members of NMRECA. → New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association: www.nmelectric.coop → Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association: www.tristategt.org → Western Farmers Electric Cooperative: www.wfec.com

developed 220-MW Tip Top Solar facility near southeast New Mexico.

Sharing the sun with these utility-scale facilities—typically identified as projects that produce power for the wholesale market—are a growing number of small, distribution-scale arrays supported by distribution electric co-ops themselves.

Typically, these projects produce no more than 5 MW of power for local end users, while offering other benefits that make distribution-scale arrays the fastest growing segment of the solar market.

Tri-State became one of the first generation and transmission co-ops in the nation to support member development of distributed energy, including renewables, through a self-supply provision in their wholesale power contracts.

12

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

season. Instead, their decision grew more organically from their membership’s desire to support earth-friendly energy at a reasonable price.

“When the price was right, and the opportunity arose to incorporate renewables economically, it simply became the right thing to do,” says Martinez. He credits his generation and transmission cooperative for making it happen.

“Tri-State is helping co-ops integrate renewables in a way that creates maximum benefit for all of us. When you look at how much renewable energy electric co-ops have sited in New Mexico, it’s impressive,” he adds.

From utility-scale projects that serve thousands to the integration of mid-size solar arrays on the local grid, homegrown renewable energy fits the member-driven mission of New Mexico’s electric co-ops, says Martinez.

For co-op members and their communities, the future is looking very bright indeed.

on the menu I by ortega

A Quick Meal in Minutes

If you’re looking for something that makes mealtime feel extra special, skip the basic taco and choose a meal kit that lets you serve up a restaurant-style experience at home. For example, Ortega’s Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kits bring a new and simple way to change up your meals. Find more recipes at ortega.com

Southwest Chicken Salad

Better together We work all hours of the night so she can have her happily ever after. Together, Tri-State and our family of electric cooperatives power all the moments your life has to offer.

We are brighter, stronger and better together. www.tristate.coop/together

2 4 2 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1

Tbs. olive oil chicken breasts tsps. chile powder Ortega Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kit cups green leaf lettuce, sliced can Ortega Black Beans cup corn kernels avocados, diced tomato, diced cup cotija cheese bottle Ortega Flavor Craver Ranch Taco Sauce, to taste

1. Add olive oil to skillet over

medium heat. Coat chicken with chile powder. Cook chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and let rest. Slice chicken into strips when cooled.

2. Prepare tortilla bowls as directed on package. Fill with shredded lettuce, black beans, corn, and sliced chicken. Top with diced avocado, tomato, and cotija cheese. Finish with taco sauce. Makes: 4 bowls. enchantment.coop • February 2019

13

book chat I by phaedra greenwood

Portal of the Chiricahuas

By Deborah Galloway and Jeanne Williams • 888-313-2665 • www.arcadiapublishing.com

Shoot Me, Jesus: Tales of the Old & New Southwest

By Brian Allan Skinner

Here is another attractive volume from Arcadia Press, packed with fascinating historic details from 12,000-year-old spear tips found in the remains of giant bison near Cave Creek Cienega to rural life in 2015 in Portal and Paradise in Southeastern Arizona. (A map would be helpful.) Two black and white photos per page show Apaches covering their mouths, mines and miners, historic buildings, school children, search and rescue groups, the Sew Whats, and even current writing, hiking, birding, and folk dancing groups. Williams supplies historic information on the Cochise hunter-gatherer culture and Apaches in the Chiricahuas. The tourist draw of the area is beautiful Cave Creek Canyon, called “the Yosemite of Arizona.” Ranch life, peach orchards, the copper mine, fires and floods, the Civil Conservation Corp, the research station—a branch of the American Museum of Natural History—are all part of the ongoing story of a thriving community.

Fort Bascom: Soldiers, Comancheros, and Indians in the Canadian River Valley

By James Bailey Blackshear • 800-848-6224 ext. 1 • www.oupress.com

Intrigued by a weathered sign on State Highway 104 near Tucumcari that stated “Fort Bascom”—but no fort in sight—Blackshear followed an urge to discover what happened there. After years of careful research, he finally published this remarkable book that addresses territorial struggles, racism, conquest, and empire expansion. Fort Bascom was once a critical outpost, established in 1863 a year after the battle at Glorieta Pass, to prevent a possible second Confederate invasion from Texas. Soldiers were also sent to this barren frontier post to defend Hispaño and Anglo-American settlements from Comanches and other Southern Plains Indian. Fort Bascom survived seven turbulent years through the Sand Creek Massacre and Kit Carson’s slash and burn of Canyon de Chelly. Five stars.

Songs of the Fluteplayer: Seasons of Life in the Southwest

By Sharman Apt Russell • 800-848-6224 • www.nebraskapress.unl.edu

The Wikipedia describes Russell as “a nature and science writer based in New Mexico” who writes about citizen science, the power of place, archaeology, flowers and butterflies, world hunger, and Pantheism. She enchants her readers with nuanced moods and images. She has won many awards including the Pushcart Prize, the New Mexico Zia Award, and the 2016 John Burroughs Medal for Distinguished Nature Writing.

In Songs… her subjects vary; she contemplates their back-to-the-simple-life sojourn as she and her husband build an adobe home along the Mimbres River. Her essays focus on the compassionate side of employing illegal aliens; the politics of irrigation and grazing wars—rancher vs. environmentalist. She honors in depth and detail the joys and dangers of birthing her babies at home. Hers is a life fully-lived and honestly portrayed. Five stars.

14

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

575-758–1499 • www.nighthawkpress.com

Skinner calls this compelling read a “Novel in Short Stories” that glide forward and backward in time like foreshadowing and flashbacks. The shape-shifting plots are driven by character development, insights and change, though the thrust is not always forward. (Confused? Just turn the page in the book.) The characters are Antonio, Sixtus Thorson, Hepatica Diggs, and Nicolàs, known as “the weird Santa.” The setting is usually the Southwest, a quiet village in New Mexico called Red Willow, with The Mountain, the wood pile and the old railroad lantern from Chama. Later the scene shifts to New York City where the author did time as a production artist for Scientific American Newsletters. Father Malarkey offers spiritual comfort in the Catholic tradition, but you can’t beat the shaman for mind reading and astral projection and Grandma’s mushroom soup for revelations.

Wow! You have no idea what’s going to happen next. Five stars.

Mail your book with contact information and where to order to: enchantment Book Chat, 614 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87505.

SUPER COUPON

FREE

1,000+ Stores Nationwide • HarborFreight.com

BEATS HONDA*

SUPER COUPON Customer Rating

2000 WATT SUPER QUIET INVERTER GENERATOR

PREDATOR 2000

SAVE $ 549

WITH

NOW

9 $449

4.7 HOURS

RUN-TIME

3.4 HOURS

2000

MAX. STARTING WATTS

2000

1600

RUNNING WATTS

61 dB

NOISE LEVEL

59 dB

48 LBS.

WEIGHT

45.6 LBS.

1.2 GAL

TANK SIZE

.95 GAL

1600

3

OUTLETS

YES

OVERLOAD PROTECTION

YES

79.7 cc

ENGINE SIZE

98.5 cc

YES

LOW OIL ALERT

YES

YES

PARALLEL CAPABLE

YES

YES

POWER SAVER

YES

• 9 LED • Compact, Lightweight

3

9 $499 99 PRICE

RAYOVAC $ 50

3

HONDA EU2000i

999 *HONDA EU2000i stated specs

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

RAPID PUMP 3 TON STEEL 20 VOLT LITHIUM CORDLESS HEAVY DUTY LOW PROFILE EXTREME TORQUE Customer Rating Customer Rating FLOOR JACK 1/2" IMPACT WRENCH KIT • 4.0 amp hour battery NOW ®

NOW

$239

SNAP-ON $ 85

710

MODEL: CT8850PDB, CTB8185, CTC720

$

*55058791 * 55058791 Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented.

Valid through 5/25/19 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

COMPARE TO

ITEM 63599/62522 63875/63884/63886 63888/69111/69052 shown

MODEL: BRS9LED-B

$

$79

99

99

20"

$

COMPARE TO

TEQ $

149

26999

• Weighs 73 lbs.

99

97

99

MODEL: T830018Z

Customer Rating

POWDER-FREE NITRILE GLOVES PACK OF 100 COMPARE TO

SAVE 59%

$5

99

7

$ 99

ITEM 97581, 97582, 97583 37050, 37051, 37052, 64417, 64418, 61363, 68497, 61360, 61359, 68498, 68496 shown

SUPER COUPON

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE/WEATHER RESISTANT TARP

299

MODEL: XTB4602B

9

$ 98

COMPARE TO

$

BLUE HAWK

MODEL: BG8X10-Y

SAVE 70%

•

Customer Rating

$

COMPARE TO

DURALAST

SAVE 54 ITEM 62502/64778/97181 shown

*55066658 * 55066658

LIMIT 9 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

SUPER COUPON

$

64 99

ITEM 61160/61896/63456/46319 shown

$

COMPARE TO

HUSKY

5551

MODEL: H2DSAEI11PCSR

YOUR CHOICE

$1 9

SAVE $ 63%

99

24

99

Customer Rating

SAVE 33%

ITEM 60668/6530 shown

10" PNEUMATIC TIRE Customer Rating

NOW

$3 99

NOW

SAVE $ 99 45% 5

9 $399 $

5999

7

$ 35

COMPARE TO

FARM & RANCH

MODEL: FR1055

ITEM 69385/62388/62409/62698/30900 shown

*55074686 * 55074686

*55069182 * 55069182

*55070505 * 55070505

LIMIT 6 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 7 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 9 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

Customer Rating

COMPARE TO

$

$ 66 39 SAVE 54% 3869

MODEL: H137HOS

ITEM 68998/63248/64080/64263/63091 shown

2 TON CAPACITY WATERTIGHT FOLDABLE PROTECTIVE SHOP CRANE CASE

• Wireless, tool-free and easy installation

Customer Rating

NOW

$ 49 $299 4

NOW

9 $299

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

130 PIECE TOOL KIT WITH CASE 200 LUMENS LED SUPER BRIGHT FLIP LIGHT

SAVE 50% COMPARE TO

PROMIER

$

6

MODEL: SW-SWITCH-12/24

ITEM 64189/64723/63922 shown

SAVE $60

23999

COMPARE TO

$

TEQ

MODEL: 1404PV

MODEL 9800 Customer Rating

• Boom extends from 41" to 61-3/4" • 50-3/8" L • Crane height adjusts 13-5/8" W from 73-5/8" to 89" 5-1/8" H

NOW

Customer Rating Cu

NOW

99 $1 79 $1 0999 $14999

$

22999

ITEM 60388/69514 shown

COMPARE TO

PELICAN

$

25999 SAVE $ 150

MODEL: 1750

ITEM 64520

Case contents and locks not included.

*55070547 * 55070547

*55071258 * 55071258

*55074189 * 55074189

*55071924 * 55071924

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 9 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 5/25/19.

hft_nmenchantment_0219_M-REG161780.indd 1

MODEL: W1003141

*55068932 * 55068932 SUPER COUPON

HDX

69999

797 SAVE $ ESAB 147 ITEM 64806 *55066986 * 55066986 COMPARE TO $

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

• Multipurpose design for lifting, pulling and spreading • Ideal for lifting off-road vehicles and field equipment

Item 69560 shown DRIVE ITEM SAE 67903/69280/69333/69560 METRIC 67904/69279/69332/69561

$

99

SUPER COUPON

13 PIECE, 1/2" DRIVE 42" OFF-ROAD/ DEEP IMPACT SOCKET FARM JACK SETS • 3-1/2 ton capacity

Customer Rating

SAVE 69%

MODEL: TR6201C

119

MODEL: BD4601G

$

$1 999

2699

RYOBI $

*55066524 * 55066524

SUPER COUPON

$649

COMPARE TO

ITEM 69115/69121/69129/69137/69249/877 shown

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

PNEUMATIC ADJUSTABLE ROLLER SEAT 300 lb. capacity NOW

79 4 6 $ 74 99

$299

4

UNLIMITED 200™ PROFESSIONAL MULTI-PROCESS WELDER NOW

NOW

$

NOW

$ 99

SUPER COUPON

4" x 36" BELT/ Customer Rating 6" DISC SANDER

Customer Rating

Customer Rating

64023 69 ITEM 64012 shown *55066285 * 55066285

FRONTIER

ITEM 68149/62380/62511/62894/67696 shown

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

Customer Rating

SAVE

16999 SAVE $70

MODEL: DWFP55126

*55065289 * 55065289

99 $229 $

$

COMPARE TO

DEWALT

LIMIT 8 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

NOW

COMPARE TO

Customer Rating Cu

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

46" MOBILE STORAGE CABINET WITH SOLID WOOD TOP

24999

11899

*55065271 * 55065271

SUPER COUPON

$

$99

99

*55064238 * 55064238

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 5/25/19*

• 15,704 cu. in. of storage • 1200 lb. capacity

$

NOW

NOW

VENOM $ 97

SUPER COUPON

6 GALLON, 1.5 HP, 150 PSI PROFESSIONAL OIL-FREE AIR COMPRESSOR • Air delivery: 2.5 CFM @ 90 PSI 3.4 CFM @ 40 PSI

• 5 mil thickness

14

ITEM 64264

*55059572 * 55059572

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trencher/backhoe, welders, Admiral, Ames, Bauer, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 5/25/19.

SUPER COUPON

MODEL: VEN4145

SAVE $70 64266/64879/64881 61282/62326/61253 shown

SAVE $470 ITEM 63537/64195/63852 shown *55060156 * 55060156

20% OFF

ANY SINGLE ITEM*

COMPARE TO

*55053913 * 55053913

ITEM 62523

ANY PURCHASE

3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHT ALUMINUM FLASHLIGHT

SUPER COUPON

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

12/19/18 12:32 PM

enchantment.coop • February 2019

15

vecinos I by chris eboch

An Environmentally Friendly Driver

T

homas Boyle enjoys photography, hiking, and being outdoors. This love of nature goes handin-hand with a concern for the environment that led him to buy an electric vehicle.

Raised in Ohio, Boyle moved west for his training as an ophthalmologist, a specialist in eye diseases. After working in Deming and Silver City, he moved to Alaska to raise his children. Now the three children are in college or have graduated.

Boyle joined Fillmore Eye Clinic in Deming, where he is a member of Columbus Electric Cooperative.

Because of the expense of moving a car from Alaska, he studied new car options. “I wanted to be as efficient as possible, energy-wise, so I don’t waste resources,” he says.

Electric or hybrid vehicles, all called EVs, emit less pollution than comparable traditional vehicles. Fully electric cars are powered by electric batteries or fuel cells, which need no gasoline.

However, the battery must be recharged every few miles. They’re best suited for people who only drive short distances.

“Deming is remote,” Boyle notes. “In the city, the fully electric would be desirable, if you don’t have to travel long distances. But here, the hybrid is more practical.”A hybrid car combines the electric motor with a traditional gas or diesel engine. Gas is used when the electric power runs out, such as during long trips. Gas may also be used for faster acceleration. The rest of the time, the vehicle uses electric power. A regenerative braking system turns the kinetic energy of the car’s motion into electric-

16

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

ity as the vehicle brakes. That energy is stored in the battery for later use. Overall, little gas is needed.

After researching options, Boyle chose a Chevy Volt. “I use it primarily as a commuting vehicle. I don’t think I’ve filled it with gas for three or four months.” They sell the Volt with a plug that fits a regular electric outlet for recharging the battery.

Plug-in hybrids typically have larger batteries than other hybrids, so they can drive longer distances using only electric power. Boyle says, “I can literally drive for four or five days just using battery, then plug it in when I get home, and it’s charged by morning.”

These vehicles cost more, but rebates and tax credits can help offset that cost. In addition, “You save a lot of money on gas, and that adds up,” Boyle says. The cost of electricity for charging is less than the cost of gas would be. “You also have less maintenance due to fewer moving parts,” Boyle notes. “Over time, if you take care of the vehicle, you’re going to save money.”

EVs emit less pollution from exhaust. That means a cleaner environment and better human health. In general, the environmental impact from EVs compares to a car getting over 100 miles per gallon of gas. When charged solely with renewable electricity, an electric vehicle can be nearly emissions-free.

Boyle is adding solar panels to his house.

“Once I have the solar system fully functional, I’m not paying for any fuel. It’s literally free to drive, plus you get the satisfaction of doing something good environmental.”

But car lovers will want to know, how does it drive? “It runs well, it’s a very comfortable car,” Boyle says. “It feels like a regular car, which is nice, because people don’t have to make changes. It steers the same. It will stop quickly. It’s just quieter. If you stop at a light or stop sign, you don’t hear anything.”

That’s also part of its fuel efficiency. “A regular car continues to run the motor when you’re just sitting.

But this doesn’t use anything when stopped.”

His EV has made driving fun in a new way as well. “It tells you how efficiently you’re driving.

You can get a little obsessed. People who are in a hurry probably don’t like me very much because I’m trying to maximize the car. That means speeding up slowly and slowing down slowly. But if you want to drive fast, it will move pretty quickly.”

An EV may not be right for everybody, or every circumstance. “It’s not a do-all vehicle,” Boyle notes. “The car is efficient and I prefer to drive it when I can” Boyle enjoys driving his car, saving money on gas, and knowing he’s doing something good for the environment.

THE MARKET PLACE LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS. Purebred Anatolian Shepherd puppies. Great protection for yourself and your animals. They have wonderful dispositions and grow up to be big wonderful dogs. $450 each. Call 575-637-4767.

Animals GRASSFED BEEF: NEW Mexico 100% Grassfed

beef. No Hormones, No growth stimulants.

Processed to your specifications. From $2.85 per pound plus processing. Mention this ad for a discount. Edgewood/Cedar Grove, NM, 505-286-0286. www.moonbeamranch.com NEW MEXICO DRINKING Water Storage Tanks, Heavy Duty Black Poly. Fittings customized to your needs NRCS and EQUIP approved. High Specific Gravity, Heavy Weight, Long Warranty, Algae Resistant, Black NRCS Water Tanks. Call 1-800-6038272 or 575-682-2308.

YOUNG BLACK FACE Ewes, good frame

and size. From multi-birth ewes, sire Sulfolk/ Hamshire cross. Taos County. Call 575-770-2881 or 575-586-1323.

575.895.3306 10849 HWY 152, HILLSBORO, NM 88042

WWW.CLOUDCROFTART.COM-PLAN now to experience our cool, alpine climate this summer, while enjoying the camaraderie of working among other artists as you develop your talent under the instruction of some of the premiere artists in the nation! Cloudcroft Art Workshops.

NOT ALL WATER Tanks Are Created Equal! Is Quality, Value and Longevity important to you?

Buy High Specific Gravity, Heavy Weight, Long Warranty, Superior Black NRCS tanks. Lowest prices only provide minimum standards, lower weights, and shorter warranties. Find out more!

575-430-1010.

Business RECEIVE $1,000 PER week or more! Simply send

GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY! Be Your Own Boss! Income producing septic maintenance company for sale. Current contracts with large client base. Selling all: 1995 Kenworth vacuum truck, 1973 Kenworth with crane, and very good Cat engine, 2003 American equipment trailer and much more.

Owner ready to retire. Let’s talk. Call 505-384-2657.

Equipment GREAT OFFER ON Solar Submersible Shallow/ Deep well pumps! ‘NRCS’ approved with 2-year warranty on selected pumps with affordable, easy installation! For a custom quote, email us at: sales@solarsubmersiblewellpumps.com or call 505429-3093. 24/7 service. Order online at: www.solarsubmersiblewellpumps.com NEW UPSCALE MODEL Samsung electric clothes dryer, cost new $569, asking $495. Never used, Mr. Heater Big Buddy portable light weight propane heater, cost $130, asking $95. Call 575-485-9658.

FOR SALE: 5-8,000 pound capacity OK Pride

people to a “made-for-you”website. This is not a job or a business, and no selling is involved. Call 505-685-0966. Can be done from home or anywhere.

Self Feeders. Three, like new, at $3,000 each. One, good condition, at $2,200. One, in fair condition, at $1,500. Call 505-705-2856.

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR: WATER WELL • WINDMILL SOLAR • ELECTRICAL

INDUSTRIOUS AMERICA-NEW LAND leveler, complete with hydraulics and tires. Ready to work, tow behind tractor. 7 foot, $1400. 8 foot, $1600.

10 foot, $1900. 12 foot, $2100. Cash only plus NMGRTax. Blades by Mendez. Call 505-362-0959.

Belen, New Mexico.

Installations • Repairs and Supplies

To Place a Classified Ad 1. Visit www.enchantment.coop/classifieds and complete submission form. You will be contacted with a price and to pay by credit card.

2. Or, complete form and select category.

3. Write ad on another sheet of paper.

4. Price: $20 up to first 40 words per ad, per category, per month. After 40 words, each word is 50 cents. Add $5 for small graphics such as cattle brands. Phone numbers, emails and websites count as one word.

To Send and Pay Your Classified Ad 1. Mail ad and payment (Payable to NMRECA) NMRECA • 614 Don Gaspar Avenue Santa Fe, NM 87505 Deadline 1. Due the 9th, one month prior.

Ex: Ads due February 9 for the March issue.

Good to Know 1. Only members of New Mexico electric co-ops may place ads.

2. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

MOST COMPLETE MANUAL Sheet Metal Shop in southeastern New Mexico. Equipment only-no property. For sale, all or none. Will not sell by the piece. Located in Clovis. For list, call 575-763-3295 and leave message. Or email: bfitz@plateautel.net DRINKING WATER STORAGE Tanks, Heavy Duty Black Poly, proven algae resistant. 125 to 11,000 gallons, NRCS and EQUIP approved. Please give us a chance to serve you! MasterCard or Visa accepted. Call 575-682-2308 or 1-800-603-8272.

Great Finds BUYING OLD STUFF: Gas Pumps and parts 1960’s or earlier, advertising signs, neon clocks, old car parts in original boxes, motor oil cans, license plate collections, Route 66 items, old metal road signs, odd and weird stuff. Fair prices paid.

Have pickup, will travel. Gas Guy in Embudo, 505-852-2995.

ANTIQUE GLASSWARE FOR sale: Fosteria Colony Design. A seventy-year collection includes luncheon plates, cups and saucers, glasses, compotes, some serving pieces. All pieces in very good condition. Contact: goforward@powerc.net HEADSTONES (I.E. CEMETERY MONUMENTS) IS OUR BUSINESS. Over 1,000

designs. An eternal memory of a loved one. TAOS MOUNTAIN HERITAGE. Call 575-770-2507 or email: taos_mt_heritage@msn.com Visit website: www.taosmountainheritage.com 3. Questions: Call 505-982-4671.

4. Advertisements in enchantment are paid solicitations and are not endorsed by the publisher or the electric cooperatives of New Mexico. PRODUCT SATISFACTION AND DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY LIE SOLELY WITH THE ADVERTISER. Name:________________________ ___________________________ Address:_______________________ ___________________________ City:_________________________ State:_________ ZIP:_____________ Phone:________________________ Cooperative:____________________ Select Category Below

Animals

Great Finds

Business

Real Estate

Equipment

Vehicles

enchantment.coop • February 2019

17

WANTED: VW VOLKSWAGEN 1967 or older, any condition to restore or for parts. Also looking for 1967 or older Harley Davidson to restore or parts, but would consider others. Call or text 575-544-5999.

NEED A TABLE or two for the ranch? Rough Rider Antiques in Las Vegas has several kitchen-size tables with a colorful past. Other beauties are large enough for Sunday dinner at grandma’s, some with chairs. Bring the truck and we’ll help you load.

Open 7 days. Across from the Castañeda Hotel. 501 Railroad and Lincoln. 505-454-8063.

Real Estate RAILROAD ITEMS WANTED: KEROSENE

LANTERNS, BRASS locks, keys, badges, uniforms, bells, whistles, and pre-1950 employee timetables.

Always seeking items from any early New Mexico railroad, especially D&RG, C&S, EP&NE, EP&SW, AT&SF, SP or Rock Island. Call Randy Dunson at 575-356-6919 or 575-760-3341.

WANTED: NEW MEXICO Motorcycle License Plates, 1912-1959. Paying $100-$500 each. Also buying some New Mexico car plates 1900-1923. Visit NMplates. com for history and 3,500 photographs of NM plates.

Bill Johnston, Box 1, Organ, NM 88052-0001. Email: Bill@NMplates.com or telephone 575-382-7804.

PREPPERS, SURVIVALISTS 14 (45-pound original sealed or gamma sealed buckets) Prairie Gold wheat, 236 pounds corn, rice, beans, 84 pounds dried milk, cheese, pasta, 5 boxes canned vegetables, fruit. Total value $1,900. Will sell for $1,200 cash. Private owner, 575-687-2363.

COFFINS, CASKETS & URNS. Individually handcrafted of solid wood. Simple. Natural. Unique.

Quality Craftsmanship. www.theoldpinebox.com or 505-286-9410 for FREE funeral information. Proudly serving New Mexico since 2004.

CLOUDCROFT ART WORKSHOPS! Plan now to attend this summer! Enjoy our cool, alpine climate and the camaraderie of working among other artists while honing your artistic skills under the instruction of some of the premiere artists in the nation! www.cloudcroftart.com BEEF-WHOLESOME GRASSFED START-TOFINISH beef. Best price in New Mexico! Humanely

raised on my NM ranch, no hormones or antibiotics.

Economical-less than grocery store prices and you decide how you want it cut and portioned. Half or whole available. Delivery possible. If you’ve never bought beef this way, you’ve been missing out!

Call me. It will be easy and you’ll never want to eat grocery store beef again. Robin, 575-420-5868.

VINTAGE BLACK AMERICANA Cook’s Beer

sign, $775. Antique white cabinet: height 64”, width 34-1/2”, depth 12”, $475. Call 575-485-9658.

18

February 2019 • enchantment.coop

MOUNTAIN CABINS. 1800+ and 700+ square foot cabins on 25+ acres. At 8,000 feet in the Wildhorse Ranch Subdivision, Pie Town, adjacent to the community property with pond. Excellent well, 5000 gallon storage. $400,000. Contact Dave at: hannemans@cox.net

CONCHAS, TBD 1, 2 and 3 Big Mesa Avenue.

Waterfront accessible lots. TBD 1 is 4.4206 acres, $75,000. TBD 2 is 1.231 acres, $25,000 and TBD 3 is 0.908 acres, $25,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-4562000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-7605461. www.bigmesarealty.com FENCE LAKE, 295 Pine Hill Road. 2 bedroom, 3

bath log home on just over 60 acres. Well, outbuildings, corrals, hunting opportunities. $320,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com SAN ANTONIO, NM. Zanja Road. 4.66 acres, irrigated farmland in Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. Has alfalfa and grass hay crops. Utilities nearby. $75,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

LOG HOME KITS Custom Packages based in New Mexico. Check us out on Facebook @JLDees.enterprises or call 575-202-0180.

GRADY, 300 MARSHALL. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, two-story home. Corrals and outbuildings, Village water. $59,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

SOCORRO: CHOICE OF 2, 5-6 acre irrigated

TULAROSA, 509 RIATA Road. 4 bedroom, 2 bath

organic farms with homes. Located in city limits with direct access to Rio Grande. Mountain views, all water rights, mature fruit trees. New 30 million dollar levy with miles of trails and parks. Call for pictures or details. $190,000 OBO. Owner, 505-550-3123.

FREE 14X70 1980 Mobile home. Located in Conchas Lake off of New Mexico 104. You haul it, it’s yours! Call Tommy at 505-275-3503.

CONCHAS, 000 BOAT Dock Drive. Vacant land just over 1/2 acre. Water access at high mark. $40,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com CONCHAS, 0000 BOAT Dock Drive. Vacant land just over 1/2 acre. Water access at high mark. $40,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com CONCHAS, 141 GREEN Place. 3 vacant lots at 1.02 acres. Has new septic system with RV hookups installed February 2018. Community water. $37,000.

Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com CONCHAS, 107 CAMP Circle. 2 bedroom, 1 bath mobile home on .68 acres. Community water. $39,500. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com WEST OF CONCHAS/GARITA, 134 Paisano. 1

bedroom, 1 bath home with 1 bath guesthouse. Just over 7 acres. $34,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-4562000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-7605461. www.bigmesarealty.com

log home on 70+/- acres with office room and detached garage. 13 acres have pistachio orchard, barn. $640,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com MORA/EL CARMEN, TBD County Road A012.

10.5 fenced acres, electricity, beautiful mountain views. $59,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

PORTALES, 1715 WEST 17th Lane. 2 bedroom, 1 bath home with small studio in back. Recent paint and carpet. $79,500. Big Mesa Realty, 575-4562000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-7605461. www.bigmesarealty.com WEST OF PORTALES, 41392 US 70. 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. 1.5 stories on just over 3 acres.

Outbuildings, small corral. $175,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com ELEPHANT BUTTE, 208 Pinto Trail. 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on permanent foundation with large front porch, shop, carport, pine trees. Just over 1 acre. $198,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com WANTED! YOUR FARMS and Ranches. Let us

list and sell your rural property today. Broker has over 40 years of experience working in production agriculture in New Mexico and is currently a farm owner and operator since 1988. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

ENJOY PEACE AND quiet of the country. 5 acres for sale in McIntosh, New Mexico. Includes 30’x40’ metal building with concrete floor. Property has well, septic and electricity. Ready to build, or bring your mobile home. Call 505-384-2657.

UTE LAKE: MOBILE home, vehicle & boat storage, clean level lot, paved road close to boat ramp.

House updated inside, new bathrooms, electrical, plumbing and flooring. New appliances. City water and sewer. Fish are healthy and plentiful. 2019 will be a banner year. In Amarillo, call 806-681-8782 or email: brent@moneymethods.com BLUEWATER LAKE SOUTH (Thoreau side). 40 minutes to Gallup or Grants, less than 2 hours to Albuquerque, 5 minutes to National Forest. Nice two bedroom, one bath, furnished mobile home on community water. Refrigerator, washer, dryer, wood stove, evap cooler; propane furnace, water heater and stove. Great views from the 8x12 deck. 6x10 shed. Excellent neighbors, superior views and great access. $36,500 cash sale or part trade for classic car, truck or pontoon boat. Call 505-604-0635.

AMALIA-TAOS COUNTY: 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2300 square foot mother-daughter prepper’s dream hacienda with large 2-car garage. Sustainable living on 3.3 secluded acres (additional land available) with trees, streams and pond, nestled in peaceful, Amalia valley with spectacular mountain views.

Active and passive solar. Loads of extras. $549,900.

Call or email for web link to details and pictures.

575-770-6748, safeira@hotmail.com FOR SALE: 30 acres grass with 2 bedroom, 1 bath house and storage building. Steel corral with good water well. House surrounded by trees. Paved roads on two sides. One mile from Ft. Sumner, NM. $170,000. Call 1-903-674-2564.

HOUSE AND LAND for sale. Bluewater Lake, Prewitt side. 1900 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1.23 acres. New high-efficient furnace. All major appliances included. Great room with large stone fireplace. 1200 square foot garage. $130,000. Call Trish, 505-290-2699.

INCOME POTENTIAL/OWNER MOTIVATED:

Large 4 bedroom plus two detached apartments plus separate property with 2 bedroom home with acreage. All offers considered. Century 21, Ernest Romero, 575-758-0800 or 800-336-4826.

Vehicles FOR SALE: 2005, 34-foot 5th Wheel Cedar Creek travel trailer, $4,900. 2013 Dodge Charger SXT, factory warranty, $12,800. 1970 Chevy Shortbox 454 Pickup restoration project, make offer. 2005 Dodge Pickup Box, nice, $600. 67-72 Chevy Step side Box, $600.

454 Chevy motor and transmission, $400. 360 Dodge motor, $350. Mechanic Shop, Wash Bay, Paint Booth, Mobile Home, 3 acres. In Lemitar, call 989-292-2741.

backyard trails I by craig springer

youth art Aaron Gallegos • Age 7 Plains, TX

Snowbirds Come Home

You have no doubt seen these birds and maybe you know their common name: Dark-eyed Junco. And, they are a common bird in New Mexico, usually arriving here by Halloween when a frost has sharpened the night sky. They are a harbinger of the season—that snow will soon fall. Hence their other name, “snow bird.”

Dark-eyed Juncos will be with us through the winter months.

As Earth begins to wobble back into the vernal position, when the shadows grow shorter and they day light length grows longer, these birds will catch us unaware and silently slip away to more northern climes and higher elevations. Leaving behind a space to be filled by spring migrants coming back from a winter in South America.

If you feed birds through the winter, chances are that Dark-eyed Juncos are among the most common feathered creatures at the food trough. They enjoy eating seeds as well has the high-calorie suet cakes. Dark-eyed juncos are comfortable eating on the ground (not all birds do) or from the bony, leafless branches of deciduous trees or from within the sheltering confines of a juniper or piñon. The latter affords some protection from the winds which conserves energy.

Here’s a trait to help you better understand Dark-eyed Juncos: you rarely find one alone. Unlike other winter birds, such as a White-breasted Nuthatch, juncos are happy to be together—sometimes en masse. “Birds of a feather flock together” is certainly true for these gray and white guys and gals.

You often find them in loose aggregates of five to fifty individuals. Surprise a group of feeding birds and you’ll hear the soft flutter of wind under their wings as they alight to a safe, nearby perch.

They call out a faint wispy warble or a sweet little excited trill or a crisp chirp. Give them a few minutes and they will be right back where they were breaking seeds in their pointed beaks.

Winter brings with an occasional sooty gray sky above contrasted with a snowy white landscape below. And so it is with Darkeyed Juncos: gray feathers worn like a vest lie atop a white belly.

Their coloration speaks to the season where they are at home in New Mexico. Their black tail feathers are bordered by white on the outer edges, and that might be the last sight you will see of Darkeyed Juncos along about early April.

Alan Gallegos • Age 10 Plains, TX

Ivette Gallegos • Age 12 Plains, TX

Our State Capitol

Deadline

Wow! Thank you to the Gallegos family for submitting their drawings of the New Mexico State Capitol. Awesome job!

Submit your drawing by the 9th, one month prior to publication.

Hooray! You Get Paid!

March's Topic: Bouquet of Flowers

Each published artist receives $15.

Brighten things up with a colorful bouquet of flowers. Your choice.

Have a Youth Art Topic?

April's Topic: Umbrella and Rain Showers Draw a decorative and colorful umbrella and include rain showers.

Send Your Drawing by Mail or Email Mail: Youth Editor 614 Don Gaspar Avenue • Santa Fe, NM 87505 Email: enchantment@nmelectric.coop

Mail or email your suggestion to us at enchantment@nmelectric.coop or with your current entry. Or, call us at 505-982-4671.

Include on the back of your drawing:

Name:________________________ Address:_______________________ ___________________________ City:_________________________ State:_______ ZIP:_______________ Phone:________________________ Cooperative:____________________ Accept artwork up to age 13.

enchantment.coop • February 2019

19