The South Dakota Cowgirl

Life on the Ranch Through My Lens

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New Mexico Views

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I told you all on Wednesday that I was going to share what I’ve been seeing up to this point. Let me just say, the views aren’t disappointing.

I’m near Las Cruces, NM on an historic ranch. The Organ mountains (aptly named as they remind one of a pipe organ) now act as a fence on the western edge of the ranch and they’re quite stunning. You can actually ride the spine of them and in the old days the cow boss would send out a crew at 3am to ride the spine, to push cattle down to the bottom, and another crew would leave later to gather what had been pushed down the mountain. I suppose there’s some irony in the fact that I left one ranch to come visit another, no?

The history that surrounds the gorgeous ranch where I’m staying is nothing short of something you might read about in a McMurtry book. The main ranch house is at least 120 years old and revels in a traditional adobe, hacienda style, complete with old, pane-glass windows. It boasts 14 foot ceilings and a traditional atrium style. Most all the rooms open to the landscaped atrium/terraced veranda. It’s altogether relaxing and inspiring. It was, at one point a stagecoach stop and the last reliable water source they could count on for many miles.

We can’t forget the porch that runs along the entire front of the house, complete with rocking chairs, that looks out into the basin below, where Hereford cattle graze happily away in the brush.

I haven’t take a whole lot of photos with the big camera as it hasn’t been terribly convenient yet. Plus I’m without Internet access so the iPhone photos will have to suffice for now. Though I promise there will be photos from the big camera to come. In the meantime, enjoy.

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About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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  3. Emily Penick says

    I was a transplant to Moriarty, up by Albuquerque and i always loved the views, especially at sunrise & sun set! love the pics Jenn!!

    Reply

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