Coming from living at 300 feet above sea level in California to 6850 feet above sea level in New Mexico had it’s challenges at first. I had a little bit of altitude sickness (headache, no appetite and lethargy for the first week, but I adjusted slowly. Riding my bike uphill to the mailbox was a bitch but I did it daily to get those red blood cells built up! But, since I’m already half way there, why not go up a little further? Just 35 minutes from my house, the mountains rise to over 10K feet! Let’s go check it out, shall we?
Category: Moving to New Mexico
Follow along as two YOUNG senior citizens decide to sell their ranch after 25 years, get rid of loads of stuff and move their one-dog show to New Mexico, Land of Enchantment.
12 Acre Horse Ranch in Northern California For Sale at a GREAT PRICE!
Experience country living on this 11.73-acre horse property in Northern California, near Sacramento. The entire property is fully fenced and cross-fenced, with an electric gate at the entrance and paved roads leading directly to the home. Ideal for horse and animal lovers, it features a riding arena, round pen, hay and equipment barn, and animal shelter.
The home includes a four-car tandem pull-through garage/shop with extended height, ample storage, and a fully wired large air compressor. There’s also an unfinished space above the garage, perfect for expanding the home or creating an ADU. Enjoy stunning sunset views of the foothills from both decks and large windows.
Recent updates include a new roof with a warranty from 2023, two independent HVAC systems installed in 2017 and 2022, and fresh exterior paint in 2022. Inside, the home boasts granite countertops, custom tile flooring, updated bathrooms, and a beautiful, cozy fireplace. All bedrooms feature walk-in closets.
Located just 15 minutes from town, the property offers an easy 45-minute commute to downtown Sacramento. It’s also close to a State Wildlife Area and just five minutes from a large recreational lake, perfect for hiking, horse riding, fishing, watercraft, kayaking, and enjoying nature. This property provides both privacy and convenience. An easy hour-and-a-half drive will take you to Donner Summit in the Sierra for even more adventure.
Whether you’re looking for a horse property or a place to enjoy country living, this home has it all. Listed at $849,999.
Contact Kelly Zimmerman at 530-368-3498 kellyzrealtor@gmail.com
A Bittersweet Farewell: Rehoming Our Beloved Donkey and Horse
Whiskey, our beloved horse, was born on our ranch. She just celebrated her 22nd birthday this past week. I’ll never forget that day. As the time approached for the birth, I had kept her mom, “Ima,” in a cozy, straw-filled stall. One evening, I came home from work and thought I’d let Ima out of her stall to walk around the pasture and get some exercise. I walked back to the house and proceeded to fix dinner. Not fifteen minutes later, there was someone pounding on my front door! It was my neighbor telling me there was a paint baby standing in our pasture. Whiskey had arrived quickly in the early evening, which is unusual as horses typically prefer to give birth in the wee hours of the morning. She was stunning, with loud splashes of color.
Whiskey was meant to be my husband’s horse. He broke her himself, and together they had many adventures. As the other horses aged and went into retirement, I found myself no longer riding, and Whiskey wasn’t being ridden either. She was much too young to be retired and had many more years of adventures ahead. So, we made the hard decision to rehome her at age 18. She now has a fantastic home at a ranch where she and her new owner are winning prizes. It was the best decision we made for Whiskey. Eventually, over the next couple of years, all of our remaining horses, Ima, Oreo, and Buddy, were laid to rest in their 30s.
With all the horses gone, only Mija, the donkey, was left. We had adopted Mija from the Bureau of Land Managements Wild Burrow program back in 2001. She was totally wild but we got her tamed in just a few days. That’s how donkeys operate! She’s been a pasture pet ever since. When the last horse passed, she stood in the barn, staring at the house all day. She was so very lonely. Our neighbor across the road offered to take her, saying she could live her days with their horse and many goats. Mija is so happy now and acts as a protector of the goats. She won’t let any dogs into the pasture.
Both Whiskey and Mija are living their best lives with the best humans on the planet. I am forever grateful to Jackie Clemmers, Jeanne Walker, and Pam Lockrem for taking such good care of these two.
It was surreal to see all of my pastures and barn empty. No more daily feedings or filling up water buckets. It took me a few weeks to not automatically go out in the evening to feed and water. Now, my husband has to do all of the mowing.
Rehoming Whiskey and Mija was a difficult decision, but knowing they are happy and well-cared for makes it all worthwhile. The memories of our time with them are cherished, and I am comforted by the knowledge that they are living their forever best lives.
This post is part of my “Moving to New Mexico” Series. Go here to start from the beginning.
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Whiskey about 15 minutes old!
Whiskey and Jackie winning buckles!
Mija feeling sad with Alex from the loss of all her buddies.
Packing Up 25 Years of Ranch Life -Moving to New Mexico
And so it begins… the purging of a 25-year life on a 12-acre ranch. When we bought the place in 2000, we had two horses and a dream. That dream, like our herd, eventually grew—to four horses, one donkey, two sheep, five dogs, and a boatload of barn cats that kept mysteriously disappearing (cue Wile E. Coyote). We poured blood, sweat, and more money than we care to admit into home improvements, barns, fencing—only to find that they often needed repairing or replacing. It seemed to be a never-ending task, but every minute of country living was worth it. City life just wasn’t in our blood any longer, replaced instead by a mix of hay, dirt, rattlesnakes, and the occasional whiff of manure.
Fast forward 25 years, and with all the animals either having passed on or been re-homed (our beloved donkey and one horse are now living their best retirement lives on amazing ranches), it’s time to bid farewell to our rustic paradise and find a new adventure. We’ve decided that this new chapter will unfold in the northern part of New Mexico, likely between Albuquerque (took me a while to learn how to spell that) and Santa Fe. Our next home might have less fencing to mend and fewer barns to build, but it promises new memories.
As we pack up (and purge) our lives, we’ve discovered that humor is our best packing companion. Each item we box up brings a memory, a laugh, and many “Do I really need this” questions. The process is chaotic, but it’s also a reminder of all the joy, hard work, and love we’ve poured into a small slice of heaven in the windy grasslands. While we’re excited about our new adventure, we’ll carry a piece of this ranch—and all its quirks and joys—with us. Here’s to new beginnings. I hope to capture the process of all the stuff that has yet to be done to get this ranch on the market and all that entails! D-Day to market is December 1. We got this. (I think)
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