FRIENDS OF THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS

FALL 2024 NEWSLETTER

That monsoon feeling is slipping away, leaving us with warm, clear days and chilly, moonlit nights. The green fields are fading into brown and yellow again, as a few late blooming flowers make their final stand. One thing you may have noticed, the black grasshoppers, also known as Mexican generals, are late this year.

However, that anticipation for fall is a happier note, awaiting the explosion of color we see in the canyons. A few of the trees on Carr peak have begun that transition.

It’s also Hatch chile season. Many folks are gathered around grills, molcajetes, and ovens, producing spicy treats and good eats. The smell of freshly roasted chile pods permeates the air as roadside chile roasters make their way to the thoroughfares.

The chile pepper presentation on Sunday, September 22nd was quite a celebration! Some visitors and good friends brought fresh chiles from their gardens to share with folks. One member showed off her prized chiltepin plant, loaded with fiery red and green berries. As far as chile seasons go, it has been a good one here among our little corner of the world. Something worth celebrating – 72 visitors that day, including guests at the chile presentation.

At Mike Foster’s plant walk, over 40 guests attended, including members from Master Naturalists. Steve Merkley’s band, Cholla, performed a great set after the plant walk, just before we had our annual membership meeting. I would like to personally thank Steve and Frank for their performance. I would also like to thank the Master Nauralist’s director, Chris Polly, for getting the word out about the plant walk. As president, I look forward to building new partnerships in the community, including the Master Naturalists.

Just recently, local artists came to the Carr House to do plein air painting, making beautiful works of art from various mediums. They drew upon the wonderful scenery as their inspiration, capturing the light of late monsoon season. I hope to follow up with their work.

We’ve had visitors from all over the country, and from other continents, joining Mike and others for conversations at the Carr House. We hope to see more people, passionate about the outdoors and eager to learn – learning as much as can be from people like Mike Foster, Rosemary Snapp, Dwight Hoxie, John Broz and many others who have shared their knowledge.

I will continue to invite folks from local organizations to visit the Carr House, so they learn about the Friends of the Huachucas, attend our board meetings, and socialize with our members. This is where bridge building can begin, as ideas and education opportunities flourish, putting us in line with our mission statement.

I thank the outgoing president, Eric Andersen, for his years of selfless service. He has made significant improvements to the Carr House, adding a new coat of paint to the walls, refurbishing the inside, in addition to working on sewer lines and arranging for safety rails to be installed. Eric has also worked hard with the Forest Service liaison in creating our five-year agreement, and preparing the Carr House for the Carr Canyon site plan, which will lead to improvements of trails and infrastructure in the canyon. I look forward to working with Eric to continue the good work we are doing with the Forest Service. I applaud his leadership and FOHM in winning an award from the Forest Service this year.

…And congratulations to Eric Andersen, newly elected as vice president. Congratulations are also in order for Jane Chambers and Steve Merkley, re-elected as directors of this fine organization. And many thanks to our director, Carolyn Santucci, for her tireless efforts with elections, media and outreach. Former vice president Linda Stitt will be returning as our secretary, and we thank Linda for her many contributions as vice president. Our treasurer, Pat Dillingham, is steady at the helm, helping us to steer our finances and administrative duties.

Some of you may have recognized my name from local art galleries, or from the Sierra Vista Herald. In addition to my day job, and my duties as FOHM president, I write articles about ecology and archaeology. I also paint folk art and sell it whenever I can.

As I said in my first statements as president, I join everyone in saying that we are proud to call these Sky Islands our home! Born and raised in Arizona, my heart and soul are a part of these mountains. My roots here run deep into this desert soil. So many good memories I have had with friends and family, living in the greater southwest.

I hope to contribute all I can for the good of this organization, and I am happy to be your president for this new term. I look forward to years of good work and good times, as I am optimistic and forward looking. I thank everyone in this organization and humbly accept this honor to serve.

Kind regards,
James Mustard

Help Wanted!
Please join us on Sunday, December 8, 10 a.m.
To help us cleanup/pack up Carr House as we close up for the winter
Hope to see you there!

We also need volunteers to help with parking at Carr House when we have our Saturday or Sunday programs. If you can help, please send an email to friendsofhuachucamtns@gmail.com so we can arrange for you to receive training.

Friends of the Huachuca Mountains Programs, 2024

Hiking Trails of the Huachucas, Sunday, October 6, 1:30 p.m.
Local hiking enthusiast Karen Flynn will talk about the trails of the Huachuca Mountains, more than 70 of them! And Karen has hiked them all. Come and see the beauty that can be found on these trails and find a hike or a place to take in scenic views that suits you. From easy to challenging, there are hikes in our mountains suitable for everyone.

History of Some Early Residents of Carr Canyon, Saturday, October 12, 10 a.m.
Rosemary Snapp, founding member of the Friends of the Huachuca Mountains, will give a talk about an illustrious early resident of Carr Canyon, Charles Biederman. Mr. Beiderman immigrated to the US from Germany in 1860 and enlisted in the Union Army in 1865. He left the Army at the end of the Civil War and eventually moved to Carr Canyon 1903. He was a world-famous horticulturist and entomologist, and rumor has it that he was one of President Lincoln’s bodyguards that fateful night at Ford’s Theater when the President was assassinated. Truth? Fiction? Join us and find out! After the program Mike Foster has offered to lead a hike to the ruins of the Healy home in the meadow below Carr House for those who are interested.

Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), Sunday, October 27, 1:30 p.m.
Mike Foster, Videographer and Carr House Host, will show how this Aztec/Catholic holiday is celebrated in cemeteries just across the international border and more extended places in Mexico. Learn more about this holiday through traditional breads and beverages with accompanying videos and discussions.

The History of Mining in the Huachuca Mountains, Saturday, November 2, 9 a.m.
Bill Gillespie, retired archaeologist with the US Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, is our presenter for this program. Was there “gold in them thar hills?” Join us for this interesting program and find out!

Friends of the Huachuca Mountains Board of Directors:

James Mustard, President

Eric Andersen, Vice President

Pat Dillingham, Treasurer

Linda Stitt, Secretary

Jane Chambers, Director

Steve Merkley, Director

Carolyn Santucci, Director

To contact the Friends of the Huachuca Mountains or the Board, email friendsofhuachucamtns@gmail.com