Marfa Dot Net

MARATHON – The Gage Hotel has been brewing up something exciting and we are finally ready to celebrate! Brick Vault Brewery and BBQ, set to open April 21, will feature the true Texas two-step – BBQ and beer.

Steps down from the historic Gage Hotel, Brick Vault Brewery and BBQ will share the spirit of the Big Bend Region, with small batch, craft beers and expertly smoked meat. At the tap you will find our head brewer, Brodie Pierce and over at the smoker, Adam Molina, will be serving up the meat.

The brewery was named after an actual 1886 vault on the premises. The only thing that survived a fire that burned the original mercantile building to the ground, it’s a focal point of the renovation. The brews are named in honor of the region, and include a Altuda Pale Ale, a Capt. Sheppard’s Pecan Porter, and a Howdy Cream Ale.

MARFA – The Blackwell Block Party is just around the corner, and fans of menudo will not be disappointed.

The Block Party takes place Saturday, April 28, from 11am-4pm at the Blackwell School in Marfa. This is a free, fun, family-friendly event celebrating Marfa’s rich culture and heritage and includes music, food, storytelling, Ballet Folklorico, loteria, Pedro Infante films, activities for the kids, and the unveiling of a community inspired mural. And now a Menudo Cook-Off has been added to the day’s events.

The Menudo Cook-Off is a competition where contestants prepare their own particular recipe for this traditional tripe soup and submit it for taste testing. Local celebrities will be on hand to sample and judge the menudo. When judging is finished, all of the people attending the Blackwell Block Party will be able to enjoy the menudo.

The Marfa Police Department is in charge of the cook-off in partnership with the Blackwell School Alliance. The fee to enter the competition is $10. Prizes will be awarded to the top three contestants. The cost to eat menudo is $5. The Menudo Cook-Off is a fundraiser for Marfa ISD’s Ballet Folklorico. Aside from the menudo, the Block Party will offer plenty of free food including tamales and cabrito.

Chief Marquez of the Marfa PD says, “We’re so happy to have the chance to be involved in the cook-off. It’s a great way to be out in the community and to raise some money for our students. And I know a lot of people around here who say they make the best menudo. Let’s see!” While many think of menudo as the hangover cure best enjoyed after a night on the town, menudo is popular as a food prepared for special family occasions.

Menudo makers interested in competing in the cook-off need to sign up and pay the $10 fee by April 21. The competition is open to 30 entrants only, so sign up early. To sign up, visit the Blackwell School on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm or send an email to blackwellschoolmarfa@gmail.com. Or call Gretel Enck at 432.295.3359. Provide your name, phone number, and address. Once your entrance fee is paid, you will receive an official entry ticket.

Contestants need to bring their fully cooked menudo in a plug-in pot to the Blackwell School on Saturday, April 28, between 10:45 and 11am. Judging will start at 11:30am, and menudo will be available to the general public after judging is completed, around 12 noon. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded later in the afternoon.

The Blackwell Block Party is created to bring people together to honor our heritage and have fun together, explains co-organizer Taylor Garcia Dixon. “We will sing along with the songs our grandparents sang. We will eat food that we remember from home, or eat something new to us and hear a story from the person who cooked it. Art and storytelling will bring us together with our neighbors.” The Blackwell Block Party is the result of many organizations and individuals coming together to create a shared experience around pride and unity.

Everyone, near and far, is invited to the Blackwell Block Party. Admission to the event is free. The Blackwell School is located at the corner of Abbott and Waco Streets in south Marfa. Learn more at theblackwellschool.org.

More information: Gretel Enck, President, The Blackwell School Alliance, blackwellschoolmarfa@gmail.com, 432.295.3359.

MARFA – Marfa Public Radio will host its next live storytelling event and happy hour on Friday, April 6 at the Crowley Theater in Marfa.

This event will be held in conjunction with their Spring Membership Drive, coming right at the heels of the station’s 12th year in operation.

Doors will open at 6pm for the happy hour party featuring a live DJ. Beer will be provided courtesy of Big Bend Brewing Co., a sponsor of the Marfa Public Radio Live Storytelling Program. Stories will begin at 7:30pm.

The theme of this event is All or Nothing: True Stories of Taking Big Risks, where participants will recount true stories of going for broke and reaching for the stars.

Storytelling is one of the most democratic arts and therefore the perfect tool to celebrate a wider range of experience in the Big Bend and the Permian Basin. The station aims to be a beacon for storytelling and to foster and amplify the voices of West Texas. The other goal of these events is to give neighbors and strangers the opportunity to laugh and cry together.

The Spring Membership Drive begins Monday, April 2. In lieu of the regular party at the radio station, the staff hopes you’ll join them for the happy hour and evening of stories from friends and neighbors.

MARFA, PRESIDIO – The Border Network for Human Rights has scheduled two Presidio County workshops, one in Presidio and another in Marfa later this month.

From 9am-noon on Saturday, March 31, the network will present, a Know Your Rights presentation and community listening session at the Blackwell School, 501 South Abbot Street, Marfa.

Contact Robert Heyman, 915-801-7440, rheyman@bnhr.org for more information.

From 2-5pm on Saturday, March 31 in Presidio, there’s an introductory community leadership and organizing workshop at Saint Francis Plaza in downtown along O’Reilly Street.

Contact Mayor John Ferguson, 432-661-0600, jferguson@presidiotx.us for more information.

The Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) is one of the leading immigration reform and human rights advocacy organizations in the United States. Based in El Paso, Texas, the BNHR has a membership of more than 700 families, or close to 4,000 individuals, in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. It also helps organize other civic-minded groups along the border and is the force behind the Texas-wide Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance.

Bobby McKnight

FORT WORTH, FORT DAVIS, MARFA – Area rancher Robert E. “Bobby” McKnight Jr. of Fort Davis was elected president and rancher Jessica Tate of Marfa was selected as a director at the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) annual convention in Fort Worth last week, according to an association news release.

McKnight succeeds former president Richard Thorpe of Winters, who rotates off the officer team after serving as an officer for six years, two of those as president.

Tate joins new directors Cody Fry of Armstrong, D.A. “Day” Harral of Fort Stockton, James Oliver of Ozona, and Gilly Riojas of Hebronville.

McKnight raises registered and commercial Herefords and crossbred cattle on ranch land in Jeff Davis, Brewster, Presidio, Reeves and Crane counties. He became a director in 1989.

Born March 3, 1960, in Odessa, McKnight graduated from Texas Christian University with a business degree.

He has served as a director of the local water and soil conservation board. He is a director for the Federal Reserve Bank in El Paso. McKnight is also past president of the Highland Hereford Breeders Association and director of the Sandhills Hereford and Quarter Horse Show.

He is married to Lynda Howard McKnight, formerly of Marfa.

TSCRA is a 141-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 17,500 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 55,000 individuals directly involved in ranching and beef production who manage 4 million head of cattle on 76 million acres of range and pasture land primarily in Texas, Oklahoma and throughout the Southwest.

“Richard (Thorpe) has continually exhibited tremendous passion, dedication and commitment to TSCRA, and more importantly, to the cattle raisers and landowners of Texas, Oklahoma and beyond” said McKnight. “On behalf of the entire TSCRA board of directors and membership, I would like to sincerely thank Richard Thorpe for his service to the association.”

Other officers are Hughes Abell of Austin as first vice president, and Arthur Uhl of San Antonio as second vice president.

New Executive Committee members are Stephen Diebel of Victoria, George Harrison of Bay City, and Heath Hemphill of Coleman. New honorary directors are Nixon Dillard of Pleasanton, Tom Moorhouse of Benjamin, Rick Peebles of Baytown and M.R. “Mike” Wirtz of Brenham.

The 2018 Cattle Raisers Convention wrapped up last week at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Attendees from across the state and country gathered to hear industry experts, engage in educational opportunities, connect with other ranchers and browse an enormous trade exposition featuring the latest and greatest products available to cattle raisers.

The Cattle Raisers Convention and Expo is the largest ranching event of the year in the Southwestern United States. This year’s convention had more than 4,700 people in attendance, a new record for the 141-year-old event.

The event featured programs and activities of interest to cattle raisers, landowners and the general public, with opportunities for everyone to participate.

“If you own land or livestock in Texas or the Southwest, the Cattle Raisers Convention is an excellent investment of your time,” said TSCRA outgoing president Thorpe. “The event offers opportunities to further your education, gain industry information, make useful business connections and have some fun.”

In addition to the trade show, the renowned School for Successful Ranching provided producers an opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from industry experts. Numerous informational sessions were also included throughout the event. Among the highlights were the Washington, D.C. issues update, which was opened by Congressman Steve Scalise and Roger Williams. “Give everyone a shot at the American dream, that’s what we’re working for” said Whip Scalise in his remarks. The opening session was keynoted by Congressman Mike Conaway, who challenged attendees to continue to “be the keepers of the republic.”

The closing general session concluded the 2018 Convention and Expo on Sunday, March 25, 2018. That session featured Nick Adams, author of Retaking America: Crushing Political Correctness, who believes that we have the cure for political correctness.

“TSCRA has played a critical role in preserving the strength and stability of the Texas cattle industry and the property rights of landowners for the past 141 years,” said Thorpe. “It is a great honor to have served as president of this great organization and I know I leave the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association in very capable hands.”

PRESIDIO – At the Presidio County Commissioners’ Court meeting on Wednesday, March 21, the commissioners appointed Vicky Carrasco of Presidio and Trey Gerfers of Marfa to the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District.

Carrasco replaces Carlos Nieto of Presidio and Gerfers replaces Jim Mustard of Marfa on the District’s Board of Directors. Nieto’s and Mustard’s six-year terms on the board had expired.

Carrasco is a native of Presidio and works as a principal at Kleinman Consultants, a planning and engineering firm in Presidio. She also serves on the boards of the Rotary Club of Presidio and the Presidio Education Foundation.

Gerfers is a native of San Antonio and has lived in Marfa for five years. He is self-employed as a translator of technical texts from German to English.

Gerfers also serves on the Marfa Parks and Recreation Board and as Board President of the Big Bend Conservation Alliance. He formerly served on the boards of the Tierra Grande Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists and the Amigos de Korima.

The other Directors on the Board include B.J. Baeza, Patt Sims, and David Williams.

The next meeting of the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District is scheduled for Friday, April 6 at 10 AM in Judge Guevara’s office at the Presidio County Courthouse in Marfa.

MARFA, PRESIDIO – The Border Network for Human Rights has scheduled two Presidio County workshops, one in Presidio and another in Marfa later this month.

From 9am-noon on Saturday, March 31, the network will present, a Know Your Rights presentation and community listening session at the Blackwell School, 501 South Abbot Street, Marfa.

Contact Robert Heyman, 915-801-7440, rheyman@bnhr.org for more information.

From 2-5pm on Saturday, March 31 in Presidio, there’s an introductory community leadership and organizing workshop at Saint Francis Plaza in downtown along O’Reilly Street.

Contact Mayor John Ferguson, 432-661-0600, jferguson@presidiotx.us for more information.

The Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) is one of the leading immigration reform and human rights advocacy organizations in the United States. Based in El Paso, Texas, the BNHR has a membership of more than 700 families, or close to 4,000 individuals, in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. It also helps organize other civic-minded groups along the border and is the force behind the Texas-wide Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance.

MARFA – On Thursday, March 22, International Water Day will be collaboratively observed by Marfa institutions the Dixon Water Foundation, The International Woman’s Foundation, Marfa Open, and the Soil Survey Office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA.

The Dixon Water Foundation Mimms Ranch house at the north end of North Austin Street will host 30-minute presentations at 10am, 2pm, and 5pm on soil types and conditions across the Big Bend by Lynn Loomis, the Soil Survey Project Leader, USDA, and 10:30am; 2:30pm and 5:30pm on water conservation techniques suitable for the Big Bend by Will Juett, the Range Management Specialist of the local USDA office.

A permanent water conservation demonstration project for The Dixon Water Foundation Ranch house will be created at a later date by volunteers.

For further information, please contact The International Woman’s Foundation, Building 98, 432.729.1852.

MARFA – The Marfa Studio of Arts (MSA) is offering a Spring Break art making workshop on Tuesday, March 13 from 10am to 12 noon at the Marfa Studio of Arts Gallery, 106 East San Antonio next to the Marfa Radio Station.

This workshop is open to local kids and visitors (open to all ages) to spend two hours with MSA teacher Sam Watts. The theme will be to draw or paint treasures of the desert. Sam will bring objects of his own collection: plants, wings, bones etc. for the participants to use as subjects.

Sam Watts is a musician and artist who studied painting and printmaking at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. He later returned to a childhood love of music and became a professional musician touring through all 50 states. His music has been featured on NPR and in the New York Times as well as in many films and commercials.

The workshop is free but any donation to the Marfa Studio of Arts is welcome. The MSA is a non-profit organization that serves the Marfa community by supporting the Studio in the Elementary Arts Program at Marfa Elementary School.

To see more about our program go to marfastudioarts.org

MARFA – The Farmstand Marfa will open its 12th season in 2018 on Saturday, March 18 in the Saint George Annex across from the Hotel Saint George on El Paso Street between Highland and Dean Streets.

Farmstand Marfa a big neighborhood get-together of the community and visitors eager to sample the unique offerings of the Big Bend in a friendly, social atmosphere. Each Saturday, rain, wind or shine the vendors bring a diverse and unusual array of locally produced goods that could include homemade foods, local produce, handmade goods and community tables to support their missions.

Although the offerings vary from week to week, you can almost always sample a savory breakfast burrito, take home a loaf of organic bread, grab a bunch of spicy arugula or a jar of the freshest salsa around. Dependent on the season, local produce from the backyard gardens to ranch orchards will show off the spectacular results of clean air and lots sunshine. Fresh eggs can be found as well as local goat cheese. Fine art and clever crafts make the most unique presents and are often very affordable. Look for new vendors this year to make it an even better market.

Come early (9:30am) if you want the first pick. Cash is king but most vendors will take a check. If you want to be added to the weekly email announcement of the upcoming farmstand goods or have questions about becoming a vendor at Farmstand Marfa, contact Malinda Beeman at (432) 559-7515 or email farmstandmarfamanager@gmail.com.