Mesilla Valley facts for kids
The Mesilla Valley is a special place in Southern New Mexico and West Texas. It's a long, flat area shaped by many big floods from the Rio Grande river. These floods happened over a very long time, making the valley what it is today.
Discovering the Mesilla Valley
The Mesilla Valley stretches from Radium Springs, New Mexico, all the way to the west side of El Paso, Texas. It's known for its beautiful natural areas called bosques. These are forests found along rivers.
Plants of the Valley
You can find native cottonwood trees growing here. These trees are very common in river valleys. However, another plant called tamarisk has also grown a lot in the valley. It was brought here in the late 1800s and is sometimes called salt cedar.
Farming and Crops
The soil in the Mesilla Valley is very fertile, which means it's great for agriculture. Farming is a super important activity for the people living here. One of the biggest farms is Stahmann Farms. It owns the world's largest pecan orchard, located south of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Farmers in the Mesilla Valley grow many different crops. Some of the most important ones include alfalfa, cotton, chile peppers, onions, and corn. The valley is also famous for making wine. People started making wine here a long time ago, when the Spanish first explored New Mexico.
A Bit of History
The Mesilla Valley was once part of Mexico. But in 1853, the Gadsden Purchase happened. This was when the United States bought a large area of land from Mexico. After this purchase, the Mesilla Valley became part of the United States.
