Old-World Charm: The Tower Guest House on Small Working Organic Garlic Farm
| Sleeps | 3 |
| Bedrooms | 1 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Space | 600 sq ft |
| Property type | cottage |
Overview
One bedroom downstairs, futon upstairs, full bath.
The Tower Guest House is located in the center of a small working (but quiet) garlic farm (plus onions and shallots), on a quiet cottonwood-lined lane that runs along the Embudo River, a mile and a half from the center of the village of Dixon, with its full-service coop grocery store and library. Away from the main highway, and bathed by the sounds of the river 100 yards to the south, the location is singularly peaceful. The second-floor deck invites guests to bask, eat, grill, read, and enjoy sunsets and sunrises.
Read all about it first: Farm owner Stanley Crawford has written three books about the life he and his wife RoseMary have led in the Embudo Valley as farmers and community activists: MAYORDOMO: CHRONICLE OF AN ACEQUIA IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO; and A GARLIC TESTAMENT: SEASONS ON A SMALL NEW MEXICO FARM; and A RIVER IN WINTER: NEW AND SELECTED ESSAYS, all published by the University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. See also the New York Times article by Anne Raver in the July 14, 2011 issue.
Refreshing afternoons: Though the climate of Northern New Mexico is relatively arid, most years there's enough water in the nearby Rio Embudo to take a refreshing afternoon dip--or in the Rio Grande at the National Monument campground eight miles away--or in the more distant Abiquiu, El Vado, or Heron Lakes. And in the winter, besides skiing at nearby Sipapu, there's both the Taos and Santa Fe ski basins.
About Stanley Crawford
Visitors wishing to learn more about Northern New Mexico can consult a rich library of books about the area, including my own nonfiction works, particularly A GARLIC TESTAMENT: SEASONS ON A SMALL NEW MEXICO FARM. --Stan Crawford
Stanley Crawford purchased this cottage in 1971
Why Stanley Crawford chose Dixon
We bought this beautiful piece of empty land in 1971. It's down the most beautiful lane in Northern New Mexico, bordered the Rio Embudo on the south, and an irrigation ditch and BLM land on the north.
What makes this cottage unique
Wonder views of the Sangre de Cristo Range, closeness of the river, the quiet (the lane is dead end), sunny days, cool nights, good south facing exposure in the winter: we built both the guest house and our own house to take advantage of these features.
Guestbook comments from the owner
Amenities
Accommodation and facilities for this holiday cottage rental in Dixon
- cottage
- Guests provide their own meals
- 600 sq ft
- Max. occupancy: 3
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
- pets considered
- Events Allowed
- children welcome ...
- non smoking only
- Mountain View ...
- River ...
- Rural ...
- Village ...
- Away From It All
- Alarm Clock
- soap
- Broadband Access
- Ceiling Fans
- Clothes Dryer
- Filtered Water
- Gas Fireplace
- Gas Heating
- Grey Water System
- Hair Dryer
- Heating ...
- Internet
- Laundry Soap
- Linens Provided
- Living Area
- Local Activities Guide
- Local Maps
- Paper Towels
- Parking ...
- Parking Off Street
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Sofa Bed
- Telephone
- Toilet Paper
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- 2 Ring Stove
- Blender
- Coffee Grinder
- Coffee Maker ...
- Cooking Utensils
- Dishes & Utensils ...
- Grill
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- mini-fridge
- Pantry Items
- Refrigerator
- Stove ...
- Toaster ...
- Dining Area
- seating for 4 people
- 1 Bathroom
-
Bathroom 1 -
toilet
,
shower enclosure
- 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 3
-
Bedroom 1 -
1 double bed
,
1 sofa bed/futon
- Futon upstairs.
- Books
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Ping Pong Table
- Radio
- Satellite / Cable ...
- Stereo
- Television
- Binoculars
- Deck / Patio
- Outdoor Grill
- Outdoor Grill Gas
- wooden decking
- 4 garden chairs
- long term rentals available
- wheelchair inaccessible
- autumn foliage
- churches
- cinemas
- forests
- library
- live theatre
- restaurants
- winery tours
- bird watching
- boating
- eco tourism
- gambling casinos
- paddle boating
- scenic drives
- shopping
- sight seeing
- sledding
- walking
- wildlife viewing
- groceries
- massage therapist
- medical services
- basketball court
- cross country skiing
- cycling
- fishing
- fly fishing
- freshwater fishing
- hiking
- hunting
- kayaking
- mountain biking
- mountain climbing
- mountaineering
- rafting
- rock climbing
- ski
- snowboarding
- snowmobiling
- swimming
- tennis
- water tubing
- whitewater rafting
Reviews
Wonderful!
4.9/5 -
(8 traveller reviews)
Wonderful place, great access to local attractions
The tower is small but super homey and comfy. We stayed in January so it was chilly (about 17 degrees in the early morning), but the place heated up nicely during the day and the fan in the top level helped to distribute heat throughout. While Stan's house is close, he's a discrete host and gives you your privacy. It is somewhat of a tradition to have a coffee or glass of wine during your stay and he's got some great stories to tell. During our stay, Stan had two blue heelers, both of whom are good farm dogs but will allow you to give them a scratch behind the ears before they wander off to their important farm duties. In addition to farming garlic and other delicious veggies, Stan is an author of some repute and it's certainly worth it to check out his writings for a real feel of life in Northern NM. I recommend Mayordomo and Village.
For all its seclusion, the place is close to Hwy 75, which goes up to Penasco and on to Sipapu Ski resort - which features a homey and accessible lodge, great staff and good slopes for beginners as well as more challenging ones for the more experienced snowboarders and skiers.
We slept in the downstairs bedroom, which is small but cozy and quiet. There was ample hot water for both of us and a small washer/dryer combo to do a little laundry mid-trip. The upstairs has a kitchen area (European-style stove top and half-fridge & microwave) with pots, pans and utensils to use during your stay in addition to both a coffee press and coffee maker (as well as a grinder) so if you want to have a meal "at home," you have enough equipment to take care of yourself. The top level is accessible via a spiral staircase so if you have mobility issues this may prove difficult to navigate.
The place is an extremely short drive into Dixon proper (3-5 minutes), featuring a co-op that sells local produce and crafts as well as a small but decent selection of groceries. The library and community center often have events going on and if you are there during the summer/fall you can catch a small farmers market and other activities. The wineries (La Chiripada and Vivac) are open year round and you can do wine tasting at both. Both are run by life-long locals and both have enough variety in their offerings that it's worth it to check out both. Zuly's is a small restaurant run by locals, offering some great NM-style food and coffee - but not open year round.
Highly recommended and we'll definitely go back!
Restful
My wife and I had a wonderful stay. We would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to get away for awhile. Great spot away from the city! Mr. Crawford was very hospitable. Overall really great experience
Enchanting!
Very clean and cozy...
We Had the Time of our Lives!!!!
My husband and I had the pleasure of staying at the Crawford's adorable tower property 4 nights in early September this year. We were only suppose to stay 3, but fell so in love with Crawfords, that we extended our stay by a night. The farm is located on a quiet lane that runs alongside the Embudo River, and we took several hikes down a "secret" pathway to experience its charm. One lovely day we brought chairs and a few Coronas and sat in the river relaxing in the water and absorbing the beauty.
We had a number of easy conversations with the Crawfords over our stay. They are quite an interesting pair, and make you feel right at home. Mrs. Crawford is a vivacious woman and Mr. Crawford is a friendly man, with a twinkle in his eye. They are a hardworking team and I grew to consider them the Queen and King of Dixon, and I'm sure the town folks would agree. Having moved there in the 1960s they have done so much to make Dixon the quaint, organic farming community it is today.
If you are not in the mood for cooking, Sugars BBQ is a few miles off SR 68, and serves delicious food (although they are not open every day, so check their sign for hours). Zuly's Café serves yummy breakfasts and lunches and uses locally grown produce. We enjoyed going there, and we met several friendly locals, drinking coffee and chatting with them up about the area. There is also a co-op market with locally grown produce, wines, cheeses, deli goods, and about anything needed to cook a good meal.
There are many beautiful drives to choose from so pick a direction and be blown away by the magnificence. There are two wineries within the community (but I found La Chiripada by far the best). Dixon is a 25 minute drive to Taos and close to Espanola and Santa Fe as well, so if you tire of the solitude and want to visit galleries, restaurants or people watch, it is not far out of reach. There's also several river rafting outfits nearby, and there's even a small brewing company with some tasty craft beers.
The cost of staying at Bosque Garlic Farm is extremely inexpensive for how amazing it is. The tower that they built, mostly themselves, has lots of windows and is attractive and comfy. We slept in the bedroom downstairs, and the upstairs, living area, is cozy, too, with hardwoods and a futon sofa that would easily sleep 2, as well. There's a sweet, sweet deck that we spent many hours on, talking and star gazing, drinking our coffee in the mornings, and looking out on the beautiful flowers a
Perfect!
The Tower is a sweet spot on this planet -nestled in among the rows of lettuce and basil- overlooking the country road that saunters by the river. It has everything you need including generous touches from the Crawfords, like fresh eggs in the fridge (from the family chickens), and more. Writers, they're are sensitive to one's desire for quietude yet openly available for good conversation and laughs. The perfect place one dreams of going for regeneration, relaxation, insight and remembering (or learning) what it's like to live a rich life of simplicity.
One of the most wonderful places in the world!
This beautiful little tower was our honeymoon spot in May 2011 and we loved every minute. Dixon is a great, quiet little town with all the basic groceries (not-so-basic groceries, and a drugstore, were only about 20 minutes away in Espanola or Taos), an art gallery, and a yummy restaurant called Zuly's about a two-minute drive from The Tower. Even more fun were the wineries we visited (La Chiripada was our favorite!). There is high-speed internet, so if you don't have a GPS, you can easily map out directions to wherever you want to go before you leave The Tower. We found that Santa Fe was about half an hour to 45 minutes away, and Taos was even closer but in the opposite direction. The house is clean and smooth and full of light and color - no oven, but we grilled everything we needed to and microwaved the leftovers. The owners are very nice - they gave us fresh produce and fresh eggs from their farm (they don't JUST grow garlic!) and had us up for tea one evening. They are an interesting, fascinating couple who are very easy to work with. We drove to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge one day, and went hiking in Taos Ski Valley the next. Scenery is amazing and the weather in May was perfect (70s, very low humidity). One of our favorite days was spent wandering around Taos, then hearing about a local ice creamery and going to Arroyo Seco (a little town right outside Taos) to find it. It was THE best ice cream we've ever tasted. We wished we had had longer to stay because we never did get to go fishing in the Embudo (which is beautiful right across the driveway from the Tower) or explore along the Rio Grande. You do have to drive through the Rio Grande Gorge to get to Dixon, which was always a breathtaking experience for us. We would recommend this to anyone looking for a quiet vacation where they can plan each day as it comes, making it as adventurous or chill as they want. Two people was a good number for this rental, as the bed downstairs was a full and the futon upstairs only had one comfortable side. We would go back in a heartbeat - the location was perfect!
Map
The Tower Guest House at Crawfords Garlic Farm is located in the Embudo Valley, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Range, a mile and a half from the center of the traditional Hispanic village of Dixon. Dixon is known for its arts and crafts, and is a good base from which to explore nearby rivers and canyons such as the Rio Grande Gorge. Taos is 25 miles to the north, Santa Fe 50 miles south; both are major cultural and artistic centers. The region is known for its Indian Pueblos and ruins, all within easy driving distance.
Photos
Rates & Availability
Rental Rates for this holiday cottage in Dixon
- Rental Basis:
- per property
- Owner accepts payment in:
- USD
| Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly * | Event | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
My Standard Rate
1 night minimum stay
|
AU$124
|
AU$652
|
AU$1,956
|
|
|||||
Additional information about rental rates
| Pet Fee | AU$26.08 + Tax |
| Cleaning | AU$52.15 + Tax |
| Tax Rate | 6.5% |
* Approximate monthly rate. Â Actual rate will depend on the days of the month you stay.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- Available
- Unavailable
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