Danny McMahon has spent two-thirds of his life working with cows, supporting his family off the cows and resting his head on the same plot as his dairy cows.
But McMahon, owner and operator of 41-year-old Mickey’s Cash & Carry Dairy on Coors Boulevard in Albuquerque’s South Valley, says at this rate, his diary will only operate for another year or so.
The South Valley has seen an increase in both commercial and residential growth during the past two decades. The urbanization has been more prevalent during the past seven years, including the addition of a Super Wal-Mart less than a mile from Mickey’s.
For some South Valley residents, this growth is a positive sign of progress and economic growth. For McMahon, it has meant downsizing and slim to nonexistent profit margins. “We used to produce 1200 gallons of milk a day and over 200 head of cattle, now we’re down to 250-300 gallons a day and just over 60 head of cattle,” McMahon said. “We can’t compete with those prices, we just can’t.”
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PHOTO STORY: Best Winter Study Spots on Campus
December 1As the leaves keep falling off the trees, and each morning gets ever so slightly colder, winter slowly hits the University of New Mexico campus. Students begin to wear heavier clothes and begin to stay indoors more. Regardless of the temperature outside, this doesn’t stop the studying students have to do, begging the question: What are the best winter study spots on campus? Everyone has their own taste, but there are some spots that just cannot be beat. Zimmerman Library’s west-wing is great for anyone who wants to lock-in in silence while study spots near the Adobe Creative Commons for anyone wanting to study in groups. But there isn’t just Zimmerman, the Student Resource Center Apartments second level and Dane Smith has spots for a break during classes and George Pearl Hall has small classrooms available when not in use. Preston Rogers is a freelance reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at photo@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
PHOTO STORY: Architectural Studio Life
December 1With one week left in the semester, each day is more and more stressful. Piles of scrap cardboard and chipboard lay everywhere as University of New Mexico architecture students prepare for their final review. Although this is a time of stress and urgency, it’s a bonding experience for many. From late nights working through problems with fellow classmates preparing for a final review, these relationships can be only obtained in architecture school at the School of Architecture and Planning. A strong studio culture has been built with students regardless of year, collaborating together whether in studio or down in the Fab Lab. The studio culture built in the architecture program at UNM is one of a kind. Preston Rogers is a freelance reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at photo@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
PHOTO STORY: Built for learning: How architecture enhances the architecture school experience
December 1Most buildings on campus are designed in a manner that best suits what is being taught there, and George Pearl Hall is an excellent example of this. Two of five floors are filled with studio spaces where students in their second year and up each have their own space, providing an environment that can be adapted to their needs. Throughout the building its infrastructure is exposed, allowing students to measure steel beams and use the infrastructure as a guise for their work. The building’s “Crit Bridge” is a cradled bridge over the underground courtyard that serves as multifunctional space for holding events, student reviews and as exhibition space for student work. It’s not just these spaces, the entire structure is used as a reference for students as they continue to learn and develop their own projects. Preston Rogers is a freelance reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at photo@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
