Back to the land: Desert Shepherdess Farm

In the sleepy community of Lemitar, the bleating of Awassi and Karakul sheep, the yap of rescue dogs, braying of donkeys and the shy laughter of children ripple through the still air, carrying with them the scent of chile and the previous night’s rain, inviting visitors to the farm of Marissa and Andres Gutierrez.

Entering the barn where the two older children busily string red chiles into ristras, the morning light and humidity create an ethereal haze on the eastern pasture, and Marissa laughs a big, welcoming laugh in braids and a handmade apron, one might feel a glimpse into an older, slower time.

“They’re fat-tail sheep from the Middle East,” said Marissa, gesturing to the fluffy creatures whose tails are in fact long and cartoonishly bulky. “They act like a camel’s hump and they can go long periods without food or water. They’re one of the oldest breeds in the world—some even say these are the sheep mentioned in the Bible.”

After many years as the shepherdess on site, Marissa said she’s finally at a place where she’s ready to take the next step and breed her flock for market, a career move that she and her husband have recently learned is in their DNA.

“Our first wedding gift from both of our dads were sheep,” said Marissa.

The fathers gave the newlyweds a small flock to raise for meat to sustain them and their growing family, but it wasn’t until recently that they learned about the important role sheep have played in the Gutierrez family.

Andres began buying the family farm back from his mother at just 19 years-old, but only last year learned that during World War II, his grandfather, Arturo Gutierrez, was in the army and sent money home when he was overseas. Arturo’s father used that money to purchase sheep so that when Arturo came home he was the owner of 600 head of sheep that he herded from their ranch in Horse Springs all the way to Magdalena.

Eventually, Arturo sold his flock and used the money to buy the ranch in Lemitar where Marissa, Andres and their three small children now work hard and prosper.

In learning about Arturo, Marissa discovered that her maternal great-grandfather, Leonardo Lucero, owned sheep in Algodones, NM, and that her relatives were shepherds in Durango, Mexico, as well.

Some of the original Lemitar farm was sold, but with the acreage they own now, Marissa and Andres are restoring it piece by piece. Some of their projects took a pause two years ago when they adopted a newborn, but Marissa says looking forward they are full steam ahead.

“My dream is to build this into a full-time operation,” she said. “Eventually, I’d love to have a small dairy for sheep’s milk and cheese.”

Alongside her livestock, Marissa keeps alive another cherished New Mexico tradition—making ristras. She learned the craft in 2019 from Steven Sickler of Snake Ranch Farm Stores and taught her eldest son and daughter who are now dedicated helpers, stringing chiles together like they were born to do it.

“At first, they were just Christmas gifts,” said Marissa. “Then people started asking to buy them. Now I make them every fall with chile from local farms like Bustamante and Snake Ranch.” For the Gutierrez family, this life—rooted in Lemitar’s soil and family history—is more than work, it’s a way of life.

“This life forces you to slow down and see that everything has its season—growth, harvest, rest. It’s taught me to see God’s hand in all of it,” Marissa said. “It’s humbling to realize we’re walking the same paths our grandparents once did. This land, these animals—they’re part of a story that started long before us. We’re just doing our part to keep it going.”

Her ristras, priced at $17 per foot, can be found on Facebook and Instagram via @Desert.Shepherdess.Farm, where she also shares glimpses of life on the farm.