Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to say that Gary King was not the former governor of New Mexico. It has also been corrected to state that the auction will take place on Thursday, Aug. 29.
The King Farms, properties covering more than 5,700 acres in Santa Fe County, are for sale.
The properties, previously listed at $31,725,000, are now listed for auction Aug. 29 in Moriarty.
The majority of the King Farms — located near Dinkle Road — are currently agricultural land, but some community members worry that if the properties are sold to developers planning to build housing, a large project may further deplete the limited water resources in the area.
The original listing addressed the water supply concern and said there are 21 irrigation wells on site.
“This property is located in the heart of the prolific Estancia Groundwater Basin. This basin is known to have some of the best irrigation water in the state,” the listing stated. “Water quality is very good on the north end of the basin and the water becomes more saline moving south through the valley.”
Auctioneer Scott Shuman said that the King Farms properties are available to purchase individually, but potential buyers can bid competitively for more than one site at once. Bidders — not the auction or real estate company — decide the combination before making an offer. Shuman said he prefers auctioning properties because it allows buyers and sellers to know exactly which day the property will sell.
The auction listing is also directed at potential land developers.
“We’re offering it in tracks from 20 acres on up to 900 acres,” Shuman said. “If somebody has always wanted to have a home in the country and 20 acres, there’s land up north of Edgewood that would make outstanding development or a gentleman ranch kind of thing. And then there’s just great farm ground, so there will be some people who will either want to buy it to farm it, or they’ll buy it as an investment and rent it to a local farmer.”
According to for NM Attorney General Gary King, it is his cousin Sam King who is selling the properties.
The information session for the auction is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Moriarty Civic Center. The auction is scheduled for Aug. 29.
Gary King was the NM Attorney General but never the Governor.
I propose to put some solar farms to help reduce water draws for the longer term. Livestock can be raised under solar panels to stay cool and enjoy better pastures under shade as well. There is already a modest sized solar farm just below old Route 66 between Edgewood and Moriarty and I live not far from it and am damn proud of it!
I am concerned about the recent completion of fuel tanks near Route 41 just north of Moriarty because I suspect they will be used mostly to fuel future private owned gensets in the area which will mean increased air pollution for Moriarty .