For generations, a good saddle horse was the most important tool a rancher owned. It was used to check livestock, fix fences, and cover country that trucks couldn’t reach. Then came ATVs, and eventually UTVs, completely redefining ranch work. Today, farmers and ranchers rely on UTVs for irrigating, hauling water, stretching wire, and checking livestock late at night during lambing season. A UTV works hard all week as an essential ranch tool, then loads up the family on Saturday morning to head into the mountains. In many ways, it is the modern-day ranch horse.
For J&L Powersports owners Lauren and James, that connection between powersports and agriculture is personal. They don’t just repair ATVs and UTVs, they rely on them every day on their own local ranch to haul feed and water to their livestock. When a neighbor brings a machine into the shop off Highway 522, Lauren and James know it isn’t just a weekend toy sitting on the bench; it’s a vital piece of working equipment that keeps a family farm running.
That same work ethic drives their agricultural business, Lacy’s Lamb & Co., named after their daughter, Lacy. By raising sheep in the Questa and Cerro area, Lauren and James are able to provide fresh, locally raised lamb directly to area families, reconnecting people with where their food comes from and how animals are cared for.
Growing up alongside both family businesses, their toddler, Lacy, is already part of the daily routine as she’s learning how to feed stock, care for the land, and understand the work behind raising livestock. Respecting the animal means using as much of it as possible: the family processes their sheep’s wool into water-retaining fertilizer pellets—a game-changer for gardens during droughts—and tans hides so nothing goes to waste.
In small towns like Questa and Cerro, local businesses support one another, keeping hard-earned dollars working right here at home. Guided by their slogan, “Rooted in the Land. Guided by Tradition,” Lauren, James, and Lacy live by a simple philosophy: we are only caretakers of this land, working to leave it better for the next generation.
To get connected with Lacy’s Lambs, follow on Facebook at Lacy’s Lamb & Co., email at info@lacyslambco.com, or call/text 720-391-7718.
J&L Powersports LLC is located at 2627 NM-522, Questa. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. For more information, call (575) 586-2417.
