If you meet her on a trail – steady pace, Bernese Mountain Dog beside her – you might assume Monique Reed grew up in the Sangres. But she didn’t. Her path to Westcliffe began far south, shaped by Texas work ethic and a lifelong dream of living closer to the land. Monique spent nearly 20 years in banking across San Antonio and Austin, raising her daughter while earning her bachelor’s degree from St. Edwards University. Evening classes, full-time work, full-time motherhood – she made it happen because her dream, even then, was simple: keep growing. Her mother was born on a Wyoming ranch, and that legacy tugged at Monique for years. “I always felt the mountain and agricultural life calling. Goats. A donkey. A small…
