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Farmers’ Markets and Local Foods
Cultivate an Interest in New Mexico Foods New Mexicans and visitors support more than 50 official farmers’ markets throughout the state. You won’t find imported pineapples at these lively community events. Each market has a defined local area and only sells products grown, gathered, raised or caught by the people who sell them. From the season’s first tender greens and garlic scapes to pumpkins perfect for holiday pies, our markets offer the very freshest items in a kaleidoscope of colors. Even if you’re traveling from out-of-town, you’ll find plenty to buy, from pecans and pistachios to nibble as you shop to local cheeses, breads, and crisp carrots for a picnic lunch. In the later summer, be sure to bring a cooler to haul home some of our rightly famous freshly roasted green chile. A red chile ristra is a must as well, to keep the memory of your visit bright. Many of the markets sell meats too, including grass-fed beef, pasture-grazed chicken, lamb, and pork, along with bison, and even yak.
Direct sales allow farmers to receive the best price for their food, helping them stay on their land. Take the opportunity to talk with the farmers, finding out why they raise the crops they do and where. You may come away with lots of new recipe ideas too from these generous folks. Many of our farmers raise certified organic crops, and lots more raise their foods in healthy sustainable fashion, but forego certification because of the high cost relative to their small production.
Because most farms in New Mexico are small, with the whole family engaged in daily hard work, the bulk of them aren’t open for regular visitors. Some markets host farm tours in the early fall, one of the best ways to see the range of farm properties throughout the state. Check the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association for more information. Some farms welcome visitors at other special times, like Edgewood’s South Mountain Dairy, a small seasonal dairy producing pasteurized goat milk and yogurt, and fresh and aged farmstead goat cheese. Owners Donna Lockridge and Marge Peterson open the farm on several spring Sundays and can offer visits at other times by appointment. Ask around at any market for more examples.
A few farms offer U-pick times during harvest season, a great family activity. A couple of good options include Salman Ranch near La Cueva and Heidi’s Raspberries in Corrales. Plenty of farmstands pop up in season, with some of the most venerable in Velarde to the north and Hatch in the south. Dixon’s Apples near Peña Blanca in the state’s center is a hidden gem. The family has patented two apple varieties and grows several others on their 50 acres but only sell at the farm itself. The possibilities are bountiful throughout New Mexico, so dig in!
Click here for a map and info on farmers’ markets statewide.
Taste the Seasons! Click here for seasonal articles about our produce, livestock, and farmers, courtesy of the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association (All articles first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal.)
New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association
The New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association (NMFMA) is committed to supporting our state's farmers' and growers' markets. These markets are the most important survival line for small farmers today, offering them direct access to consumers, enabling them to make a profit and stay on their farms. The mission of the NMFMA is as follows:
- To promote direct marketing avenues for New Mexico agricultural products.
- To advocate for the interest and respond to the needs of farmers' markets and direct marketing farmers.
- To educate farmers and consumers about the benefits of direct marketing and the importance of supporting local agriculture and community.
Information on Farmers Markets in New Mexico is provided courtesy of the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association. For complete information about farmers markets in New Mexico please visit their website.
View a map of all Farmers Markets in New Mexico Here.
