Fresh Finds

With more than 60 farmers’ markets throughout the state, there’s an abundance of ways to experience New Mexico’s agricultural bounty, talented makers, and some fine music. Here are just a few favorites. By Maria Manuela

Southwest

Farmers Markets are a good place to buy your fresh chile

Sierra County Farmers’ Market  

The artistic community in Truth or Consequences takes pride in their small but mighty market. Twenty local growers take over Ralph Edwards Park every Saturday (8:30–11:30 a.m.) from June through October with pomegranates, raspberries, watermelon, eggplant, onions, aloe, winter squash, pasture-raised beef, flowers, seeds, and more. Thanks to the grassy setting, live music, a children’s playground, and a skate park, the bounty is only part of the draw.


New Mexico True Certified Products Sold Here

Farmers & Crafts Market of Las Cruces

Rated one of the top farmers market in the country, the Farmers & Crafts Market of Las Cruces is open every Wednesday and Saturday morning from 8:30 am – 1 pm on charming Main Street in downtown Las Cruces. Spanning over seven cities blocks during weekend market, it features locally made hand-crafted items, seasonal local produce, foods trucks with a wide range of cuisine and roaming live entertainment. In the summer, there are special evening markets on set dates. The Wednesday day market features a smaller, more intimate setting on the downtown plaza.


Northwest

Farmers Markets

Farmington Growers’ Market 

Hosted by the Farmington Museum, the market spreads down Main Street every Saturday morning (8 a.m.–noon) and Tuesday evening (4–6 p.m.), June through October. A shaded park near the Animas River just feet away from the goodies provides a nice place to sit and enjoy your market finds. In an area ripe with agricultural families, about 30 weekly vendors sell peppers, radishes, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, apples, green chile, baked goods, and more.


North Central

Santa Fe Railyard Farmers Market

Santa Fe Farmers’ Market 

Started in the 1960s, the market in Santa Fe’s Railyard hosts vendors selling fresh produce, artisanal baked goods, local honey, farm eggs, apple juice slushies, and bundles of fresh flowers on Tuesdays and Saturdays (7 a.m.– 1 p.m.) year-round. Local musicians serenade shoppers, and nearby Sky Coffee Co., Opuntia Cafe, and Second Street Brewery sell refreshments.


Red Chile Ristra

Española Farmers’ Market

The abundance of the northern Río Grande Valley—home to some of the oldest chile varieties in the state—makes for a proud display at this market. About 20 vendors attend every Monday (10 a.m.–5 p.m.) from June through October. Look for Indigenous foods like horno bread and cota tea, as well as harvests of apples, pears, squash, corn, and melon. But this is more than a shopping experience. The community grows produce on-site and lends part of the three-acre space to other local groups like Tewa Women United.


New Mexico True Certified Products Sold Here

Taos Farmers’ Market

By welcoming growers from surrounding counties, this place draws crowds Saturday mornings (8 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) from mid-May through October. Up to 70 vendors take over Taos Plaza, offering hot dishes, meats, cheeses, flowers, and hand-crafted lotions, oils, and skin-care products. But figs, grapes, nectarines, plums, cucumbers, cauliflower, summer squash, tomatoes, tomatillos, and other produce are the main attraction.


Abiquiu Farmers Market

Abiquiú Farmers’ Market 

Just across the street from Bode’s General Store, the Abiquiú Farmers’ Market brings goods as eclectic as the northern New Mexico hamlet. On Tuesdays (4–6 p.m.) from June through late October, around 20 vendors sell tamales, quail eggs, live birds, jams and jellies, fresh bread, and oodles of produce. Abiquiú farmer Gil Luhman grows delectable microgreens under the name Gil’s Greens. Roasting chile wafts through the air when it’s in season, and local musicians play sweet tunes.


Central

Albuquerque Growers Market

Downtown Growers’ Market 

Albuquerque’s Robinson Park bustles on Saturday mornings (8 a.m.–noon) from June through early November with more than 120 vendors at this 25-year-old market. Grab a coffee (or kombucha) and a made-fresh breakfast burrito or muffin and wander stands filled with honeycomb, potatoes, salad greens, fennel, peas, apples, squash, pumpkins, tomatillos, pears, and raspberries. You’ll also find ceramic planters and handmade soaps, jewelry, apparel, and cut flowers.


Cedar Crest Farmers Market

Cedar Crest Farmers’ Market

While this East Mountains town may have only about 1,000 residents, it hosts up to 300 attendees to the Triangle Market parking lot on Wednesdays (3–6 p.m.) from mid-May through mid-October. You’ll find fresh lettuce, squash, carrots, melons, meats, baked goods, and even houseplants and trees. Makers and artisans join the group with woodcarvings and other crafts.


New Mexico True Certified Products Sold Here

Los Ranchos Growers and Art Market

Market tables for the May markets will have an assortment of lettuces, greens, microgreens, green onions, spring green garlic, eggs, honey, salmon, beef, various local food products and breads/pastries (gluten and gluten free). This is a great time to select locally grown bedding plants. Toward the end of May fresh peas start at the market tables. In June the market tables will have a greater variety of locally grown produce, and the start of the fruit season. Different types of basil will be available. Beets, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, salad turnips will join the first of the beans, and perhaps early summer squash.

The Los Ranchos Art Market is a wonderful place to find creative and unique products handcrafted by New Mexico artists.  Available products include jewelry in various styles and materials, pottery, wind chimes, soap, quilts and other fabric creations, leather products, embroidery, upcycled furniture, wall art in various sizes, styles and mediums, knives, walking sticks and photographs.  There is always something new to discover!


New Mexico True Certified Products Sold Here

The Rail Yards Market

The Rail Yards Market of Albuquerque operates on Sundays from 10am-2pm during the months of May-October. We are a non-profit run growers' market, originally established in 2014 by volunteers and neighborhood residents, celebrating all things local and at the heart of New Mexican culture. We are much more than your typical farmer's or grower's market; every Sunday you can peruse 100's of New Mexico's finest food, farm, artisan, and healing vendors, hear live musicians, and come away enriched from our educational and demonstration zones for kids and adults! All this is  located at The Yards in the historic Barelas neighborhood in the heart of our City!


Northeast 

Famer's radishes

Tri–County Farmers’ Market 

With Wednesday and Saturday markets (8 a.m.–sellout) from May through October and a Saturday market (11 a.m.–2 p.m.) the rest of the year, the Tri–County Farmers’ Market, in Las Vegas’s Plaza Park, is the freshest spot to nab crisp greens even in the dead of winter. “Many of our growers have greenhouses,” says President Carol Horowitz. For more than 40 years, farmers and ranchers have been meeting to sell their bounty of eggs, radishes, garlic, potatoes, onions, summer squash, pumpkins, chile, fresh floral bouquets, ristras, and homemade candy, pies, and cookies.


Southeast 

Roswell Farmers Market

MainStreet Roswell Farmers’ Market 

The Historic Chavez County Courthouse hosts the buzzing MainStreet Roswell Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings (7–11 a.m.) from mid-July through mid-October. The courthouse lawn is surrounded by giant trees that shade visitors and the 40-plus vendors selling pecans, peppers, herbs, honey, eggs, seasonal produce, and handmade local crafts (alien-themed painted rocks, anyone?).

 


Carlsbad Farmers Market

Carlsbad Downtown Farmers & Makers Market 

Around 30 vendors turn out each Thursday (5:30–7:30 p.m.) to the Eddy County Courthouse lawn, bringing fresh farm goods and handmade crafts with them. From May through October, this farmers’ market includes local makers and showcases all the talents of the local community, including live music.