Farmers Markets, weekly festivals

Our own weekly Mountainair Farm & Garden Market opens Saturday May 11, on US Hwy 60 in front of T&C Auto from 9am-1pm or sell out. This year the market is part of the WIC (Women, Infant & Children) Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.

Got questions? Want to know more about the market, volunteering, becoming a vendor? Email or call manager Rebecca Lueras, rebeccalue@aol.com, 847-0973.
If feed reader overflow is any indication, local markets are in bloom all over. Since the market announcement flyer did not come, as requested, in an uploadable-to-Blogger version, we're winging it with a link to the flier, contact information and copy because the more you know about farmers markers in NM and elsewhere, the better informed you will be as shopper, vendor or potential vendor. I can't do much about information hoarding or gaps in the flow but can and will do this. Look for regular posts here, on the iCreate Facebook page, Mountainair Arts, Announcements, to market to market and even Everybody Eats (new entry in the blogging string)

So you noticed, did you? Well yes, I did convert the flier to image format and posted it on the market Fb page. So why don't I have one to post? That is a (won't not can't) story for another time, another post.

In the meantime, take a virtual look around the world of farmers markets. The USDA blog is another good source, posting resources, news and informative articles ~ a recent one including directory of markets across the country. Don't bother looking for Mountainar: it's not in the Directory because no one submitted information (which, alas, does not submit itself) but is in the NM Farmers Market Directory.

Spring is in the air and it’s time to gear up for the outdoor market season. People are looking for fresh fruits, veggies and other goodies from their local farmers markets, and with a couple clicks of the mouse, the USDA National Farmers Market Directory makes the search easy.

While the directory holds obvious value for market customers, it is just as valuable to the farmers markets themselves. Getting listed in the directory is a great way to increase a market’s visibility.  If your market is already listed, you can use the same link to make sure the information we have online is accurate and up-to-date.

Davis Farmers Market ranked among nation's best

Farmers markets aren't just about veggies anymore. Some have become weekly festivals celebrating local food, says Gretchen Mais of the American Farmland Trust (also on Facebook and Twitter). Markets help visitors experience a community like a local. "It's a place for conversation and music and to taste the actual flavor of the region," she says. "You may not be buying sweet chard on your vacation to bring back to your hotel, but a lot of times you can buy a salad from the market to have right there." She shares some standout sites with Larry Bleiberg for USA Today

On Wednesday nights the Davis social calendar revolves around "Picnic in the Park." The market concert series includes food vendors, beer and wine sales, rock climbing, and kids activities. "On this long green lawn, people are throwing Frisbees and children are running around. A very social atmosphere," Mais says. Shoppers find the bounty of California, with berries, figs, olive oil, chestnuts, asparagus and dozens of other offerings. davisfarmersmarket.org The Santa Fe Farmers Market is also on this list of outstanding farmers markets.  The flavor of the Southwest is found at this market. "They make sure the food is coming from a very short distance," Mais says. "There are so many varieties of pepper and beans that you totally miss when you're not here. These heritage varieties really bring the cuisine to life." There's more, lots more, on local, national, even global, but this is surly enough for now. Any ideas for a series name or shall we wait to see if it names itself? Got ideas for stories? Send an email with "eat local" or "Everybody Eats" in the subject line to vanessa.vaile@yahoo.com