Summer squash at the Española Farmers Market are there for the cooking. . .

You drag the early squash into the kitchen and your first thought is— what am I going to do with these treasures? That's the challenge and a question like this is asked repeatedly throughout the season. Many solve the problem with stuffed squash, and the filling has to be a favorite to justify adding it to a family cookbook. What's a top seller in your family? One Northern New Mexico resident specializes in her grandmother's cooking. And if a certain dish made a hit in the past, chances are that it's going to be popular in the present and future. We've heard of former New Mexico veterans who have moved away, but they come home and make sure they ship the ingredients of their favorite local produce to where they live now. And how about you? Just because a family member lives somewhere else doesn't mean they don't want to grow their own. If you use heritage seeds, chances are good that you can enjoy New Mexican dishes now and then, and again and again.

We accept WIC, Senior WIIC, EBT (SNAP) and fresh RX as well as cash money. This season we are offering Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) for SNAP customers. Each time you swipe your SNAP card, you will get an equal amount of bonus DUFB for purchasing fruits and vegetables.

It seems like the 2022 Española Farmers Market will last a long time, but don't be fooled! We plod on during our 24th season!

We set up outdoors in the city of Espanola, New Mexico, and operate from June through October on Mondays through the end of October 2022. When many businesses have closed or are operating at partial capacity, we are adjusting. Sometimes locals order from online herb businesses for difficult to find items. One example is the Rio Grande Herb Company in Albuquerque. Do a search on your computer. There are other similar businesses. One favorite is the "Herb Booklet: A Quick Reference Booklet of Traditional Remedies" written and compiled by Gerald Lovato and Phillip Sanchez Jr.

When you get to know the growers from the Española Farmers Market, ask them about some of the unusual and for many, unrecognizable, products among their more traditional offerings. Chances are that these are wild plants and herbs that have been popular and practical in the past. The odds are high that you either walk in or around many of these herbs daily. Connsider them for use along with other more conventional offerings. Choose wisely. You'll find out more than you ever want to know. There are generations of people in Northern New Mexico who find traditional herbs useful for what ails them. Find out by searching the internet database. And most of all, buy locally at the Española Farmers Market. Ask questions and get to know our market family. Be more than a customer. Encourage others to become growers and consumers of fresh produce available and appreciated locally. Two of our many friends at the Española Farmers Market:

The fresh corn is maturing. Cook and eat corn picked the same day as you eat it!

Those fans and produce buyers at the Española Farmers Market have something special for all of us. We've said this before, and we're saying it again...The farmers market in the city of Española is one of Northern New Mexico's best kept secrets. We don't have to advertise the fun, the inexpensive available produce, and the special events scheduled all through the season. We know about it, and that's what counts. Folks tell others and the word gets around.

We accept WIC, Senior WIIC, EBT (SNAP) and fresh RX as well as cash money. This season we will again be offering Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) for SNAP customers. Each time you swipe your SNAP card, you will get an equal amount of bonus DUFB for purchasing fruits and vegetables.

Española Farmers Market has great produce! from Marguerite Kearns on Vimeo.

But you must get ready and plan ahead. Fresh steamed corn can be messy, but it sure is good. Turn your back on husked corn stored in plastic at your local food store. Ask Sabra when the fresh local corn is ready for harvest. Make sure you have the appropriate seasonings on hand. Invite friends and family members to share the bounty. Make the best of what the market offers.

Locally grown apples are a hit at the Española Farmers Market. . .

We accept WIC, Senior WIIC, EBT (SNAP) and fresh RX as well as cash money. This season we will again be offering Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) for SNAP customers. Each time you swipe your SNAP card, you will get an equal amount of bonus DUFB for purchasing fruits and vegetables.

Many of the apples at the Española Farmers Market are from old orchards that have been cared for with tender loving care for generations. There are apple recipes galore, and some area residents who make such terrific apple pies that folks line up for miles. If you have a terrific local recipe, make sure it is published in the market blog. See Sabra Moore for more information to submit it to market blog editor Marguerite,

What's going on at the Española Farmers Market on the 4th of July? It's our 24th market season...

It's not every year that the Española Farmers Market is open exactly on the 4th of July. But this year it is. And that's how you can combine meeting and greeting and loading up with fresh produce for some terrific holiday meals. See you at the market tomorrow on the 4th of July.

We'll have something special on the 4th of July, such as Don Bernardo y los Ultimos and other musicians. We accept WIC, Senior WIIC, EBT (SNAP) and fresh RX as well as cash money. This season we will again be offering Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) for SNAP customers. Each time you swipe your SNAP card, you will get an equal amount of bonus DUFB for purchasing fruits and vegetables.