GREEN CHILE CROP EXPECTED TO BE STRONG

A look into the crystal ball suggests a great season for New Mexico green chiles. This is such good news that the Associated Press story circulating throughout the state has been appearing in the news media around the country. With no diseases, fungal or insect issues on the horizon, growers and consumers are gearing up for a great season. And this means plenty of frozen chiles to last throughout the winter.

WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE ESPANOLA FARMERS MARKET?

There's plenty that's new. Indian bread is back. On a market day, it isn't unusual to listen to musicians, buy freshly made sprouts from Taos Home Grown (five types of sprouts, crackers and raw food). They also post recipes on a blog (www.rawfoodepicure.blogspot.com). You'll find honey, squash galore, lettuce, garlic, onions, radishes, fruit and many surprises. "Zephyr" De Pino offers herbal salves, a horsetail toothpaste, and a guide of handmade examples of wildflowers used in northern NM for medicinal purposes. The students were also busy with the wildflower garden.

QUELITES or LAMBS QUARTERS: Recipe for the Week

Quelites, also called lamb's quarters, are a real bargain this week. Quelites sell for about $2 for a huge bag. It's a delicious wild green. Saute onions in a skillet and maybe also cook salt pork. Then pull the leaves off the quelites and discard the stems. Some people feed them to their chickens. Chop up the leaves and while the skillet is hot, throw them into the skillet and stir until limp. Then add a tiny bit of water, turn off the flame and smother the greens for a few seconds, then eat.

WILDFLOWER GARDEN PROJECT AT ESPANOLA FARMERS MARKET

The Espanola Farmers Market will be hosting five high school students at the Market starting Monday, June 29th. The students will be working with a rotating series of farmer/ mentors to shape and plant our forty-foot wildflower garden at the entrance to the Market. They will create eight oval beds lined with river rock, install wood chips on the garden paths and install a picket fence around the garden’s perimeters. They will also learn how to make a red worm compost and plant the garden with a variety of native and cultivated plants. The Market welcomes donations of flower bulbs or native wildflower seed anytime during the month of July. The students will work with the farmers for nine Market Mondays and also assist farmers as needed. The Wildflower Garden Project is funded by the New Mexico Community Foundation and the Pojoaque Valley Fund.

Next Monday, The Missing Parts, a blue grass band from Tucson, Arizona, will be performing at the Espanola Farmers Market from 10:30am until mid-afternoon. Visitors are invited to stop by the Market to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, look at our wildflower garden in progress, and enjoy the music.

FIRST DAY OF 2009 ESPANOLA FARMERS MARKET

On the first day of the Espanola Farmers Market, there were 15 vendors, more than any other first day opening the season. The anticipated changes are many, and the number of vendors and shoppers are expected to skyrocket as the season progresses. Here's a special highlight of the market on its first day --the arrival of Paulie's Ice Cream truck. It has been a regular feature at the Espanola Farmers Market for the past nine years:

Michelle and Ciddio of Esquibel Orchards had plenty of cherries and greens spread out on their table.

Cherries were the specialty of Peggy, Elefio and Methias Montoya.

Onions were plentiful, as well as peas, salad greens and chard. Sprouts are a new item. And underlying everything was the tender loving care of gardeners and farmers who proudly displayed freshly-picked fruits and vegetables.

GET READY FOR ESPANOLA FARMERS MARKET'S OPENING DAY

Monday, June 15th is Opening Day for the Espanola Farmers Market’s 2009 season. We invite the public to visit the Market at 1005 N. Railroad Avenue from 10 am- 5pm and enjoy the first fresh fruits and vegetables of the season -quelites, sweet peas, lettuce, mixed greens, onions, garlic, herbs, peaches, apricots, plums and other fruits.

We will have horno bread (we welcome the return of our Pueblo horno bread baker), pastelitos, honey, jams, USDA-certified grass-fed lamb, dried chile, beans, blue corn meal and other special treats.

We have enlarged the market area to create a shady comfortable plaza with spaces for thirty vendors, more shade canopies, tables and chairs for our customers, and additional public parking spaces. A wildflower garden will grow this summer, as students work with farmer/mentors to shape and plant the garden near the Market entryway.

The Market accepts WIC, Senior WIC, SNAP (formerly EBT) and Debit cards. Espanola Farmers Market will be open every Monday, including holidays, from mid-June through October. Children can select a free book at our Kids Book Exchange. We also have a colorful selection of Market aprons, tee shirts or post cards and issues of A Farming Chapbook from previous Market seasons. Come visit us! Every Market Monday is a special event!

NEWS OF INTEREST!

Gene Lopez is in the state, US and international news with his concern that local New Mexico chiles may be in danger of extinction. The Associated Press carried the story. Gene roasts chiles at the Espanola Farmers Market.

Farmers' market season is upon us. The publication Edible Santa Fe has a listing of area markets in its current issue. The Espanola Farmers Market is on the list.

ESPANOLA FARMERS MARKET TO START NEW SEASON

June 15th opens the 2009 season for the Espanola Farmers Market. The theme of the season is "MORE." There will be more vendors, more shade, more chairs for sitting and visiting. For example, there will be 14 canopies comparied to four last year. The participation in the market dramatically increased after the move to the new location. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available! During the summer and fall, the Espanola Farmers Market is open every Monday from 10 am until 5pm, including holidays, throughout the growing season. We are located at 1005 N. Railroad Avenue just down the street from the corner with Fairview.

Our hats off to the current board of directors for the behind-the-scenes work to keep the Espanola Farmers Market moving forward: Fred Martinez, President; Seraphine Montoya, Vice President; Patti Lounsbury, Secretary; Johnnie de Schweintz, Treasurer; Sabra Moore, Market Manager. Board Members: Rudy & Bernie Cordova (Espanola); Johnnie DeSchweintz (Santa Cruz); Leonard & Luz Lopez (Santa Fe); Patti Lounsbury (Los Alamos); Fred Martinez (Dixon); Mary Parsaca (Velarde); Sabra Moore (Abiquiu); Tomas Cordova (Fairview); Gene Lopez (Alcalde); Susio Lucero (Dixon); Joseph Merhege (Fairview); Elefio & Seraphine Montoya (Chimayo); Ida Salazar (Espanola); Clark De Schweinitz (Legal Advisor); Marguerite Kearns (Blog).

ESPANOLA MARKET MERITS SUPPORT

January 2, 2009, Opinion piece from the Santa Fe New Mexican

The compilers of The 2008 New Mexican Piglet Book are right! The farmers at the Espanola Farmers Market have shockingly exceeded their station and are no longer content to pile their vegetables onto the back of pickup trucks and pull over in a hot parking lot to sell their produce.

Our customers have gotten uppity as well. Many of them are low-income mothers and seniors using WIC coupons to buy home-grown produce. They like the new permanent site that the State Legislature funded with $440,000 "to purchase, design and develop land" for the market. The market even plans to install plumbing and indoor toilets! We give away free books to children each market day and plan to use the lower irrigated fields to teach students how to farm.

What were we thinking!? That the farmers who grow our food could have their own market place in the very same valley where they live and work? Let them eat vegetables!

Sabra Moore
Manager
Espanola Farmers Market

2009 HAS ARRIVED WITH PLENTY OF WEATHER BEHIND IT!

Farmers markets are receiving more attention these days in the larger discussion of focusing on local economies and reducing dependence on oil. Going green these days means going to your local farmers market. The 2008 season was proof positive of the new role the Espanola Farmers Market is playing in the lives of northern New Mexicans. It means produce locally grown and available to large numbers of people. Reasonable prices. Food for the table grown with love. No huge shipping costs. Carried from the field to the market to the table.

Happy New Year from the growers and their families and the many people responsible for the new Farmers Market site!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving from the customers and vendors of the Espanola Farmers Market! We have a lot to be thankful for. A new location. Record numbers of people buying fresh produce locally grown. We're spreading the wealth of friendship and another great year. See you in the spring.

ONLY TWO MARKETS LEFT IN 2008

October 20 and October 27th are the last farmers' markets for 2008. The vendors' tables are groaning with produce. Apples. Winter squash. Cukes. Onions. Garlic. Honey. And much more. Stock up for the winter.

ESPANOLA FARMERS' MARKET ON THE RADIO -KUNM

For the entire story on KUNM Radio, SELECT THIS LINK.

WINNERS OF NINTH ANNUAL VEGETABLE & BEST POEM CONTEST

Joan Logghe read some of the winning poems.

It’s been a fabulous year at the Espanola Farmers Market. On one day in August when there was a tracker, 1300 people showed up. “Our customer base has mushroomed,” said Sabra Moore, the market manager for the past nine years. On Monday, October 6th Sabra spoke to Deborah Begel of KUNM radio who will air a special radio feature about the market’s vegetable and poetry contest on the station this week. Are the gas prices keeping people at home and they're viewing the market differently? Is the market’s success because the produce prices are so reasonable? Is it because everyone wants to support their neighbors growing fresh fruit and vegetables? Or is it because the new market site is so appealing and accessible?

The annual vegetable contest demonstrates “...the perseverance of the farmers to adapt to local conditions,” Sabra Moore told the KUNM reporter who also interviewed shoppers, the vegetable and poetry judges. The new chapbook available for participants is "A Farming Chapbook Double Issue 2005-2006." The double issue for this year's contest (2007-2008) will be available next season. The book is free to participants but will cost $5 for others. Poetry winners will have their work published in the 2008 chapbook which can be picked up at the last market of 2008 on October 27th.

Each summer over 1,000 books for young people are distributed through the free children’s book exchange. Other new items include a compost bin for the flower garden and plans to expand the size of the market toward the back of the property and someday construct an adobe building for market events and meetings.

WINNERS ESPANOLA FARMERS’ MARKET NINTH ANNUAL BIGGEST VEGETABLE & BEST POEM CONTEST: October 6, 2008, Vegetable Judge: Chellis Glendinning/Poetry Judge: Joan Logghe

BIGGEST HEIRLOOM SQUASH
First Place: Eufelia Martinez, La Puebla
Second Place: Nicolas Romero, Vadito
Third Place: Mathias Mares, Chimayo

BIGGEST PUMPKIN
First Place: Elefio and Seraphine Montoya, Chimayo

BIGGEST APPLE
First Place: Eddie Esquibel, Dixon
Second Place: Susie Lucero, Dixon
Third Place: Seraphine Montoya, Chimayo

BIGGEST CHILE
First Place: Rosa Espinosa and Antonio Velasquez, Chimayo
Second Place: Luz & Leonard López, Nambe
Third Place: Rudy and Bernie Córdova, Hernandez

BIGGEST ROOT VEGETABLE
First Place: Nicolas Romero, Vadito
Second Place: Eufelia Martinez, La Puebla
Third Place: Eufelia Martinez, La Puebla

WILD CARD
First Place: Josie Gallegos, Velarde (giant corn)
Second Place: Luz López, Nambe (eggplant)
Third Place: Carmelita Martinez (basket of tiny vegetables)

VERY SPECIAL CATEGORY
Giant Pumpkin: Jeff Sandoval, Los Alamos

ODDEST VEGETABLE
First Place: Carmelita Martinez, La Puebla
Second Place: Elefio Montoya, Chimayo
Third Place: Rudy and Bernie Córdova, Hernandez

BEST POEM
First Place: Georgia Redd
Second Place: Sarah Blog
Third Place: Sachiko Cooper Dasilva
Honorable Mention: Vanessa Gonzales

NINTH ANNUAL BIGGEST VEGETABLE & POEM CONTEST

Monday, October 6, 2008. BIGGEST VEGETABLE AND BEST POEM CONTEST. Winners announced at 1:30 p.m.

Biggest pumpkin, biggest heirloom squash, biggest root vegetable, biggest apple or smallest apple, biggest chile, wild card outstanding vegetable. And best poem by a student about farming. Where? The Espanola Farmers Market. 1005 N. Railroad Avenue near Fairview.

Joan Logghe is the poetry judge and Chellis Glendining is the vegetable judge. All participants and winners will be included in next fall's Double Issue 2007/2008 of "A farming Chapbook." Double Issue 2005/2006 is available on October 6, 2008.

Deliver all poems and vegetable contestants to the market by 10 a.m. on October 6th Contest Day. For information, call 505-685-4842.

NEWS FROM THE MARKET: SURPRISES

The Espanola Farmers Market is full of surprises. It's more than the usual miracle of freshly-picked corn, vine-ripened tomatoes, shiny apples, onions so big they're like softballs, and more green chile roasting. Last week Jim Howard of Los Alamos set up shop to sharpen scissors, knives and small garden tools. It takes a while before people know he's there, but Jim's persistent. He's had a sharpening shop for the past six years. Denise Torrez of Espanola made a surprise appearance recently with handmade bird house gourds that she hangs in trees, on porches and carports. Hang them and the birds will come, she says. Sparrows, bluebirds, purple martins, wrens and robins.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE SMELL OF ROASTED CHILES

Gene Lopez roasted chiles for a long line of shoppers on Labor Day. The tables were loaded with fruit, squash, tomatoes, corn, apples, cukes, grapes and more.

SOY CANDLES FROM LUCRETIA'S CREATIONS

Tina Park and Joseph Stapleton were one of 14 venders this week at the Espanola Farmers Market. They're from Los Alamos and they urge everyone to relax and attain clarity when lighting a soy candle. They are 100% soy wax, all natural wicks, vegetable based colors and essential oils for scents.

GET READY FOR CHILES

The free chile roasting will be held on Monday, September 1st and upcoming on October 6th is the Ninth Annual Biggest Vegetable & Best Poem Contest. Put it on your calendar!

BREAD MAKER IN SPOTLIGHT AT MARKET

"Indian-Made Bread Banned From Espanola Farmers Market" is an article featured this week in the Rio Grande Sun. The Coriz family has been selling traditional bread, cookies and pies baked in their hornos at Santo Domingo Pueblo at the market for the past seven years, but last week, inspectors from the NM Environment Department asked Brenda Coriz to leave the market.

Brenda has a food safety certificate issued by the Indian Health Service, but the New Mexico Environment Department does not recognize the validity of that certificate outside of tribal lands. This narrow ruling could affect all Pueblo bakers who sell their delicious horno breads and cookies in farmers' markets, from food stands along the roads, at fiestas in Santa Fe and throughout the state.

A tribal-state task force has now been formed to look into this matter, in part in response to the actions taken against Brenda Coriz. Market Manager Sabra Moore is hopeful that this task force responds quickly and looks forward to the Coriz family once again selling their fine horno baked goods at the market.

IMPORTANT FOOD STAMP UPDATE!

Espanola Farmers Market will be able to accept EBT (Food Stamps) for the purchase of any fresh fruits, vegetables or other foods beginning on Monday, August 18, 2008. We will continue to accept WIC and Senior WIC and will also now be able to accept Debit Cards. Espanola Farmers Market is open every Monday from 10 am until 5pm, including holidays, throughout the growing season. We are located at 1005 N.Railroad Avenue just down the street from the corner with Fairview.

Visitors can find fresh produce of all varieties: quelites, calabacitas, local chile, sweet corn, horno roasted corn meal, chicos, many kinds of squash, pastelitos, okra, greens, onions, beets, carrots, potatoes, peaches, apples, garlic, horno bread, cabbage, fresh basil, osha, honey, and many other treats. We have USDA certified grass-fed lamb every third Monday. Children can select a free book at our Kids Book
Exchange. We also have a colorful selection of Market aprons, tee shirts or post cards and issues of A Farming Chapbook from previous Market seasons. Come visit us!

NEWS UPDATE

We will be accepting EBT (Food Stamps) and Debit cards starting in mid-August. Also, stay tuned for updates about the chile crop.

LAMB AVAILABLE NOW AT MARKET

Every third Monday market fresh lamb will be available. It started in July and will be on sale again August 18, September 15 and October 20, 2008. Robert and Jamey Archer (shown above) are driving down from Alamosa, Colorado where they're making available USDA certified grass-fed natural lamb. It's the only farmers' market in New Mexico where they're offering it for sale.

2008 MARKET IN FULL SWING

Rudy Cordova from Hernandez, New Mexico is among the local farmers selling out of the new location for the Espanola Farmers Market. He holds up two yellow squash that grew together. Squash is plentiful right now.

ANOTHER GREAT SEASON AT THE MARKET!

The Espanola Farmers’ Market held its COMMUNITY PLANTING DAY on Saturday, May 10th from10am-5pm. It's the beginning of the process of planting the market flower garden at our new site, 1005 North Railroad Avenue. Participants brought seeds, flower starts and gardening tools. The community flower garden at the market celebrates the start of a new season.

The Espanola Farmers Market opens on Monday, June 16th.