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Market Has a Lot to Offer
December 3, 2008
Market Has a Lot to Offer
Farmers' Markets
DENISE MILLER
For the Albuquerque Journal
Editor's note: Between growing seasons, Denise Miller of the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association spotlights local growers and their products. Her column appears the first Wednesday of the month.
What says holidays more than food, gifts and gathering with neighbors and friends?
Winter growers' markets and holiday fairs are a great way to include local food and crafts in those festivities and keep your dollars invested locally.
This time of year it can be hard to remember that local produce is available. Winter markets in Corrales and Los Ranchos are monthly.
The farmers' market in Eldorado, just south of Santa Fe, closes in mid-December.
But the Santa Fe Farmers' Market continues its weekly Saturday schedule throughout the winter.
The winter selection of produce reflects the season, but many growers use greenhouses to grow tomatoes and greens, like spinach, kale and cold-hardy lettuce varieties.
Vendors also will have root veggies such as carrots, sunchokes and potatoes, as well as stored onions, garlic and apples.
Other locally produced foods such as eggs, meat, cheese, salsas, specialty vinegars, dried herbs, jam, honey, baked goods and cider abound at markets.
And in December, when nearly everyone needs a gift or two for someone dear, growers' markets sell handmade arts and crafts.
Dried flowers and arrangements, lotions, soaps, lip balms, ristras and ristra arrangements are made from locally produced products.
Lotions like those made by Mary Jane Rodriguez of Corrales are free of pesticides and chemical preservatives. They are formulated specially for New Mexico's dry climate.
"I used to be a nurse and needed to create lotions that would stand up to heavy usage," she said.
She grows her botanicals, such as lavender, lemon grass and rosemary, and buys local products like a neighbor's honey and South Mountain Dairy's milk for her popular goats' milk products. "My husband won't let me have a goat," she added.
Rodriguez regularly sells the lotions, balms and men's shaving soaps at the Corrales Growers' market. But she also will have gift baskets at the Dec. 7 market.
At Los Ranchos Growers' Markets, folks can sample the flatbread with roasted apples and veggies by Randy Shamlian, the pie guy. He is the market's guest chef for December.
The Los Ranchos market regularly features a local chef or a market vendor who's a chef to show customers how to use local produce.
Shamlian will discuss how to use seasonal produce with breads and pastries. People also can order his holiday pies, breads and other goodies.
The market will have hothouse tomatoes, greens, oyster mushrooms, locally made pasta, trees, wreaths and seasonal plants, plus many arts-and-crafts items.
Need a sweet gift idea for visiting friends and family? How about a gift package of locally produced honey from Bee Chama Honey, or a case of Heidi's Organic Raspberry Jam.
If all the shopping makes you hungry, try the posole, burritos, coffee and cider from Geri Aragon, who will take orders for holiday tamales and pastries. Music by Rob Roman will round out the festive atmosphere.
Those in Eldorado or near the U.S. 285 corridor on the first two Friday afternoons of December can stop by the Eldorado Farmers' Market for root vegetables, grass-fed meat and poultry, goat cheese, salsas, knife sharpening services, and specialty soaps and crafts.
In Santa Fe's new farmers' market pavilion, growers usually are prohibited from selling crafts or artwork. In December the rules are relaxed for regular vendors at this 10,000-square-foot market.
Longtime grower Pete Dougan of Dixon will bring functional stoneware and micaceous clay bean pots that were pit fired to the market.
"I tend to make stuff for food," he said. "I like the earthy, nice balance of working with clay and growing food, but if I had to pick, I'd say growing food is more interesting."
Dougan also will sell onions, garlic, carrots, spinach and, perhaps, lettuce.
Jewelry, ristra decorations, beeswax candles and soaps will be for sale, too.
The Railyard Holiday Fair by the Santa Fe Farmers' Market is Dec. 21-23. More than 40 vendors will offer food, arts and crafts, hot chocolate and cider. A kids corner will feature storytelling, music and art activities.
So, while the weather may be chilly outside, find a warm spot at a growers' market and continue to enjoy the fruits of homegrown grown talent -- food and art alike.
