Mobile Farmers’ Markets are Bringing the Market to You

Mobile farmer’s markets are bringing fresh, locally grown food directly into neighborhoods across New Mexico. We spoke with mobile market operations working in both rural and urban spaces to learn more about how these markets are working to address local food access around the state. 

The Frontier Food Hub (Frontier) is a program of The National Center for Frontier Communities, a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Silver City, New Mexico. Frontier emerged from years of Food Policy Council meetings, community input, on-the-ground research, and collaboration with growers, buyers, schools, food pantries, and regional stakeholders. Together, they worked to create a comprehensive, market-driven solution to the disconnection and underinvestment affecting the local food system. 

Today, Frontier does this through three primary efforts: supporting markets and local producers, supporting food pantries, and providing the Southwest New Mexico Seed Library. 

The Frontier Food Hub launched the mobile market in 2023. They work with dozens of local producers to aggregate local food for rural communities with limited food access. The mobile market currently serves Santa Clara, Deming, Lordsburg, and Columbus. 

Chase Sturdevant, Operations Manager said, “Many farmers in the area take their products to the Las Cruces farmers’ market. There have been attempts to start a dedicated market in the area, but the mobile markets have been a welcome solution.” 

Frontier Food Hub sources and supports producers in the area and then brings those goods to an accessible location on a regular basis. Programs like SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks, as well as WIC and the Senior Farmers’ Market Program, help extend access to local food. 

“The food access programs are helpful. Education on what programs are available is a big piece of ensuring the mobile market customers are aware of the benefits. Those that use the programs are always excited to bring home fresh food,” said Chase. 

Frontier is now working to bring their mobile market to new locations as some of its previous delivery sites—such as the Catron County Reserve and Glenwood communities—have established their own regular markets. Deming is also working to start a full farmers’ market. 

In an area of the state that has limited food access, the Frontier Food Hub Mobile Markets are making an impact and showing that local food is for everyone. Their mobile market season starts this month and goes through October. 

In a city like Santa Fe, home to a year-round farmers’ market, it may seem like local food is easily accessible to everyone. However, when the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute (SFFMI) began researching attendance at its markets, staff discovered that many community members still faced barriers to participation.

After nearly a year of community research, the SFFMI found that there were many barriers preventing Santa Feans from regularly attending farmers’ markets. 

“We found that parking access and operating hours of the markets were barriers for older customers, and customers with children. We also found that many residents did not feel welcome at the markets and felt that they were spaces for white, wealthy customers. This was difficult to learn, as we do see a diverse group of customers attending the markets. However, it gave us the input we needed to explore a mobile market option,” says David Sundberg, SFFMI’s program director.

The pilot year of the Tianguis Movil/Mobile Market started in 2024 with a grant to purchase a trailer, outfit it with a cooler, purchase equipment and tents, conduct promotion, and hire a few folks to help. Year one was a lot of trial and error and to establish the best times and locations for the market, and to communicate with the community. The market started in August and continued through December, providing about 50 market days in that time frame. 

During 2025, the program expanded to offer a full season, from April through November, providing more than 100 markets and pop-ups. David mentioned that consistency was a big part of success.  

The most recent victory for the Tianguis Movil/Mobile Market is being able to include food access programs like SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks for customers shopping at the mobile market. When a new SNAP location is set up, sales are tied to the location and hours of the outlet, but a mobile market is mobile! So locations and times vary. After about a year of working with the USDA and MarketLink, David was able to launch the third year of the Tianguis Movil/Mobile Market with SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, and for this summer only, Bonus Bucks. 

When asked what he thought the addition of these programs would do for the mobile market, David stated, “I think it will be a game changer this year. We’re anticipating an increase in sales with the addition of SNAP, and customers have been asking about it.” 

This year, the Tianguis Movil/Mobile Market opened in April and started taking its first SNAP transactions last month. Locations and times are available on the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute website (add link here). 

Mobile markets are bringing fresh food and local access to neighborhoods often left out of fresh food access. Like any farmers’ market, they are the result of community members coming together to address a need. With two successful examples in the state, these are models worth exploring. 

If you’d like more information about how these two nonprofits are making it work, reach out to either Frontier Food Hub or the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute. 

Frontier Food Hub – Mobile Markets

Tianguis Movil/Mobile Farmers’ Market