Rio Arriba County’s farmers’ markets have opened for the season; now vendors are just waiting on their crops to harvest.
The Ojo Caliente market opened June 5 and the Española market opened Monday. Although neither market offered many vendors or much produce, high hopes were expressed for the coming growing season.
“First day market is really slow because crops haven’t come in yet especially because people had to replant this year because of the frost,” said Patty Lounsbury of Brad’s Bees, a vendor of honey products at the Española Farmers’ Market on Railroad Avenue.
According to Sabra Moore, an Abiquiu-based artist who manages the Española market, the market will feature up to 32 vendors at the height of thegrowing season.
“The nice thing about a fresh market is that it changes each week,” Moore said.
Most of the eight Española market vendors present were selling early garden vegetables or produce from last year’s crops.
“It’s not too bad for being the first day and we don’t have much in yet,” said Rudy Cordova, a vendor selling fresh peas at the Española market.
It was slow opening day at the Ojo Caliente market, too.
“It’s still early for tomatoes and chile,” Ojo Caliente market coordinator Caterina Di Palma said. “We’re in a lull time between the new crop coming up and those that wintered over.”
The Ojo Caliente market, located in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, featured only one vendor and no produce. Zephyr Del Pino was selling medicinal salves and health products such as organic toothpaste. Del Pino also sells draw string leather bags that she makes herself and sage smudge sticks from wild sage
This is the second year for the Ojo Caliente market. Because of the cold May weather which began with a freeze May 1 and frosts as late as May 20, there will be almost no local fruit crop in the Ojo Caliente and El Rito area.
“Last year we had apples,” Catherine Borner, of Ojo Caliente, said. “This year, we’ll be selling greens.”
The Ojo Caliente market averaged about nine vendors last year, El Rito farmer Eddie Campos said.
Campos said greens such as radishes, several types of lettuce, greens and peas should appear at the market soon. Campos has planted crops such as melons specifically for sale at the market.
Although small in comparison with larger markets in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, vendors at the Española and Ojo Caliente markets take pride in their niche and some vendors prefer the smaller size.
“We have more of a down-home market here, as opposed to Taos where they get lots of tourists,” Lounsbury said.
The ability to keep local money in the community is another plus.
“Last year, we had $3,000 in sales,” Di Palma said. “That was money that stayed here in the community.”
The Española market operates Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will also operate a Friday market from 2 to 7 p.m. from July 16 through Sept. 17, the high point of the growing season. The market closes at the end of October. The Ojo Caliente market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dixon also has its own farmers’ market that is open Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. in front of the Embudo Library.
A correction has been issued for this story. An earlier version described Zephyr Del Pino as a doctor of Oriental medicine. Caterina Di Palma is a doctor of Oriental medicine. Del Pino is not.