Let It Grow! Santa Fe Farmers' Market Cultivates Their Calendar

The Wednesday evening version of the beloved Santa Fe Farmers' Market at the award-winning Santa Fe Railyard has started up again and it's a great place to have a low-key, affordable, community-oriented farm-fresh meal in the middle of the week.

‍Wednesday's market is open from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. through September 27. Like morning markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the evening market features a wide range of products grown exclusively within 15 counties around Northern New Mexico, making it a truly local experience.

‍

‍

The Santa Fe Farmers' Market is among the highest-regarded in the nation. Because it requires that the growers themselves represent their food at their booths, there are no middlemen or women! A visit here will offer you expert tips for growing and cooking at home.

People are amazed at just how much is cultivated here in New Mexico. We have abundance, quality and variety. At the market you will find organic meats, freshly made goat cheeses, a vast variety of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade honeys, sprightly plants, artisan breads and much more.

‍

‍

On a recent visit I picked up a gorgeous salad accompanied by a fresh loaf of bread, a cup of blackberry lemonade and a bag of New Mexico Classic powdered incense which, later, filled my kitchen with exquisite aromas redolent of the region. Options get even more mouth-watering as seasons transition from summer into fall harvests. New Mexico follows only Arizona for total number of sunny days per year. This means our growing season is long!

‍

‍

At summer market gather up hand-picked peaches, an array of microgreens and a handful of shishito peppers to sauté in olive oil. At fall market find a variety of melons, squashes, leeks, garlic and root vegetables. Fall is also the season for New Mexico’s signature aroma: roasting green chile. If you haven't experienced this particular, smoky-earthy-mouth-watering scent before, you are in for an exceptional treat.

Evening market is smaller than the morning markets, but it is also quieter and less crowded. Visitors can engage in unhurried conversations with purveyors to learn about their specific crops and favorite recipes.The Railyard Park across the street has plenty of nooks and crannies where you can enjoy dining al fresco. Bring a stick of farm-fresh butter and something to spread it with and you’ll have all you’ll need for a fabulous picnic. Many Wednesday night markets have special programming, but nights without offer a quiet, chill vibe. So check out the farmer's market calendar for your preferred experience.

The El Mercado del Sur market serves Santa Fe's south side on Tuesday evenings between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. This market has amazing fresh foods and also offers food demonstrations, healthy eating tips and exercise classes through September 26. If this is valuable to you, please share using our social media links below. Buen provecho!

— Bonnie Schwartz

All images belong to the Santa Fe Farmers' Market