Submitted by: Susan Palko-Schraa, San Juan County, New Mexico update - October 2020
There’s been a lot going on in the local food scene in Northern New Mexico this year!
Supporting markets -
Erin Havens with Harvest Food Hub - San Juan College - mobile farmers market, and in the process of putting in a kitchen for value added products. One of the most exciting things is they have an online ordering - for a one stop Buy Fresh, Buy Local - from local farms. Allows farmers to have a single contract with the farmers - to coordinate with school districts, restaurants, CSAs etc. Farmers are paid immediately. There are regular farmers markets in Shiprock, Bloomfield, Aztec & Farmington. (Support for growers to get their local food out in the community).
Growing new farmers-
Northern New Mexico Young Farmers Alliance Wes just hired to match available land with growers and help create leases. New farmer training class with Bonnie Hopkins with NMSU Extension Office. Farmer incubation training program. Land given to the Extension office in Aztec - small land plots for new farmers: for mentorship & demonstration (composting, no-till, etc).