Farmer’s Market: A Las Cruces Tradition
Farmer’s Market: A Las Cruces Tradition
By: Paul Dahlgren
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Whether it’s the scintillating aroma of fresh cooked kettle corn, or the enchanting strumming of an acoustic guitar, the lure of the 38-year-old tradition of the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market is bound to captivate your senses and capture your heart.
The bustling excitement surrounding the market is contagious, as droves of people flock to beautiful spreads of freshly harvested produce and delicate arrangements of handmade crafts from over 50 unique vendors.
“Good food, good people and good times… and with the economy the way it is, it’s [Farmer’s Market] a good social outlet” said Earla Kuhn, co-owner of Khun Farms, who has been a vendor at Farmer’s Market for several years now.
“After the salmonella scare, we really ought to know where our food is coming from,” said Khun and explained that although her produce is not certified organic, it is “local and natural, and that’s good enough for me.”
Along with a variety of food vendors, local products and crafts, there are a number of musicians that fill the market with lively songs that give passerby’s a real sense of nostalgia and a strong sense of the community that continues to thrive here in Las Cruces.
“The market has the best collection of unique items you’ll find anywhere,” said Gary Strein, a longtime vendor who sells unique silver jewelry at the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market.
The wide variety of crafts often yields insight into the culture of Las Cruces as items such as: paintings and photographs depicting the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of New Mexico, handmade jewelry with touches of local flare, such as precious stones from New Mexico, and even a number of hand painted retablos (traditional paintings of Catholic saints), populate the marketplace.
“It’s [Farmer's Market] constantly changing, with so many new people moving here and bringing in new products,” Strein said, and went on to say, “It’s a lot bigger than it used to be.”
First started in 1971, the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market has grown from just a handful of local farmers, to a lively marketplace filled with over 50 vendors, live music and ample food choices.
Aside from the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market in the Downtown Mall, there are also a number of Farmer’s Markets throughout Las Cruces.
The Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Las Cruces Farmers and Crafts Market is in the process of moving from the Downtown Mall to across the street, at the corner of Main Street and Las Cruces Avenue, starting September 5, 2009.
For more information of the Las Cruces Farmers and craft Market visit: http://lascrucesfarmersmarket.org/
