Wednesday might have been the last scheduled Aztec Farmers Market of the season, but co-manager Pauline Pao hopes to keep the winning streak going.
“We’re trying to go another two weeks,” she said, depending on the weather.
Pao, market manager since 2008, was joined in 2020 by co-manager Kasey McCune.
“She’s here doing like the nuts and bolts, setting up the market, talking to the customers, working with the SNAP machine and the Double-Up and directing the volunteers. I do a lot of the background stuff like the bank account and paperwork for the market,” Pao said.
“Over time I was able to build the funds for the market,” Pauline said. At the end of 2020, the Northwest New Mexico Growers Alliance received a three-year grant that allowed managers to receive some paid compensation. Through grant-funding, Pao serves as the regional coordinator for the alliance, a part-time position.
The seven member markets in the Alliance are Aztec Farmers Market, Bloomfield Growers Market, Kirtland Growers Market, Farmington Growers Market, Shiprock Farmers Market, Downtown Farmington Makers Market and the Food Hub Mobile Market.
EBT, SNAP and WIC are all accepted at the markets, through dues-paying membership with the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association. Pao explained the Double-Up program, in which a shopper’s EBT card is processed for a designated amount and the issued tokens are doubled in value.
Pao handed a $5 coupon to every person entering the market on Wednesday, a warm, breezy day. She said the “promotional funds” were made available through the N.M. Farmers Marketing Association.
The maximum number of vendors during the season was about 20. Wednesday, there were about 10, which included diverse offerings.
Shay McCormick of Aztec said business was “good, been really great. I make breads, cakes, jams, candies – all kinds of goodies.”
“I do a lot of the mixing,” said her husband, Devin McCormick. “I let her do all the measuring, all the brain stuff. … I’m just the brawn of the operation.”
Pedro Garcia, who works at Sunnyside Farms in Durango, offered chorizo sausage, bacon, maple and green chili links. After 35 years here from Mexico, Garcia shared that in two weeks he would “go through the ceremony” to gain his U.S. citizenship.
Volunteer Joan Symonds said her favorite aspect of the market was “meeting people, we have a great group of vendors – it’s like a big family.”
Co-Manager Kasey McCune expressed her appreciation for all the “the farmers … and the customers.” She said they’re looking for more fruit vendors since the closure of Kirby farm. And she touted the tamales available at the market.
J.R. Skyes and his son Owen, 14, offered samples of delicious, juicy heritage tree apples and edible nasturtium flowers from his backyard in Aztec. The flowers offered “micronutrients,” he said.
Karl Fox and his wife, Tipi, from Thailand, sold his honey and raspberries. Karl said his raspberries were not FDA-certified organic, but they were not sprayed with anything, so in the “true sense of the word, they are organic.”
Nichole Honaker said she left work early to visit the market for the first time.
Mushroom grower Nathan Brenner showed his Black Pear King Oyster specimen. “Meaty protein, vitamins like vitamin D … good for cholesterol control,” Nathan said, adding that his Lions Mane variety promotes healthy brain function and rebuilds brain tissue and nerves.”
Taqueria Cielito Lindo, in Hutton Plaza in Farmington, sponsored the stand manned by Edward and David Valencia. David said the chicken and pork tamales they were selling would raise funds for their church, The Light of the World, in Bloomfield. Originally from Mexico, the brothers said they “loved the community, the people. … We feel welcome by everybody.”
Dane Parks, 23, of Better Harvest Farms, had tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, jalapeños, squash and cayenne for sale. His girlfriend, Raelynn Dusenbery and sister, Sierra Parks, greeted patrons at his stand.
“I like talking to the local people and having that connection,” Dane said.
Aylah Albright, 12, said she liked that the market was “open … not all jammed together.”
Owen Skyes, 14, touted the market’s prices and variety.
“You can get any kind of vegetables, and it’s a lot cheaper than any of the big stores like Safeway or Walmart. … “We have melons here that’s a cantaloupe-honeydew type thing – it tastes like a cantaloupe on the inside, honeydew close to the rind, and the outside looks like a dark green watermelon.”
Debbie Klein held up beautiful bell peppers grown by Blanco grower, Roger Prado. “Getting fresh vegetables for less than I pay at the grocery store. Good quality and very fresh,” she said.
