Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute Hosts Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández 

Photo caption starting from the top left. Development and Communications Director Janice Mayer introduces the Congresswoman to the littlest farmer, Mabel; 2022 Farmer All Star Annie Krahl of Annie's Herbs offers the Farmers' perspective on processing WIC and DUFB transactions with Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández; 2021 Farmer All Star Marie Carter and the Congresswoman enjoying the scent of lavender decorative pieces; 2022 Farmer All Star Rosa Maria Alcantar of Rocio Produce discusses her beans for sale at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Booth; Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández pictured in the Institute Conference room; Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández engages with Sherry Hooper of Food Depot.

On December 20, 2022, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández visited the final Tuesday market at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market in the railyard of the season and convened a meeting of nonprofits in the small-scale agriculture and food insecurity arenas.

Over Whoo’s Donuts –a Santa Fe local favorite – and coffee, Representative Leger Fernández met farmers, ranchers, and participants including Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute Board Secretary, Mary Dixon of Green Tractor Farm, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market President, Jennifer Fresquez of Monte Vista Farm, Market Manager Nery Martinez, and Manny Encinias of Trilogy Beef Community. Teresa Leger Fernández also visited several booths staffed by Farmer All Stars: Annie Krahl of Annie’s Herb Farm, Marie Carter of El Jardin De Flores, and Rosa Maria Alcantar of Rocio Produce.

Pam Roy is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Farm to Table, a New Mexico nonprofit organization working on regional food and farming issues including community capacity building focused on affordable and nutritious food access. As Coordinator of the Santa Fe Food Policy Council and the New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council, Pam was contacted by the Congresswoman’s staff to suggest participants for the meeting. Roy said, "Having been involved in agriculture all my life, I welcome the interest and dedication of Congresswoman Leger Fernández and her staff to advance important programs for farmers and ranchers, while strengthening programs and reducing food insecurity in our communities. The NM Food & Agriculture Policy Council appreciates the opportunity to work with the Congresswoman and her staff to advance federal programs that are important to New Mexico." In addition to Roy, key presenters at the meeting hosted by the Institute in the conference room were Sherry Hooper, Executive Director of the Food Depot, David Sundberg, Program Development Director of the Institute, Betsy Cull, Director of Student Nutrition, Santa Fe Public School, Kirsten Hansen FreshRx Program Coordinator of the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, Alicia Chavez, Impact Partnerships Lead, NM for FoodCorps, and Daniel Valverde, Director of Strategy, Appleseed.

David Sundberg described his experience in the meeting. Read more

Energy Rising to a Higher Level:

Visiting with Khalsa Family Farms, Inc.

January is National Mentoring Month, however for one of our Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Farms mentoring is a year-round activity. Sirivishnu Singh Khalsa, President of Khalsa Family Farms, Inc. shared his commitment to mentoring with us this week.

Located in Española, Khalsa Family Farms, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a deep commitment to community.

Khalsa Farms are located on property belonging to the 45 year old Sikh ashram community in Sombrillo, and is a support organization to Hacienda de Guru Ram Das, which maintains the Sikh Gurdwara (temple) and Langar kitchen serving Española and the broader Northern New Mexico community. With daily free kitchen offerings, the community serves folks from all over the area as well as those who travel to Northern New Mexico to experience the Land of Enchantment.

Photo caption starting from the upper left. Ripening tomatoes at the Khalsa Family Farm, Inc.

Lower left: Evaporative Cooler in Khalsa Family Farms Inc.'s 9,000 square Foot Greenhouse

Picture on the right: Tomato plants growing vertically at Khalsa Family Farms, Inc.

A sister organization, the Food for Kids program, supplies packaged food to elementary schools each Friday, ensuring that children eat well over the weekend. The community also supports Hearts and Hands, which assists local community members who are ill and/or need help at home. Khalsa Farms also contributes food and services to the Barrios Unidas Chimayó program “Abuelita's de Querencia” which supports grandmothers who provide childcare for their grandchildren.

Back at the farm, Khalsa Family Farms, Inc. offers an internship program where a cohort of interns learn best practices of organic farming, yoga, meditation, essential ingredients and herbs for a satisfying vegetarian diet, and culinary skills – all within a healthy drug and alcohol free living environment. Read the full story

Chef Shout Out – Marja Martin & Chef Nathan

Paloma Owner Marja Martin feels that she hosts a dinner party every night at her intimate Santa Fe restaurant on South Guadalupe Street. “I enjoy having people come into my space, and to have them greeted warmly, "she said, "adding that Chef Nathan Mayes and I wanted our restaurant to be an expression of love: love of the Santa Fe community, love of Mexico, and most especially love for the design style, restaurant culture, and local food in Northern New Mexico.” 

The successful team of Marja, a well-established caterer in Santa Fe, and Chef Nathan is the result of a Craigslist overture. “After decades of catering events and parties in public spaces and other people’s homes, I began to dream of doing something different,” Marja said. “I put my commercial kitchen up for sale, and Chef Nathan responded to the advertisement. When he came to look at the space, we began talking about what a great restaurant would be, and we found that we were in total alignment.” As a result, they opened Paloma together in 2017. Chef Nathan said that he envisioned the menu to be a “fresh interpretation of Mexican food, but to not get too far away from the blueprint. I want it still to taste familiar.” He and Marja have made extensive trips to Mexico City, Guanajuato, Morelia, and Oaxaca for culinary and design inspiration.

Chef Nathan grew up in a restaurant family and credits his father, legendary Austin, Texas restaurateur Charles Mayes, as one of his mentors. “I was working at dad’s restaurant when I was 14, and after graduation worked in a series of greasy spoons and sandwich shops before heading to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.” After an internship at Santa Fe’s Coyote Café, and restaurant stops in New York City, he headed back to Austin, where he worked for five years for Shawn Cirkiel, Executive Chef and Owner of Parkside Projects – his other mentor in the culinary field. Through these varied experiences, he learned “pace, intensity, and focus,” and developed a culinary curiosity. 

Located at 401 South Guadalupe Street in Santa Fe, the restaurant’s proximity to the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is no accident. All dishes on the menu are scratch-made in-house, and all ingredients are carefully and sustainably sourced. “We have a dynamic relationship with the Railyard Market. The produce is exceptional from August through October, and we change our menu in the summer to incorporate as much as possible,” said Chef Nathan. Marja has always been dedicated to fresh, local produce as well. “What would you expect from a daughter whose mother who was the Tomato Bowl Queen in Jacksonville, Texas?” she says with a twinkle.

The restaurant has sourced chicken from Grant and Val Wilson’s Lotus Farms, LLC. in Tijeras, corn from Schwebach Farm in Moriarty, white beans from Jesus Gonzalez at his Gonzalez Farm in Alcalde, and produce from Mathew and Nina Ladegaard’s Ground Stone Farm in Nambé, among other Santa Fe Farmers’ Market vendors. One farm stands out for them: Freshies of New Mexico, LLC in Velarde, which is owned and operated by Christopher and Taylor Bassett. Sun gold tomatoes, a huge variety of peppers, and oyster mushrooms are purchased from them. Marja added, “All of our desserts are made in-house, and when peaches are in season – there are none better than Freshie’s – we buy boxes of them!” Read more

Hold the Dates!

The Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute is holding a series of parent and toddler readings in collaboration with the Santa Fe Public Library. Three FREE sessions will take place at the Southside Library Branch

(6599 Jaguar Drive Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507).

On Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 11:30 join former preschool teacher Mary Dixon of Green Tractor Farm as she reads from a selection of farm-related books such as Everyone Eats! (Written and illustrated by Julia Kuo), Farmyard Beat (By Lindsey Craig and Illustrated by Marc Brown), and Apple Farmer Annie (Written and illustrated by Monica Wellington).

The series continues on Saturday, February 25 at 11:30am with Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute Operations Director Syri Mongiello reading (in Spanish and English) with her four year old son, Luca. The last session takes place on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 11:30am with Annie Krahl of Annie’s Herb Farm reading with her young daughter Mabel.

Healthy eating snacks will be served.

Please join us for these FREE to the public parent and toddler board book reading sessions.