by Ashleigh Sanchez
Daily Lobo
Produce isn't meant to be filled with chemicals, stored for months and shipped 200 miles, a local farmer said.
"And then you wonder why it doesn't taste good," Tony Montoya said. "The reason kids don't eat their vegetables is that the ones from the store taste terrible."
Montoya sells his farm's produce at the Downtown Growers' Market every Saturday since June.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"This market is really about community," said Eric Garretson, director of the Downtown Growers' Market. "And this is the biggest year we've had yet."
The market started in June and is open every Saturday from 7 to 11 a.m. until Oct. 20 at Robinson Park.
Garretson said too many products are imported that could be grown locally, such
as garlic.
About 75 percent of the nation's garlic is imported from China, even though it grows in all parts of the United States, he said.
"There's no sense in importing it," he said. "There is a vendor here that sells 270 varieties of garlic."
That vendor, Chispas, sells specialized garlic and peppers that aren't available in stores, said Amanda Mione, a grower.
Local food is beneficial for your body and for the state, Mione said.
"The better you eat, the better you feel," she said. "If you can support local agriculture, you're keeping your money in New Mexico."
Fruits and vegetables aren't the only locally made products at the market.
Sam Hernandez, owner of Eclectic Elements, sells jewelry made with recycled materials, such as game pieces from Scrabble.
"It reminds people a lot of when they were growing up," she said.
Hernandez said the market is exceptional because it is family friendly.
"You see someone pregnant one year, and the next year you see them with their baby," she said. "I've watched the kids grow up."
Mayor Martin Chavez said the event demonstrates the city's commitment to
sustainability.
"This is a product of neighborhoods working together and Albuquerque at its very best," he said. "We are joining with fellow Albuquerqueans to make Albuquerque completely green."
