Published in Questa del Rio News May 2024 Issue

Come enjoy music at Questa Farmers Market with Michael Rael & Friends on opening day, May 26. The market will meet every Sunday, 10 am to 2 pm until early October. Thanks to local growers, entrepreneurs, customers and community, this will be the 8th season!

We love every bit of the local food, youth intern energy and entrepreneurial spirit, but connecting all of us, rain or shine, is the music! Local musicians, you bring hearts together, make us dance, and keep good vibes flowing.

Every market is a celebration; here’s the music lineup for the season!  

May 26 Michael Rael & Friends

June 2 The Arcane Ramblers 

June 6 Nick Hans

June 16 Nick Hans & the High Desert Serenaders

June 23 Phillip John Brooks

June 30 Sanji Band

July 7 Noble Rider 

July 14 Owen Robert Johnson

July 21 Marlo Mortenson

July 28 Chris and Rodney Arellano 

Aug 4 Alex Garcia, At The Watertower 

Aug 11 Chris and Rodney Arellano 

Aug 18 Mark Dudrow and Martha Shepp

Aug 25 Kate Mann

Sept 1 Becky Reardon and Julie Hawley

Sept 8 Mark Dudrow and Justin Dean

Sept 15 Chris and Rodney Arellano 

Sept 22 TBA

Sept 29 Wilson & McKee from La Veta

Oct 6 Cambalache, Michael Rael & Friends & Everyone 

We’re happy to host music every Sunday and we’re honored to have each musician and group join all of us this season. Support local musicians; buy their merch, dance, enjoy, and, as Michael Rael says, song requests on a one hundred dollar bill. 

“Hola this is Michael Rael, one of the music entertainers in the local area for over 50 years. I really enjoy playing at the farmers market, especially with my grandson, The Deeds, Irene Martinez, Jimmy Baca, Dino Archuleta, Mark Boor and Bubba Beschler who comes to us from Pennsylvania. We’re at Rael market almost every Thursday night and so anybody that wants to join us, come in and have a fun night. So I enjoy doing that . . . and then we’re gonna be able to show off at the farmers market. Come by and enjoy all the different musicians that will come through the farmers market.”

Paid Youth Internship 

We will hire eight Paid Youth Interns this season. Our program offers work-based learning, mentorship and skill development focused on the local farm and market economic system. Interns are able to work on a variety of projects each season, which include set activities and additional opportunities tailored by the student to fit their interests. The intended age group is 14 to 18, however younger people may apply. We begin hiring this month! The application is open on our website, QuestaFarmersMarket.org.

Call to Food and Farm Vendors

More than ever, growing local food is up to all of us. To be a farmers market, eligible to accept EBT/SNAP and Double-Up-Food-Bucks, at least 50% of what we sell must be raw farm goods/unprocessed local foods (fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, meat, cheese). Local means grown within 100 miles of the market. Vendors may sell local prepared foods (SNAP eligible) and value added farm goods, and a small percentage of handmade items.

If you have SNAP benefits, you receive Double-Up-Food-Bucks (DUFB) automatically when you use your EBT card at the market. You’ll swipe your EBT card for $20 and you’ll get another $20 to spend on local fruits and vegetables, doubling your money (this DUFB portion is a Federal grant).

Interested in being a Vendor?
Please get in touch with our Market Manager, Susannah Hall.
To contact us, call (575) 224-2102 or email growersmakers@gmail.com
You can find details on our website, questafarmersmarket.org/for-vendors/

We are a program of Localogy, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in Questa. Our mission is to support small farm, garden and food based businesses in northern Taos County, and youth through market internships and mentorship.