A headline in Wednesday’s edition of The Durango Herald began with “Four Corners farmers …” was not atop a story about the many large acreage agricultural farms and ranches that produce the quality mixed grass and alfalfa hay La Plata County is known for, nor the lesser amounts of oats and wheat. These farmers work a half dozen acres or less – more it is an orchard – in La Plata and Montezuma counties, and in San Juan County New Mexico, and are visible at community farmers’ markets.
They practice intensive food production, using small equipment and a lot of hand work to nurture the vegetables, fruits and herbs that go directly – after a rinse – onto the kitchen table. Produce recently harvested and handled with care always tastes better. So, too, the beef and pork, while the potted plants and cut flowers add color to a room.
We don’t know if anyone is counting, but each season’s Saturday morning market in Durango looks to have one or two additional small acreage producers, often with names of families, geographical features or healthy living.
The growers’ circumstances vary. Some are closer to irrigation water than others, some are at lower elevations where temperatures are usually warmer. That’s the Aztec area. But cool nights and soil types can add flavor, so lands east and west toward Bayfield and around Mancos have their favorable attributes.
We suspect that farmers markets’ economics are, well, marginal. Sales may be $5 to $20 a customer, market days can be two or three days a week but nevertheless are few, and if a greenhouse is needed to get a jump on the arrival of warm weather, the structure and the heaters are expensive. Pump irrigation water? That probably requires some familiarity with mechanics and the payment of a monthly electric bill or the purchase of fuel. Applied to a limited number of acres, they are components of the term “intensive.”
We do see more canned and frozen jams, sauces and drinks (the apple cider producers around Dolores) that are available at the many local-friendly retail stores and extend the sales season. That added value is likely critical.
A variety of gift assortments of all Durango-produced items are numerous.
A community is a better place thanks to the small producers who have a presence at a local market. With quality, we probably consume a few more vegetables, for one.
And for youngsters, with their parents, to see and hear up-close a farmer talk about the merits of his produce ought to at least partially dispel the belief that food emerges on a cart from somewhere behind swinging doors at a mega grocery.
We look forward to the coming late-spring markets, and in the meantime will enjoy all that has been canned, dried, bottled and frozen.
