-and-
Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market beat out another competitor in our broader community, Farmers’ Market at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing in Sunland Park, to rank first in New Mexico for 2024.
A Las Cruces Digest Editorial Review
At the end of May, the Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market put out a press release calling for our broader community to vote for our local farmers market. Las Cruces Digest amplified their call and created one of the most read stories of the year.
As a result, the Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market topped New Mexico, again. The America’s Farmers Market CelebrationTM sponsored by American Farmland Trust “is the only annual ranking of the top farmers markets in the United States as voted on by the public.” Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market beat out another competitor in our broader community, Farmers’ Market at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing in Sunland Park, to rank first in New Mexico for 2024.
Nationally, the Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market (LCFCM) fell far short of its goal to be voted top in the nation; however, the competition was pretty stiff:
- Mt. Washington Farmers Market | Mount Washington, Kentucky | 10035 votes
- McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square | McKinney, Texas | 4580 votes
- Midtown Farmers Market Sacramento | Sacramento, California | 2896 votes
- Brookfield Farmers Market | Brookfield, Illinois | 2813 votes
- Troy Waterfront Farmers Market | Troy, New York | 2633 votes
LCFCM garnered 545 votes in total.
Original Article Published May 30, 2024:
Help Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market Be Crowned the Top Market in America
The Farmers & Crafts Market of Las Cruces (FCMLC) is encouraging supporters to cast their vote once again in the 16th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ by American Farmland Trust. Between June 1 – July 31, 2024, visit markets.farmland.org, find your favorite market, US! and vote to put it in the running for national recognition and cash prizes. Last year our customers voted their love for the market, resulting in our being 1st in the State of NM, 2nd in the Southwest and 27th in the nation.
Source: City of Las Cruces
In 2024, the Celebration will award$15,000 in total cash awards to the top five markets in America–$5,000 for first, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, $750 for fourth, $250 for fifth, and $100 to first in each state. These funds will be awarded to markets for marketing, communications, and other needs that help expand the market’s reach and impact.
American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national nonprofit dedicated to saving farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land, has run the Celebration for 16 consecutive years, elevating the increasingly essential role farmers markets play in providing communities with access to fresh, locally grown food and connecting farmers directly with their customers.
“In many regions, farmers markets have been vital to keeping existing farms in business, enabling new farms to get started, and creating jobs and opportunity in these communities,” said John Piotti, American Farmland Trust president and CEO. “At AFT, we believe that every farmers market in America is special in its own way, helping to connect farmers to customers, customers to healthy food, and the community to the local food system.”
“The FCMLC is the perfect outlet for our small, family run, farm for reaching our customers! We can homeschool and run the farm with our kids and then integrate them into the market environment when we bring them with us to the market. We all love conversing with customers, sharing our farm knowledge, while the kids also learn the economics of vending. The FCMLC is invaluable to our close-knit family lifestyle and philosophies,” said Michelle Pittsenbargar- Bodhi Farms- FCMLC Board of Directors Treasurer.
“Over 50 years in operation, 52 weeks a year, FCMLC is the most diverse center and outlet for local and regional farmers, ranchers, bakers, artisans and crafters offering the fruits of their work to the local residents and to visitors from all over the country. It is where we meet old friends and greet new ones, share information about our home, and make people welcome. We take pride in being the largest Market in New Mexico and one of the best in the U.S.,” said Dave Kerr, Creative Harmony Designs- FCMLC Board of Directors.
