Tiana Suazo recently completed her second internship with Ogallala Commons. Back in June, she began her first internship with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation (TCEDC). Much of her work with TEDC revolved around The Taos Farm Stand Market. As Tiana completed her second internship, we asked how the experience had impacted her life, and she replied, “The internship has had a great impact on my life, especially when it comes to my career choice. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do career-wise, but now I’m getting to the point where I know that what I want to do is farm. The internship has introduced me to farming and how great it is, and how I want to incorporate it in my life.”
Tiana shares more about her internship in the blog post below. Reading her words makes us even more excited for the possibilities that await our intern alums, and all that is in store for our 2015 Interns.
“Man how time flies! It seems like yesterday I just started my second internship with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation in August and now it’s already going to be November! The second time around things have been great. As I began my second internship I continued my work on the Taos Farm Stand Market. The market has been doing great and recently ended, for the season, on October 15, 2014. So far the market has made a little over $3,200, with approximately $1,600 of that money being paid to our consignors. I consider this to be a success because the market had very little to no money for its start-up. Now the market has more money to invest in advertising and will be able to switch to its original plan of purchasing in wholesale from its partners, giving them a steady flow of income. Hooray! The success of the market has led to the idea and start-up of a winter market which will begin on Tuesday November 21, 2014.
The winter market will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to five in the evening. It will focus on more value-added sales than produce, being that it is winter, but I’m happy to say we will have some fresh produce thanks to our very good friends at Red Willow, who have a furnace heated greenhouse! I chose to open the market two days out of the week this time because it increases the accessibility of healthy food for Taoseños and of course, it means greater sales! Doing the summer market also influenced me to have our market set up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. From the summer market I noticed that the farmers markets and co-ops we have in Taos, even grocery stores that carry organic healthy food, are located mostly on the northern end of town. I’m not sure what it is, maybe the distance, gas prices, or both, but Taoseños who live on the southern end of town don’t like to travel to the north end of town and Taoseños who live in the northern end don’t like to travel to the south end of town. So I want to provide a place on the south end of town where people could get healthy foods without having to travel so far from home.
Of course, none of this would be possible without my super awesome supervisors Pati and Terrie and everyone here at TCEDC and Ogallala Commons. Through them I have been able to meet some great people (shout out to Beto Rincon!!) and help out my community of Taos in the best ways I can. Working with them has been the greatest and I am so thankful for the opportunities they have provided me.”
Read more of Tiana’s internship experience here.
