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.
Looking back, I would say that I didn’t have very many challenges that were too crazy, other than applying for SNAP (EBT), which we are still in the process of doing but I am positive about the whole thing. There were not any major failures either, but I don’t want to speak too soon. I’m sure with the winter market, there may be some challenging points, but I’m not counting on there being any failures. I just know I’m going to do my best, and when the best is being done, not much can go wrong. J
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. J
