A local non-profit is working to reach areas in Doña Ana County that may not have access to fresh healthy food.
At a recent ribbon cutting ceremony at Klein Park in Las Cruces, La Semilla Food Center celebrated the launch of their farm fresh mobile market. The mission is to get fresh local fruits, vegetables, meats, and more to communities that may not have any nearby healthy food options.
Elena Acosta with La Semilla says it’s an opportunity for the food center to work with area farmers and communities to get healthy food to areas in the Doña Ana County that may be lacking access to healthy foods.
“Basically with that we will be partnering with local farmers and brining healthy fresh foods to them so they can purchase them, and if families are on S.N.A.P. they can also gain a dollar-per-dollar match through the double of food bucks program,” says Acosta.
At the mobile market we met Marilyn Heide who purchased items from the mobile market. Heide says that the mobile market is a great idea for people around Las Cruces who cannot make it to the Farmer’s market on the weekly-designated days.
“I know a lot of times I can’t make it to the market, I live on the north side of town and it’d be nice if there was a truck like this that could come up there once in a while. I love to buy local. I love organic; it’s just worth every penny that I pay for it. This is very reasonable,” says Heide.
According to 2012 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents (aged 2-19) are obese across the country. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich addressed the crowd at the launch of the mobile market. He says that at the federal level over the past few years there has been more of a focus on local horticulture.
“It’s sort of what you think of traditional agriculture in New Mexico. Chiles, squash, and other fresh fruits and vegetables that families actually consume, and away from commodity production. So we are putting more of a focus on things that are healthy for our kids to eat,” says Heinrich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uTq7uDNIp0&feature=youtu.be
The mobile market may help create local jobs, but also could further the mission of La Semilla Food Center. Carrie Hamblen, Las Cruces Green Chamber CEO and President, says the mobile market has two components to it.
“The fact that La Semilla now has a social enterprise aspect of what they do as a non-profit, so this is something that will make money, but its also serving the purpose of bringing healthy food to communities that don’t have access to it,” says Hamblen.
The kick-off was held at Klein Park in Las Cruces, located in the Historic Mesquite district of Las Cruces, where City Councilor Kasandra Gandara serves. She says that residents here can face challenges when it comes to getting healthy food and she’s happy that every week the mobile market will be outside a coffee shop in the district.
“This is really a dream come true, I think for folks that have lived here for a significant amount of time who feel that the access to fresh fruit and vegetables and meets is something that’s been very difficult to obtain, so to be able to have this parked outside of Beck’s once a week is really exciting for our neighbors,” says Gandara.
La Semilla Food Center says for details on where the mobile market will be in Doña Ana County, visit their website and social media.
Fresh Farm Mobile Market Dates:
- Chaparral Public Health Office
1:30-3:30 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month
- Anthony Public Health Office
10a.m. -12 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month
- Vado Elementary School
1:30-3:30 p.m. every Wednesday
- Beck’s Coffee Shop
9-11 a.m. every Thursday
- La Semilla Food Center Office
2-5 p.m. every Friday
- Farmers’ and Crafts Market of Las Cruces
9 a.m.-1p.m. first Saturday of every month
- El Paso Downtown Artist and Farmers Market
9 a.m.-1p.m. second Saturday of every month
- Ardovinos Desert Crossing Farmers Market
7:30 a.m. -12 p.m. every third Saturday of the month
For more info: info@lasemillafoodcenter.org
