Food produced in New Mexico is showcased at the second-annual event, “HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market,” on Nov. 21-22 at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
Vendors from around the state will sell their products as the gift-giving season approaches. The event is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22. Admission is $5 per vehicle and the first 100 vehicles each day receive a free, burlap shopping bag. The bags can also be purchased at the event for $5.
The Museum is partnering with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the state's growers to offer great products to buy or sample. NMDA’s food demonstration trailer will be in the Museum’s Courtyard and free samples of New Mexico specialties will be offered. Santa Claus also will be on hand to pose for photos, and several authors will sign and sell their books.
Food items offered for sampling and purchasing include award-winning salas, pies, cookies, sauces, honey, fresh produce, jerky, candy, cheese, beans, pistachios, wine, and much more. New Mexico crafts are also part of the event, and about 50 vendors are expected.
Visitors to the event also will enjoy the new exhibit, “In a Nutshell: Growing Nuts in New Mexico,” which opens Nov. 13. Few crops are more diverse and more individually tied culturally and economically to the various geographical areas of New Mexico than the state’s bountiful nut crops.
Each of the state’s top nuts – piñons, pecans, peanuts, and pistachios – has its own story to tell about how and why it is grown and harvested. Each shares certain botanical similarities, but they have their differences as well, just as they do in their particular contribution to the economy, history, and people of New Mexico.
The exhibit covers everything from the health benefits, to the definition of a nut (of these four, only the pecan is a true nut from a botanical perspective). In between is a fascinating look at the history, research, and uses as well as growing and harvesting techniques. Through display panels, photographs and videos, visitors also are introduced to some of the farmers and scientists who helped make these nuts profitable and prominent crops in New Mexico.
Last year’s inaugural “HomeGrown” event drew more than 2,000 people. For more information, please call (575) 522-4100. The museum is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces.