How to Eat Local in the San Luis Valley

The San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition is here to connect you with local foods at all stages of the farm-to-plate process.

Pictured: Summer Fresh Box contents from the Valley Roots Food Hub‘s Summer CSA Program. Participants receive a box of fresh produce weekly for 13 weeks.

Hungry for something local? Here’s how to find it…

Shop at Farmers Markets

Mercadillo en el Rio at the Rio Grande Farm Park: Wednesdays 4pm – 7pm, July 15th – September 27th

Alamosa: Saturdays 8 am to 1:30 pm, July-October

*Winter Market in Alamosa: Typically on Saturdays in December at the North River Greenhouse…check NRG’s Facebook for details.

Monte Vista: Fridays 9 am to 1 pm, 1st & Jefferson, July-September

Mercado Del Norte: Select market dates. See Facebook Page for more info.

Creede: Fridays 8am to 2pm, E 1st St, Memorial Day – Mid Sep

Blanca: Saturday and Sundays, 9 am – 3 pm, Hwy 160 and Broadway, May – Mid-Oct

San Luis: Saturdays, Main Street, starting June 18

Sol Mountain Farm is a vendor at Mercado Del Norte, which opened in 2021 in the Simple Foods parking lot. Photo by Liza Marron.

Local Food Ordering & Delivery Service: Valley Roots Food Hub

Create an online account or login, then add items to your cart a-la-carte style! The Food Hub offers meats, beans, cheeses, butter, nuts, fresh produce, breads, grains, and more. Quantities are available both in wholesale & retail sizes.

Order by 4 pm on Tuesday for Friday delivery, or by 4 pm on Friday for Tuesday delivery.

Pickup locations are located in Alamosa (pictured), Del Norte, Creede, Saguache, & Crestone, or you can pay a home delivery fee. Beyond the SLV, VRFH operates in the Upper Arkansas Valley, South Park, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, & Denver.

The warehouse is located in Mosca, Colorado. SNAP payments are accepted, though SNAP purchases must be made at the warehouse rather than online.

In addition to year-round online grocery shopping, VRFH offers a Summer & Winter Fresh Box CSA Program, where participants pay upfront to receive weekly boxes of fresh produce designed around foods that are readily available and in season.

A customer picks up his box at the refrigerated walk-in cooler in Alamosa. Photo copyright 2021 Will Widmer, courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Learn to Farm at the Rio Grande Farm Park

RGFP has many different hands-on educational programs for youth and adults.

Commercial Farmers rent a 1 acre (or smaller) plot, participate in various business and agricultural trainings, and sell produce for profit.

The Family Plots are an area for individuals and families to grow for sustenance on the land free of charge. The area got its name because of the Mayan families who started growing in the community gardens at Polston Elementary School before the property was sold to the Rio Grande Farm Park. (Read story of land procurement.)

Volunteer Work Days happen on the last Saturday of the month (usually). Come and help us with a project for a couple hours!

The Education Center is open for groups to visit & learn. Field trips, group volunteer projects, and workshops can be arranged.

Follow RGFP on FB & Instagram!

Junior Incubator Farmers pull weeds at the RGFP. Photo by Christi Bode Skeie.

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA): Seasonal Boxes of Fresh Produce

Valley Roots Food Hub offers a Summer (13 week) & Winter (2 week) CSA Fresh Box Program that makes seasonal eating easier for both farmers and customers.

With the logistical work taken care of and specially-chosen recipes included in every box, participants don’t even have to think about eating local.

When a large number of individuals buy-in, VRFH can place bulk produce orders from farmers and curate gorgeous boxes of fresh food to participants. Every week looks different, and staff work hard to mix up the ingredients to keep things interesting. Give it a try!

Fresh apples are distributed in CSA boxes for the Summer Fresh Box Program. Photo copyright Will Widmer 2021, courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Order a “MoKi” Meal

The Mobile Kitchen AKA “MoKi” was created as part of the Local Foods Local Places initiative. By serving delicious, fresh meals made with all local ingredients, the MoKi increases access to SLV-grown foods and inspire seasoned chefs and rookie foodies alike to experiment with healthy, local options.

The MoKi is open for business during summer months at the Alamosa and Monte Vista Farmers Markets and occasionally serves meals at La Puente.

Call (719)580-5977 to inquire about catering or purchase a MoKi cookbook to make local recipes at home (sold at Narrow Gauge Book Co-op & Valley Roots Food Hub).

Follow them on TikTok and Instagram!

MoKi Chef Gloria serves a home-made pizza made with local ingredients. Photo copyright Will Widmer 2021, courtesy of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Visit the Mercadillo en el Rio Farmers Market at Rio Grande Farm Park Farm

You may have driven by the Rio Grande Farm Park at the entrance to Alamosa on Hwy 17, or perhaps you have walked by it on the trails near Cole Park…have you ever wondered how you can access the delicious food that grows there?

Mercadillo en el Rio is weekly on Wednesdays from 4-7 pm, starting July 12th through September 27th. Check the Rio Grande Farm Park Facebook for updated hours, as the market may be closed due to holidays, weather, or other reasons.

The idea behind the Mercadillo is to increase access to local ingredients, help farmers expand their business, and be a community gathering place.

Local produce is sold on Wednesdays at the RGFP starting in July. Photo by Doug Gritzmacher.

Forage

SLV asparagus grows along fence lines. Be careful – don’t over harvest! Photo by Liza Marron.

Support Local Producers

Peruse the SLV Local Roots Guide, a booklet compiled by our team to help residents and tourists locate spots that provide local goods. A new edition is printed every 4 years.

Pick one up at our office in Alamosa, 412 State Ave or see our digital version.

The 4th Edition Local Roots Guide can be picked up at our office. Photo by Ally Jean Arnold.

Resources for Farmers & Ranchers

This guide was created as a resource for farmers & ranchers in the San Luis Valley. It’s full of best farming practices, education resources, advocacy groups, and programs.

Pick one up at our office in Alamosa, 412 State Ave or see our digital version.

Bilingual Resource Guide – available in English & Spanish online and at our office.

Garden at Home

A gardener at RGFP treats his plants with care. Photo by Charlotte Ledonne.

Stay in the loop! Newsletters will alert you about upcoming workshops, events, job postings, and volunteer opportunities.