The rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee, the earthy scent of ripe produce and the warmth of baked goods drift through the air as live music sets the scene at the bustling Rincon Valley Farmers Market. Attendance has boomed at the market in recent years, driven by rising grocery prices and a growing local population.

Located off Old Spanish Trail near the Rincon Mountains at 12500 E. Old Spanish Trail, the market is set against picturesque mountains and towering saguaros. To the north, vendors catch glimpses of Saguaro National Park, where untouched desert stretches endlessly beneath the vast, sunlit sky.

The market was created in 2001 under the Rincon Institute, a non-profit aimed at preserving the area around the Rincon Mountains. The institute has since brought in the Heirloom Farmers Market to help run the weekly event in 2018. 

Then, during Covid-19, there was a noticeable increase in attendance, said Nick Szumowski, Heirloom’s executive director.

“When we were in the throes of the worst part of the COVID concerns, we gained a substantial amount of customers that maybe hadn’t been to the farmers markets before that wanted to know who their farmer is,” he said.

Once the pandemic was over, markets across Tucson started to regain their usual crowds in the fall of 2022. Szumowski said that the return of regulars and pandemic crowds created a significant customer spike.

He thinks the market offers a more enjoyable experience than grocery stores.

“Going to the grocery store was another chore, whereas the farmers market – people do it as a fun outing, something they look forward to throughout the week,” he said.

He also noted that the growing number of younger families in the area has influenced the market’s dynamic.

“With that comes less convincing tied into the importance of local food,” he said, noting that many people want to get away from pesticides and processed foods. “They’re coming because they’re already aware of those things and are choosing a lifestyle and dietary preferences that you know emphasize that interest.” 

According to the latest American Community Survey, the Vail population has grown more than 14% since the last census in 2020. Most new houses have been built near the Rincon Valley Market, either in the new Rocking K neighborhood or along Old Spanish Trail.

To keep up with demand, Mica Mountain High School was built in August 2020 at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and Valencia. And a new elementary school, Saguaro Creek K-8, is also in the works.

That growth has boosted business at the market but also increased traffic on Old Spanish Trail and led to safety concerns, Szumoski said. 

“With the increased population moving to Vail, the dangers of people driving really fast on Old Spanish Trail has been a concern,” he said. “A year ago, we had somebody that was trying to drive around another vehicle, and they got into an accident and both cars got hit in the parking lot across there. We were very lucky they didn’t go into the market side.” 

To combat this, the market made a deal with Diamond Ventures, which owns the property where the market takes place, allowing them to build an 80-car parking lot in the back of the market.

“And so we’ve been very lucky to be able to reduce the amount of people parking across the street from Old Spanish Trail,” Szumoski said. 

The market has generally kept up with demand. Each fall, the market sends an application to interested vendors, Szumoksi said. The number of applications this year was unprecedented.

“We’ve had more interest than ever before, from customers, from vendors, and yeah, it’s a really nice equilibrium that we’ve been able to maintain,” he said.

Monica White, a vendor at the Rincon Valley Farmers Market, runs the Southwest Bee Supply stand. The stand displays raw honey and bee pollen in glass jars, each infused with Southwest flavors like cinnamon and hot pepper. 

The assortment of different amber shades and White’s long-standing presence at the market have made the stand a favorite among visitors.

She has been working there since the market began and has felt the recent growth.

“We’re getting more people out here, and more people are going to farmers markets instead of the grocery store to get better quality. And everything in the grocery store has gotten so expensive that it’s comparable to just buying quality stuff at the farmers market,” she said.

White also said that the Rocking K neighborhood development helps advertise the market to new families.

“They also promote us when they’re selling houses,” she said. “You get a packet of all the things to do in the neighborhood, and they include us.”

Vendors said that new housing developments and high grocery store prices, especially the high cost of eggs, have increased the number of people visiting the market.

Dee Ann Zamudio is part of Diamond Z Farms which has attended the Rincon Valley market for the past two years. The farm also has an egg stand – Zamudio Eggs.

“It was slow the first year I started it, but there are now more people. We were just saying that there have been more people this winter than last year,” she said.

She agrees that the market’s growth stems from Vail’s growing population and high grocery prices.

“People are looking for eggs and since there are no eggs in the store, and they are limited, they are coming out to see if they can get them at the market, which I sell out anyway,” she said, displaying a sign at her booth that Zamudio Eggs is out of eggs.

In addition to the national egg shortage, Zamudio added that more people are “doing a lot of research on homegrown foods, even with beef, pork, and lamb. They’d rather buy it from a local person than not know if it came from wherever.”

Justin Schlinger, who works at the Adventure Coffee Roasting stand, has been at the market for five years. He said there are fewer vegetable stands these days, with only one remaining. However, there are more craft vendors and baked goods.

“Prices have definitely gone up for the vegetable people, and I’ve also noticed there are not a lot of vegetable vendors coming in,” he said. 

Coffee sales have remained relatively steady, however, and he gets a lot of regulars, he said.

Schlinger said he enjoys the market for its community feel and the happy, energetic environment.

“It’s super chill, everyone is super nice. You get a couple mean people, but it’s super rare,” he said. 

Eva Sellers, sells handmade towels and totes, red hatch chile powder and tortillas at her stand, Julia’s Tortillas. She’s worked at the market for roughly 20 years.

“We just love to keep the family atmosphere,” she said. “You feel the energy people walk in here, feel the good energy.” 

The buzz of live music and friendly chatter hums through the market, mingling with the mouthwatering scents of foods from different cultures. Next to the vendors, children laugh and play on the playground, adding to the warm, lively energy. 

Sellers said the market listens to customer needs and constantly evolves to meet them. For example, the market has added more tables – a frequent request.

Festivals such as the annual Roasted Chile festival, which started in 2001, help attract people and foster a family-friendly atmosphere, she added.

“And that was the biggest boom, having roasted cream chiles and products made with all kinds of chiles, red chiles, and green chiles,” she said. “Since then, every year, you know, they incorporated that into the calendar. They’re still going, and this is a great atmosphere in which to meet people. We just love it. We make friends here.” 

Other festivals include beach and fall festivals.

The Rincon Valley market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the winter and 9 a.m. to noon in the summer. To learn more, visit the Heirloom Farmers Market webpage.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.