A photo tour of the Cherry Creek Fresh Market

Ann

The Vail Farmers' Market - are you kidding?? That market has more extraneous "stuff" than any other market in Colorado. You have to look very hard among the paintings, jewelry, etc, to find any produce at all. Try the Minturn Market on Saturdays instead - or Edwards.

Robinflight

Can anyone tell me the best market to go to for truly local produce (not the shipped-in stuff)? I live in the south metro area and going to Boulder isn't possible on a weekly basis. Any ideas?

AmyDenver

In Season Local Market is open 6 days a week, maybe that would be a little easier to get to even though it's just NW of downtown? http://inseasonlocalmarket.com... Everything is sourced within 250 miles of Denver (250 so they could include the Western slope fruit!).

Kimberly

Hey Robinflight...I don't know if this is helpful for you, but I found a website sponsored by the Colorado Farmers Market Association. It's a bit broader in scope than what you requested (the listings are for all of Colorado and not just the Denver metro).

The link: http://www.coloradofarmers.org...

BSquared

perhaps the problem is that its not profitable for farmers to truck out produce for a 4 hour market where the emphasis is not on the produce but rather the goods produced with out of state produce. 'We the people' need to start spending more money on our weekly produce at the market instead of at the national grocers, and the farmers will see this opportunity and start coming out (assuming they can get licensed of course)

Sundari

There's no license required to sell uncut, unprocessed produce.

Bsquared

Thanks for the info. Really shows that the demand is shad keeping farmers away

Bsquared

Shad = what. How did iPhone come up with that one?!!!

Carly

Sundari, are you the same Sundari who wrote "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Urban Homesteading"? If so, we bought a copy from you at the Highland Farmers Market on Saturday. Great book!

Sundari

Thanks, Carly. I'm glad you like it!

elevenses

colorado's best tamales are NOT GOOD.

BSquared

So much prepared food, so little fresh produce...This is the problem with all farmers markets in Colorado. WE need a solid 'market' to buy fresh farm produce, with multiple farms. Not just the one farmer hidden in the corner of the local "Farmers Market"

Sundari

One thing that would help to support real farmers would be if Denverites would pledge to not purchase out-of-state, out-of-season produce when they go to the Farmers' Markets. As long as shoppers keep supporting those Mexican tomatoes and eggplants, true local farmers have a hard time competing.

Robinflight

I'm from New Mexico. Santa Fe has a fabulous farmer's market with locally grown produce. I've been shocked since moving here to the Denver area to find shipped-in produce from other states at local farmer's markets (I've yet to find one without it, except Boulder.) I will not buy these products. If I wanted that, I'd go to Wal-Mart or King Soopers. Somehow I thought Colorado would be more progressive.

Carly

Agreed. Take the out of state produce purchasing to the grocery store where it belongs.

The bummer about going to farmers markets where out of state produce is not allowed is hearing the ignorant yuppies saying "this farmers market is terrible. Where's all the produce?" It's May, asshole. There's not a ton growing right now.

Robinflight

Very true. You have to buy what's in season.

localyocal

It's not "the problem with all farmers markets in Colorado." It's the problem with this particular market. Try going to the farmer's markets in Boulder and Longmont. Vendors can't sell there unless they grow their products in Boulder county. There is fruit, veggies, even skin care products, that are locally grown.

rain

The Boulder Farmers Market has plenty of prepared food stands. An entire section is set aside for them.

And no, not all vendors are from Boulder County. Several fruit vendors are from the western slope, Hazel Dell Mushrooms are from Larimer County, etc. From the Boulder Farmers Market web pages:

> Following the Boulder County Farmers' Market's stated purpose of supporting local agriculture, and preventing the further exodus of agriculture from Boulder County, membership in the market will be limited to producers from Boulder County and grandfathered Weld, Larimer, Delta and Mesa Counties as of December 4, 1999. New applicants from outside Boulder County may be admitted to the Market at the board's discretion, and on a year-to-year basis only. To ensure variety at the market, and until there is adequate local production of fruit, fruit growers from other Colorado counties are invited to apply for membership in the Market.

This is great, I have no problems with the policy, but it's misleading to say that they only have Boulder County vendors. Many, yes, most even, but only? No.

Kimberly

Actually, thanks to ALL of you (BSquared and rain and localyocal) for your comments. I'll admit that I have the same problem as BSquared mentioned regarding the Cherry Creek Fresh Market. It's the closest one to my home, so its been the only one I've seen on a consistent basis, but sadly the Cherry Creek market seems more like a street fair than a farmers market (I mean waffle cakes at a farmers market. Really?!)

Thanks for sharing other options! Much appreciated!