It seems like just about every restaurant that's opened in Denver in the last few years has touted the same thing: fresh, local produce.
Nothing wrong with that, of course -- it's great. But here's the secret: you can get that yourself.
Yes, farmers market season is here, bringing you all the locally grown fruits and vegetables you could want, and a sense of do-gooding to go with them.
"Farmers markets provide a way for consumers to directly interact with farmers and learn where their food is coming from," said Wendy White, a marketing specialist at the Colorado Department of Agriculture. "It’s an experience. We have a relatively short growing season, and although we’re seeing a lot of extension … I think it’s something special for consumers to visit the markets."
White also manages the department's Colorado Proud program, which promotes agriculture products grown in-state to restaurants, schools, grocery stores and, naturally, farmers markets, and promotes all of those places to the public, too.
In case it's not clear, that's a lot of partnerships. You can browse the very extensive list of Colorado Proud companies here.
There are about 100 farmers markets across Colorado, and a little more than 20 of those are in the Denver metro area.
Each year, the Department of Agriculture publishes its Colorado Farm Fresh directory, which lists every farmers market, roadside stand and u-pick in the state, and identifies the farms that sell directly to the public. (The 2017 directory will be published at the end of May.)
And while some farmers markets now include non-food goods, the core offerings are still Colorado produce picked fresh and brought straight to you.
"I think quite a few of [the farmers], they’ll pick in the morning or maybe the previous afternoon and have them in the market the same day," White said.
What kind of produce that is or how long it takes to get to you depends on the market and the season. The Front Range and northeastern Colorado are hubs for growing vegetables like leafy greens, zucchini, carrots and onions. In the Arkansas River Valley, their thing is watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, while the Western Slope grows a lot of tree fruit. Pueblo, of course, has its chiles.
Here in Denver, you'll find a pretty wide variety. You just have to know when and where to look and what you should be looking for. Below, we've got your guide to all that.
When and where
Not into cartography? Here's a Denver-area farmers markets list by day of the week. (And we've got this list all by itself right here.)
Tuesday
The Tuesday Evergreen Farmers’ Market
10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 6-Aug. 29
Evergreen Country Day School, 1093 Swede Gulch Road, Evergreen
coloradooutdoormarkets.com
Wednesday
Boulder Farmer's Market
4 p.m.-8 p.m. May 3-Oct. 4
1900 13th St., Boulder
bcfm.org
Cherry Creek Fresh Market
9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 14-Sept. 27
Cherry Creek Shopping Center, First Avenue and University Blvd., Denver coloradofreshmarkets.com
Metro Denver Farmers Market
10 a.m.-2 p.m. (or sell-out) June 14-Oct. 11
Aspen Grove Lifestyle Center, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton
denverfarmersmarket.com
Thursday
Metro Denver Farmers' Market
10 a.m.-2 p.m. (or sell-out) July 6-Sept. 28
St. James Episcopal Church, 8235 W. 44th Ave.
denverfarmersmarket.com
Friday
The Berkeley Lake Farmers’ Market
4-7 p.m. June 2-Aug. 25
46th Avenue and Tennyson Street, Denver
coloradooutdoormarkets.com
Saturday
Edgewater Farmers Market
8 a.m.-1 p.m. July 3-Oct. 14
Broadway Armory parking lot, 5917 N. Broadway, Edgewater
edgewaterco.com
Southlands Farmers Market
8 a.m.-1 p.m. May 6-Sept. 30
Southlands Shopping Center Town Square, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora
shopsouthlands.com
Boulder Farmer's Market
8 a.m.-2 p.m. April 1-Nov. 18
1900 13th St., Boulder
bcfm.org
Cherry Creek Fresh Market
8 a.m.-1 p.m. May 6-Oct. 28
Cherry Creek Shopping Center, First Avenue and University Blvd., Denver
coloradofreshmarkets.com
Jefferson Park Farm & Flea Market
10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 20, July 15 and Sept. 16
25th Avenue between Federal Boulevard and Eliot Street, Denver
jpfleamarket.com
Union Station Farmers Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. June 3-Oct. 28
Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
bcfm.org
Golden Farmers Market
8 a.m.-1 p.m. June 4-Oct. 7 (except July 29)
Golden Public Library, 1019 10th St., Golden
coloradofreshmarkets.com
Metro Denver Farmers Market
10 a.m.-2 p.m. (or sell out) June 17-Oct. 28
Mile Hi Church, 9077 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood denverfarmersmarket.com
Metro Denver Farmers Market
8 a.m.-2 p.m. (or sell out) May 6-Oct. 28
Southwest Plaza, 8501 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton
denverfarmersmarket.com
Westminster Farmers Market
9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. June 3-Sept. 30 (possibly into October)
Hidden Lake Center, Sheridan Boulevard and 72nd Avenue, Westminster
muddmarkets.com
Sunday
Slow Sundays
9 a.m.-2 p.m. May 28 through end of summer
The Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd.
thesourcedenver.com
Arvada Farmers Market
9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. June 4-Oct. 1
Olde Town Square, 57th Avenue and Olde Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
muddmarkets.com
The Farmers Market at Highlands Square
9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 11-Sept. 24
32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, Denver
facebook.com/FarmersMarketAtHighlandsSquare
South Pearl Street Farmers Market
9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 21-Nov. 19
1500 block of South Pearl Street, Denver
southpearlstreet.com
Stapleton Fresh Market
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 18-Oct. 15
Stapleton Founder’s Green, East 29th Avenue and Roslyn Street, Denver
coloradofreshmarkets.com
City Park Esplanade Fresh Market
9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 4-Oct. 29
Sullivan Fountain, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street, Denver
coloradofreshmarkets.com
What's in season
The Colorado Department of Agriculture has a helpful calendar that let's you know what's in season when.
Throughout the summer, we'll bring you recipes from local chefs featuring one of the in-season ingredients. Up first: asparagus.
