healthy living
Shop the local favorites
Farmers’ Markets in northern Colorado produce for you LEA HANSON
T
he anticipation of summer brings excitement for many of our favorite outdoor activities and pastimes. It also brings us the season for farmers’ markets. In northern Colorado, visiting our favorite farmers’ market is a fun weekly event for the whole family and one to which we look forward. It is an opportunity to (most often) be outside, congregate with friends, and interact with community members. In addition to these communal advantages, there are numerous benefits to farmers’ markets: • Instead of giving your money to large corporations, you’re supporting local farmers and small business owners. These local farmers and small business owners then put the money back into the local economy. • It’s healthier and more sustainable to eat food that is locally grown. Eating food grown in the local area cuts down on the money, energy, and resources needed to ship the food to you. • It creates an excellent opportunity to communicate with those who grow or create the foods that you eat. It’s important to know what you’re eating. And what better way to find out what’s in your food then being able to talk to the person who grows it and sells it to you? • It helps to build community in your city or neighborhood. One of the great things about going to the farmers’ market is that you have the opportunity to talk with like-minded, health-conscious individuals in your community. • It’s a great way to get kids involved. Let them pick out something new to try, then they can help prepare a meal or snack with you later at home. Exposing our kids to a farmers’ market not only creates a natural opportunity to discuss health, wellness, and nutrition; it also gives them exposure to connect directly with people who grow 16
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the food they eat. This exposure can broaden kids’ interest and awareness of farming, sustainability, and the career of farming as a whole. For those of us with food gardens at home or in a shared space, it can be a great way for our kids to conceptualize the idea of someone making a career from growing food for the local community in addition to our own families. Most of northern Colorado farmers’ markets accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and some even offer additional benefits. Karen Scopel, Natural Resources Manager with the City of Greeley, says the Greeley Farmers’ Market not only accepts SNAP benefits but has a double value benefit in which SNAP benefits are doubled up to $30 per day. According to Scopel, the Greeley Farmers’ Market also has the monthly Growing Kids Program the second Saturday of the month June through September. A special area is set up for children’s activities including nutrition programs, seed planting, scavenger hunts, cooking demos, and more. Participating children receive a $2 coupon to be used toward market produce. Expose your kids and your family to one or all of these local farmers’ markets this summer: • Fort Collins Farmers’ Market Harmony and Lemay in Front of Ace Hardware, www.fortcollinsfm.com/ Sundays, 11am to 3pm rain or shine May through Mid-November (weather permitting) Wednesdays, 11am to 3pm rain or shine, May through October • Loveland Farmers’ Market HWY 287 in front of Hobby Lobby (3133 N. Garfield), www.fortcollinsfm.com/ Tuesdays, 11am to 3pm rain or shine May through October
• Drake Road Farmers’ Market 802 W. Drake Road in Fort Collins www.drakeroadfarmersmarket.com/ Saturdays 10am to 1pm, April through September • Larimer County Farmers’ Market Larimer County Courthouse parking lot at 200 W. Oak Street in Fort Collins www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.colo state.edu/ Saturdays, 8am to noon, May through October • Greeley Farmers’ Market Historic Union Pacific Depot at 902 7th Avenue, www.greeleygov.com/activities/ farmers-market Saturdays, 7:30am to noon, May through October, Wednesdays, 3pm to 6pm July through September • Wellington Farmers’ Market Centennial Park, 3815 Harrison Avenue, Wellington www.wellingtoncofarmersmarket.org/ Thursdays, 4pm to 8pm/dusk, June-October