“Tree” sells mushrooms at the Hazel/Del booth at the Boulder Farmers Market on Saturdays at the Boulder Farmers Market and the first day of the Longmont Farmers Market. (Cliff Grasmick/Staff Photographer)
Saturday’s cloudy, windy weather didn’t deter patrons who were eager to shop outside for the first day of this season’s Boulders County Farmers Market in Boulder and Longmont.
In Boulder, enthusiasts flocked to the Boulder Market at the Boulder County Farmers Market on 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue.
Customers and sellers alike expressed excitement for the start of market season, with some returning to shop for their favorite purchases and others to reconnect with the community.
“I think our community really recognizes the importance of supporting local food, and we have a customer base that is really hungry for local food, and building connections with farmers is a great way to We’re so lucky to have it,” said director Frankie Ryder. Boulder County Farmers Market Marketing. “This is a pretty good market considering what we were looking at for the forecast.”
Lalaina James, owner of Mountain Girl Pickles, was selling jars of pickle products while wearing a winter coat and beanie. Despite the cold weather, she said she was encouraged by the support from the Boulder community.
“I really enjoy the atmosphere and getting my product out to people,” James said. “And I source my produce from farmers at the market, so it all fits together.”
Lucinda Womack, owner of Hazel Dell Mushrooms, agrees.
“We love our community. This is our first market of the season and we’re really happy to be able to reconnect with our farmer friends that we haven’t seen in a while,” Womack said.
Customer Jamie Marquetos, who said he especially liked the tomato, plant and honey stand he saw earlier, came to celebrate the start of the season.
“We always have better products than what you can find in stores,” Marquetos said.
This year, more than 170 vendors from across Colorado will be showcasing fresh produce and artisan products.
In Longmont, the market has returned to its usual location in the Boulder County Fairgrounds parking lot at 9595 Nelson Road. For visitors who braved Saturday’s cold weather, plenty of options were available, from soaps to mushrooms to microgreens.
“There’s definitely a lot of people we see every week,” said Katie McKinnon, marketing specialist for the Boulder County Farmers Market. “Some of them are happy to be here because they have been counting down the days until their first market.”
As the weather gets warmer, we plan to expand our lineup with a focus on adding fruits. A variety of produce was still on sale Saturday, and vendor Rocky Mountain Fresh was also able to sell tomatoes and cucumbers grown in heated greenhouses.
“It’s kind of exciting to watch the market change as the seasons change,” McKinnon said. “Local availability changes throughout the year, so we know people are eating local and seasonal food.”
The Longmont market’s opening day saw a mix of new and returning vendors. Several local producers celebrated their market debuts Saturday, including Longmont Dairy and Sprout City Farms.
Liza McConnell, farm director for Sprout City Farms, sold spinach and green garlic grown at Jack’s Solar Garden south of Longmont.
Cassandra Oscarson, left, and her sister Stephanie Oscarson work with Luke Aspen Moon Farms at the Boulder Farmers Market on Saturday during the first day of the Boulder and Longmont Farmers Markets. Buy vegetables from Downy. (Cliff Grasmick/Staff Photographer) “We want people to know that we have a farm right down the street and they can pick up their share there or they can pick it up here on Saturday,” McConnell said. he said. “The best place to get people involved in the food community is the market.”
Aspen Moon Farm in Hygiene returns to the market for its 15th year and has become a favorite among shoppers looking for fresh vegetables, radishes, onions and starter plants for their gardens.
“We’re so grateful that so many people came out today,” said Erin Dreistadt, co-owner of Aspen Moon Farm. “We support the community and the community supports us. It only works if we do everything together.”
At Longmont Market, hungry guests were also given the opportunity to purchase snacks from food stalls. One of his new options this year was his Schlop Stop, a food truck that serves food sourced from the owner’s Boulder County farms and other local producers.
Shaun Burns, co-owner of Shrop Stop, said the market is a great way to introduce her work to the community.
“(We’re) centered around really good food and great people coming together,” Burns said.
