When summer is right around the corner, it means bountiful gardens and lots of locally grown fruits, veggies and meats are to be had! Even without your own summer garden, there are multiple ways to enjoy healthy, fresh products all summer long. Weekly farmers markets are a great place to pick and choose your local food needs for the upcoming week. Read this season’s event details below.
Get in on the growing action with a farm share!
You can become a member of one of the area’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. CSA is a food production and distribution system that directly connects producers and consumers. You purchase “shares” of a farm’s harvest in advance and then receive a portion of the crops as they’re harvested each week. This is a great way to support local farmers and ranchers!
- Meadows Edge Farm is a small vegetable farm in Buena Vista offering an 18-week vegetable CSA (first week of June through beginning of October) with pick-up options in Buena Vista and Salida. Large and small CSA shares are available. All of the produce is pesticide-free and sustainably grown.
- Rocky Mountain Garlic offers shares for purchase. This CSA-style program provides you the opportunity to advance-purchase a portion of the harvest. Shareholders pay a flat fee in the spring and during the season, you pick up a selection of vegetables from the farm each week. Contact RMG for more information and to sign up.
- Triangle Oasis Farm adopted a “farm Investor” model, which is like a Triangle Oasis debit card that you can recharge. Invest at least $200 (roughly a 1-person share) before June, and receive 10% off every time you use the card. Triangle Oasis also has a flower CSA this summer, and who doesn’t love fresh-cut flowers!
- Moonstone Farm grows a half-acre of herbs, flowers & vegetables along with chickens, and a small orchard. Organically grown (not certified).
- Nomadic Roots Farm is an organically-grown vegetable and seed-producing farm in Salida.
2021 Farmers Markets Details Here!
Foodshed Alliance represents dozen local food producers and artisans within a hundred miles. You can shop at thriving markets in Chaffee County, and plan to attend ShedFest, the region’s annual farm-to-fork harvest celebration in October.
Salida Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8am-1pm, June to October
Takes place at the 2-acre Alpine Park adjacent to Salida’s vibrant downtown. Filled with grass and trees, the park provides a playground, music on market days and space to spread out a blanket for an ideal retreat.
Buena Vista Farmers Market
Sundays, 10am-2pm, June to October
New 2021 location is McPhelemy Park at the stoplight intersection of Highway 24 & Main Street, a vibrant cornerstone of the BV community with ample seating and shade.
Foodshed Alliance participates in the SNAP equal-access food program and Double Up Food Bucks to double the spending power of anyone using their EBT card. Stop by market information booths to use your card.
May your table be abundant with healthy, locally grown and raised products this season!
Water project improves scenery, crop production on historic ranch
GREAT IDEA! LOVE IT! THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.