South Pearl Farmers Market

The South Pearl Farmers’ Market is one of my favorite weekend traditions. I don’t even know how many dates I’ve taken there (OK, yes I do... 4. But only 3 were this year). Point is, I love sharing this local market experience with everyone I can (it’s also secretly a test. Treat me to blackberry lemonade? Points. Don’t tell me I have blackberry bits stuck in my teeth? Fail. Actually know some of the fabulous vendors personally? A+!) If I’m having a bad weekend, a bike ride into a morning spent at this Sunday morning market resets my clock and my attitude, and can turn a blah weekend into something fabulous. South Pearl Farmers Market visits are often followed by hours of cooking super fresh veggies in my kitchen, then having “family dinner” with my best friend that night---a great Sunday tradition in our household.

Vendors I LOVE that are staples in this darling market:

Quiero Arepas. They sell fluffy, warm corn pockets stuffed with heaven. (Assuming heaven is a mixture of black beans, avo, & fried plantains).

The Soap Crone
Amy and her husband Izzy make a plethora of great soaps and other products, many of which are vegan friendly. My faaavorite is the salt soap, a non-abrasive but still exfoliating soap that has--you guessed it--salt as a main ingredient. It’s a treat for my skin, particularly as the weather changes and gets drier (who says my skin has to do the same?!) I also use a variety of their hand-soap, which you can get refills on by bringing any type of glass jar that has measurement markings on the side.

Watercourse Foods
YES cupcakes for breakfast! With the usual gluten-free options. Hard to beat splitting a savory biscuit with that special someone as you peruse the other offerings at the market. Everything they make in their bakery is vegan; everything they make is delicious.

MMLocal
Boulder-based canning group that sources ingredients, some of it surplus, from local farms, cans ‘em, and then sells them via shares (and when you can catch ‘em at markets) to lucky us. I have a share this year for the first time (it starts a bit later this season) and am looking forward to extending my season while also ensuring what could be excess produce from different farms becomes canned goodness with MMLocal’s niche expertise.

Ela Family Farms
This fab farm has been with the South Pearl Market from the very beginning, and they are an obvious anchor to the market hubbub. With fresh, organic fruit picked and delivered every week from Hotchkiss, CO (not to mention the generous samples!) they're a crowd pleaser. You can even sign up to receive fruit shares for an entire season. I did this year, and it was totally worth its weight in... apples, peaches, plums, cider, pears, and apple sauce. 

Styria Bakery
Bread so good that Abbie basically devoured a whole loaf herself. It doesn't last long in my house, either. Crusty outside, fluffy-soft-chewy inside. Perfection. Another market anchor that's been around since the beginning. Go see why. 

The market has grown to over 60 vendors, plus there is always a band playing and the shops along the street are open for the bustling business that the market brings. 

I've never experienced a more pet-friendly market, either. The South Pearl Farmers Market often has a variety of the rescue and shelter groups in Denver there with precious friends romping around, waiting and hoping to be taken into a good home. Earlier this year an entire block just north of the market was dedicated to an adoption run for cats and dogs in need of TLC and a home to call their own. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I saw several happy market goers heading home with beautiful little best buddies. 

Head out there this coming weekend (Sunday the 30th) for an end-of-season Halloween celebration! Tricks and a multitude of treats await. I'm banking on the many dogs who attend the market regularly to be sporting their best costumes.

The market is located on South Pearl Street (just south of I-25) at Florida. See you there!

Youth Farmers' Markets

Did you miss your Saturday and Sunday local markets this weekend? Bummed that you are going to have to schlep to a grocery to buy produce from who-knows-where instead of enjoying your Colorado grown veggies fresh from the many nearby farms & gardens? Lucky for you, Denver has Youth Farmers' Markets featuring local produce during the weekdays! And chances are, there is one at a school near you.

Youth Farmers' Markets were born of a partnership between Denver Urban Gardens & Slow Food Denver. These non-profits combined foodie forces to create a program that brings healthy food into high need neighborhoods throughout the Denver metro area while educating and empowering our kids, giving them important life skills and an appreciation for what it means to live and grow in community. All of the markets are produce-based (many stocked with produce the youth grew themselves in their school-based community garden mere feet from the farm stand), and your money goes directly toward supporting youth education. How cool is that?

Really, though, Denver Urban Gardens sums up the possibilities of the YFMs best:

Through the youth farmers' market program, youth have the potential to learn how to grow their own food, increase their intake of fresh healthy produce, and germinate an interest in sharing what they are learning with the broader community through the venue of a small farmers’ market. A youth farmers' market focuses on promoting healthy eating habits, reinforcing traditional academics, such as math and science, and building life skills such as customer service, conflict resolution and entrepreneurship. Additionally, they serve as mini–communities, modeling inclusive ways to teach the strength of diversity. 

Another special thing about YFMs are that there is just one booth with several students there selling. It's the youth of that specific school. They are in their neighborhood, selling to their neighbors, and since it's just the one booth instead of an entire market of booth to choose from, it becomes a more meaningful, intimate, person-to-person relationship. Go ahead and ask the students their favorite ways to prepare the veggies, and feel free to suggest some of your own!

If you want to support youth education while getting good produce at an affordable price this season, you have three more chances to do so--this Thursday, Friday, and next Thursday close out the YFM season. Be sure to check back on the Denver Urban Gardens website next season, though, because at the peak of the season the YFM's have upwards of 15 markets a week happening at schools all over Denver.

In the meantime, brush up on your simple math skills. I always try to beat the kids to figuring out how much change they owe me. (I lose every time).

City Park Esplanade Fresh Market

One of my greatest joys in the warm months is visiting the far mar (farmer's market, for those unaware of the lingo). Selecting beautiful, fresh produce on a sunny day, what could be better? In fact, one of the reasons I selected my apartment was because of it's proximity to one of Denver's City Park Esplanade Fresh Market. The market is located right outside of City Park, at Colfax and Columbine, and is across the street from the illustrious Tattered Cover, which is an independent bookstore in a renovated movie theatre, and Twist & Shout, an independent music and movie store. The market itself is big enough to supply me with what I need and what without overwhelming me. At City Park Fresh Market, fresh roasted Hatch Chiles, Palisade peaches, honeycrisp apples and fresh breads are available for purchase. My favorite thing to buy at the market is one of Tres Pupusa's vegan pupusas, made with black beans and sweet corn, all inside a corn patty. I highly recommend spending the extra money for guacamole and dousing it liberally with their hot sauce. Tres Pupusas are available at local Whole Foods, but eating a fresh one in front of the fountain that dominates the middle of the City Park Fresh Market with a full bag of produce and the sun shining on my face just can't be beat.