GROWING SEASON 2016

LOCAL FOOD AND FARM GUIDE

Connecting Crops to CuisineRESTAURANTS SOURCING LOCAL SOURCING

LOCAL MEAT

ALSO INSIDE:

* FARMS & MARKET DIRECTORY

* SPRING & SUMMER WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

The Heritage of HAPPY HEART FARM

JESSUP FARM ARTISAN VILLAGE

AT ONE YEAR

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Motherlove is now the proud operator of an organic farm

and educational community center on the Front Range.

The 120 acre farm provides local, sustainable, certified

organic herbs for Motherlove’s products, as well as traditional

organic grains and vegetables for our tables and other’s.

Join us for classes on growing, harvesting and preparing

herbs for use in personal care products, as well as herb

identification for edible and medicinal plants. Learn the

importance of organics in the food industry, biodiversity and

other environmental issues, including water conservation.

Please contact mother@motherlove.com for additional information.

www.motherlove.com

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THE BEETS, carrots, onions and garlic are up, making their stand through the last frost and heavy spring snow. We spent the weekend in the garden, planting herbs, peas, and asparagus, now that the garden soil is finally warming up after several days with temperatures in the 70s. I love this time of year with all the newness and hopefulness of spring bursting into colorful blooms on the trees and sprigs of green and purple poking up through the ground. And there’s the warmth of the sunshine and sound of the rain, and smell of green in the air – all messages from the earth reminding us about the source of things, welcomed news about the life that is held inside the ground.

Sourcing local food is the theme of this issue. Whether it’s a visit to one of our many local farms to meet the farmer, a brunch with family at the Farmhouse at Jessup Farm Artisan Village, a trip to The Boar and Bull Butcher for a cut of Wellington pastured beef, or morning asanas before purchasing veggies and greens at the Larimer County Farmers Market, we present the best places and ways to get local food and support local farmers and businesses. We’ve included a complete listing of local farms and ranch-es, farmers markets, farm stands, as well as a handpicked list of restaurants and food trucks that are Connecting Crops to Cuisine.

At Fortified Collaborations, we want to raise awareness and help pro-mote the diverse group of farms, businesses and organizations that com-prise an increasingly vibrant and resilient local food scene. We hope you’ll take a little time to learn more about local food and farms in Northern Colorado and keep this guide as a resource to use throughout the growing season. Enjoy the bounty and the warmth of the sunshine and getting to the source of the food you eat.

To the Growing Season, Kristina Fortified Collaborations

GETTING TO THE SOURCE

TABLE OF CONTENTSPOUDRE VALLEY COMMUNITY FARMS LAUNCHES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

IT TAKES A VILLAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CONNECTING CROPS TO CUISINE LISTINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

HAPPY HEART FARM CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A GUIDE TO SOURCING LOCAL MEAT. . . . . . 12

LOCAL PRODUCER LISTINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . 16

FARMERS MARKETS & FARM STANDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CALENDAR OF EVENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

BEE-A-MAZE-ING MAZE FOR THE KIDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

THIS COULD BE A GARDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Bounty Local Food and Farm Guide is a special publication of Fortified Collaborations and Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publisher: Kristina Cash; Editors: Kristina Cash,

Josie Sexton, Janelle Buxton and Haley Oswald; Creative Director: Emily Zaynard; Copyright 2016 Fortified Collaborations, Fort Collins, CO.

All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

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FOUNDED IN 2015, Poudre Valley Community Farms (PVCF) is a multi-stakeholder co-op purchasing threatened agricultural lands in North-ern Colorado. We provide long-term leases to farmers and ranchers who agree to enhance soil fertility, grow sustainably and sell locally. The goals of our Co-op include farmland conservation, young farmer retention and stabilization, a multi-generational farm succession strategy that can help break the land-rich-cash-poor cycle, and communi-ty-based stewardship. We believe that our efforts will lead to stable farmers, increased and diversified local food production, enhanced soil health, and improved ecosystem services.

PVCF emerged out of a sev-en-month process of a group of con-cerned people volunteering time to clarify a mission and vision, legally establish a co-op, pursue connection with the retiring farm owners of the pilot land, and work to implement the purchase of a conser-vation easement on this property. Since September 2015, we have been gratified and emboldened by the growing mo-mentum of community support and, in just six months, PVCF has raised 73%

(over $438,000) toward its $600,000 goal for the initial land purchase, having re-cruited 75 member-owners with over 20 investment-shares. In addition, PVCF has successfully competed for a Slow Money, crowd-sourced 0 percent loan, already prepared a preferred stock option for im-pact investors, and was selected to partici-pate in Colorado Impact Day in March.

PVCF came into existence to help address a conundrum presented by two key facts. First, locally and nation-wide, young farmers are leasing lands short-term, which puts viable, sustainable live-lihoods out of reach for this generation rededicated to agriculture. They are in search of more secure land tenure but lack the capital or heritage to acquire it. Second, estimates show that 70 percent of US farmland will change hands in the next 20 years as aging farmers retire. To provide funds for retirement, lands usually need to be sold to non-farm uses, which permanently removes them from production and forces land prices even higher. “It is absolutely critical that mechanisms exist to keep the na-tion’s prime farmland in production and accessible to new farmers,” reports the National Young Farmers Coalition.

For PVCF, land conservation and farmer viability go hand-in-hand, united by soil preservation and health. As far as we know, PVCF is the only farmland cooperative in the U.S. working to con-serve agricultural land, and create access and viable livelihoods for communi-ty-based food producers. We invite you to join the effort. With the purchase of our first farmland property now slated for Fall 2016, we are actively seeking additional funds to preserve other lands via recruitment of more members-own-ers, investors and donors. We are also establishing relationships with the land conservation community of practitioners and scholars, and inventorying potential farmland for purchase and short-term incubation leases. Finally, we are design-ing a “matchmaking” system for young farmers and land leases.

Check out www.farmland.coop, sign up for our e-news, visit us for “of-fice hours” or catch up with us at an event (all posted on our website), or email your questions.

Gailmarie Kimmel is Co-Founder and Board Treasurer for Poudre Valley Community Farms.

LOCAL FARMLAND COOPERATIVE LAUNCHESOver the next 20 years, as aging farmers retire, 70 percent of U.S. farmland will change hands. Gailmarie Kimmel explains how a new land cooperative in Fort Collins is working to preserve agricultural lands and support the younger generation of farmers.

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Our local food system helps protect our health and the health of our community and stimulates

our local economy. Bounty Local Food and Farm Guide celebrates the local farms, producers and distributers that are part of an increasingly vibrant and resilient regional food hub.

The Guide includes:• A comprehensive listing of local farms, ranches,

food producers, farmers markets and farm stands• Coverage of current topics on our regional food system• A calendar of upcoming events around local food

20,000 Copies Distributed in northern ColoradoFor information, contact Kristina Cash970-217-8786 kristina@fortifiedcollaborations.com

ADVERTISE IN BOUNTY LOCAL FOOD AND FARM GUIDE!

REALTORS® with a passion for sustainable living.

GreenTeamRE.com

Lara Williams, Dave Sanders and Kelly Renz970.631.2666 • lara@greenteamre.com

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WHETHER YOU ARE ENJOY-ING a delectable meal at The Farm-house, working up a sweat at REVE, or kicking back with a finely crafted beer at Barrelhouse, you are unde-niably immersed in the connections that make Jessup Farm a thriving community. Drawing from the origi-nal roots of the property, Jessup Farm is an artisanal village built on a turn of the century Fort Collins farmstead. The authenticity of this restoration can be felt throughout the buildings and plaza, maintaining original struc-tures and pillars, among other details. The rehabilitation and construction of the Village was envisioned by the Campana family of Bellisimo Inc., whose members continue a hands-on presence in the daily operations

of the Village. The businesses that comprise the artisanal village include Bindle Coffee, The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm, Heyday, Vortic Watch Company, REVE, Clayton Jenkins Photography, Kennedy’s Lucky 27 Barbershop, Jessup Farm Barrel House, and the upcoming Loafing Shed. While each individual entre-preneur and business offers their own unique service and product, it is their interconnectedness that sets the Jes-sup Farm experience apart from all others, and an experience it is.

Walking the grounds of the farm immediately elicits a happy feeling. The harvest for the farm provides produce and eggs directly to the restaurant, CSA members, the Jessup Farmer’s Market, as well as a portion for donation.

As CSA members, individuals get to pick their own vegetables and can choose to designate a share of their membership for charity. The restau-rant has its own quarter acre of farm designed with a selection of produce chosen by Anne Genson, Directive of Community and Farm Building Op-erations, and The Farmhouse owners. Those enjoying a meal at The Farm-house will quickly appreciate this sourcing from around the village woven throughout the menu. Jesse Doerffel, Owner Operator of The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm and The Loafing Shed pointed out the feature of Bindle coffee in a steak rub, the supply of The Loaf-ing Shed’s donuts, biscuits and soon to be bread, and the selection of Barrel-house beers on tap as just a few of the

IT TAKES A VILLAGEThe raising of Jessup FarmBY HAYLEY OSWALD

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many specialties that connect her restau-rant to the various other businesses. Along with ingredients on the menu, Doerffel said that the involvement and education-al opportunities the staff participates in represent another link between the restau-rant and the village. “Everybody is pretty invested with what we’re doing, having everybody get their hands dirty is another level of education that we give our staff, that knowledge then gets passed on to our customers,” she said. Yet the farm-to-table connection is only one of many that form the base of Jessup’s community. The rela-tionships and support of each entrepreneur conveys a sense of dependence similar to that of an actual village; separate entities collaborating together to reach individual and collective success. This enhances the quality and experience of all that Jessup offers to its patrons.

“They (neighbors) come down here and see it, and they’re like, ‘this is Fort Collins. This is why I live here,” Lindsay Roselle, Marketing Director of Jessup Farm, said about the community’s reception thus far. Roselle recently completed Jessup’s most successful community event to date, the Spring Festival. The immense turn out of up to 3,000 people and smiling faces seen throughout the day symbolized the positive community reception and growth around Jessup. On a daily basis, the reaction is simi-lar, Roselle said. Throughout the village and

the surrounding Bucking Horse commu-nity, a mutual and appreciative relation-ship has been formed and continues to thrive and expand.

The extension of Jessup’s impact doesn’t just stay within the village, how-ever; it extends to those who might not otherwise get the opportunity to ex-perience it. In addition to running the farming operation and planning events, Genson is the director of Sproutin’ Up, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing at-risk youth educational and apprenticeship opportunities. In addition to growing produce for the families that need it, Genson has begun working on another hands-on way for kids who have been in the program for a few years to continue gaining and practicing knowl-edge about food.

“They would come here on Thurs-days, and they would actually work on the farm for a different feel. They would help farm for the day, help harvest, help prepare for the farmer’s market, and then they’re going to come up and run the farmer’s market booth,” Genson said. The profit that the farmer’s market would make during the ten weeks that the apprenticeship program would be paid to the kids and contributed back into their neighborhood. “

They don’t often get out of their neighborhood, so it ’s a huge experience for them to just go somewhere that’s different, where the culture is different, where the experiences are different. So I’m excited for them,” she said.

Whatever brings you to Jessup Farms, whether it is the food, the coffee, the beer, or anything else, it is the experience that captures your heart and keeps you com-ing back. As if stepping back 60 years, Jessup coveys a nostalgic sense of famil-iarity and community appreciation that is remarkable. Doerffel summarized this notion by saying, “It’s overwhelming how many people have embraced us. It came together at the right time.” With a sum-mer full of events and more entrepreneurs seeking to get their foot in the village, the future only looks bright for this artisanal conception. So if you haven’t taken a trip to the farm, take a day and go experience all that Jessup has to offer. Chances are, you’ll be their next regular.

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Ace Gillett’s 239 S College Ave, Fort Collins Underground, sophisticated bar offering eclectic small plates & mains, cocktails & live jazz music. Austin’s American Grill 100 W Mountain Ave, Fort Collins Hearty American dishes with Southwestern touches served in casual quarters with a sidewalk cafe.

Café Ardour 255 Linden St, Fort Collins Fair trade organic coffee beans roasted locally, pastries and snacks. Café Vino 1200 S College Ave, Fort Collins Quaint wine bar also serving creative tapas, cocktails & craft beers in cozy digs with a fire pit. Chimney Park 406 Main St, Windsor, CO Fine dining with menu that reflects seasonality and features items produced in our local region. Crooked Cup 147 W Oak St #101, Fort Collins Locally roasted coffee, full bakery and breakfast.

Door 222 222 E 4th St #100, Loveland Adventurous tapas plus wine, beer & cocktails are served in a contemporary-meets-industrial space. Enzio’s 126 W Mountain Ave, Fort Collins Hub for fresh pasta, thin-crust pies & gluten-free fare in family-friendly digs with sidewalk seats. FCB Modern Tavern 1020 E Lincoln Ave, Fort Collins Modern microbrewery with free tours, samples & food pairings plus a pub next door. Fish Restaurant 150 W Oak St, Fort Collins Cozy, mellow spot for sustainable seafood dishes, plus an on-site fish market.

EAT LIKE IT MATTERS!

Supporting our local food system has an array of benefits: it strengthens our local economy, aids our local small-scale farmers, preserves open spaces, benefits the environment and helps ensure that farmland will still be there tomorrow. Plus it just tastes better because it’s fresher which means it’s better for you. Eating locally doesn’t have to stop when you leave your kitchen. Here’s a hand-picked listing of area restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks that include locally grown and produced food in their menus:

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FoCo Café 225 Maple St, Fort Collins Non-profit, pay what you can that makes healthy, nutritious, meals accessible to all. Jay’s Bistro 135 W Oak St, Fort Collins Swanky, special-occasion American eatery filled with art, serving up seasonal fare & live jazz. Jax Fish House 123 N College Ave, Fort Collins Upscale chain serving gourmet seafood dishes & creative cocktails in a relaxed, stylish setting. Mugs Coffee Lounge 306 W Laurel St & 261 S College Ave, Fort Collins Community through coffee: fair trade, organic, homegrown, local coffee and food in hip community inspired atmosphere. Restaurant 415 415 S Mason St, Fort Collins Updated American classics featuring locally sourced ingredients plus vegan & gluten-free menus. Tasty Harmony 160 W Oak St, Fort Collins Inventive veggie & vegan fare served in bright, cozy surrounds with a laid-back vibe.

The Cooking Studio 123 N College Ave, Fort Collins Unique cooking school dedicated to the idea that wholeheartedly engaging with simple and fresh ingredients is the key to eating food that looks and tastes amazing. The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm 1957 Jessup Dr, Fort Collins Casual farmhouse eatery and backyard farm delivering heightened seasonal Colorado fare. The Kitchen 100 N College Ave, Fort Collins Garden-to-table American meals & a popular happy hour in an eco-friendly urban space. The Moothouse 2626 S College Ave, Fort Collins Modern takes on English pub fare served with local craft beers in cozy quarters with fireplaces. Welsh Rabbit Bistro Unit B, 200 Walnut St, Fort Collins Warm, inviting space with Old World charm presenting the cheese bistro experience.

EAT LIKE IT MATTERS!

Dam Good Tacos - www.damgoodtacos.com/index.html Fresh - www.ftfresh.com La Piadina - www.la-piadina-foodtruck.weebly.com The Goodness - www.thegoodnesstruck.com Silver Seed - www.thesilverseed.com Sustainable Spoon - www.sustainablespoonfoodtruck.com Waffle Lab - www.thewafflelab.com

FOOD TRUCKSwho source locally

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I SAT DOWN with Bailey Stenson at their kitchen table on a spring af-ternoon. She had just prepared a late-lunch after a morning on-the-go, as farm planting preparations are quick-ly on the horizon. Bailey gave me a warm smile, characteristic of her, as we began to talk about Colorado’s original CSA.

THE EARLY YEARS The story begins in 1983, when Dennis and Bailey Stenson traded their first business venture, a mountain-bike tour company, for a life better suited for a family and children. “It was a lot of gear to haul with kids,” Bailey said.

After having their second child, the young couple purchased an old dairy farm on West Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins. Six years later, in 1989, Bailey and Dennis went to a conference in California and learned about a concept called community supported agriculture (CSA). A CSA is a food production and distribution system that directly con-nects farmers and consumers.

Excited about the model, in 1990 Bailey and Dennis founded Happy Heart

Farm, which was the first food distribu-tion system of it’s kind in Colorado.

Their first year in business had its challenges, Bailey recalled. She and Den-nis had to learn “how to make our own planting schedule, how much to plant and how often.” The internet wasn’t available back then, so Happy Heart CSA members would call each other—using a phone tree system where a few members would call a few more—when produce was ready.

MENTORING, SHARING, GROWINGTheir early experiences led the Sten-sons to mentor hundreds of people and to start a “working member” program. Each year there are a dozen or so work-ing members who support the farmers, apprentices and fellow members are the

The world begins at the kitchen table. No matter what we must eat to live.

- JOY HARJO

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NURTURING LIVES THROUGH LOCAL, BIODYNAMICALLY GROWN FOODHow Happy Heart Farm became the first CSA program in ColoradoBY JANELLE BUXTON

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visible manifestation of the adage “many hands make light work.”

Dennis also teaches a two-year biodynamic agriculture mentorship pro-gram for those interested in applying the concept to their own farms. This style of farming has been practiced at Happy Heart Farm since their very first harvest.

HEALTHY FOOD MADE ACCESSIBLEBailey and Dennis are also dedicated to making sure that low-income families can eat nutritious, organic food. Happy Heart Farm’s Feeding the Families program is made up of a group of farmers who donate a steady supply of fresh produce to quali-fying families. In return for the vegetable share, the families are asked to contribute fifty-percent of the cost of their share.

“The more we do this, the more our community will benefit hugely. We pride ourselves on doing a lot of that here,” Bailey said.

AWARDS, KUDOS, AND MERRYMAKINGA lot of celebrations happen on the Happy Heart Farm. In addition to their solstice party and the Heart of the Sum-mer Farm Dinner, the farm is usually bustling with events and weddings.

Part of the farm’s allure is due to Bailey’s famed rose honey. In 2015, Bailey won the globally recognized Good Food Award teaming up with Beth Conrey of Bee Squared Apiaries to infuse rose petals into the honey. Bailey crafted a handmade rose crown and wore a velvet burgundy gown to the awards ceremony.

THE WAY FORWARD“More consumers will have to start eating locally in order to gain appre-ciation for what it takes to produce locally grown food,” Bailey said, “So eat local food.”

She would also like to see more community scholarships to help mentor and fund farmers who are just starting out. New to the CSA concept? Bailey encourages newcomers to get their feet wet by going on a farm tour.

“A lot of the local food movement is coming and meeting the farmers,” she said.

To learn more about Happy Heart Farm’s 2016 CSA shares, gift certifi-cates, programs, event spaces, or ways to give please visit them online at: www.happyheartfarmcsa.com.

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A GUIDE TO SOURCING LOCAL MEATBY JOSIE SEXTON

LOOKING TO BUY quality meat in Northern Colorado? 

You could head to Colorado State University’s student-run meat lab, or to a downtown Fort Collins rooftop bar for the Locals Only CSA happy hour. In Loveland you can find the restaurant Door 222 serving four-course, whole-hog dinners, and a block down the street, stop in for locally sourced beef and pork cuts at The Boar and Bull Butcher.

And that’s just on a Thursday.The options abound for buying

Colorado-raised meats all year long. From whole hogs to ground beef and lean bison, you just have to know where to look for them.

ON THE FARM Just off Highway 34 in Loveland, the

cattle at Sylvan Dale Ranch are graz-ing as far as the eye can see, well into the canyon and across 5,500 acres. The Angus and Lowline breeds are grass-fed and grass finished, slaugh-tered at the USDA-certified Innova-tive Foods in Evans and available for purchase directly from the ranch in wholes, halves and quarters. 

This year ranch manager Mi-chael Baute is working to integrate hogs and chickens into the grazing rotation. After much of Sylvan Dale’s property was washed away by the Big Thompson River in the floods of 2013, Baute and the ranch’s own-ers—the Jessup family—are trying to rebuild the land while still running a business. They’re relying in large part on the help of their animals.

“It ’s been horseback riding in

Western culture for a while now,” Baute said of the historic allure of Sylvan Dale’s dude ranch. “Now we’re shifting to sustainable agriculture and regenerative ranching.”

This new vision will give the ranch’s guests as well as community members an up-close look and offer them active participation in real, every-day farm life. Visitors will be able to see the life cycle from birth to finish—the pigs plowing and manuring, the cattle grazing, and the chickens following after them to fertilize the soil. 

Once designated animals are full-grown, they’re processed, hopefully sent to nearby restaurants and house-holds, and the cycle starts all over.

In Fort Collins, local meat eaters can also join the Jodar Farms CSA to get a custom monthly share of farm-

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raised chicken as well as pork and beef as needed.

Farmer Aaron Rice encourages potential members to visit the farm and farm store, to see the live animals and even the slaughter. He hopes that a higher price tag on his product compared to that of a chain grocery store won’t deter new customers.

“All you have to do is see a cou-ple of recalls, or see how animals are treated in the normal, large-scale fa-cilities, and that’s enough for people to go, ‘OK,’” Rice said. “People have to go in (to the farm) understanding that they’re getting a completely dif-ferent product.”  

FROM A PROCESSOR OR BUTCHER“Harvesting” is the way Tami Ellicott prefers to put it. 

Innovative Foods, her family-run, USDA-certified meat processing fa-

cility in Evans, Colo., is where many of the Northern Colorado animals that end up on your plate first go to get slaughtered. 

Ellicott gets animals from farms like Sylvan Dale and Jodar, and she sends meat to restaurants such as Door 222 and The Kitchen. You’ll also see In-novative Foods’ seal on frozen products at the Fort Collins Food Co-op.  

She said she chooses the farms she works with carefully: “We see how they’re housed, how they’re raised, how they’re fed,” she said of the animals, adding that she slaugh-ters for a range of producers, “from a guy that has one or two head to peo-ple that raise (herds) all year long for farm shares or co-ops.”

To purchase meat directly from the processor, newcomers can visit Innovative Foods’ storefront in Evans, or they can call ahead for special or-

ders cut every Wednesday.Starting every Thursday, Love-

land’s The Boar and Bull Butcher Shop opens with a new selection of beef and pork cuts straight from In-novative. Before they’re sent to the processor, the animals are raised on farms in Wellington and Johnstown.  

“Everything from birth is all done within 100 miles of the butcher shop,” said owner Austin Almquist. 

In addition to pork and beef cuts, he sells sausages, deli meats, pulled pork and barbecued brisket, house-smoked bacon as well as lamb and goat, on occasion. The Boar and Bull also offers whole-hog butchering classes.     

IN A RETAILERNot ready to budge from your regular shopping habits? Some grocery stores and supermarkets offer products from Colora-do and even Northern Colorado farms. 

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BELLVUE Amy’s Grass Fed Beef Beef - Grass fed BERTHOUD Long Shadow Farm Lamb, Chicken, Turkey, Duck The Old Fence Farm Lamb Raisin Roots Farm Poultry EATON Ginger’s Farm Pork ESTES PARK D-L Cattle Co Beef - Grass fed EVANS Innovative Foods Beef, Pork, Lamb, Goat FORT COLLINS Craig Angus Ranch Beef, Pork - Natural, Grass fed Friendly Critter’s Farm Pork, Goat Jodar Farms Chicken, Pork Jordan’s Greenhouse Beef

Locals Only CSA Beef, Pork, Chicken, Bison, Lamb - From your butcher Frank in Longmont Lukens Farm Beef Ole Dern Farm Beef On the Vine at Richmond Farms Duck, Turkey, Chicken FORT LUPTON Colorado Wise Acres Farm Pork, Lamb JOHNSTOWN Sauer Family Beef Beef KERSEY Monroe Farm Beef, Pork, Lamb Croft Family Farm Pork LIVERMORE Living Water Ranch Beef, Lamb LOVELAND The Boar and Bull Butcher Shop Beef, Pork, Lamb, Goat - No hormones, antibiotics, or steroids

Ewe Bet Ranch Lamb Revive Gardens Beef Rock Ridge Ranch Beef Sunrise Ranch Beef Sylvan Dale Ranch Beef, Pork - Grass-fed, grass-finished NUNN Donoma Farm Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Duck, Yak - No soy, no GMO, all pastured PIERCE Top Notch All Meats Beef, Pork, Chicken PLATTEVILLE h-Beef Beef ROGGEN Kiowa Valley Organics, Inc. Beef WELLINGTON Grant Farms Poultry Harvest Farm Beef - Pastured year round

Rock Soup Ranch Beef WINDSOR Blue Sky Farm, LLC Beef - Angus Carrie’s Clucks Chicken, Turkey YODER, WY Meadow Maid Foods, LLC Beef OTHER LOCAL SOURCES Red Dirt Farms and Produce Pork Colorado’s Best Beef Beef - No feed antibiotics, no growth hormones, no steroids, dry aged 14-21 days, humane treatment

At the Fort Collins Food Co-op carnivores can find a freezer stocked daily with as many as a couple dozen local meat products. On a recent visit, the selection included sausages from Mulay’s in Longmont, whole chickens and breasts from Wisdom in Haxtun, lamb from Long’s Peak in Evans, ground beef and ground bison from Wyoming, and beef bone marrow from as close as Ol’ Dern in Fort Collins.     

And at Whole Foods delicates-sen, locally-raised meat is marked as “Colorado Local.” Whole Foods should have around 15 cuts of

Colorado meat in the fresh counter on any given day, from Evans pork belly and pork butt to Carbondale sirloin, brisket, stew meat, and ribeye, as well as Elizabeth, CO chicken. 

King Soopers stocks far less but still a few packaged local meats, marked as “Colorado Proud,” a desig-nation given to locally grown, raised, and processed foods by the state De-partment of Agriculture. Colorado Proud meats at King Soopers include a handful of bison cuts, ground elk, and half a case full of Red Bird Farms chicken, out of Englewood.

READY TO GET STARTED?Check out this list of local meat purveyors, and reach out to them for more information. For farms and ranches, keep in mind that they usu-ally offer wholes, halves and quarters of large animals, so plan on going in with a few friends or families to split the large portions. 

FIND LOCAL MEAT HERE

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LOCAL PRODUCER LISTINGSFind a farm near you

FISH MUTTONBEEF PORK POULTRYDAIRY EGGS HONEYFLOWERS& HERBS

MUSHROOMS PRODUCE

LISTINGS KEY:

2 R’s Farm

19361 Hwy. 61 Platteville (970) 737-2689 Beeswax Amy & Ellen’s Grass Fed Beef

181 Lazy D Ranch Rd. Bellvue, www.barncatservices.com 970-881-2147 Grass fed (whole, halves, quarters) Anders Farm

8443 Hwy. 85, Fort Lupton Bartels Farm

3424 E. Douglas Rd. Fort Collins www.thebartelsfarm.com Bayberry Fresh (Year-round CSA)

bayberryherbs@gmail.com 719-580-3236 tomatoes, greens & herbs

Bee Squared Apiaries 1617 White Water Ct. Berthoud www.bethsbees.com 970-213-3099 Beeswax, soap, candles, tours Big Willy’s Farm

300 42nd St SW Loveland www.bigwillysfarm.com Blue Barrel Farm (CSA)

40907 County Rd 15, Fort Collins www.bluebarrelfarm.com 970-484-5836 Blue Bench Farms (CSA)

33772 State Highway 257 Windsor www.bluebenchfarms.com

Blue Sky Farm

Windsor www.blueskyfarmcolorado.com 970-222-7147, Angus beef Blush Flowers on Vine (CSA)

1428 West Vine Drive www.blushflowersonvine.com 970-217-8505 Bracewell Produce

30951 County Rd. 27, Greeley Bucking Horse Farm (CSA)

Fort Collins Buena Vida

8204 S County Rd 3, Fort Collins www.buenavidafarm.com 970-305-2182

C&R Farms

Palisade, www.candrfarms.com peaches Carrie’s Clucks (CSA)

37477 County Rd. 21 Windsor, offering tours www.carriesclucks.com Clarks Honey Farm Evans Colorado Best Beef

www.naturalbeef.com Colorado Honey Co.

Fort Collins www.beeyondthehive.com

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Colorado Wise Acres Farm

8695 County Rd. 29 1/2 Fort Lupton coloradowiseacresfarm.com ColoState CSA (CSA)

Fort Collins www.facebook.com/ColoStatecsa.3 Copoco’s Honey 2020 N. College Ave. Fort Collins www.copocoshoney.com Craig Angus Ranch

3785 Mount Flora St. Fort Collins www.craigangusranch.com Croft Family Farm (CSA)

Kersey www.croftfamilyfarm.com D&H Farms (CSA)

Ault, www.dhfarms2000.com D-L Cattle Co

Estes Park, (970) 690-0150 Grassfed Donoma Farms (CSA)

10018 Weld County Rd. 110 Carr, www.donomafarms.com Pastured-no soy/gmo, lamb, yak Double Dig Farm (CSA)

Fort Collins and Loveland www.Doubledigfarm.net 413-427-8458 Tours, children’s activities Ela Family Farms

Hotchkiss www.elafamilyfarms.com tree fruit Ewe Bet Ranch

1850 E. Hwy. 60 Loveland www. ewebetranch.com Sales by appointment only Fair Eliza’s Flowers (CSA)

Fort Collins www.fairelizasflowers.com

Foco F.R.E.S.H. Farm (CSA)

2225 W. Vine Dr., Fort Collins www.focofresh.com, 692-3900 Egg Shares (CSA) Fossil Creek Farms (CSA)

7100 Silver Mist Ln. Fort Collins www.fossilcreekfarmsllc.com 970-980-4096, on-farm sales Friendly Critters Farm

3915 N. County Rd. 19, Fort Collins www.friendlycrittersfarm.com 407-766-6049, goat & rabbit Front Range Apiaries 4130 Hayes Ave. Wellington Gaia’s Farm and Gardens (CSA)

4328 W. County Rd. 54G, LaPorte www.gaiascsa.com, bread Garden Sweet (CSA)

719 W. Willox Ln. Fort Collins www.gardensweet.com Ginger’s Farm(CSA)

12037 County Rd. 74, Eaton Gingersfarm15@yahoo.com 631-3631 Good Grin Farm

2925 W. Mulberry St; Fort Collins www.goodgrinfarm.com 720-206-7917 Grant Farms (CSA)

Wellington, www.grantfarms.com 568-7654 Grassmere Farm (CSA)

Fort Collins www.grassmerefarm.com Green Dog Farm (CSA)

1807 W Vine Ft. Collins www.greendogfarmcsa.com Happy Heart Farm (CSA)

2820 W. Elizabeth St. Fort Collins www.happyheartfarmcsa.com 970-482-3448 Coffee, bread

Harvest Farm (CSA)

Wellington www.harvestfarm.net Hazel Dell Mushrooms

3925 Carpenter Rd. Fort Collins www.hazeldellmushrooms.com h-Beef

Platteville, www.h-beef.com Heritage Lavender, LLC

4809 Foothills Dr. Berthoud www.heritagelavender.com 303-514-6504 Fresh, dried, culinary lavender, soaps, lotions and products High Altitude Organics (CSA)

25572 Weld County Rd. 32 La Salle, www.highaltitudeorganics.com also goat, poultry, turkey Highchair Farms

914 Cottonwood Dr. Fort Collins www.highchairfarms.com farm fresh baby food purees, granola, bread Hill’s Harvest

3225 E 124th Ave, Thornton www.Hillsharvest.com 303-451-5637 Jodar Farms (CSA)

5100 E. County Rd. 48 Fort Collins www.jodarfarms.com

Hoffman Farms, LLC

33177 Pikes Peak Drive Greely, CO 80631 www.hopsandpeppers.com 970-978-6765, Hops Kiowa Valley Organics

Roggen www.kiowavalleyorganics.com organic beef Lakeridge Farms(CSA)

Fort Collins www.lakeridgefarms.org LaVida Greens (CSA)

Fort Collins www.lavidagreens.com Lazy Bee Ranch

2503 County Rd. 47 Hudson www.lazybeeranch.com Leffler Family Farm & Local Motion CSA, (CSA)

Eaton, www.lefflerfarms.com Liberty Home Grown Produce

703 Aspen Grove Way, Severance www.facebook.com/libertyhomegrownproduce Lindenmeier Farm(CSA)

Fort Collins www.lindenmeierfarm.com Living Water Ranch

Livermore, www.livingwater ranchcolorado.com grassfed & finished beef & lamb

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Long Shadow Farm (CSA)

101 Bothun Rd. Berthoud www.longshadowfarm.com Lukens Farm

9378 County Rd. 78, Fort Collins 303-579-2668 Lyons Farmette (CSA)

4121 Ute Highway, Lyons www.lyonsfarmette.com Masonville Orchards

Masonville www.masonvilleorchard.com apples & pears Mazzotti Farms

2628 Weld County Rd. 49, Hudson www.mazzottifarms.com Meadowmaid Foods (CSA)

1333 Road 50, Yoder WY www.meadowmaidfoods.com 307-534-2289 Miller Farms (CSA)

13912 County Rd. 19 Platteville www.millerfarms.net Monroe Organic Farm (CSA)

25525 Weld County Rd. 48, Kersey www.monroefarm.com Motherlove Organic Farm

503 S. County Rd. 1, Johnstown www.motherlove.com

Native Hill Farm (CSA)

2100 CR 54G Ft. Collins www.nativehillfarm.com Ole Dern Farm (CSA)

Fort Collins Old Fence Farm (CSA)

104 North CR 23, Berthoud www.theoldfencefarm.com On the Vine at Richmond Farms (CSA)

3611 Richmond Dr. Fort Collins www.onthevineat richmondfarms.com Papa Joe’s Local Honey 1309 Westridge Dr. Loveland 593-2800 honey, wax, pollen, royal jelly Quatrix Aquaponics

LaPorte, www.quatrix.us Raindrop Retreat (CSA)

6410 Placer Ct. Bellvue www.raindropretreat.com Raisin Roots Farm (CSA)

901 S. County Rd. 31 Berthoud Raspberry Hill Farm

13350 N County Road 15, Wellington, 568-7424 www.raspberryhill.farm

Red Dirt Farms

609 E CR 70 970-817-3679, grains Red Dog Expressions

Fort Collins www.reddogexpressions.wordpress.com Revive Gardens (CSA)

1413 W. 57th Ave. Loveland www.farmfortcollins.com Rock Ridge Ranch

8851 W. US Hwy 34 Loveland www.rockridgebeef.com Rock Soup Ranch

2420 E. County Rd. 68 Wellington www.rocksoupranch.com Sauer Family Beef

6681 County Rd. 50 Johnstown www.sauerfamilybeef.com Scarecrow Gardens

2235 N. 47th Ave.Greeley www.scarecrowgardens.com Sixdog Farms

Wellington www.sixdogfarms.com Sunny Daze

901 S. County Rd. 5, Fort Collins www.SunnydazeGardens.com Sunray Natural (CSA)

Fort Collins www.sunraynatural.farm Sunrise Ranch (CSA)

100 Sunrise Ranch Rd. Loveland www.sunriseranch.org

Sunspot Urban Farm (CSA)

1004 and 1008 Sunset Ave. Fort Collins, 556-5942 www.Sunspoturbanfarm.squarespace.com Sylvan Dale Ranch

Loveland, www.sylvandale.com The Growing Project at Hope Farms

1601 N. Shields Fort Collins www.thegrowingproject.org 303-517-4031 The Old Fence Farm

Berthoud www.theoldfencefarm.com Tigges Farm

12404 WCR 64 ½, Greeley tiggesfarm.com Top Notch All Natural Meats

Pierce, topnotchmeats.com Von Trotha-Firestien Farm at Bracewell

30951 County Road 27, Greeley bracewellfarm.com Westbridge Farms

1225 Blue Spruce Dr. Fort Collins westbridgefarms.com WiseAcres Greenhouse

3545 W. O St. Greeley facebook.com/ WiseAcres-Greenhouse Wooly Goat Farms(CSA)

117 S Taft Hill Rd woolygoatfarm.com 970-599-4756

FISH MUTTONBEEF PORK POULTRYDAIRY EGGS HONEYFLOWERS& HERBS

MUSHROOMS PRODUCELISTINGS KEY:

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Anders Farm 8443 US HWY 8, Fort Lupton www.facebook.com/Anders-Farm-138514266184151/ Bartels Farm 3424 E Douglas Rd., Fort Collins www.thebartelsfarm.com Blue Bench Farm 33772 HWY 257, Windsor www.bluebenchfarms.com Carrie’s Clucks 37477 Co Rd 21, Windsor www.carriesclucks.com Croft’s Greeley Farm Stand 4110 Centerplace Dr., Greeley www.croftfamilyfarm.com FoCo F.R.E.S.H. 2225 W Vine Dr., Fort Collins www.focofresh.com

Gaia’s Farm and Gardens 4328 W Co Rd 54G, Laporte www.gaiascsa.com Garden Sweet 719 W Willox Ln., Fort Collins www.gardensweet.com Ginger’s Farm 12037 County Rd. 74, Eaton www.facebook.com/GingersFarm Good Grin Farm 2925 W Mulberry St., Fort Collins www.goodgrinfarm.com Green Dog Farm Fort Collins www.greendogfarmcsa.com Happy Heart Farm 2820 W Elizabeth St., Fort Collins www.happyheartfarmcsa.com

Hazel Dell Mushrooms 3925 E Co Rd 32 (Carpenter Rd), Fort Collins www.hazeldellmushrooms.com Heritage Lavender 4809 Foothills Drive Berthoud www.heritagelavender.com High Altitude Organics 25572 Weld Co Rd 32 La Salle www.highaltitudeorganics.com Hoffman Farms, LLC 3545 W 0 St., Greeley www.hopsandpeppers.com Jodar Farms 5100 E Co Rd 48, Fort Collins www.jodarfarms.com Long Shadow Farm 101 Bothun Rd., Berthoud www.longshadowfarm.com Native Hill Farm 2100 W Co Rd 54G Fort Collins www.nativehillfarm.com

Ollin Farms 8627 North 95th St. Longmont www.ollinfarms.com On the Vine at Richmond Farms 3611 Richmond Drive, Fort Collins www.onthevineatrichmond farms.com Papa Joe’s Honey 4855 W Eisenhower, Loveland www.facebook.com/PapaJoesLocalHoney Red Dirt Farms 609 East Co Rd 70, Wellington Revive Gardens 6501 W 91st Ave., Westminster www.farmfortcollins.com Sunny Daze 901 S. Co Rd 5, Fort Collins www.sunnydazegardens.com Tigges Farm 12404 Co Rd 64 ½ Greeley www.tiggesfarm.com

Berthoud Local Farmers Market Fickel Park in downtown Berthoud Saturdays, 9 - 1, Jun 25 - Sept 24 Locally grown produce, producer-made goods, local services, CSAs www.berthoudlocal.org/farmers-market/ CAMC Fort Collins Farmers Market Harmony & Lemay in Front of Ace Hardware Sundays, 11 - 3, May 6 - Oct 28, Wednesdays, 11 - 3, Jun 13 - Oct 31 Fresh produce, plants, fruits, cheese, and meats as well as specialty products www.fortcollinsfm.com CAMC Loveland Farmers Market HWY 287 in front of Hobby Lobby (3133 N. Garfield) Tuesdays, 11 - 3, May 1 - Oct 30 Produce, plants, fruits, cheese, and meats as well as specialty products www.fortcollinsfm.com City of Loveland Farmers Market at Fairgrounds Park 700 S Railroad Ave. Sundays, 9 - 1:30, Jun 26 - Sept 25 Produce, fruit, coffee, flowers, popcorn, honey, mushrooms, BBQ sauce, salsa, soap, lotion, meat, music, food truck, etc. www.cityofloveland/farmersmarket

Downtown Mead Farmers Market Mead Town Park Sundays, 10 - 1, Jun 26 - Sept 25th Local farm produce, artisan crafts and entrepreneurial goods www.townofmead.org Drake Road Farmers Market 802 W Drake Rd., Fort Collins Saturdays, 10 - 1, Apr 16 - Sept 24 Fruits, Vegetables, Pastas, Breads, Soaps, Dairy Products, Meats www.drakeroadfarmersmarket.com Erie Farmers Market Briggs Street in Downtown Thursdays, 5 - 8, May 19 - Sept 22 Colorado farms, locally hand made and homemade foods, arts and services www.relfarmersmarketsco.com Estes Valley Farmers Market Bond Park on E Elkhorn Ave. Thursdays, 8 - 1, Jun 2 - early Oct. Fresh produce, breads, cheeses, smoothies, flowers, and more from area farmers www.facebook.com/EstesValleyFarmersMarket Greeley Farmers Market at the Depot 902 7th Ave. Saturdays, 7:30 - 12, May 21 - Oct 29, Wednesdays, 3 - 6, July 6 - Sept 28 Produce, meats, honey, eggs, baked goods, jams/jellies, soaps/lotions, local arts/crafts www.greeleygov.com/fm;

Jessup Artisian Farmers Market 1957 Jessup Dr., Fort Collins Thursdays, 4 - 7, starting mid-Jun Live music, local produce, eggs, cheese, bread and baked goods, and lots of other local handmade art www.farmhousefc.com Johnstown Milliken Farmers Market Charlotte St. and Parish Ave. Fridays, 4 - 8, Jun - Oct Baked goods, arts & crafts, flowers, vegetables, honey, jams, plants, juices www.johnstownmillikenchamber.com Larimer County Farmers Market 200 W Oak St. Saturdays, 8 - 12, May 14 - Oct 22 Fresh veggies, fruit, meat, eggs, baked goods, craft and specialty items, wine, kombucha, jams and jellies, dog treats, plants and cut flowers www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org Louisville Farmers Market 824 Front St., Louisville Saturdays, 9 - 1, May 28 - Oct 22 Colorado farms, locally handmade and homemade foods, arts and services www.relfarmersmarketsco.com Wellington Farmers Market Centennial Park Thursdays, 4 - 8, Jun 20 - Oct 20 Fresh foods, and horticultural products www.wellingtoncofarmersmarket.org

2016 FARMERS MARKETS

FARM STANDS SEE WEBSITES FOR SEASONS AND HOURS OF OPERATION

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MAY 4 Humanure Composting 101 6-7:30 pm; The Growing Project Garden at Hope Farms, 1601 N. Shields St. 80524 Learn principles and basic techniques of composting “human manure” for agriculture purposes. You must RSVP by purchasing a ticket at www.thegrowingproject.org or emailing info@thegrowingproject.org to pay by cash, check or work trade. $10 MAY 4 Movie Screening-To make a Farmer at the Lyric Cinema Café; Fundraiser for Poudre Valley Community Farms, a Land Cooperative; Doors at 5:30pm, Movie at 6pm MAY 7 Hands-on Chicken Coop Building -SLA Workshop 10-4pm This 1-day hands-on workshop will teach you how to properly plan for the number of birds you want to keep, by building an adequate coop with plenty of space for your feathered friends to roam. We will build the coop together and discuss proper laying boxes, roosting perches, access and more. You will need to be comfortable with power and hand tools and be willing to work as a team.  $60, 12 people max More info and register: https://sustainablelivingassociation.org/workshops/abundant-backyard/ MAY 11 Foraging for Spring Flowers and Pollinators 6-7:30pm; Off of hemlock at parking lot for McMurray Natural Area; Learn about spring flowers and pollinators in the area. Dress for weather! This class will be outside the whole

time; You must RSVP by either buying a ticket at www.thegrowingproject.org or emailing info@thegrowingproject.org for instructions for paying by cash, check or work trade. $10 MAY 14 Morning Yoga at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8am - 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); with Elan Yoga; Dog Video Filming; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org MAY 14 Make Your Own Container Crevice Garden 1:30-3:30; Gardens on Spring Creek; A new garden trend is growing plants that need special drainage in the cracks between vertical rocks. Bring your own trough or container 12-15 inches wide. Taught by Sherry Fuller, Curator, $15 MAY 21 Take Control of your Sprinkler System 10-noon; Gardens on Spring Creek; Learn to monitor, make adjustments, and understand the functions of your system. Taught by Eric Olsen, City of Fort Collins Utilities. $15 MAY 21 Meet your Vegetables at the Larimer County Farmers Market (recipes and tasting of seasonal fm vegetables and fruits!) 8am 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); larimercountyfarmersmarket.org

MAY 21 Basics of Rock Gardening 1-3pm; Gardens on Spring Creek; Learn how our rock garden was build and ways to adapt that to fit into your home landscape. Topics include rock placement, soil choices and plants. Taught by Dillon Hancock, Horticulturs; $15 MAY 22 Tour de Coop 8:30 - 1:30 pm More info and registration here - https://sustainablelivingassociation.org/event/tour-de-coop/ MAY 24 Spring into Summer: A Growing Project Fundraiser 7- 9 pm at Odell Brewing Co, Live music by Write Minded, silent auction, snacks, beer and friends. Help us raise money for our new educational garden at Hope Farms! $10 entry includes one beer ticket; additional beer tickets are $3. Pay at the door, we accept credit cards. JUNE 4 Science Saturday (Chemistry Club – Running Colors/Slime) at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8am-noon; 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); larimercountyfarmersmarket.org JUNE 4 Spring Farm Tour 10-5pm; Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; Family friendly event, Tour the farm, take an intro to permaculture class and meet the new team. www.grantfarms.com

2016 Growing Season CALENDAR of EVENTS

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JUNE 6 Farm School with Angela Monday June 6, 9:30 - 12:30; $30, ages 5 and up; Come and explore animals, garden and nature on the farm. We will be exploring bugs in the garden and talking about the role of beneficial insects. We will get our hands dirty in the garden, explore the nature around us and learn about life on the farm all in a fun outdoor setting while creating a relationship with the world around us. Please send your child with water, lunch and a snack. www.laughingbuckfarm.com JUNE 7 Pony Camp with Kat Tuesday, June 7th, 9:30 - 12:30; $30, ages 7 and up; Pony Camp is a fun way for children to spend time on the farm and get lots of time with our horses and ponies. In addition to joining in on a full round of farm chores feeding chickens, pigs, and playing in the hay barn, we’ll spend LOTS of time with the horses, grooming, leading, saddling, learning about parts of the horse and then learning the basics of riding. And if it gets too hot, we’ll just declare it time for horse baths! Please send your child with water, lunch, a snack, boots, and long pants. Children need boots or sturdy shoes that cover the toes when working with horses. www.laughingbuckfarm.com JUNE 8 Art on the Farm with Christine and Kat Wednesday, June 8 - Friday, June 10 9:30-12:30; $90, ages 5-7; Three days of creative farm fun for the younger artist. Campers will explore the farm and a variety of artistic adventures! Action Art, brushes of nature and a bit of big and messy round out this camp. Artists should wear clothes for getting messy and bring water, snack and lunch. www.laughingbuckfarm.com JUNE 11 Impact of Soil Health on Nutrition (w/ Eli & Sarah Hodapp), 10am, $15, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JUNE 11 Morning Yoga at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8am- 200 W. Oak Street, Larimer County Courthouse parking lot; with Elan Yoga. Health Fair: Personal trainers, fitness groups, and dietitians from fort Collins, larimercountyfarmersmarket.org JUNE 11 Barn Dance at the Wolverine Farm Letter Press and Public House; Fundraiser for Poudre Valley Community Farms, a Land Cooperative. Danc’in from 7:30-10pm

JUNE 13 Gardeners and Chefs - Allergy Aware 9-noon; Gardens on Spring Creek; Come join us for cooking and gardening. We will make fun recipes, exploring the plants that flavor our foods and making our own book of recipes to take home! The first edition of this camp will feature dairy free, nut free, and gluten free recipes. $125 JUNE 16 Jessup Farm Artisan Village Open Air Market 4-7pm; June 16 - October 27, Thursdays only, free; live music JUNE 16 Rock Garden Concert A benefit for Project Self-Sufficiency, 6:30pm, $12 adv/ $15 door, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JUNE 18 Brewers Olympics & Beer Festival noon-5; Go West T-Shirt Company, 1725 Heath Pkwy, Fort Collins; 12 breweries compete in games of chance and skill to benefit House that Beer Built II; family friendly activities, food trucks, bouncy house, DJ and dunk tank. $10 entry and one beer, additional beers $4 suggested donation JUNE 18 Meet your Vegetables at the Larimer County Farmers Market (recipes and tasting of seasonal fm vegetables and fruits!) 8-noon; 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); larimercountyfarmersmarket.org JUNE 18 Read Aloud with Larimer County Farmers Market 10 am – 11 am, Poudre Library JUNE 18 Solstice Farm Dinner Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; Lovely music as we launch the first day of summer. www.grantfarms.com JUNE 19 Father’s Day Tree Planting Sale info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JUNE 20 Summer Solstice Run Jessup Farm Artisan Village; more information and tickets at www.jessupfarm.com JUNE 20 Full Day - Garden Animals I and II 9am-4pm; Gardens on Spring Creek; Explore the exciting world of insects, arachnids and bugs. What they do, how they work and even meeting a few up close! $220 JUNE 20 Afternoon - Garden Animals II 1-4pm; Gardens on Spring Creek; In the afternoon we will focus on the different animals living in the Garden and Colorado through exploration, games and crafts. $120

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JUNE 20 Morning Garden Animals I 9-noon; Gardens on Spring Creek; Explore the exciting world of insects, arachnids and bugs. What they do, how they work and even meeting a few up close! In the afternoon we will focus on the different animals living in the Garden and Colorado through exploration, games and crafts; $125 JUNE 22 Family Farm Camp with Kat Wednesday, June 22, 9:30 - 12:30; $30, all ages, parents welcome to stay; On Family Farm Days we will do a round of farm chores, play in the haybarn, learn about horses, hug the chickens, brush the ponies and get a sense of what life is like on the farm. We could also also have hands on nature activities and / or water fun depending on the day. Please send your child with water, lunch and a snack. Children need sturdy shoes that cover the toes when working with horses. www.laughingbuckfarm.com JUNE 22 Parable In Gastronomy Received Over A Solstice Table 7:30pm - Disassembly dinner including fire dancers at the new Lyric Cinema property on North College; more info contact bmozer@hotmail.com or lyriccinemacafe.com JUNE 25 Down on the Bayou Dinner Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; Cajun Cuisine and a little New Orleans Blues and Jazz; www.grantfarms.com JUNE 27 Full Day - Arts Camp I and II 9-4pm; artistic experiences in the Garden! The morning camp will focus on different types of art each day. Our afternoon camp will explore music, theater and dance—all happening in the beautiful outdoor spaces of the Gardens on Spring Creek; $220 JUNE 27 Morning - Arts Camp I 9-noon; Week of artistic experiences in the Garden! The morning camp will focus on different types of art each day. Our afternoon camp will explore music, theater and dance—all happening in the beautiful outdoor spaces of the Gardens on Spring Creek; $125 JUNE 29 Herbal Remedies from Backyard Plants 5:30-7pm; Gardens on Spring Creek; Make the most of your backyard gardens and home by attending these classes; $15 JULY 2 Science Saturday at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8-noon; 200 W. Oak Street, Larimer County Courthouse parking lot; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org

JULY 3 Community Night Chicken Dinner at the Farm House at Jessup Farm Portion of Proceeds go to Poudre Valley Community Farms, A land Cooperative. JULY 6 Art on the Farm with Christine and Kat Wednesday, July 6 - Friday, July 8, 9:30-1:30; $100 (3 longer days, includes materials), ages: 7+; Bookbinding, sketching, painting, nature and fabric art. This camp concludes with an art show for family and friends. Artists should wear clothes for getting messy and bring water, snack and lunch. www.laughingbuckfarm.com JULY 9 Morning Yoga at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8am- 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); with Elan Yoga; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org JULY 9 Smart Solar Gardening Through Design and Microclimates Workshop (with Kelly O’Donnell), 10am, $15, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JULY 10 Community Night Chicken Dinner at the Farm House at Jessup Farm Portion of Proceeds go to Poudre Valley Community Farms, A land Cooperative. JULY 11 Morning Gardeners and Chefs - Conventional Cooking 9-noon; Gardens on Spring Creek; Make fun recipes, explore the plants that flavor our foods and make your own book of recipes to take home! The second edition of this camp will feature more conventional recipes than the first $125 JULY 12 Beer or Chocolate- Why Choose? 7-9 pm, Odell Brewing; Come enjoy organic raw chocolate from Radiantly Raw and paired Odell beers as we raise money for Friends of Happy Heart’s programs at the same time! Tickets will be for sale at www.happyheartfriends.org beginning June 20th

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JULY 13 Introduction to Urban Beekeeping 5:30-7pm; Make the most of your backyard gardens and home by attending these classes; The Gardens on Spring Creek; $15 JULY 16 Meet your Vegetables at the Larimer County Farmers Market Recipes and tasting of seasonal fm vegetables and fruits! 8-noon; 200 W. Oak Street, Larimer County Courthouse parking lot; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org JULY 16 Thunder Moon Dinner Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; Colorado Cuisine with a flair of Colorado Musical melodies; www.grantfarms.com JULY 17 Heart of Summer Farm Dinner 5-9pm; at Happy Heart Farm; 5 courses prepared by a local chef paired with local beer and wine; $80 proceeds benefit Friends of Happy Heart Farm; Details at www.fortifiedcollaborations.com JULY 17 Community Night Chicken Dinner at the Farm House at Jessup Farm Portion of Proceeds go to Poudre Valley Community Farms, A land Cooperative. JULY 18-22 Photography on the Farm with Kirsten Monday July 18 Wednesday, July 20, Friday July 22, 9 - 12 ; $90 (3 day class), ages 8 and up; www.laughingbuckfarm.com JULY 22 Rock Garden Concert 6:30pm, $12 adv/ $15 door, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JULY 23 Summer Festival 9:00-12:00 at Jessup Farm Artisan Village; more information at www.jessupfarm.com JULY 24 Community Night Chicken Dinner at the Farm House at Jessup Farm

Portion of Proceeds go to Poudre Valley Community Farms, A land Cooperative.

JULY 28 Fresh Salsa and Beer Pairing Class

6-8pm; Fort Collins Brewer; Summer beers need summer

food pairings! Come learn how to make fresh salsa and pair

FCB beers with high-acid summer fare. To reserve your spot visit www.

fortcollinsbrewery.com

JULY 29-31 Summer Perennial Sale info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com JULY 30 Urban Homestead Tour 9-3pm, Explore six working homesteads in Fort Collins and Loveland in this self-guided Urban Homestead Tour. Learn some tricks of the trade while getting inspired for your own home and garden. Bees, chickens, goats, greenhouses and hoops, repurposed and recycled materials, edible gardens and other demonstrations will be featured on this year’s Tour. Proceeds benefit the Gardens on Spring Creek and Loveland Youth Gardeners. Children 12 and under are admitted free. JULY 31 Community Night Chicken Dinner at the Farm House at Jessup Farm Portion of Proceeds go to Poudre Valley Community Farms, A land Cooperative. AUGUST 3 Homesteading Basics with Christine Wednesday, August 3 - Friday, August 5, 9:30-1:30; $100 (3 longer days, includes materials), ages 7 and up; Campers will have hands-on practice with beekeeping and candle making, chicken care and campfire cooking, gardening and food preservation, plus a little stitching and sewing! Homesteaders should wear clothes for getting messy and bring water, snack and lunch. www.laughingbuckfarm.com AUGUST 6 Science Saturday at the Larimer County Farmers Market (Environmental Learning Center) 8-noon; 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); larimercountyfarmersmarket.org AUGUST 6 Garden a’ Fare Wine Tour 6-8pm; Gardens on Spring Creek - Garden a’ Fare is a series of two culinary pairing events highlighting edible garden creations by local chefs featuring produce grown in the Garden of Eatin’ paired with Blue Skies wine or Odell beers. Wine Tour will feature modern “progressive dinner” style courses by local chefs paired with four varietals of wine from Blue Skies while Beer Tour will include savory and sweet tapas paired with Odell brews. Guests are treated to local music, silent auction, and a complimentary event tasting glass - all the while having the opportunity to explore our beautiful botanic gardens $75 AUGUST 8 Morning - Colorful Colorado 9-noon; the Gardens on Spring Creek; Colorado history and landscapes. Build your own fossils, plant a native tree and make herbed butter just like a pioneer! We will spend a week exploring grassland to glacial landscapes; as well as incorporating fun activities related to Colorado history $125

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AUGUST 9 Family Farm Camp with Kat Tuesday, August 9th, 9:30 - 12:30; $30, all ages, parents welcome to stay On Family Farm Days we will do a round of farm chores, play in the haybarn, learn about horses, hug the chickens, brush the ponies and get a sense of what life is like on the farm. We could also have hands on nature activities and / or water fun depending on the day. Please send your child with water, lunch and a snack. Children need sturdy shoes that cover the toes when working with horses. www.laughingbuckfarm.com AUGUST 11 Workshop: Microgreens (w/ Kathy Hatfield), 4:30pm, $21, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com AUGUST 13 Morning Yoga at the Larimer County Farmers Market 8am- 200 W. Oak Street (Larimer County Courthouse parking lot); with Elan Yoga; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org AUGUST 13 Spanish Sturgeon Moon Dinner Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; The taste of Espania at the foot of the Colorado Rockies. Enjoy the sound of spanish guitars and the flavor of the old world. www.grantfarms.com AUGUST 15 Farm Day with Kat Monday, August 15th, 9:30 - 12:30; $30, ages 4 - 10; On Summer Farm Days we will explore the children’s garden, play in the haybarn, learn about horses, hug chickens, and get a sense of what life is like on the farm. We could also have hands on nature activities and / or water fun depending on the day. www.laughingbuckfarm.com AUGUST 18 Rock Garden Concert $12 adv/ $15 door, info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com AUGUST 20 Meet your Vegetables at the Larimer County Farmers Market Recipes and tasting of seasonal fm vegetables and fruits! 8-noon; 200 W. Oak Street, Larimer County Courthouse parking lot; larimercountyfarmersmarket.org AUGUST 20 Tour de Farms More info and registration online www.sustainablelivingassociation.org/event/tour-de-farms-2/

AUGUST 21 3 Forks Progressive Farm Dinner Farms TBD; Diners are encouraged to ride their bikes on an approximate 3 mile loop from farm to farm to enjoy a course and entertaining experience at each farm, paired with wine and beer. Bike ride led by Bike Fort Collins. Tickets and more info at www.fortifiedcollaborations.com AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 5 Yard Sale at Fort Collins Nursery info at www.FortCollinsNursery.com AUGUST 27 Boots and Spurs Dinner Grant Farm CSA, 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; Old west meets new west as the flavors align for a little bit of down home cooking! www.grantfarms.com AUGUST 27 Garden a’ Fare Beer Tour 6-8pm; Gardens on Spring Creek. A series of two culinary pairing events highlighting edible garden creations by local chefs featuring produce grown in the Garden of Eatin’ paired with Blue Skies wine or Odell beers. Wine Tour will feature modern “progressive dinner” style courses by local chefs paired with four varietals of wine from Blue Skies while Beer Tour will include savory and sweet tapas paired with Odell brews. Guests are treated to local music, silent auction, and a complimentary event tasting glass - all the while having the opportunity to explore our beautiful botanic gardens; $55 AUGUST 28 Farm to Table Dinner 6-8pm; Fort Collins Brewery Revel in the flavors of summer produce from local farms as we gather to celebrate the harvest season. Tickets will be on sale at www.fortcollinsbrewery.com and www.happyheartfriends.org beginning in August. SEPTEMBER 4 Mishawaka 100 Year Harvest Dinner at Grant Farms 12155 N CO Rd. 15, Wellington; 5 courses prepared by Chef Brent Jackson of The Kitchen Fort Collins, paired with brews from Horse & Dragon; select wines available, music by Grant Farm; 5-10p; $80; tickets and more info at www.fortifiedcollaborations.com

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Help the bees find their way through the honeycomb to the top of their hive!

BEE A-MAZE-ING

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THIS COULD BE A GARDENGrowing a more verdant community in Northern ColoradoBY DANA GUBER

WE WANT TO TELL YOU a story. This story takes place in the empty lots and lawns of Fort Collins, on the streets, in the parks, in the neglected neighborhoods, and on the lots doomed for urban development. This story begins walking the streets and paths around this city, riding our bikes down alleyways and over asphalt. It’s a tale of the empty spaces, the inspiring unoccu-pied terrain that makes us think - this could be a garden.

We dream of filling the line be-tween where the blacktop ends and the concrete begins with food producing spaces. We envision unpaving parking lots to put in urban gardening paradises. And we find wonder in the seeds we scatter in unloved places.  Just a small desire to see something green in a world of black and white and gray.

At The Growing Project, we imag-ine concrete and asphalt artifacts, fossils from a different time. We muse that chil-dren will find these long lost remnants, in their neighborhood or school garden and save them to remember a concrete civilization, the people of pavement, now

swallowed by green and gardens. We are lucky at The Growing Proj-

ect to take part in the transformation of bare spaces into beautiful food-pro-ducing gardens. We teach people how to grow their own food and we help distribute this homegrown food to the populations that need it the most. To-gether we are growers, educators, and organizers, and our goal is to make it easy for everyone to obtain nourishing foods regardless of their income.

At Poudre Valley Mobile Home Park, we removed broken blacktop to install a garden, going back every week to plant seeds and pull weeds with the kids. We cover concrete with planters and garden beds at The Boys and Girls Club, cultivating and connecting weekly with the youth. We smother grass with cardboard and compost at The Murphy Center, sharing stories and planting tomato starts with our homeless and transient friends. We dig in long rows of veggies and plentiful perennials at our one acre garden at Hope Farms that feeds the community.

We are organic architects, building

soil and drafting drip lines. We dream of designing orchards on urban lots destined for development. We wonder about ways to direct our water to nur-ture food flourishing on medians and in alley ways instead of letting it disappear down storm drains.

We are community organizers and chaos chasers, designers and demolish-ers, students and teachers, foragers and cultivators. We look for silence between the rows of tomatoes and for wonder below our feet and between our fin-gertips. We wander this city in search of spaces. Spaces to break ground or to build it up, looking for those forgotten places that make you think -this could be a garden.

Dana Guber is the Executive Director of The Growing Project, a local non-profit that plants community gardens where they are needed in Northern Colorado, providing food and direct agricultural experiences ,education and advocacy. To learn more about The Growing Proj-ect and how to get involved, please visit www.thegrowingproject.org

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Our farm dinners showcase the very best our region has to offer in locally grown food, culinary creativity and community collaboration. Every dinner raises funds for a local non-profit. Join us for a delicious dinner on the farm!

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For tickets and more information, visit:

fortifiedcollaborations.comEvent Sponsorship

opportunities available

[ JULY 17 ] Heart of Summer Dinner at Happy Heart Farm

[ AUGUST 21 ] 3 Forks Progressive Farm Dinner – Farms TBD

[ SEPTEMBER 4 ] Mishawaka 100 Year Harvest Dinner at Grant Farms CSA

[ SEPTEMBER 25 ]Harvest Moon Salmon Bake at Poudre Valley Commmunity Farm

[ OCTOBER 8 ]5th Annual Bounty and Brews Beer Dinner at Jordan’s Floral Gardens