Readers: Dishing dirt on local farmers' markets -- and the lack of local produce

Comments have been springing up about our tour of the Cherry Creek Fresh Market this past weekend -- which had very little that was fresh and Colorado-grown. Bsquared hits the issue squarely: So much prepared food, so little fresh produce...This is the problem with all farmers markets in Colorado. WE...

By Patricia Calhoun

July 6, 2011

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Comments have been springing up about our tour of the Cherry Creek Fresh Market this past weekend -- which had very little that was fresh and Colorado-grown.

Bsquared hits the issue squarely:

So much prepared food, so little fresh produce...This is the problem with all farmers markets in Colorado. WE need a solid 'market' to buy fresh farm produce, with multiple farms. Not just the one farmer hidden in the corner of the local "Farmers Market."

And the comment from robinflight is enough to wilt the most loyal locavore:

I'm from New Mexico. Santa Fe has a fabulous farmer's market with locally grown produce. I've been shocked since moving here to the Denver area to find shipped-in produce from other states at local farmer's markets (I've yet to find one without it, except Boulder.) I will not buy these products. If I wanted that, I'd go to Wal-Mart or King Soopers. Somehow I thought Colorado would be more progressive.

At what markets can you find locally grown produce? How much would you be willing to pay for it? And are the ubiquitous Colorado's "best tamales" really the best?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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