Denver Summer Produce Guide
Berry Patch Farms (credit: CBS)
Colorado boasts farm fresh produce from June to late October. Delivered directly to farmers' markets, roadside stands and independent groceries, the picking is literally at your fingertips. Beyond the ever popular Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, restaurants are planting on their own rooftops, flower beds and sharing acres to provide the freshest produce to demanding guests.
Berry Patch Farms
13785 Potomac St.
Brighton, CO 80601
(303) 659-5050
www.berrypatchfarms.com
Date: Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Berry Patch has year-round availability from its onsite market and CSA offering all types of beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, melons and root vegetables. But most of the fun is from June through September when the farm opens to personal picking. Abundant raspberries (red, gold, back), strawberries, red currants, cherries and herbs such as basil and edible flowers offer great freshness and flavor.
Boulder County Farmers' Market
13th St. between Arapahoe Ave. and Canyon Blvd.
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 910-2236
www.bcfm.org
Date: Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Founder of Pressery, Ian Lee, knows his way around the best suppliers and why each is so successful. The Boulder Market is one of the longest running of the season and boasts more than 150 agricultural suppliers, all closely associated with the growers and farms. Lee works closely with Dave Asbury at Full Circle Certified Organic Farms to offer such high quality with Pressery juices. Other standouts include Black Cat Farms, Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, Fresh Fruits Organic Farm, The Fresh Herb Company, Miller Farms and Oxford Farms. Wednesday night is a little less bustle, where locals enjoy an early dinner at the food tents (try the Saigon noodle bowl) while Saturday gets busy right at 8 a.m. During peach season, be sure to get in line early as the fall harvest tends to sell quickly.
Cherry Creek Fresh Market (credit: Ellen Marchman Larkey)
Cherry Creek Fresh Market
Cherry Creek Shopping Center
1st Ave. and University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 442-1837
www.coloradofreshmarkets.com
Date: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
One of the largest markets in Denver, Cherry Creek offers high-quality beans, berries, carrots, lettuce, peppers and herbs, both bagged and potted. Along with great produce, the market offers gourmet food vendors, coffee roasters and fresh flowers. Master gardeners share gardening tips about composting and growing with weekly live music.
Related: Top Salads In Denver
Hill's Harvest
3225 E. 124th Ave.
Thorton, CO 80241
(303) 451-5637
www.hillsharvest.com
Date: Daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hill's Harvest not only offers a roadside market with a cornucopia of apples, apricots, asparagus, beets, cabbage and all sorts of beans, but also peppers and melons along with sweet corn, spinach and squash. Green chile begins roasting in August and the farm offers homemade specialties like honey, fruit preserves and an assortment of pickling. Fruit is actually grown in the orchards of Palisades and shipped fresh to be sold the following day.
Le Jardin Secret
Bistro Vendôme Courtyard
Larimer Square
1420 Larimer St.
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 534-2367
www.larimersquare.com/le-jardin-secret
Date: Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The brainchild of chef Jorel Pierce is the charming garden of Bistro Vendome on Larimer Square. Geared to the home chef, the French-inspired chefs' market offers a curated, intimate selection of the best meats, cheeses, breads, produce, flowers and pie. Favorites include Grateful Bread Company, Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe, the Truffle Cheese Shop, Sugarmill, Savory Spice, Wednesday Pies and Blooming Fool.
Related: Best Spots For Grilled Cheese In Denver
Ellen Marchman Larkey has a savvy knowledge of culture and events and maintains trusted partnerships around
the country. She has substantial expertise with food, wine and lifestyle including Aspen Food &
Wine Festival, South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Cochon, Top Chef and numerous destination
restaurants and master mixologists. She has beeen Examiner.com's Denver's Fine Dining writer since 2009.
