DENVER — The importance of fresh, healthy food for us all is not lost in the community of Globeville. A non-profit has started a weekly farmers' market that will lets patrons to buy food at whatever price they can afford.
Focus Points Family Resource Center is an organization that helps low-income families in the northeast Denver area. It created this market where every Thursday evening, vendors will set up outside Comal Heritage Food Incubator in the Globeville neighborhood of Denver—just off of Ringsby Court, west of the South Platte River.
The market allows locals to purchase fresh produce and other food at any price. That could be as low as free or as high as above-market value with any extra money going to support families facing food insecurities.
Colorado Voices
New Community Farmers’ Market let’s you Pay-What-You-Can
A new community farmers' market sells fresh produce and other items at a price you pick.
"I love coming to farmers' markets for a whole bunch of reasons. It makes me feel like a part of the neighborhood,” said Michelle Jeske, a patron on the market’s opening day on June 24. “I like to eat really fresh and local food. My grandfather was a farmer and so supporting local farmers is really important to me.”
The market has several independent and local vendors including East Denver Food Hub, S&D Creations, Metro Caring, Rebel Bread, SAME Café and Huerta Urbana, an urban farming effort organized by Focus Points Family Resource Center.
Juan Millian, a farmer in Denver, sold vegetables grown from his shipping container farm on the market's opening day. He described how amazing his farm is and what it can produce.
“We can control everything,” said Millian. “Like we don't have problems with the weather, so we can grow year-round like this vegetable."
He also said they’ve constructed vertical planters in the container that allows them to recycle all the water used.
Hearing those stories behind the food is a big reason why Jeske likes to visit farmers’ markets. “It's so fun to talk to the farmers about their passion about what they do and how it all works."
Photo courtesy of Focus Points Family Resource Center
The market will be open every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. through October 28.
Jeske suggests people come to check it out since you never know what new favorite food you might find.
"Maybe just try something new. Pick one thing...pick a lettuce you've never seen before and give it a try and see how fresh it is,” said Jeske. “I think that will invite you to come back and try something else the next time."
Julio Sandoval is a multimedia journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at juliosandoval@rmpbs.org. Amanda Horvath is a multimedia producer at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach her at amandahorvath@rmpbs.org.
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