By Ace Alcantara

As the summer heat bakes the Mile High City, it’s the perfect time to discover where to find Metro Caring partners and entrepreneurs at farmers markets this year. 

Supporting local businesses and farmers is more than just a feel-good activity; it’s an investment in our community’s future. At Metro Caring, we’re dedicated to addressing the root causes of hunger in our community. One way we can do this is by supporting local businesses that share our values and vision for a future without hunger. 

These partners are vital to our community and environment, contributing to the local economy and promoting sustainable practices. They also bring unique products, captivating stories, and diverse flavors to our markets. By purchasing from them, you’re supporting a rich Colorado food system and Denver economy.

City Park Farmers Market

Saturdays through October 26 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
2551 E Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206
SNAP, WIC, and Double Up Food Bucks are welcome at City Park Farmers Market. 

The Tortilla Project
Eva is the founder and owner of The Tortilla Project, which makes its debut appearance at the City Park Farmers Market this year. At Eva’s stand, you’ll find fresh salsas and handmade corn tortillas in a variety of flavors, like guajillo and cilantro jalapeño. When Eva first moved to Denver in 1996 with her husband and baby, she quickly demonstrated an instinct for community service, often found serving food to people who were unhoused. She first got involved with Metro Caring as a volunteer and soon identified a need for Spanish-language cooking classes. She found—and still helps lead—our Cocina y nutrición class. Metro Caring and the Rocky Mountain Micro Financing Institute helped The Tortilla Project through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic that threatened many local businesses. Through the Tortilla Project, Eva’s goal is to preserve cultural traditions and create jobs that support other women in her community. You’ll have to get to City Park early—the tortillas sell out quick! 

Common Name Farm
Noelle Trueheart discovered her passion for farming while working as an archaeologist. Four years ago, she joined forces with Phil Cordelli to start Common Name Farm. At their stand, you’ll find freshly harvested produce (and some cute swag!) that’s in season. Their mission is to provide top-market quality produce to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. They offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares on a sliding scale to make fresh, local food more accessible. One of their standout contributions to Metro Caring is growing culturally relevant crops like okra, which are highly desired by the community but hard to come by through grocery store donations. Metro Caring’s commitment to purchasing all the okra they can grow ensures that this important crop reaches those who need it. 

Gardening with Chuck
Chuck is one of Colorado’s sons. He grew up helping his grandmother every summer—all summer long—working in her yard and gardens, where she taught him everything he knows today. Gardening with Chuck is excited to team up with community to define and redefine what local means. Chuck says there are many issues and concerns with our current food production systems, and he is most excited to counter them in a way that has the most direct and instant impact on our local communities. Chuck is a zero-waste farmer, and everything he produces is local and organic. His business is dedicated, committed, and passionate about growing and producing food sustainably, responsibly, and ethically. He also partners with Metro Caring to host educational workshops on growing your own food. These free workshops are available to anyone to learn practical gardening skills. In addition to City Park, you can support Gardening with Chuck through CSA shares or find Chuck at Highlands Farmers Market on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. where he also accepts SNAP, WIC, and Double Up Food Bucks. 

Ditty Pop
If you’ve been to Cornucopia, our annual fall dinner and fundraiser, you may have savored Chef Panya Heard’s culinary expertise. Ditty Pop was one of our featured community caterers at Cornucopia in 2022 and 2023. At City Park, you’ll have a chance to try some healthy smoothies to get your day going. With a lifetime of experience cooking and caregiving for her children, Chef Panya Heard graduated culinary school in 2017 and let go of a 20-year corporate career in 2019 to pursue her culinary passions to better the world.

Green Valley Ranch Farmers Market

Wednesdays in June, July, and August from 5 – 8 p.m.
4890 Argonne Way, Denver, CO 80249

Alvarez Desserts
A chemist and biologist, Elizabeth’s dream to start her own business became a reality in Metro Caring’s Mastermind Circle, a program that brings together entrepreneurs to empower one another and build economic stability in our community. Elizabeth has become known in our community for her organic and naturally made soaps and cosmetic products, but she’s also an excellent baker. Visit her booth at Green Valley Ranch for vegan desserts—including gluten-free options—that are healthy, nutritious, and delicious. 

Healthy Farmers Markets in Adams County

Anythink Huron Street
Tuesdays, June 20 – Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
9417 Huron Street, Thornton, CO 80260 

Anythink Wright Farms
Thursdays, June 22 – September 28 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
5877 E. 120th Avenue, Thornton, CO 80602 

Produce vouchers are available here for residents enrolled in WIC, SNAP, or Medicaid and for residents aged 65 or older. 

East Denver Food Hub
The winner of Metro Caring’s 2023 Hungry for Change Award, East Denver Food Hub is partnering with Adams County at their Healthy Farmers Markets. These food access-focused markets provide local food for families in the region. They offer produce vouchers for anyone enrolled in SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid and for residents aged 65 or older. Roberto Meza, CEO at East Denver Food Hub, says that farmers markets can be an incredible space for food as medicine initiatives and for piloting public food utilities. East Denver Food Hub works with over 60 farms in Colorado, operating as a social enterprise to build a model for local food aggregation and distribution that supports local farmers and producers. In 2023, Metro Caring purchased 50,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown, nutritious food through East Denver Food Hub. This collaboration helped us dedicate 94% of our food purchasing budget to directly support local producers and producers from historically marginalized communities—such as producers who are women, LGBTQ+, first generation, Black, Indigenous, and from other communities of color.

Boulder Farmers Market

Saturdays through November 23
13th Street, Boulder, CO 80302
With Double Up Food Bucks, customers shopping with SNAP can receive up to $20 dollar-for-dollar to purchase Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables at Boulder Farmers Market. 

Grama Grass & Livestock
Andy Breiter’s team at Grama Grass & Livestock practices regenerative agriculture, which focuses on soil health and reversing climate change. His partnership with Metro Caring ensures that fresh, locally-raised meat is available to the community. Meat is one of the most desired food groups among Fresh Foods Market shoppers because of its high price point. Most of Metro Caring’s meat comes frozen from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) run by the USDA. However, through purchasing agreements with Grama Grass, Metro Caring’s Food Access Manager Cory Scrivner ensures that fresh, locally sourced meat reaches the community. You can purchase cuts from the Grama Grass stand at the Boulder market.

Can’t make it to Boulder but still want to support Grama Grass and Metro Caring? We’re close to reaching the goal of our Beef Up the Fresh Foods Market fundraiser, which will help us purchase an additional 500 pounds of beef from Andy’s team for our shoppers. 

We invite you to explore the vibrant farmers markets of the Front Range this summer and support our incredible partners. We would love to see your market visits and the wonderful products you find. Tag us @MetroCaring and our partners on social media with your photos and experiences to help spread the word about these amazing businesses.