Farm Fresh

Photo by Jenifer Harrington

If the Midwest is the American breadbasket, then Colorado is certainly the produce aisle.

Editor’s Note: Full-service means staff is there to take money and answer questions. Self-serve farm stands are on the honor system. Also, hours, dates and months are all subject to change. Feel free to call the farm, check its website or follow it on Facebook for updates.

Arguably one of the best reasons to live here in the spring, summer and fall is the bounty of natural treats. Farmers’ markets come alive with vibrant colors and smells and textures. Chefs transform their menus into farm-to-table feasts. Gardens flourish in suburban backyards.

But our favorite part is the farm stands.

There’s a huge difference between going to the farmers’ market or even a local grocery and actually heading out to the farm to buy supper. At farm stands, you can see the fields where the food was grown and talk to the farmers directly. You can ask questions, swap recipes and learn a ton. Plus, there are so many farm stands around here that you can find one in almost every corner of Boulder County, essentially lowering the carbon footprint of your pantry.

So, don’t forget your cash, be flexible (often, farm stands are what’s left over after the CSA boxes are handed out, or they are based on what’s abundant that week or what’s seasonal) and check in with your farm’s website to see what’s sprouting.

HeartEye Village CSA Farm Stand

10364 Arapahoe Rd., Lafayette, hearteyevillagecsa.com

Hours/Season: Tue–Sat noon-6pm/about June 1–Oct. 15.

Self-serve

What you can find: 30-plus types of vegetables, herbs, melons, cut flowers and bedding plants (from around May 15–June 1, weather permitting).

Other details: They also operate a virtual farm stand where customers sign up to receive email notification of available produce. They then reply and place an order to pick up the following day.

Hoot ‘n’ Howl Farm Stand

6033 Jay Rd., Boulder, hootnhowlfarm.com

Hours/Season: Daily, 24 hours a day (except Sunday mornings)/year round

Self-serve

Specialties: berries, greens, vegetables, 100 percent grass-fed beef, flowers and eggs.

What you can find: From rhubarb and onions to fennel, winter squash and flowers.

Other details: Hoot n’ Howl uses 100 percent organic practices.

Lyons Farmette

4121 Ute Hwy., Lyons, lyonsfarmette.com

Hours/Season: Thu 4–8pm/July 7–October

Full-service

Specialties: The farmette doesn’t have a specialty, but it grows delicious beets and root veggies starting in late summer.

What you can find: veggies, herbs, flowers, eggs and microgreens.

Lone Hawk Farm Stand

10790 N. 49th St., Longmont

Hours/Season: Daily, dusk–dawn/May–early November

Self-serve

What you can find: A variety of organically grown vegetables plus fruit from its orchard and free-range eggs. Customers can buy vegetables already harvested or pick their own.

Other details: The farm hosts a summer farm dinner series in its farm stand barn, featuring produce from the farm—June 19, July 24, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.

Another cool note: They farm mostly with their solar-electric tractor designed and built by the owner.

Cure Organic Farm Store

7416 Valmont Rd., Boulder, cureorganicfarm.com

Hours/Season: Wed–Fri 11am-6pm; Sat–Sun 10am-4pm/May–December

Full-service

Specialties: Hand-made cured sausages and other pork products.

What you can find: Organic veggies, fruit, eggs, grass-fed beef, pork and lamb, flowers honey and wool. It also sells local flour, locally roasted fair trade organic coffee, pottery and soap.

Other details: Cure also hosts classes (canning, cooking, etc.) and events at its farm store.

Tanaka Farm Stand

1060 Main St., Longmont, dicktanakafarms.com

Hours/Season: Daily 10am–5pm/usually mid-July–Oct. 31

Full-service

What you can find: Lots and lots of vegetables, from daikon and cucumber to locally grown peppers and corn.

Zweck’s Fresh Vegetables & Flowers

10901 Airport Rd., Longmont, zwecksfresh.com

Hours/Season: June hours: Mon–Fri 3–5:30pm; Sat 10am-1pm. Summer hours, starting July 15: Mon 3-5:30pm; Tues–Fri 10am-1pm and 3-5pm; Sat 10am-1pm; Sun 11am-1pm/June 8–Oct. 15

Full-service

What you can find: Zweck’s grows everything they sell. From basil, beans and beets to potatoes, pumpkins and raspberries. Plus, flowers.

Other details: Zweck’s is family owned and has been growing organic vegetables since 1974.

Ollin Farmstand

8627 North 95th St., Longmont, ollinfarms.com

Hours/Season: Daily 10am-6pm; Sun noon–4pm/May–October

Specialties: Heirloom tomatoes, Asian vegetables, fresh greens, root crops.

What you can find: Ollin Farms vegetables, other local organic vegetables, Western Slope fruits, naturally raised meats, tamales and flowers.

Full-service

Other details: Follow them on Facebook for information about Ollin’s festivals, farm dinners, youth classes and other special on-farm events.

Abbondanza Organic Seeds and Produce

10145 Oxford Rd., Boulder, eatabbo.org

Hours/Season: Thu 3–7pm/through November

Full-service

What you can find: Seeds, eggs and produce.

Other details: Follow Abbondanza’s happenings with its e-newsletter (find it on Abbondanza’s website).

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch Market

9057 Ute Hwy., Longmont, rockymtnpumpkinranch.com

Hours/Season: Wed–Sun 9am–6pm/mid-July–Sept. 30. Daily in October.

Full-service

What you can find: Farm-fresh, hand-picked, certified-organic produce (100 different varieties). Butters, juices, honey, banana bread and more.

Isabelle Farm (two stands)

Thomas Open Space, 1640 W. Baseline Rd., isabellefarm.com

Hours/Season: Aug. 1–Nov. 5, with a farm stand grand opening party Aug. 5, featuring a field tour, bluegrass, fresh-from-the-field treats.

Full-service

Specialties: The biggest selection of hot peppers in Boulder County, including chiles roasted on-site, as well as sweet corn, tomatoes, melons, okra, eggplant, potatoes, winter squash and pumpkins.

What you can find: Only organic produce. If it grows in this region and it’s in season, they sell it.

Other details: Isabelle Farm’s goal is to sell produce within 10 miles of where it’s grown, So, its new full-time, full-service farm stand is set to become a retail outlet for organic growers and producers in the area.

And…

Isabelle Farm Stand

10029 Isabelle Rd., Lafayette, isabellefarm.com

Hours/Season: Tue-Thur (subject to change or expansion) noon–6:30pm/
Aug. 1–Nov. 5.

Self-service

What you can find: A highlight of its home stand is the extensive herb garden that fronts it. Pick and pay for only what you need.

Jay Hill Farm

5367 Jay Rd., Boulder, jayhillfarm.com

Hours/Season: Fri 4–7pm; Sat–Sun noon–5pm (and whenever the farmers feel like sitting by the road).

Full-service

What you can find: From catnip, kale and tomatillos to strawberries, nasturtiums and mizuna.

Cottonwoods Farms

1161 Crestmoor Dr.,?Boulder, cottonwoodfarms.com

Hours/Season: Daily 11am-6pm/through mid-June

Full-service

What you can find: Bedding plants, herbs and flowers, including hanging flower baskets and potted geraniums.

Miller Farms

9040 Hwy. 66, ?Platteville, millerfarms.net

Hours/Season: Daily 9am–6pm/mid-July–November

Full-service

Specialties: Sweet corn. It’s been a winner at the Colorado State Fair for more than a decade.

What you can find: 40 different types of vegetables.

Other details: Starting Labor Day, Miller Farms offers a fall harvest, during which you can come out, pay one price and harvest your own produce.

Munson Farms

Valmont Road and 75th, Boulder, munsonfarms.com

Hours/Season: Daily 9am–7pm/July–October

Full-service

What you can find: From sweet corn and melons to sugar peas, greens and green beans.

Red Wagon Farm Stand

95th and Arapahoe, Lafayette, redwagonorganicfarm.com

Hours/Season: Daily 10am–7pm/

Aug. 1–Oct. 31

Full-service

What you can find: Organic Western Slope peaches, apples, cherries, and other fruit, Red Wagon organic vegetables and other local organic vegetables, Red Wagon honey and local conventional produce from Brighton and Fort Lupton.