Get yummy food while building community this weekend

I love summer. We leave our stuffy houses, the sun goes down later, and the playground is filled with reckless fun-makers. But I realized today that my favorite part of summer is: fresh tomatoes. I love all sorts of fresh veggies, but there's nothing like a fresh, sun-ripened tomato. Those pasty, flavorless replicas they sell in January just don't cut it.

I have six tomato plants in the garden this year, but I'm still at least a week away from picking any fruit. Which leads me to what this post is really about: Farmer's Markets. 

As the fastest growing aspect of our food system, it's easy to find a farmer's market near you.  In fact, there are ten farmer's markets in the metro area this weekend. (a partial list is below) Here's why buying your veggies at a farmer's market is a good idea:

• Your food dollars go directly to the farmers who've grown your food. This helps them stay in business and creates more jobs for people in our community.
• We save fuel and reduce carbon emissions when we purchase food grown closer to home (vs. the 1500 mile trip made by most food sold at typical grocers)
• You'll have ten times as many conversations at a farmer's market than at the grocery store. 

This last point may actually be the most important. I may not be a scientist, but I am a human being - and it just makes sense that as social creatures, we're better off when we're connected to other people. People with rich social networks are healthier, happier and live longer. A farmer's market is less about buying and selling stuff, and more about connection - to our neighbors and our food.

If you're interested in this subject, I recommend this article by author Bill McKibben, who contrasts the American ideal of radical self-reliance with that of community self-reliance.

Visit your area farmer's market this weekend, enjoy fresh (and more local) food, and strike up a few conversations. Then share with us your thoughts about how all of this can build a stronger community.

Saturdays
Cherry Creek	N. Cherry Creek Dr. & University	9:00a-1:00p	303-442-1837
Elitch Theatre	W. 38th Ave & Tennyson	8:00a-1:00p	303-232-2935
Golden	Golden Library on 10th St.	8:00a-1:00p	720-309-3372
Lonetree	Yosemite & Maximus	8:00a-1:00p
Southwest Plaza	Wadsworth & Bowles	8:00a-2:00p	303-887-FARM
Sundays
City Park Esplanade	Colfax & City Park Esplanade	9:00a-1:00p	303-442-1837
Highlands Ranch	Btw. Lucent Blvd & Broadway off Highlands Ranch Pkwy	10:00a-2:00p	303-887-FARM
Old South Pearl St.	1500 block of Old South Pearl St.	9:00a-1:00p
Parker	Mainstreet Center in Downtown	8:00a-1:00p
Stapleton	Founders' Green at 29th Ave & Quebec	8:30a-12:20p	303-442-1837