Photo: Benson Kua via Flickr
Yesterday a good friend had us over for a dinner filled with fresh picks from his own garden. Juicy zebra tomatoes and basil, mixed lettuce in the salads, rainbow carrots and sweet beets filled our plates. What a delicious way to enjoy the Colorado Summer! If you would like a taste of some of Colorado’s local produce and want to pick it yourself then here are some of the farms and orchards nearby:
Berry Patch Farms Organic in Brighton, CO. Pick your own red Raspberries, strawberries, basil, carrots and flowers. There is also a fresh produce stans full of other fruits and veggies. August is peach season, Western Slope Peaches (Freestone).
May Farms In Byers, CO. Does not allow pick your own but they do have a fresh farmers market and garden with fruits and veggies that are picked daily. Weekends in October are a festive time with hay rides, a barrel train, the corn maze & pumpkin patch. The pumpkins are on vine and you can pick those.
Ya Ya Farm & Orchard (organic) Longmont, CO. U-pick-it Apple Orchard in Boulder County with macintosh, cortland, Macoun, Jonathon, Crispin, Wold River, Ginger Gold, Red Delish and Liberty varieties. September is Colorado apple season and Ya Ya requires advance reservations for picking. Ya Ya also offers nighttime hay rides and camp fire for groups, advance reservations required.
Delicious Orchards (organic) Hotchkiss, CO. U-pick fruits: Cherries, peaches, apples, apricots, pears and nectarines. Have you heard of Big B’s Fabulous juices? Well, this is the place it is pressed, in the North Fork Valley.
Colorado offers a large selection of other u-pick farms & orchards that require a bit of a drive outside of Denver but what a great excuse to get out and see more of Colorado. Many of these farms and orchards are open everyday but some are only open on the weekends so be sure and call ahead before you go. Happy picking!
Loving Denver Life,
Vali Hooker
The