Growing for 37 Seasons in Northern Colorado

2012 Dates: Saturdays, May 19 to October 27

Time: 8 a.m. to noon

Location: 200 W. Oak Street, Old Town Fort Collins

More info: http://www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org/

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Vendor Profile: Blue Mountain Vineyards

By: Garth Bontrager, Master Gardener

It’s so pleasant to talk with Bill Prewitt the owner of Blue Mountain Vineyards. He makes talking about wine as easy as talking about the weather, and has a wine for any meteorological event. Bill has 15 or so varieties of wine. He grows some grapes himself at his winery in Larimer County (Berthoud), and is able to selectively purchase fine grapes from other purveyors. He has several wines made exclusively from Colorado grapes. His own French hybrid grapes are aging in oak right now, waiting to make their debut as a port-style wine in a year or two, when Bill decides it’s time.

Within moments of interviewing Bill, he is effusive in his praise of his Larimer County Farmers' Market customers. He gives a heartfelt, “Thank you, Larimer County. Thank you to all the people in Fort Collins for their super support of my product.” Bill loves his spot in front of the courthouse doors, where he gets such a nice reception from so many people involved in Larimer County. Often he is set up next to a cheese booth which is a nice partnership with his wine. It’s very easy for Bill, or one of his TIPS certified helpers to pair a wine with your cheese purchase.

Some good sellers this year are the pinot grigio, sangiovese, reisling, and cabernet sauvignon. You just need to come over and try some samples to find a wine to fit your flavor profile, or to pair with your next meal. Wine is definitely for everyone. Considering Bill’s high standards in selecting the perfect grapes for his vintages, and his easy going demeanor, you’re bound to purchase something that will delight your taste. Even beer lovers can enjoy wine now and again, usually something that is lower in tannins with a softer palate.

At the Blue Mountain Vineyards booth, there’s a locally-made wine from a family-owned winery with your name on it. All the wines are made and bottled on site at the winery. Blue Mountain entertains tastings by appointment. The winery is next to a lake with a view of the mountains and gardens. For a personal experience go to http://www.coloradobluemountain.com/ and schedule a visit. In the meantime, go to the Blue Mountain Winery booth at the Larimer County Farmers' Market and try a sample of Bill’s work.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Vendor Profile: The Farm at Sunrise Ranch


By: Garth Bontrager, Master Gardener

This is beef country to be sure. The open range, the cowboy spirit, and cattle: That sounds like authentic Colorado to me. At Sunrise Ranch they have taken that authenticity and simply and magically updated it. The Farm at Sunrise Ranch, a part of the Sunrise Community west of Loveland, sells grass-fed beef at the Larimer County Farmers’ Market each Saturday as they have for 3 years. However, the land they ranch has been naturally cared for since before WWII. In fact, the whole farm and ranch has been free of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers as far as anyone there knows. Their beef is one pure and genuine product.


What exactly does grass-fed mean? Stop by and ask them. Sunrise loves to educate consumers about the benefits of grass-fed beef, sustainable ranching, pasture ecology, and nutrition. Because they are a non-profit entity they really take the time to reach out with information. To boot, they have a great tasting product –just taste one of their meatballs to find out. Sunrise Ranch believes they have a responsibility to be good stewards of their land, and they’re proud to tell you about how ranching can make a better community as well as better beef.


When you have nothing to hide about your wholesome product, you become an open book filled with passion. While talking with Anita, it was obvious that Sunrise has a passion to be available to their customers for information. Whether you are interested in learning about cattle and cows, or eating and preparing beef, you can stop by and get a straight answer from Sunrise. They employ interns as another piece of their grassroots effort to educate people about grass-fed beef. The interns are very willing to answer questions about their education at The Farm at Sunrise Ranch.


Anita has been so impressed with the Fort Collins community for how educated they’ve become about the food they buy. It’s very heartening to vendors who invest in the long term health of the land they steward to hear their customers take an interest in the process of making food. Anita loves to tell people about the ethical way to raise beef. About the LCFM she says it’s like a party every week, getting together with the other vendors and talking “shop.” It’s a nice local community, and she feels like their efforts to educate people about healthy and local beef are paying off. Show her it’s true—stop by The Farm at Sunrise Ranch booth and engage them in a little one-on-one community building. And ask them if those meatballs are for sale, ‘cause they’re doggone good! https://sunriseranch.org/farm/

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Vendor Profile: Styria Bakery

By: Garth Bontrager, Master Gardener

Styria Bakery is a partnership between Deiter Campbell, Claus Campbell and Peter Kaiser. They brought family and folk recipes from Austria to Colorado to tempt your senses. Their slogan,“Life is short, Eat Well”, reflects the harmony they try to foster with so many of the people they meet at the 30 farmers' markets they service each week. Deiter says, “People are more aware of what they put in their bodies.” So Styria must be equally aware of what they put into their baked goods. And they put plenty of goodness in all they bake, from the apple strudel to the plain and fancy breads they offer.

At the LCFM, people are very conscious of what they eat, and it shows in the questions Styria answers. That’s why, Deiter says, the vendors must really stay in tune and offer natural products. It is very important to farmers' market customers that they are receiving wholesome foodstuffs. People’s increased awareness and affinity for discussing the health of their food is one thing that has really shaped markets over the last 10 years, according to Deiter.

Styria produces two types of bread, one with a natural leavening, or sourdough, and the other is potato bread. Both are Austrian authentic recipes. If you think bread should come in a brightly labeled package, when is the last time you saw lemon mint white chocolate bread on a grocery store shelf? That’s just one of the originally delicious recipes Styria offers at the LCFM. Oh and how could you pass on the authentic apple strudel?--it's just the best.

So the next time you stop at the Styria Bakery stand to sample the delectable baked goods, talk with your baker, because Styria's only retail outlet is the farmers' market. They are completely dedicated to the markets they serve, and they depend on the market for a majority of their business. Here’s a truly local business working with the LCFM to make community a more meaningful place. Reach out and give the Styria bakers a hand because they sure do appreciate you.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Vendor Profile: Red Dog Burrito Company

By: Garth Bontrager, Master Gardener

Why would you call your burrito business Red Dog Burrito Company? Because you have a red dog, of course! Todd laughed as he answered my question, and also pointed out that he makes all the burritos in the Brown Dog Kitchen here in Fort Collins, so the name made sense in a couple ways. Todd and his wife Jennifer are first-time vendors at the LCFM, but are not in their first year of making delicious burritos. Todd has been concocting his irresistible burritos for many years for family and friends, and with their encouragement, began his business, satisfying the public’s hunger for fresh burritos. He received great response at the winter market in Fort Collins, and was ready to branch out.

What makes a great burrito? Todd starts with freshly made tortillas from a family-run tortillaria here in Fort Collins. He then races over to the kitchen and begins assembling the burritos at 5 am each Saturday so the burritos are fresh. Todd uses hand-selected produce, makes small batches of everything, and wraps each burrito by hand! His vegetarian burritos are really popular--the vegetarian green chile is what makes them special. Todd is hoping to begin marketing the vegetarian green chile as a standalone item soon. Almost like a mantra, Todd says, “Small business, small batches, big quality.” That’s what it’s about at Red Dog Burrito Company.

Red Dog Burrito Company has 7-8 flavors of burritos at any one time. The burritos are served hot or cold. Buy a bunch for the freezer so you can have one at the ready whenever the urge strikes you. And once you have one, you’ll be hooked. There’s no lard in the tortillas so the veggie selections are pure vegetarian, and the meat burritos are just as tasty. It’s the freshness that makes these topnotch. Todd says he loves the awesome support the downtown attendees give to the local purveyors at the LCFM. “They really support the local quality,” he says. He also relishes the family experience. It’s great to see all the families that come down to the market.

There’s a rumor that Red Dog Burrito is working on Asian fusion burrito flavors and a seafood taco-burrito twist. Look out--Red Dog is bringing some serious chomp to the burrito business at the LCFM! Dig it. If you’re interested in bulk orders or special orders, call Todd at 970-215-4311. He also makes jewelry, so stop on by the Red Dog Burrito Company stand, and look at some jewelry while you contemplate which flavor burrito you want for each day of the week. Todd’s silversmithing can also be seen at Trimble Court in Old Town.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Tasty Pink Radish Spread

By: Lorie Menke, Master Gardener

Are you up to your ears in radishes, and not sure what to do with them? They are delicious in salads, but consider making this flavorful spread that you can pair with crackers, veggies and breads. It's easy--and colorful!

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1-1/2 cups diced onion
4 cups sliced radishes
1/2 cup mayonnaise (can also substitute sour cream)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions
Melt butter in a large pan, and saute the onion and radishes until both are translucent and wilted, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Allow the spread to sit 30 minutes before serving.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

CSU Twilight Garden Series: July 6

By: Allison Level, Master Gardener

Kitchens aren’t just inside spaces anymore

The final Twilight Garden Series Program for 2010 will showcase the new Outdoor Teaching Kitchen at the Gardens on Spring Creek (2145 S. Centre Avenue, Fort Collins). The Garden Series program “Harvest Kitchen” will feature information on herb infusions (presented by Dr. Marisa Bunning, CSU), growing & harvesting small fruits in Colorado (presented by Joel Reich, CSU Extension), and will include some vegetable samplings provided by All Occasions Catering.

When: Tuesday, July 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (rain or shine)
Where: Gardens at Spring Creek 2145 S. Centre Avenue, Fort Collins
Admission: $5 for a single event

For more information...

Gardens on Spring Creek: http://www.fcgov.com/horticulture/

All Occasions Catering: http://www.all-occasions-catering.com/

CSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture: http://hla.agsci.colostate.edu/

CSU Extension: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/

More about the Twilight Garden Series 2010: http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=3876