Across the Front Range, dozens of farmers markets are in full swing, each one a lively hub where local growers, bakers and food purveyors bring their best to the table (and the vendor stalls).
If you’ve ever spent a morning weaving through market crowds, you know the scene: upbeat, a little frenetic, and full of delicious seasonal surprises. But behind the bushels of greens, stacks of sourdough, and sizzling breakfast sandwiches are deeper personal stories of heritage, the harvest season hustle and friendships that you might otherwise miss out on during the market rush.
This summer, in sync with farmers market season, we’re spotlighting two standout vendors you just might meet while browsing: a fourth-generation Japanese-American (Yonsei) farmer growing Asian produce to sell at the City Park Farmers Market, and three college friends running a farm-to-food-truck operation at the Longmont Farmers Market.
Minoru Farms
While studying art in college, one principle stayed with Jade Sato: “You don’t control the medium; the medium controls you.”
That mindset now carries over to her work at Minoru Farm in Brighton, where Sato, who is Japanese-American, grows Asian vegetables on a 4-acre plot using low-till and organic methods. Farming requires precision, sure, but Sato also brings an artist’s sensibility to the process, letting her creative roots influence how she tends to her crops.
“In working with nature, and the farm and weather, I have a predisposition to not try to control everything,” she said. She leans into the wild beauty of the process by celebrating nature’s palette: purple basil, white bittermelon, and a whole rainbow of carrots.
Sato was among the first farmers to join the City Park Farmers Market when it launched in 2021. Now in her fifth season, her stall brims with everything from kale, Swiss chard, and Gailaan (a Chinese broccoli) to garlic varieties from across Asia, as well as peppers, summer squash and tomatoes. She’s always experimenting, too, recreating tropical conditions to grow things like ginger.
One of her farmers market favorites is a moon-shaped Korean melon that arrives in late August and tastes like a mini honeydew. “When you put them in the freezer, you’ll get a nice sorbet consistency.”
Sato started Minoru Farm in January 2020 with just a handful of CSA members. She named the farm after her late paternal grandfather, George Minoru Sato, a second-generation Japanese-American farmer. Her family history traces back to rice farmers in Japan who immigrated to America in the early 20th century to continue farming. Her grandfather, along with other family members, was imprisoned during World War II in the Japanese internment camps, losing the family farm in the process.
While the family never recovered that land, they eventually moved to Colorado and opened Sato’s Flowers, a nursery that offered seasonal plants and transitioned to Christmas trees and poinsettias in the winter. Jade worked there as a kid, potting mixed flower arrangements and helping ring up customers. Those early experiences helped spark her interest in working with soil.
Today, farming helps her feel connected to her ancestors and allows her to nourish others with produce that makes them feel at home.
“It feels familiar and very natural,” she says. “It feels like what I’m supposed to be doing.”
In addition to growing for the City Park Farmers Market, Sato also supplies produce to Yuan Wonton, run by award-winning Chef Penelope Wong. She offers both summer and winter CSA programs, with enrollment deadlines on Sept. 1 for the winter season and Jan. 1 for the summer. Those interested in the CSA can email her at minorufarmcsa@gmail.com.
Visit Minoru Farms at City Park Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at City Park Esplanade in Denver. The farmers market runs through Oct. 26. cityparkfarmersmarket.com
Schlop Stop
You’re no stranger to farm-to-table meals. But at the Longmont Farmers Market, you’ll discover a fresh take on the garden-to-plate movement: Schlop Stop, a farm-to-food-truck concept run by three longtime friends. Their chili-pepper-red truck rolls into the market each Saturday, slinging seasonal dishes made from the produce they grow on their own Longmont farm.
Shaun Burns, Jake Downey and Mike Myrbeck met while attending the University of Hartford in Connecticut and moved out to Boulder together in 2016 as young 20-somethings. “We’re like a family of friends,” Downey said.
Each of them eventually ventured into their own career paths. A few years ago, though, they decided to combine their complementary skill sets: Burns’ gardening background, honed at Esoterra Culinary Garden (a favorite of top Front Range chefs); Downey’s food truck experience; and Myrbeck’s business savvy, sharpened in the outdoor industry.
Together, they connected with private landowners interested in restoring a farm property and got to work transforming a plot of arid soil into what’s now a thriving half-acre market garden called Sunburns Farms.
Their culinary garden now supplies the produce for the Schlop Stop food truck, which serves up everything from breakfast sandwiches to smashburgers every Saturday at the Longmont Farmers Market. Considering that produce in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to reach your plate, it’s notable that Schlop Stop’s ingredients travel just a few miles across town, cutting down the carbon footprint and delivering ultra-fresh (and super tasty) vegetables.
The Schlop Stop menu changes weekly based on what’s in season, giving market shoppers a preview of and inspiration for what they can cook at home.
“We’re cooking what you can go to the stands and buy,” Downey said. “You wouldn’t think to put carrots in an omelet, and then it turns out to be the best veggie omelet you’ve ever had. We’re always trying to be creative.”
They also source from other market vendors and local purveyors, like eggs from Bluebird Sky Farmstead and meat from Grama Grass & Livestock.
Schlop Stop has built a loyal following of farmers market regulars curious to see what’s new on the menu each week.
One beloved staple that usually appears later in the summer is the “farmafel,” as Downey likes to call it. The Sunburns Farms team grows chickpeas (a true labor of love), along with parsley, cilantro, garlic and onions to create the Lebanese dish that Downey learned to make from friends back East.
Another crowd favorite is the Farm Plate, which features a protein like fried chicken thighs, potatoes from the farm (often whipped into something like goat cheese mashed potatoes) and a generous helping of in-season vegetables, roasted with olive oil and herbs. Portions are big; that’s where the “schlop” name originated.
In addition to growing for Schlop Stop, the team also sells produce to Yellow Barn Farm in Longmont, which has farm shares available that allow for market access, and at the Nederland Farmers Market. In addition to veggies, Sunburns Farm grows everything from arugula flowers and lavender to Tangerine Gem Marigold “that tastes almost like a Cutie, with the flowers exploding with citrus when you bite into them,” Downey said.
These types of edible flowers and garnishes are the same kinds you might find Michelin-starred using to garnish dishes with tweezers, which makes it a fun way to level up your own weeknight schlop cooking.
Visit Schlop Stop from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at the Longmont Farmers Market, located at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont. The market runs through Nov. 15. bcfm.org/markets/longmont-farmers-market
Farmers markets to visit
Here are five of the largest farmers markets across the Front Range. For the complete list, go to denverpost.com.
Boulder Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Nov. 22.
Things to know: Run by the Boulder County Farmers Market, this beloved Saturday market showcases truly local vendors ranging from farmers cultivating multi-generational fruit orchards to ranchers practicing regenerative agriculture. The market, which has been running for nearly four decades, has become a go-to spot for many Front Range chefs, who source fresh produce from favorites like Aspen Moon, Black Cat, and Toohey & Sons Organic for seasonal dishes plated at their restaurants. No pets are allowed at this farmers market.
Features: Weekly live music, kids’ crafts; first-taste-of-the-season product samplings; community gatherings. On the second Saturday of every month, local artisans join the market and sell jewelry, body care products, clothing and more.
Location: Near Central Park, on 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder; bcfm.org
City Park Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Oct. 25.
Things to know: In its fifth season, City Park Farmers Market features more than 100 local vendors. Last year, the market added vendors selling staples like cheese and chicken while continuing to build variety in categories like produce and baked goods, making it easier to shop for a full week’s worth of groceries all in one place. Grab a bite to eat for breakfast and a cup of coffee and stroll through the stalls while listening to live music.
Features: The market hosts monthly demonstrations from Denver’s top chefs. The 2025 lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but keep an eye out for the schedule on its website. There’s plenty of parking available in the East High School lot. SNAP, WIC and Double Up Food Bucks accepted.
Location: The market is located near City Park, at City Park Esplanade, the quarter-mile promenade beginning at 2551 East Colfax Ave., running between Columbine Street and East 17th Avenue; cityparkfarmersmarket.com.
South Pearl Street Farmers Market
Open: Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Nov. 9.
Things to know: The community-focused group Jarman and Co Events manages this busy market, providing not just produce, but an experience as well. Check out the online calendar of musical guests. The market is open rain, snow or shine, and on all holidays. It closes only for extreme weather conditions.
Features: Fresh produce, meat, cheese, wine, prepared foods and more. Seats available for eating; dozens of vendors; multiple entrances.
Location: South Pearl Street between East Iowa and East Arkansas avenues; southpearlstreet.com/farmers-market.
Urban Market at Union Station
Open: July 5-6; July 19-20; July 26-27; Aug. 9-10; Aug. 16-17; Oct. 11-12; Oct. 18-19; Oct. 25-26, from noon to 6 p.m.
Things to know: Shop from local vendors and enjoy a meal at one of Union Station’s 10 restaurants.
Features: Expect to find a Colorado makers market as well as fresh produce and food in the heart of downtown, set to the soundtrack of live music.
Location: Denver’s Union Station, at 17th Avenue and Wynkoop Street; denverunionstation.com.
Highlands Square Farmers Market
Open: Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 12.
Things to know: Jarman and Co Events manages this Highlands Square market that draws hundreds of vendors selling everything from plump tomatoes to fresh-cut flowers and loaves of sourdough and flaky puff pastries. Check out the online calendar of musical guests.
Features: Colorado-grown produce, local meat, fresh flowers, baked goods, prepared food and live music. Swing by the market bar for a delicious concoction.
Location: At 32nd Avenue between Julian and Mead streets; highlandssquarefarmersmarket.com.