Summer may be winding down, but many northern Colorado farmers' markets are still humming with people lining up to buy crates of Palisade peaches, Olathe sweet corn, Pueblo chiles and other locally grown produce. But growing in Colorado can be challenging – the growing season is short, the sun is scorching, and the rainy season can be unpredictable.
Coloradans seem to appreciate how difficult it is for farmers – which may help explain some of the demand for fruits and vegetables grown in-state. But there are plenty of other reasons for that homegrown produce pride, according to Colorado State University professor and agricultural economist Dawn Thilmany. She talks with host Erin O'Toole about why there's so much importance placed on buying local.
In the episode, we bring up this story about folks suffering from "peach anxiety" over the crop from western Colorado this Spring. We also mention the idea of visiting local farms and ranches - including Miller Farms in Platteville, which celebrates the fall harvest by allowing you to come harvest your own veggies through mid-November. Plus, there are plenty of corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and CSAs nearby if you're ready to get out and celebrate the coming of autumn.
