Heather Burtness fondly remembers the early days of her relationship with the Boulder County Farmers Markets.
“I was raised in Palisade but really grew up alongside the Boulder community,” says Burtness. “As a young adult, my summers were spent transporting fruit over the beautiful mountain passes to join my sister to sell it in town and to engage in meaningful connections with all of Boulder. The farmers market was growing up around the same time, and it essentially became my sacred space.”
The daughter of Dave and Mary Morton, founders of family-owned Morton’s Organic Orchards, Burtness has seen firsthand the intrinsic connection forged between the community and the market since its inception. It’s a revered relationship built on mutual trust, support, education, and sustainability—and it’s become foundational to Boulder’s identity.
The market had humble beginnings on the courthouse lawn with only a few farmers. In 1987, it began a new life on 13th Street, when seven farmers set up shop next to the sidewalk between Canyon and Arapahoe. Their intent? To sell the goods they grew—and only the goods they themselves grew—directly to the community.
This guiding principle that has driven the integrity of the market for the past three decades; of those original seven farmers, you can still find a handful of them amongst the over 70 vendors at the market of today.
Even with this growth, including the expansion into additional regional cities, the market’s core mission has likewise remained steadfast: to support, promote, and expand local agriculture, to make fresh products accessible to the community, and to strengthen the relationships between local food producers and consumers.
“We wouldn’t exist without our farmers, and we strive to give them as much support as we can,” says Brian Coppom, executive director with Boulder County Farmers Markets. “Our community members are equally important. We need both to have a happy, healthy market, and the resulting dynamic is one that builds on itself. We’re happy as organizers when everybody is enjoying themselves, interacting with agriculture, and feeling the energy of the community.”
The market’s impact on Boulder has long transcended its weekly seasonal hours of operation. Both the market and the participating farmers lead by example when it comes to promoting environmental consciousness.
The majority of participants have taken steps to improve their environmental impact, including eliminating the use of toxic chemicals, boosting biodiversity and pollinator health, and applying practices that promote healthier soil. Morton’s was one such early champion of a future without toxic chemicals and practices, and they transitioned to become Certified Organic in 1996.
According to Burtness, this is a vital part of the care, respect, and intention with which they treat the growing of their peaches, apricots, and other stone fruits.
The market itself emphasizes sustainable practices too. Running a zero-waste operation, the organization works with local leaders such as Eco-Cycle to reduce waste—achieving a 94% diversion rate in 2019. The market subsidized compostable bags in 2019 to help vendors make the switch away from non-compostable plastic and in 2020 is striving to further its zero-waste efforts and is piloting a reusable plate program.
The market also works to improve the community’s relationship with food. The organization partners with Boulder County Public Health to secure funding for food access programs and support its Farm to Early Care and Education program. It hosts an annual CSA fair for area farmers to showcase their programs, and it partners with local hunger relief and food waste organizations, such as Boulder Food Rescue and Growing Gardens.
This all adds up to a relationship between the market and the community that is both vitally important and thoroughly enjoyable.
“Hands down, my favorite thing about the market is the people,” says Coppom. “I love the common bond of food and farming that we share. It makes the market a wonderful place to swim in a stream of conviviality and calm.”
The 2020 Boulder Farmers Market season is 34 weeks long and will run on Saturdays from April 4th to November 21st and on Wednesdays from May 6th through October 7th.