When the Larimer County Farmers’ Market opens this weekend, it will enter its 50th year serving locals and visitors alike. The market in Fort Collins is the oldest farmers market in Northern Colorado and is held annually through late spring into early fall at the Larimer County Courthouse parking lot.
“We’ve seen families grow up through the market, which is amazing to see,” said Maggie Switzer, the farmers market and food systems coordinator for the Larimer County CSU Extension office.
Switzer oversees the market and is the only paid employee. The rest of the weekly effort comes from volunteers and vendors helping the market thrive. As for its role as a staple in the community, she says that’s thanks to the region’s history.
“Fort Collins, in many ways, is the agricultural hub of Colorado. We have CSU here, which is a land grant university which focuses on agriculture, and there’s a lot of focus in the Fort Collins community on sustainable food systems.”
The market started in 1976 and was originally held at the CSU Trials Garden. The Colorado Master Gardeners started the farmers market as a way to sell excess produce from their own gardens…