Pandemic Partnerships: Coloradans Serve Their Communities With Fresh, Local Food

In partnership with: Colorado Department of Agriculture

In the face of COVID-19’s disruptions, Coloradans found creative ways to continue to provide fresh, local food for their communities. From adopting social-distancing safety measures to moving to online sales, producers went above and beyond to feed consumers.

Back to Basics

In Lakewood, executive director of the Colorado Farmers Market Association (CFMA) Rosalind May worked with agriculture and public health officials to develop recommendations and a toolkit for farmers markets to open safely, albeit with changes such as placing vendor booths at least six feet apart and creating a clear flow of traffic through the markets to maintain physical distancing. “In the past, farmers markets have been places with music, events and lots of social gathering,” May says. “Those elements had to be taken out so markets could serve their essential function: as businesses where farmers can sell what they produce and where people can access fresh, healthy, local food.”

See more: Meet 4 Diverse Colorado Farmers

Some farmers even reported an increase in sales in the summer of 2020. According to May, although revenue for markets themselves is down, managers remain committed to staying open to benefit both producers and consumers.

Uplifting Season

In Denver, R&B’s Mo’ Betta Green MarketPlace had long served the community through two weekly farmers markets in areas considered “food deserts,” where residents lacked sufficient access to affordable, healthy foods. Mo’ Betta founder Beverly Grant, a pioneer in the urban food movement, also offered exercise classes, free tastings and cooking demos as part of her HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) model.

COVID-19 halted many of those worthy endeavors. “My whole farmers market model is based on engagement,” Grant says. After reviewing CFMA guidelines, she decided her markets couldn’t operate the same way they had before the pandemic. She could, however, offer a walk-up or curbside farm stand with a contactless payment system.

See more: Colorado’s Top 5 Agricultural Commodities

Thanks to grant funding, Grant employed 22 high school- and college-age youth to aid in spring planting. Broken into teams to limit contact, the youth planted, weeded, harvested and operated the farm stands stocked with Mo’ Betta bounty and that of a few select vendors.

Throughout the long days of hard work, Grant noted the positive attitudes of the teens who worked for her. “The youth were so grateful for the opportunity,” she says. She noticed something else, too, during the 2020 season. “People had more of a spirit of love and appreciation. By focusing on the basics, we uplifted people with beautiful foods. This has been one of the most enriching seasons of my 10 years.”

Ramping Up Retail

In Salida, Scanga Meat Company greatly expanded its retail sales when major meat plants temporarily closed during the pandemic. Scanga also offered home delivery and ready-to-cook meals and communicated regularly with customers by expanding its social media presence.

During the height of the shutdown, Valley Packing & Catering in LaSalle operated limited retail store hours to allow employees to focus on processing for local producers as quickly as possible.

A Way to Serve

In Loveland, Alan Horn saw a Facebook post about a man virtually connecting Kansas consumers to producers in their own communities. “This could work for Colorado,” Horn thought. Within a day, he had started a Facebook group called Shop Colorado Farms.

The platform allows ranchers and farmers to post meat, vegetables and other homegrown products for sale; consumers can purchase directly from those who grow them. Within a week, the group had more than 3,000 members – now it has far surpassed that number. Posts from buyers praising producers “elevates local sellers, showing others they are selling a good product,” Horn says.

A digital marketer by vocation, Horn had no experience in agriculture or in fighting hunger, yet he was moved to act. “During COVID-19, I had no way to serve others, and this was the perfect opportunity to do that.”

Looking to buy local?

The Colorado Department of Agriculture has put together a fantastic directory of farmers markets and food stands. Find one near you at COfarmersmarkets.org.