When you mention farmers markets, spring and summer bounties are usually what come to mind. What most people don’t know is that the Northern Colorado Food Cluster hosts farmers markets in Old Town Fort Collins throughout the year, including two in December.

Fresh produce, artisan foods

In addition to featuring fresh produce, healthy and artisan foods, winter farmers markets are spaces where producers can innovate, food artisans can experiment, and relationships between producers and consumers can be facilitated.

The winter markets are just one feature of the Northern Colorado Food Cluster, which is a local organization committed to “creating a healthy community through a resilient, local food system.”

CSU Food Systems Initiative

“Colorado State University has provided leadership and organizational capacity to the Northern Colorado Food Cluster,” said Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics Dawn Thilmany. “The CSU Food Systems Initiative is just one element of our community outreach efforts and our work with the Northern Colorado Food Cluster is one of our many successful partnerships.”

Winter farmers markets are held November through April in the Opera Galleria in Downtown Fort Collins on select Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. A full listing of dates can be found at http://www.nocofoodcluster.com/winter-markets/.

“Economic development activities take many forms and farmers markets are one such activity,” said Thilmany. “They engage the community and connect producers and consumers in a way that ultimately brings people closer to their food sources and enhances understanding of the food system on which we all rely.”

About the Northern Colorado Food Cluster

The mission of the Northern Colorado Food Cluster is to create a healthy community through a resilient, local food system and to support and promote local food production, distribution and consumption.  The food cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected companies and institutions in the food supply chain, including those that share and leverage research, business support, and advocacy. The businesses and organizations that have partnered with the cluster include the City of Fort Collins, Food Bank for Larimer County, University of Colorado Health’s CanDo Program, Spring Kite Farm LLC, Trebuchet Group, and Colorado State University.