Spending a Saturday morning visiting the farm stands dotting rural roads is like playing an immersive agricultural video game. As you hit more stands, you win by gathering the most greens, loaves and blooms to take home.
Boulder County is home to a genuine wealth of distinctive local farms offering a pastoral escape. These little agricultural oases often grow unusual, less common vegetable and flower varieties you won’t see at supermarkets.
Some function as true neighborhood markets stocking locally raised meats, eggs, honey, breads and food products. They may be permanent buildings or simply a box by the side of the road. Signage and parking can be challenging.
The supply of greens, herbs, veggies and fruits are often limited each day. For the best selection of just-picked produce, arrive early. Bring your own shopping bags, but leave dogs at home and away from the chickens, ducks, horses and especially the llamas.
7th Generation Farm
100 South 96th St., Louisville
Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment
This historic farm is home to a year-round stand that offers locally raised meats including beef and pork, as well as fresh produce, eggs and honey. Farm hours expand during the fall for a pumpkin patch and hayrides.
Aspen Moon Farm
7940 Hygiene Road, Hygiene
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday
The permanent stand at one of Boulder County’s larger farms offers a cornucopia of certified organically grown vegetables, flowers, berries, herbs and heirloom grains. Aspen Moon is a great source for diverse tomatoes and chiles, as well as kohlrabi, tatsoi, Swiss chard and Hakurei turnips. The farm also sells at the Saturday Boulder and Longmont farmers markets.
The Bee Hugger
12590 Ute Highway, Longmont
8 a.m. to dusk daily
The Bee Hugger is as much a family agricultural experience as a farm stand with pony and “unicorn” rides, farm animals, a picnic area, u-pick flower fields and a self-serve stand offering honey from the resident hives. The farm also hosts live music nights.
Benevolence Orchard & Gardens
6712 Jay Road, Boulder
10 a.m. to dusk daily
When you see the Benevolence bus, turn into the driveway to check out a self-service stand loaded with vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit grown on the farm. Many local fruit tree owners take classes from the resident orchard experts.
Big Ash Farm
3151 95th St., Boulder
Daytime hours daily
The self-serve, honor-system roadside trailer offers eggs, veggies and a panoramic landscape.
Balto Farms and Boulder Lavender
7957 Arapahoe Road, Boulder
Daytime hours daily
A cool honor-system mini stand cart overlooking a field of lavender offers lavender, vegetables, eggs, honey and food products.
Buckner Family Ranch
13790 E. I-25 Frontage Road, Unit D5, Longmont
2-6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
The Longmont producer of the locally raised lamb, beef and pork served in many local restaurants holds a meat sale monthly at its Longmont warehouse (go to bucknerranch.com for dates). They’re also at the Lafayette Farmers Market every Sunday.
Cooperative Farm Stand
9722 Empire Road, Louisville
3-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday
This new stand at Herbiculture Project Hub offers produce, herbs, plants and local foods as well as garden tours.
Cure Organic Farm
7416 Valmont Road, Boulder
Noon to 5 p.m. daily
This busy farm stand is jammed with organically grown vegetables, lettuces, diverse herbs and a palette of bright flowers. The shelves are stocked with food from some of the state’s best fruit growers, ranchers and food makers.
Grandma’s Farm Produce
11596 Weld County Road 1, Longmont
Daylight hours daily
This self-serve shack on an old family farm is packed with Colorado veggies, fruit, meat, baked goods and preserves.
Growing Gardens
1630 Hawthorn Ave., Boulder
3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
The Growing Gardens farmstand is only open one day a week, but the farm is busy every day with gardening classes and kids’ camps.
Jacob Springs Farm Store
7602 Arapahoe Road, Boulder
Self-service stand open daily for members
Jacob Springs is a membership-based ($10/month) farmstand offering dairy products (milk, yogurt, butter), meats (lamb, beef, pork, chicken), heirloom grains, baked goods and prepared foods made on the farm. Membership perk: unlimited free spring water.
Let It Bee Honey & More Store
4689 Ute Highway Unit B, Lyons
Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday
Experience pollinator immersion in this roadside stop offering everything bee-related: honey, pollen, beeswax candles, royal jelly, honey candy and gifts.
MASA Seed Foundation Farm
1367 N. 75th St., Boulder
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
MASA is a nationally known source for organic, non-hybrid, heirloom seeds grown in Boulder. MASA’s farm stand offers fresh vegetables, greens and wise gardening advice.
Meadow Lake Honey
7922 Meadow Lake Road, Niwot
Daytime hours
This small, porch self-serve stand offers raw honey collected at the family’s onsite apiary.
Montgomery Homestead Farm Stand
10290 Isabelle Road, Lafayette
Daylight hours daily
In its 161st year as a family farm, the self-service stand features vegetables, plants and eggs.
Munson Farms
75th and Valmont Road, Boulder
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (starting in late July)
Munson Farms is Boulder County’s oldest and best-known farmstand supplying generations of visitors with sweet corn, diverse vegetables and Western Slope fruit. In the fall, it becomes a pumpkin patch and a holiday tree source.
Ollin Farms
8627 N. 95th St., Longmont
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays
Ollin Farms maintains a well-stocked roadside store packed with fresh veggies from its fields in Longmont. Look for Ollin Farms’ Wednesday produce popup stand at Lafayette’s Odd 13 Brewing.
Red Wagon Farm
1640 W. Baseline Road (at Thomas Open Space), Lafayette
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (opening in late July)
The local farm operates a roomy roadside barn well-stocked with Red Wagon produce but also a wealth of locally produced mushrooms, eggs and other food products.
Rocky Mountain Milkhouse
4511 County Road 32, Longmont (Mead)
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Farm-fresh milk, chocolate milk, cream, gelato eggs and cheese are available at this small store.
Shadow Butte Lake Ranch
Valmont Road near 70th Street, Boulder
Daylight hours daily
A small, self-service roadside box offers eggs and some fresh vegetables.
Speedwell Farm
8104 N. 63rd St., Longmont
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Speedwell supplies a wide variety of farm-produced vegetables, herbs and greens as well as pork, beef, eggs and honey.
Suarez Market
11078 N. 66th St., Longmont
Check website for market hours: suarezwines.com
The small family-run stand offers produce, eggs, baked goods and gifts.
Summerdog Farm
8716 Arapahoe Road, Boulder
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
The Summerdog shack features fresh produce as well as jars of small batch jams, classic baked goods, honey and bee products. Be sure to say hi to the bevy of bouncing goats.
Sunbeam Farm
1005 Cherryvale Road, Boulder
Dawn to dusk daily
This urban honor-system stand offers garden plants, eggs and some organically grown greens and vegetables.
Sunflower Farm
11150 Prospect Road, Longmont
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday; 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday.
Sunflower Farm is well known to local school kids because of its educational programs. Besides ticketed events, this regenerative farm grows and sells organic vegetables, herbs, honey and and flowers at its Farm Store.
Tabor Acres
3918 N. 119th St., Lafayette
Daylight hours daily
The farm specializes in growing flowers, but the small self-service stand also offers honey and eggs.
The Little Eggstand
1324 County Road 7, Erie
Daylight hours daily
Self-service (cash or Venmo) stand offering chicken and duck eggs.
Three Leaf Farm
445 S. 112th St., Lafayette
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays
The Three Leaf Farm stand offers the same fresh veggies, herbs and flowers featured at Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, Zucca, Chautauqua Dining Hall and Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Three Leaf also has a booth at the new Sunday Lafayette Farmers Market.
Ya Ya Farm and Orchard
6914 Ute Highway, Longmont
Hours vary by season; visit yayafarmandorchard.com/farmstand
An immersive agricultural Ya Ya visit includes cute farm animals and tree fruit, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, apple pie and other treats.
Did we miss any?
Let us know if we forgot your favorite spot. We’ll add them to the online listing. Email complete details to [email protected].
John Lehndorff co-hosts Kitchen Table Talk with chef Dan Asher monthly on KGNU. Podcasts: kgnu.org/category/radio-nibbles
This article has been updated to correct the hours of operation for Cooperative Farm Stand.