As far as gifts go, my suggestion for Mother’s Day is pretty much the same as it is for pretty much any special event. Go Nuts! If Mom enjoys almonds, pecans or cashews, we have a flavor (or flavors) that she’ll enjoy. And if she doesn’t like nuts, then hey, take her to a Farmer’s Market and find something there that she does like!
Most Farmer’s Markets (there’s always a few exceptions!) in the Denver metro area begin in early May, and often on Mother’s Day weekend. And while there probably won’t be a lot of produce out yet, there are certainly all sorts of other things that Mom will love. You’ll find all sorts of food products – everything from spices and dips to salsa and green chili. Not to mention that many markets have folks that make pottery, jewelry, clothing in various styles, artwork and lots of other fun stuff. And some of the markets have knife and tool sharpeners there as well, so you can put a nice edge on your favorite kitchen knives – or on your lawnmower blades, because, alas, with spring comes mowing your lawn.
So if you want to take Mom to a Farmer’s Market on Mother’s Day weekend, here are the markets that we will be at. Note that there are lots of other markets in the area, but they won’t have our great selection of nuts!
South University Farmers Market. A fairly new market, but there’s a lot of fun vendors here – including Todd from Elephant Rock Farm, with fresh micro greens and awesome heirloom tomatoes! It’s located at 5859 S. University Blvd, Greenwood Village, CO 80121. It’s a Friday market and runs from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. It begins on May 6th and the last market day will be on October 28th.
Southwest Plaza Farmers Market. A large market with lots of vendors, including Justin Matott, a well-known children’s book author (don’t tell him I said so, but he really is an excellent writer). Located in the Southwest Plaza parking lot at Wadsworth and Bowles, it runs from May 7th to October 29th. Hours are 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, but some vendors sell out earlier so don’t be late!
Southlands Farmers Market. A great market with lots of different products, this is always a fun market to wander through. Located in the Southlands shopping area at E470 and Smoky Hill Rd, it runs from 7 May until September 24th. Hours are from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, but remember – there’s lots of other fun stores in the shopping area to visit once you’re done shopping at the Farmer’s Market!
Highlands Ranch Town Center Farmer’s Market. A great market with way too many cool items, and there will usually be a musician there as well (nothing like some live music to make for a fun shopping experience). And later in the season when the Rocky Ford melons are ripe Mumm Farms will be there with the best melons in Colorado. And, of course, come early to mid-July the Palisades peaches will be available as well.
Parker Farmer’s Market. One of the best markets in Colorado (in my humble opinion). Located in Downtown Parker on Mainstreet, every Sunday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. A great market, but get there early so you have time to walk the whole thing – it’s a large market and it’s full of great stuff. Starts on May 8th (Mothers Day!) and goes until October 30th. You’ll find us under a nice shade tree towards the end of the market.
We’ll have a few more markets once June rolls around – check our website at https://www.sweetalmande.com and go to the Where to Buy tab to see when the other markets start and where they’ll be.
Happy Mothe’rs Day, and I’ll see you at the Markets!
Bruce Telford
