Jul 12, 2019

International show setting for Colorado produce showcase

The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) will provide produce-focused food samples and direct consumers to Colorado-grown produce July 20-21 during the Slow Food Nations Taste Marketplace. The event takes place at Larimer Square in downtown Denver and is expected to attract 25,000 visitors, two-thirds of which are local.

Cathy Schmelter, An Ounce of Nutrition, will demonstrate preparation of various types of “voodle,” dishes. Voodles are noodles, cooked or raw, made with vegetablessuch as summer squash and carrots and seasoned with sauces or dressings. Schmelter will offer her creations as free samples at the CFVGA booth both Saturday and Sunday.

Also in the line-up for Saturday are Infinite Harvest, Lakewood, grower of live lettuces and microgreens; Talbott Mountain Gold, Palisade, tree fruit and grape growers; Rocky Ford Cantaloupe; and Kilt Farm, Longmont, a certified organic vegetable farm growing over 100 varieties for wholesale and community supported. Sunday visitors will be able to take in voodle demonstrations as well as visit with these farms: Hoffman Family Farms, Greeley, grower of a wide variety of vegetables and melons; Strohauer Farms, LaSalle, grower of potatoes and shallots; and Ela Family Farms, Hotchkiss, a fruit orchard farm.

“Slow Food has done so much to support Colorado farmers, so we are pleased to be able to participate in their international food event,” said Jeni Nagle, Ela Family Farms. “We are very excited to join with other CFVGA member growers to showcase the wide variety and high quality of produce grown in our state.”

Each farm featured will provide free, in-season, produce samples. In addition, CFVGA will offer interested consumers a Colorado produce calendar, showing when each produce item is harvested in Colorado. This tool also is offered online at https://coloradoproduce.org/produce-directory/  CFVGA invites the public to visit its booth Saturday, 10am to 8pm or Sunday 10am to 6pm. News, recipes and promotions related to the event can be viewed on Instagram @ColoradoProduce and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CFVGA/.

The CFVGA is comprised of more than 250 members, including growers of all sizes and types of production throughout the state, as well as representatives of allied industries. The Colorado fruit and vegetable growing sector contributes nearly $485 million to Colorado at the farm gate and is multiplied as it goes through the distribution chain. Over 90,000 Colorado acres are in fruit and vegetable production.