Kipp Nash, Nederland. As Colorado’s outdoor growing season comes to a close in October, it’s customary to celebrate the harvest. Nederland Farmers Market (NFM) has sourced fresh vegetables and fruits from Boulder and Weld County Farms for the last 23 weeks, to help feed the Peak to Peak community straight from the source. As a Nederland resident and NFM Board President, I look forward to Harvest Fest as a time to honor the growers, volunteers, customers, sponsors, and vendors of our operation.

This Sunday’s Harvest Fest is presented by Eldora and brings together our vast network of supporters. Find this final market in our same space (in the parking lot above Snyder Street) and along East Second Street. Children can pick out pumpkins in the patches that we’re designing, take rides on the yak, sip on hot cider, munch on cotton candy, and play games at the Nederland Community Library booth. Adults can sample beer, wine, and cocktails from Knotted Root Brewing Company, Very Nice Brewing Company, Augustina’s Winery, and Gold Dirt Distillery. Beverages will help cool down fiery mouths, after adults consume hot chilis roasted onsite. Everyone can dance to live music performed by Flash Mountain Flood from the big stage. Safety-wise, this event’s expanded space will allow for social distancing, masks are required, and every vendor will have hand sanitizer.

The main attraction is the variety of vendors that we’ve assembled for this culminating event. For lunch, you’ll be able to get tostadas from Tostadas Food Truck, tamales from Tortilleria Esmeralda, vegan chow from The Vegetable Express, Nepalese food from Kathmandu, craft sandwiches and burritos from Salto Coffee Works, Mediterranean fare from Moussa Hamoosa, and freshly baked treats from Mountain Okie’s and Kogler’s Bakery. NFM’s produce booth will be spilling over with a bounty of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, and you can add protein by purchasing Magnolia GrassFed beef and Epick Seafoods wild Alaskan salmon. Stock your cabinets with items from Cajun Girl Pickles, AA Honey, Healthy Harvests, Alpine Botanicals, and Founding Foods. Add color to your life with creations by Heather Taylor, Wandering Blue Studios, SavaMia Art, Menagerie Woodworking, Mooseworks toys, Randy Thomae Photography, and Sol Y Sombra wildflowers. Check in with the Eldora, Frozen Dead Guy Days, Tadasana Yoga, and Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services booths.

As we conclude our five-month season, we want to express our gratitude to the community for embracing our evolution of services. By the end of October, we will announce our plans to open our online shop in preparation for Thanksgiving and for holiday shopping. Keep it local, stay fresh!

The Nederland Farmers Market’s Board of Directors is Kipp Nash, Laraina James, Tania Corvalan, Brenda Galvin and Barry Lee. You can find more information at the website nederlandfarmersmarket.org.