Top 10 Ways to Help Support Local Foods in Denver

It's always good to use the New Year as a catalyst for examining your life. If you're looking for some "resolution-fodder," here are ten ways that you can help develop a local food system in Denver. (This can be adapted to other communities as well.)

10. Patronize restaurants and grocers that feature locally grown food.

9. Go to one of Denver's many farmers markets to buy local food and connect with local farmers.

8. Grow food organically in your backyard or even in a container. Invite a child to handpick and eat your vine-ripened fruit or vegetables.

7. Get involved in the public review process for proposed development and advocate for community gardens, community-supported agriculture projects (CSAs) and farmers markets. Be sure to support the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute's efforts to develop a Sustainable Community Development Code.

6. Join Denver's Food and Agricultural Policy Council, and help address local food issues at a policy level, such as farm to cafeteria programs in local schools.

5. Join Denver's Healthy Neighborhood Network (HNN) and share ideas with other gardeners, help to further secure the long-term sustainability of community gardens in our city and volunteer/or volunteer to mentor youth in a school garden.

4. Support Denver's new Youth Markets Coalition next season by attending their market days from July through September.

3. Join DeLaney Community Farm, or another local CSA, as a shareholder or volunteer. You can even purchase a "winter share" at some local CSAs.

2. Volunteer with Denver Urban Gardens and assist us in our work to improve access to local, healthy and affordable food for inner-city residents.

1. Promote, join or start a community garden in your neighborhood, and reach out to your neighbors, build community and share the joys and benefits of a bountiful harvest.

Note: This list was originally published in The Underground News, Fall 2007

Reprinted with permission from Denver Urban Gardens