Pay-What-You-Can Globeville Community Farmers Market Returns

Posted in a new spot in front of Comal Heritage Food Incubator, the  Globeville Community Farmers Market hosted by Focus Points Family Resource Center celebrated its return this summer following its grand opening on Thursday, June 24. 

Photo by Roxanna Carrasco.

Returning from its former concept “Lost City Market”, the Globeville Community Farmers Market’s pay-what-you-can model encourages community economic support while maintaining affordable accessibility to fresh, seasonal local produce and other pantry essentials. Customers can pay as little as nothing, under or over the asking price suitable to their budget. The new market promotes positive social and economic reinforcement for the Globeville Elyria-Swansea (GES) community while granting healthy, affordable and accessible grocery staples.

“Having access to fresh fruits and vegetables, it trickles to everything. The lack of health insurance access and doctors and things like that, it all starts with eating. So having this space and having this as a learning space for young people to know where their food is coming from is super important,” said Tisha Sohai, Huerta Urbana program manager.

Photo by Roxanna Carrasco.

Local vendors featured Focus Point’s newest program, Huerta Urbana, an urban agriculture social enterprise program that mentors local GES entrepreneurs about food agriculture and business development. Additional vendors include mother-daughter plant and handmade goods duo S&D Creations, Metro Caring, East Denver Food Hub, Rebel Bread and SAME Cafe.

“Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing that really immediate need start to shift towards this long-term sustainability of what a farmers markets can look like and how pay-what-you-can can fit into the long-term model of how we purchase and pick up our food every day,” said Quinn Evans, Huerta Urbana specialist. “So it’s really interesting to see how this year has shifted to a place where we’re just excited to welcome more and more vendors and people that are willing to come be outside.”

Funds generated from the market will be reimbursed to farmers and producers, in addition to covering the costs of additional groceries for those in need.

Photo by Roxanna Carrasco.

Vendors include local produce, vegetables, plants, handmade crafts, art and several other small local businesses and community organizations.

The Globeville Community Farmers Market is scheduled every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. until October 2021 at 3455 Ringsby Court. 

All photography by Roxanna Carrasco.