Fresh produce near Creede, South Fork etc.? (Denver, Durango: maintenance, live)

[considering]

We're visiting the South Fork/Creede areas for a week August 8-13 and are hoping to find produce to cook with for the week. Driving from Denver to South Fork area on Monday and will be in a cabin. We'd love to do a lot of cooking while we are there. Any suggestions of where we might want to stop to shop? I'd prefer local folks to big chains if possible but understand it might not be. Thanks!

[sesamekid]

Originally Posted by considering

We're visiting the South Fork/Creede areas for a week August 8-13 and are hoping to find produce to cook with for the week. Driving from Denver to South Fork area on Monday and will be in a cabin. We'd love to do a lot of cooking while we are there. Any suggestions of where we might want to stop to shop? I'd prefer local folks to big chains if possible but understand it might not be. Thanks!

There is a daily fruit & veggie roadside stand just to the east of Southfork - south side of hwy. The vendors are from Texas so the stuff is not actually locally grown. But they have a good selection.

The Rainbow grocery store is about the only other option for food shopping in South Fork, other than driving well over an hour east to hit a Walmart.

If you go down south to Pagosa Springs, they have a really nice farmer's market though not sure what day of the week it is lately.

[Idunn]

I cannot tell you exactly, but can suggest some ideas.

If from Denver, you may wish to consider packaging well and bringing produce with you. Particularly those items which are not always common.

There are small grocery stores in Creede, South Fork, Del Norte and Monte Vista, which in general may provide a limited selection of indifferent produce. Not even close to Whole Foods. This assessment is based on part due my last visit to the Rainbow Grocery in South Fork. But South Fork has grown slightly upscale of late, so things may have improved somewhat. Creede has as well, so if in that area it would be worth checking out what the Kentucky Belle Market has. If headed east to shop then you could check, but may possibly bypass Del Norte and Monte Vista to head for Alamosa. Although Monte Vista does have a small Safeway market.

Alamosa would have the largest grocers and best chance to find that desired. I cannot be more specific, but it is the town everyone in the region will travel to if doing serious shopping.

If not wishing to always cook, some restaurants in the area can be good. I'm thinking of South Fork, but Creede might offer a pleasant surprise as well.

[considering]

These are both very helpful! We have all sort of diet dances in the group and are kind of obsessed with cooking so these planning tips are wonderful. We'll grab some things in Denver and keep these markets on the map while crossing our fingers for the farmers market.

I know little about Colorado agriculture, but is it common for food to be coming in from Texas?

[Dogmama50]

It appears that there is a Farmer's Market in South Fork South Fork Farmers Market here's a link to other markets in the state. Colorado Farmers Market Association Find a Market

Colorado has some great agriculture, Palisade Peaches, Olathe Corn, sweet little carrots from Paonia, blah, blah, blah. Not sure why they are trucking produce from Texas, there are certainly places closer to get good produce.

[sesamekid]

Originally Posted by considering

These are both very helpful! We have all sort of diet dances in the group and are kind of obsessed with cooking so these planning tips are wonderful. We'll grab some things in Denver and keep these markets on the map while crossing our fingers for the farmers market.

I know little about Colorado agriculture, but is it common for food to be coming in from Texas?

There is not very good growing season in & around South Fork. That's what the produce vender told us. There are also a lot of Texans in & around South Fork. Not sure why that is.

[DOUBLE H]

There always has been. I've lived in this state my whole life. I worked a couple seasons in '68 and '69 for the San Juan Forest Service, was a road crew laborer. Though we were based out of Durango, we worked quite a bit around the Chimney Rock/Pagosa area replacing drainage culverts, replacing cattle guards, general road maintenance. I'd even help at times with trash removal. There have always been a surprising amount of people from Texas and some from Oklahoma and they live from South Fork to Pagosa to Durango and this goes back four decades. Regardless, I love the Del Norte/South Fork area. It doesn't get a lot of mention on the forum (might be a good thing!)