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Farmers market brings fresh produce to a Denver food desert

The market in Globeville-Elyria-Swansea lets people to pay what they can afford
Farmers market brings fresh produce to a Denver food desert
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DENVER — In the heart of the Globeville-Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, where grocery stores are scarce and many families face food insecurity, a weekly farmers market at the Focus Points Family Resource Center is transforming the way residents access fresh produce.

Huerta Urbana, the farmers market that operates out of the Focus Points parking lot, operates Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m., June through October. It’s a place to buy fruits and vegetables that may be hard to access for many.

“There’s no local grocery stores around here, not even within a mile,” Karen Bustillos, lead specialist for Huerta Urbana, said. “If there is food accessible, it usually is not that healthy. It's very much junk food or processed food.”

The market uses a unique pricing model to get food to as many people as possible. Families can pay the full amount of the food, they can decide to contribute extra to support others who may shop at Huerta Urbana in the future, or they can use “Booth Bucks” in place of real money.

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Visitors to Huerta Urbana pay what they can, while getting walkable access to fresh produce.

Each family who visits the farmers market is given the option of taking 20 Booth Bucks they can spend on any produce in the farmers market. The businesses at the market still get paid for their goods, through funds generated from the public and through private foundations and grants.

“It doesn’t sound like a lot, but in reality… $20 is a huge help,” Bustillos said. “School time is coming up, and instead of having to debate, ‘can I get my children supplies’, or ‘do I have to spend it on food?’, they have $20 here at the market to be able to buy that produce.”

Farmers market brings fresh produce to a Denver food desert

Focus Points not only supplies fresh produce, much of which is grown in its robust farm behind the building but also serves as a platform for community engagement and education. The resource center has been helping people in this neighborhood for 30 years, supporting people like Deisy Bustillos.

She started her own flower business, S&D Creations, with support from Huerta Urbana.

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Focus Points Family Resource Center grows their own food a sprawling farm in their backyard, much of which is sold at the farmers market in their own parking lot.

“They taught us about farming and agriculture, and that’s how we started into the program,” Deisy explained. “We love being part of the community farmers market and being able to see people and service them with beautiful flowers. It’s just a very nice feeling.”

Maintaining the farm and setting up the farmers market takes a lot of time and energy, but Karen Bustillos is proud of the work required.

“It just makes me feel like we’re doing something important every day,” Karen said. The world is so harsh. That's one positive thing that we can do for the community. Just being able to serve them in that way and help.”

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