Gardening Co-Ops Springing Up Around Town

DENVER (CBS4) - If you love fresh, organic vegetables, but don't like their price tag, you may need to peruse your neighbors' gardens.

Some families are turning their flower beds into vegetable patches and selling a portion of what they grow. Yokel Local Grower is just one of many metro area sites that offer consumers a share of their produce.

"These are red and white radishes, broccoli, green kale, spinach and beans," said Sandy Haynes as she walked through her garden. "We're doing everything by hand, we use a liquid organic compost, there's no pesticides."

Dawn Blom bought half a share of the neighborhood garden for $225. That entitles her to a huge basket of produce every Wednesday after Sandy Haynes harvests the crops in the morning. Full shares cost $450.

"At first I was thinking it was kind of expensive up front but when you average it out it comes out to $12 to $13 each week. That's nothing for fresh, organic produce" Blom said.

The risk of buying a share is no different than being a farmer. You enjoy the crops when they're bountiful, and you're out of luck if the crops are damaged by weather or bugs.

Haynes says she's not making money, but she hopes to be making a positive difference in people's diets encouraging the consumption of fresh, chemical free produce.

Gardening Co-Ops

Fresh produce will be sold this Saturday morning at:

KJ Coffee Bar

1710 E 25th Ave
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 495-2020

For more information on how you can join the coop: www.yokellocalgrower.com | www.farmyardcsa.com | www.eatwhereyoulive.com