Grower's Organic, LLC.

Tim & Claudia Ferrell own a wonderful 40-acre working farm outside the Denver Metro area in Brighton, Colorado. Berry Patch Farms have been in business since 1991, but have opened to the public to “pick-your-own” since 1994. This is a terrific place for children and families to experience what a working farm really is, picking and eating berries as you go. Berry Patch offers workshops and seminars for schools and adult programs. These people love organics and strive to share their farm with everyone! Grower’s Organic specifically purchases their leeks, garlic, cipollini onions, and cantaloupe. Supporting Berry Patch Farms is supporting organics, children and family – what a great combination right here in the Front Range!

Otherwise known as Rancho Durazno which means “Peach Farm” in Spanish, but hard to spell and pronounce their farm is simply called Cameron Place. Cameron because it’s the family name, Place because it’s more than an orchard, and more than a farm. Cameron Place is very special indeed – an overlap of wild canyon lands of the Colorado River, and graced with its fertile soils. The surrounding cliffs shape a micro climate that favors peaches above any other place in the country. At 4775 feet elevation, in a desert climate, they receive intense sunlight, and enjoy cool nights in the growing season. Fruit that ripens in these conditions has a special concentration of sugars. Thomas and Janet Cameron have raised a family and farmed in this place for 25 years, aided by willing workers, students and volunteers from all walks of life and many countries and cultures. Their crops are grown organically, nourished with compost, flowering cover crops and the intense Colorado sunshine, and sustained with irrigation water from the Colorado River flowing by.

Coke Farm is located in coastal Northern California, spread over four locations throughout San Benito County about 100 miles south of Palo Alto. Coke Farm was “discovered” by a chef at Chez Panisse who expressed interest in the strawberries, snow peas, and squash. Delectable strawberries remain Coke Farm’s biggest seller. They also produce lettuces, bunched greens (chard, kale, beets, carrots, etc), roots (parsley root, burdock, celeriac, sunchokes, etc.), herbs (rosemary, sage, cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme, mint, chives, etc.) and a variety of other fruits and vegetables (beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemons, grapefruit, avocado, apricots, pecans, apples, radishes, squash, onions, shallots, potatoes). Owners Dale and Christine Coke say, “Organic is important to our customers and us. We always have a good variety of things, and we usually have something people don’t know about.”

Cris-P Produce Company Inc. is a year-round distributor of certified organic fruits and vegetables. They have been handling organic produce since 1988 and have a great deal of experience with the marketing and sales of organic produce south of the border, certified organic by either of the following organizations: Quality Assurance International (Q.A.I.) or Oregon Tilth, Inc. (OTCO). Natura Organic is our exclusive brand that we use to market all of our certified organic produce. Steve LeFevre supplies Grower’s Organic throughout the year, but especially during the winter with tomatoes, a variety of mangoes (Ataulfo, Tommy Atkins, Kents, and Haydens) as well as citrus, squash and onions.

Jeff Schwartz and his family run Delicious Orchards and Big B’s Fabulous Juices in the heart of the majestic North Fork Valley of Colorado.  This tiny mountain valley with high elevation, crisp, thin air, Rocky Mountain water, cold nights and warm days produces some of the finest fruits in the world.  Big B’s Fabulous Juices produces a full line of ORGANIC and LOCAL apple juices and ciders from organic Western Slope fruit.  Delicious Orchards, the home of Big B’s Juices, has a beautiful farm store with great local organic products, a café serving delicious food made from local ingredients, a camp ground nestled in the orchard with views of the surrounding mountains, and guests can always come by and hand pick organic cherries, pears, peaches, and apples.  Delicious Orchards and Big B’s Fabulous Juices are proud to support local sustainable agricultural and land stewardship.

Second generation, Ray Domenico is continuing the legacy of his father. In 1962, Ray took over caring for the land and built Domenico Farms, known throughout Denver and the Front Range for its quality produce. “Our packing sheds sit in the same place where my dad’s dad started farming,” says Ray’s youngest son, Greg, who worked with Ray for 14 years and now operates the business. The Domenico Farms are solid in their local Front Range row crops, including several varieties of leaf lettuce, parsley, cilantro, chards, kales, collards, winter and summer squash, turnips, beets, eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini and bell peppers from his fields — wholesome and nutritious food right outside the Denver Metro Area. The Domenico Farm is both a legacy in the organic produce world and a Denver treasure.

Earthy Delights is an organic supplier of both gourmet and specialty foods. Based in Michigan, Earthy Delights ships overnight to ensure the quality and freshness of their product. Grower’s Organic provides chefs and grocery stores with Earthy Delights’ wild mushrooms, nuts, exotic fresh and dried fruits. For the holiday season they feature fresh Oregon truffles, Michigan Cherries and Chestnuts! Other delights to tempt the palate include ramps (wild leeks), paw paws, fingerling potatoes, and fiddlehead ferns. Earthy Delights is there for the adventuresome and curious – not to be overlooked!

Located on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains outside of Hotchkiss, Colorado, Steve Ela’s ninety-nine acre organic fruit farm is dedicated to growing the best-tasting “Oh-my-god” peaches, apples, pears and cherries around. The Ela Family Farm boasts mouth-watering, certified organic fruit they grow as the result of four generations of farming wisdom, innovation, and experience. Things often stay the same through generations. For Ela Family Farms that includes a commitment to bringing their customers the best possible tasting fruit, farming in a manner that is environmentally friendly, and supporting family farms.

First Fruits Organic Farms have been nurturing their mountain grown fruits and vegetables from their family farms since 1988. Another farm, nestled outside of Paonia, Colorado, Kris Kropp offers wonderfully flavored, tree/vine ripened fruits and vegetables. The apples include: Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Gala, Jonathan, Fuji, Goldrush, Braeburn, Suncrisp, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, Winesap, and Granny Smith. Peaches include: Redglobe, Suncrest, Red Haven, Canadian Harmony, Cresthaven, Zee Lady, Glowingstar, Blushingstar, Coralstar, Sierra Rich, Summer Lady, Starfire. For vegetables they usually have a solid selection such as tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, salad greens, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, melons, squash, peppers, beets, and cucumbers.

Margie and Pat Duffus along with their son have been in business for 28 years growing a variety of produce in Arvada, Colorado. They lovingly cultivate several varietals of sprouts (pea, sunflower, daikon, and alfalfa), wheatgrass and clover. As dedicated community members, they are dedicated to sustainable farming methods using only natural light, organic, sterilized compost mix, and organic soil with no need for pesticides or fertilizer. They own seven greenhouses between their two different locations. Grower’s is working with them to develop a steady source of micro greens for our restaurant clientele.

Full Belly Farm is a year-round organic farm located in the Capay Valley of Northern California. The Full Belly Farm encompasses 200 acres, commingling 80 different vegetable crops, wheat and organic sheep, while also creating beneficial habitats for indigenous insects and animals. Outreach to the community is key! Full Belly offers a CSA for neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay are as well as educational tours for local schools. Full Belly was featured in National Geographic for their Hoe Down Festival, a celebration of harvest. Grower’s Organic is exceedingly proud to represent their produce!

Owner David Asbury of Full Circle Farms and the The Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch has been running, farming, and marketing farm fresh produce since 1993, featuring his annual Fall Festival in Longmont, Colorado. While tending organic vegetable crops, David does everything possible to conserve resources and be sustainable including runoff water from the nearby mountains and using a drip irrigation system. These efforts irrigation yield truly homegrown organic squash, cucumbers, green bell peppers, and zucchini that are bright, crisp and delicious! Don’t miss the festival if you are in the Front Range come autumn!

Grant Family Farms is Colorado’s largest organic vegetable farm, harvesting their main crops of cabbage, lettuce, spinach, summer greens and herbs, broccoli, and summer and winter squash. This bountiful property lies in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, north of Fort Collins. Marty and Andy have a deep belief that they should grow product that is best for your health in a way that makes them a responsible steward of planet Earth. Their farm was the first to be certified organic by the State of Colorado!

Tom McCracken not only boasts himself as co-owner of Grower’s Organic but farmer and steward of Green Earth Farms, supplying GO with much of their potatoes as well as organic brussel sprouts, romanesco, kale, spinach, braising greens and salad mixes. Tom splits his efforts between “the front of the house business” of Grower’s in Denver and “the back of the house” farming from his San Luis Valley Farm where he lives and works with his wife Lillian. The farm is surrounded by wilderness, between an ancient seabed and one of the world’s oldest and largest calderas. The rich soils, pure water and air, and intense climate produces potent herbs, sweet tender vegetables and nutritious grains. Tom McCracken was instrumental in implementing the Organic Certification Program in Colorado. Organics is Tom’s religion!

Scott Garrett from Goleta, California has a 90-acre farm harvesting green beans, gold & red beets, broccoli, red & green cabbage, celery, red & green chard, cilantro, cucumbers, red & green kale, leeks, snap peas, green peppers, butternut, green acorn & zucchini squash, and heirloom tomatoes. By Oxnard or Central Valley standards, the farm is tiny in size, but customers from all over the country clearly want the organic produce that’s grown there. “In order to make money, we have to grow organically, and we have to have a wide range of crops,” said Scott Garrett. He farms here in Winchester Canyon, where his family has been doing the same thing for over 30 years.

In December 1995, Greg and Toku Beccio sold their successful farm and business to a large Salinas corporation. Then they began a smaller farming operation with an emphasis on high quality service, freshness, diversity, and unique specialty items. Scaling down from the large farm to a new smaller operation made Greg a “happy boy.” Year-round crops include gourmet baby greens, beets, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Summer crops include over 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, ten varieties of specialty melons, Cipollini onions and specialty potatoes. Fall and winter products may include cabbage, kale, turnips, radishes, rapini, collards, mustard greens, napa, bok-choy, dandelion greens, hard squash, leeks, chard, radicchio, frisee, garlic and fennel. Spring and summer products include five varieties of summer squash, basil, seedless watermelons, specialty eggplant, sweet corn, fresh herbs, sweet and hot bell peppers, and specialty cucumbers.

Jim Hammond owns Hazel Dell Mushrooms, a company specializing in certified organic mushrooms, the only exotic mushroom farm in the state, growing varieties such as oyster, king oyster, beech, shiitake, lion’s mane, portabella and maitake mushrooms. On any given day, Hammond and his six employees watch over about 9,000 plastic bags full of developing mushrooms. The Hazel Dell operation sits on a 10-acre farm near the edge of Fort Collins, close to Interstate 25 and County Road 32. These people are dedicated to the highest quality mushroom around – you can’t beat the flavor or variety!

Located on the California coast, forty-fives miles south of San Francisco, JACOBS FARM grows a complete line of culinary herbs (including hard to find exotic herbs), English peas, sugar snap peas, arugula, red beets, edible flowers, fava beans. Founded in 1980 as an ORGANIC specialty farm, Jacobs Farm has grown to 200 cultivated acres. In 1985 they founded Del Cabo, a project in Baja California established to assist small growers by teaching organic growing practices, management and organizational skills and connecting them to markets in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The Del Cabo line includes a year round supply of basil and specialty cherry tomatoes. Their commitment to organic farming is rooted in a belief that the use of chemical fertilizers and toxic pest control materials are detrimental to our health and the health of our planet. Healthy soil is the cornerstone of organic farming while chemical inputs destroy organisms needed to build a healthy soil. A healthy soil is critical to producing healthy plants and a healthy environment.

Located in the Arkansas River Valley, a true Colorado gem, Joe Lippus specializes in row crops including cilantro, lettuces, flat spinach (semi-savoy), parsley, green cabbages, green bell peppers, but his green onions stand out among his other vegetables. With a short growing season between April to July, he makes the best of the hot temperatures in the area.

The best we can research, next year is our 100th year as a family farm. We put in the solar array nearly 6 years ago. In 4 of those years, we produced more electrical energy than we used. Our first Satsuma orchard was planted in 1960. Satsumas are like vintage grapes, they get better and better with age. There can be a major difference between the flavor of a satsuma from a 40 year old tree versus a satsuma from a 15 year old tree. Also rootstock and the type of fertilizers used make a huge difference in flavor and quality. The satsumas are just hitting their peak for this year.

The Givens Farm, like most in Goleta, is certified organic. John Givens and sales manger Dana Olsen along with their crew of about 60 grow a wide range of crops, including cilantro, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, French beans and spectacular large purple peppers. Olsen says, “Organic farming requires a lot of different approaches, and you can’t lean back on any one of them.” He then listed integrated pest management, various cultivation methods, and regular crop rotation as approaches that they use to keep ahead of pests. “Mother nature will win, period,” he added. From the taste of the strawberries and the look of other crops ready to ship, it seems that the farm wins sometimes too. Goleta has a nearly perfect climate for agriculture, combined with a lot of rich, deep soil.

Kiowa Valley Organics is a family owned USDA certified organic farm. Sara Bevan and David Rippe’s farm is located about an hour away from Denver on the Eastern Plains of Colorado. We currently have 700 acres of certified organic and transitional land that we are farming. Kiowa Valley Organics offers the freshest organic produce, great tasting organic grass-fed beef and pasture fed chicken eggs. At Kiowa Valley Organics we believe in the health of our communities and creating a greener, more sustainable world.

Kokopelli peaches come from a 25-acre orchard located on Colorado’s Western Slope at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Kokopelli is a family-run orchard that’s been around for three generations. Brant Harrison is dedicated to the best organic peaches Colorado has to offer. Among the different varieties, the J.H. Hale peach is one of the largest peaches and the only one that relies on bees for pollination (most peaches self pollinate) and it is a favorite of the old timers in Colorado. The Cresthaven is one of Brant’s favorite peaches because it is the most consistent variety he grows. It’s got good flavor, good color, and gives him something he can rely on in the orchard. Consider this a challenge to your fruit tasting skills and which new varieties you not have considered!

For over 35 years the Peixoto family has been growing produce in the Pajaro area. Dick Peixoto started his farming career in eighth grade by hiring neighborhood kids to pick tomatoes on his family farm so he could market them. From that early start his business has grown tremendously. In 1996 he recognized the advantages of organic produce and began transitioning to organic farming. They hope to see everyone eating more organic vegetables in the future and living healthier lives. The number one crop that Grower’s features from Lakeside is their amazing Broccoli di Cecco; which are succulent and tender – our chefs love them. In addition we adore their red leaf lettuce and cauliflower. The Peixoto family is always consistent!

Mesa Winds is a Colorado organic orchard and vegetable farm on the top of Rogers Mesa. Recently inherited by Max and Wink, Mesa Winds supplies its Colorado clientele with organic peaches and apples. It is renowned by Grower’s Organic’s customers for their heirloom apple, the Winter Banana. Mesa Winds is in constant search and discovery for a more efficient use of energy and water on their 36 acres. As for expansion, Max has even begun to process apple butter and Chambourcin grape juice, now for sale!

Behind every successful business is a story, and a team of dedicated, hard working employees with genuine concerns for their customers. Together, they operate one of the most successful family farms in business today. The Griffin Family believes in treating their employees with respect, minimizing their impact on the earth as they raise their crops and by managing their business by always choosing quality over quantity. In 1993, when Mission Packing began to expand their iceberg lettuce, leaf lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower and pomegranates with an organically grown product line, “Earth Greens.”

New Harvest Organics was founded in 1988 by Philip Ostrom and Sherry Luna. From their origins as small organic growers in Northern Arizona, Sherry and Philip moved into organic distribution to support other Arizona based organic growers and the growing organic market place. New Harvest Organics is committed to providing products grown in nutrient rich soil, free from pesticides, herbicides and harmful additives. Today their organic production partners are based in Arizona, Mexico, Peru and Chile. This team of dedicated growers are committed to growing, packing and shipping premium quality tropicals, apples, citrus, avocados, grapes, melons, squash and cucumbers. Their growers are certified by BioAgriCoop, Oregon Tilth, Quality Assurance International or other USDA accredited certifiers. Each farm is inspected annually to ensure compliance with their respective certification program.

Nojoqui (pronounced Nah*ho*wee) Farms is nestled in the grassy, partially wooded rolling hills of southern California. The Chumash, a local Native American Tribe, called this valley Nojoqui, meaning peaceful valley. They start planting vegetables in December. In April they begin harvesting an abundant array of romaine, red butter, red leaf and green leaf lettuces; green, purple and lacinato kale; beets, spinach, cilantro, parsley, endive, dandelion, celery and cauliflower. In the summer and fall, they are always harvesting, including green bell peppers, red bell peppers, cucumbers, Nojoqui Sweets (onions), garlic, green beans, sunburst squash, yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and, always, some surprises. In the fall they are also picking broccoli and cabbage. During the winter, they harvest hardy vegetables such as: cabbage, kale, parsley, chard and leeks. John Kidde is renowned for his row crops and specializes in brokering Forbidden Blueberries from a neighboring farm.

Based on blind taste tests, Organic Valley beats all other milk – hands down! Organic Valley dairy hails it products from both the Wisconsin and Rocky Mountain area. Eggs, butter and milk are our biggest sellers but OV provides Grower’s with all of our dairy needs. Our chefs particularly love cooking with their European Style Cultured Butter, which is a specialty, gourmet-quality butter, made in the age-old tradition of fine European butters. They start with organic milk from cows allowed to pasture freely, and then add a live culture to ripen the cream and bring out the sweetness of the butter. Organic Valley is very proud of this delicious and distinctive product, and refers to it as the “Champagne of Butters!”

Osage Gardens owns 26 acres of certified organic land and currently farms more than 2 acres under greenhouse cover in Newcastle, Colorado. They have 22 product lines of culinary herbs: including arugula, basil, lemon basil, purple basil, Thai basil, bay leaf, chervil, chives, dill, edible flowers, flat leaf parsley, kaffir lime, lemon grass, marjoram, mint, oregano, poultry blend, rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon, thyme and more! Owners Sarah and Tom Rumery’s mission statement is to grow the healthiest (nutrient dense) most flavorful herbs in Colorado, while being kind to the earth, their employees and their customers. The addition of culinary herbs to meals is a great way to enhance food quality, flavor and nutrition. Fresh herbs can change basic foods into full flavored, show-stopping masterpieces.

Partners Tim Mueller and Trini Campbell, along with their daughter and 50 full time employees, keep the farm in Guinda, California going year-round. River Dog is proud to be a Community Supported Agriculture. The CSA concept is based on mutual reliance between farmers and consumers. The farm provides the consumer on a regular basis with fresh, organic produce and the consumer directly supports the farm by providing a steady income. By sharing in the harvest of the farm, consumers are closely connected to the whims of nature and seasonal cycles. Farmers benefit by having secure outlets for their produce and by knowing the people who are involved with the prosperity of the farm. Some typical choices from River Dog include: yellow watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, red torpedo onions, garlic, leeks, winter squash, lettuce, greens, spinach, braising or salad mix, citrus fruit and persimmons to name a few.

Located in Santa Cruz California grows a wide variety of crops on 53 acres situated on the Pacific ocean and the rich San Lorenzo River valley. Our crops include leafy green vegetables, fruits, and cut flowers. Jeff Larkey has been farming this land organically for 27 years.

Dennis Holbrook grew up in a citrus and row crop farming family. After returning from Texas A&I University, and again joining the family business, he purchased the family citrus operation from his father in 1977. He soon became disillusioned with and concerned about conventional farming. Thus, South Tex Organics, L.C. was established in 1984. Dennis decided farming organically was nature’s way and the best way to grow the most nutritious and best tasting citrus. He felt a commitment to provide the consuming public with an option to purchase citrus grown naturally without the use of toxic chemicals. Since Dennis began farming organically he has become the largest organic citrus and vegetable grower in Texas, with over 500 certified acres in his operation. His product line currently consists of the famous Texas Rio Star grapefruit, several varieties of oranges, Meyer lemons, Texas sweet yellow onions and watermelons.

Sundance Natural Foods has been in business since 1971. They are growers, packers and shippers of Certified Organic Citrus and Avocados. Their goal is to produce the highest quality of Certified Organic Citrus and Avocados. Sundance represents over 3,929 acres of Certified Organic growers in Northern and Southern California. Grower’s Organics and is proud to stock their blood oranges. The orange-red, burgundy-burnished skin of blood oranges makes them unmistakable market displays, and brighten any food presentation. The flesh itself may be colored a deep purplish red or lighter orange flecked with ruby. Blood oranges, come in several varieties. Moros, the earliest to mature, have a dark-red to light-purple color and good sweetness. Paroccos, light red with streaks or veins of darker color, have ”the best taste of all”, according to the growers.

Wayne Talmadge, owner and farmer of White Buffalo Farms for over twenty years located in beautiful Paonia, Colorado, grows a handful of amazing crops, including heirloom and Italian prune/plum tomatoes, Asian pears and a variety of delectable apples and peaches. We love to support our local farmers, reducing the carbon footprint and sustaining organic produce. White Buffalo Farms is the oldest certified organic farm in the state! Keep up the great work Wayne!

Paul New’s farm has been in his family since the 1930′s. In 1987, White Mountain Farm was incorporated and started growing certified organically grown quinoa and potatoes. Since then he added rye and a variety of vegetables to his rotation. In 1987, White Mountain Farm was the first large-scale quinoa operation in North America. Quinoa is high in protein, essential amino acids: lysine, methionine, and cystine, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin E and some of the B vitamins. Colorado-grown quinoa has a rich, delicate, nutty taste and can be substituted for nearly any grain in almost any recipe. As for Paul’s potatoes, they have a special flavor, which comes from a combination of choosing the best tasting varieties, fertile organic production, and the unique climate that combines intense sun with cool mountain nights. Paul is one of Grower’s Organics owners and supplies us with the majority of our potatoes, including; Russet, Red, Yellow and Purple Potatoes, and Four Varieties of Fingerling Potatoes.