Outdoor summer markets abound in the Vail Valley

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How many times do you cut a strawberry from the grocery store, only to find that it is red on the outside and white on the inside? In an age of pesticide-grown foods — and even organic fruits like strawberries that obviously don’t fully ripen before being shipped to big-box stores — local farmers’ markets are a breath of fresh air ( and products).
Luckily, the Vail Valley has plenty of markets to choose from. Here’s a roundup of fresh pickings.
Eagle
The Eagle Farmers Market is held every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until September 23 at Eagle Town Park. Free yoga classes are held from 8am to 9am
Eagle Farmers’ Market has 28 vendors, ranging from take-out meats and fish to Colorado artisans.
Suppliers include locally grown, non-GMO, organic, and pesticide-free fruits and vegetables from Eat A Peach Farms of Palisade, Colorado; grass-fed or grain-fed beef, lamb, pork, elk, bison, poultry and eggs from Vail Meat Company; and gypsum-based Kaleb’s Katch, which offers premium fresh seafood, including Alaska-caught fish, “from the shore to your doorstep.”

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Edwards
The Edwards Corner Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through September 24 at 56 Edwards Village Blvd.
Since 2005, the market has offered a wide selection of quality products, from fashionable food. Vendors have included: Wild Heart, Eye Pieces, Borden Farms, Wynn Farms, Suzy Sweets, Colorado’s Best Tamales, Koglers Bakery, Doctor Hummus, as well as Vail Meat Company and Kaleb’s, and many more.

Minturn Market / Courtesy Photo
Minturn
This year, the Minturn market, hosted by the city of Minturn, celebrates its 25e anniversary. The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until September 3 in historic downtown Minturn.
As Eagle County’s original market, it’s a locals’ favorite, with family-run craft vendors including food trucks, fresh produce, baked goods, art, pottery , apparel, jewelry, pet products and more.
With over 60 vendors, from ADORE portrait painting or handmade jewelry from Wolf People to Anahata Yoga & Wellness, Born’s Colorado Honey, ColoraDough Bakery, organic, raw and cold-pressed juices from Inner Light Juice and superfood smoothies and Slapped Woodfire Pizza, you’ll find all kinds of items.
The kids love the climbing wall and the face painting, and everyone enjoys the live music. And, it’s even dog-friendly, as long as your four-legged friends are on a leash.
Minturn Market’s mission is to support the entrepreneurial endeavors of local, independent, and small-scale business owners who wish to sell directly to their customers.
Vail

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The Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show enters its 21st year in Vail on Meadow Drive. It takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Sunday until October 2 and includes 146 vendors, 40 of whom are food vendors.
“There’s something for everyone – it really is the best gift,” said Angela Mueller, executive director of the Vail Farmers’ Market. “I don’t go grocery shopping all summer. I just go to farmers markets.
Whether you’re looking for items for an inspired dining table, cookware or cookbooks from Annie’s, CBD by Bridging All Gaps, Burton Pure Maple Syrup, 10e Mountain Whiskey and Spirits, Areemo Greek Desserts, Corey’s curated chocolates, Salsiccia Gulizia’s Italian sausage sandwiches or award-winning chicken and wild rice soup and Wildwood Smokehouse’s signature sandwiches, Vail is the place to find it.
It also includes Wynn Farms, People and Puppy Clothes from Native Instinct, Backpacks from MuttRuk, White Goose Feather Pillows and Beds from Moore Comfort, Moon Hill Dairy Cheese, Joe’s Famous Deli, Kaleb’s Katch, homemade European foods and much more including and a ton of quality artisans.
Vail Farmers’ Market is also hosting farm-to-table dinners on July 8 and 22 and August 12 and 26 from 6-8 p.m. outdoors on Willow Bridge Road. Tickets ($210) include Taste of Vail partner wine and beer, plus chef-cooked dinners sourced directly from Colorado farmers. Intended to showcase fresh produce from the market, the menu changes according to arrivals. Local chefs include: Shelby Lewis of Eat Dank Food, Allana and Shawn Smith of FOODsmith (and Mountain Flour) and Jay Spickelmier, founder of Vail Chef.
For more information and tickets, visit VailFarmersMarket.com.