By Melissa Fenlon
Every Sunday from the end of May through early October, Elk Avenue transforms into the iconic Crested Butte Farmers Market. Vendors set up their tents each Sunday morning featuring organic veggies, fruits and herbs, pasture-raised meats, artisanal cheese, wine, hard ciders and juices. You can find locally made ceramics to house-made pizzas to the most beautiful breads and cut flowers.
“I’m continually told by our vendors that our market is their favorite place to spend the summer because of our community, not only with the camaraderie among our vendors but also our locals that return every Sunday to purchase their fresh artisanal food for the week,” says CB Farmers Market executive director Allison Pugh.
She is so proud of the vendor community the CB Farmers Market has built. “I love being able to connect our vendors with our local community and tourists alike,” she says. “When you come to Elk Avenue on a Sunday morning, you’ll see the beautiful spirit of our community as friends bump into each other and come together to celebrate the summer season, healthy food, unique finds and a sense of belonging. It’s a happy place to be!”
Gunnison Gardens
Sue Wyman started Gunnison Gardens in 2015, after a 30-year career in geology/hydrology and civil engineering. “I recognized that our food system was broken, and growing healthy food without any synthetic chemicals could make a difference in people’s lives,” she says. She has taught countless others in the community, through Western and now Mountain Roots, how to farm and garden.
This summer, Sue will feature fresh eggs and a large variety of vegetables and cold-hardy fruits at the Crested Butte Farmers Market. “We typically harvest the morning before the market, so our produce is as fresh as can be and full of flavor,” she says.
Keep your eyes peeled for beets, broccoli, carrots, green beans, cabbages, fresh herbs, along with raspberries, sour cherries and rhubarb.
Ruby Range
Local artist Victoria Wise does it all. A talented artist, entrepreneur and mom to four kids, Victoria will be back at the Crested Butte Farmers Market with original soft pastels, watercolors and handmade ceramics.
Victoria started selling her ceramics work after joining the Crested Butte Clay Studio. “Joining the Clay Studio quickly rekindled my love for ceramics. I was reluctant to start a business around my hobbies, but after participating in the Maker’s Market, CB Arts Festival, and shows at the Center for the Arts, I had no other choice than to push full steam ahead,” she explains.
She dove into watercolors and soft pastels soon after and her landscapes and town scenes have been a huge hit at the Farmers Market. “I’m so inspired by the ever-changing colors of the landscape here and love to revisit my favorite vistas when painting,” she says.
DoughP Pizza Company
Tom Buchanan and Amras Pereida-Rice’s Neapolitan style pizzas are a crowd-favorite at the CB Farmers Market. All their dough is made by hand and from scratch using four simple ingredients. Last year, DoughP supported over 30 local farmers, growers and gardens, always using the freshest ingredients they can. Tom says their most popular pie is the O.P.P., Other People’s Peaches, made seasonally. “It’s made with organic peaches, fresh organic basil, gouda cheese, fresh mozzarella and is finished with a balsamic drizzle, edible flowers and some feta cheese, “Tom explains. “Some other pizzas have things like a blackberry drizzle, lemon basil (my favorite), mango papaya cheese, lots of hot honey and, as you can imagine, quite a few things in between.”
Hanovi Ceramics
Cassandra Duft is back for her sixth year as a vendor at the CB Farmers Market. “Having the opportunity to connect with locals and visitors once a week and feel the support and care people have for my work has been pretty life changing for me, and it is the highlight of my year each year,” she explains.
Cassandra grew up in Gunnison and dabbled in clay in college and then post-college in San Francisco. Ceramics was a creative outlet for her but it has turned into to a full-fledged small batch pottery company, Hanovi Ceramics. “It’s an echo to my roots growing up in the Gunnison Valley. What was once an outlet for my personal practice has now become my full-time passion,” she says.
Her functional pieces celebrate high-altitude life, featuring imagery of mountains, wildflowers and our ski and ride culture.
