Mid-July through September is prime time for homegrown Colorado produce, so head down to your local farmers market for juicy Western Slope fruit and a nearly-endless list of veggies – from beets and broccoli to carrots, corn, zucchini, beans and salad greens. A crop calendar guide to what you might find at the markets from month to month is available at http://coloradofreshmarkets.com/crop-calendar/.

Presented by the Golden Chamber of Commerce, the award-winning Golden Farmers Market is in its 17th season, and its second year of management by the Boulder-based Colorado Fresh Markets, which also manages the Cherry Creek, City Park, and Stapleton farmers markets. The Golden market meets downtown at the Golden Public Library, 1019 10th Street, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October 7 (except July 29, when its closed for the spectacular Buffalo Bill Days). In addition to fresh produce, the market offers prepared foods, home and garden items, educational experiences , and community gathering space.

If Saturdays aren’t enough, head south to the Parker Farmers Market on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October, on Main Street in historic old town. While you’re there, take a self-guided historic walking tour – brochures are available at http://parkeronline.org/600/Walking-Tours, while print copies can be picked up at Town Hall, 20120 E. Main Street. If you don’t have a map, you can rely on the historic interpretive signs that identify and provide information about historic buildings and places. Please note that Parker Farmers Market vendors prefer cash, although many will also accept local checks with I.D

For another fantastic option, head north for the Lafayette Farmers Market, which is reopening this season after a year’s hiatus under the new management of Boulder County Farmers Markets; who also manage the Boulder, Longmont and Union Station markets. The Lafayette market is still in Old Town, but has moved to the Lafayette Florist parking lot at 600 S. Public Road.