Cottontail Farm is blooming at the Longmont Farmers Market
When Ginny Jones and her fiancé, George Carter, purchased a 3-acre property in west Longmont in 2020, they envisioned the expansive grassy field as the ideal spot for their dogs to run and play, and perhaps for a small garden, too. But they soon realized they wanted to make even better use of the fertile land, so they began exploring options for cultivating it.
They soon learned that more than 80% of the flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, creating a substantial carbon footprint. Inspired to use the land sustainably, they began growing flowers in 2022 on about a quarter acre. On weekends, they sold a variety of blooms at a self-serve farm stand on their property at 7475 Nelson Road. Some days they’d sell out, while others saw nary a customer—the traffic was too inconsistent to support a solid business model.
“We were often growing more flowers than we were able to sell, and we were still figuring out where our flowers fit in the local market,” says Jones. They decided to try a few markets in the Denver area in the 2024 season. “Participating in markets was a great way to test the farmers market format and see how people responded to our flowers in that setting.”
The next year, Cottontail Farm was accepted as a vendor for the producer-only Longmont Farmers Market, operated by Boulder County Farmers Markets (BCFM).
The community’s response to their fresh flower bouquets was overwhelming, and things changed quickly. Growing flowers blossomed from a part-time side gig into a full-time, thriving business. Jones quit her job as a graphic designer and hasn’t looked back. (Carter works for Boulder County Parks & Open Space but helps on the farm before and after work and on weekends.)
“After our very first market in Longmont, we were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief, like, ‘Wow, this is really going to work,’” says Jones. “The market provides a consistent audience each week that really values locally grown flowers and supports local agriculture.” Each Saturday last year, they sold out of the more than 100 bouquets they created for customers.
Though Cottontail Farm still has a self-serve roadside stand on Fridays beginning around mid-May, the farmers market is the main avenue for selling bouquets. With their success at the market last year, Jones and Carter were able to reinvest back into the farm, expanding to 1.5 acres of flowers and hiring their first part-time employee. They also purchased some much-needed equipment and built a hoop house to extend the growing season.
“We’ve put so much of ourselves into these flowers, and it’s been amazing to see people connect with them and come back to see us at the market week after week,” Jones says.
Boulder County Farmers Markets Celebrates 40 Years
Boulder County Farmers Markets (BCFM), the nonprofit behind the Boulder and Longmont farmers markets, is recognizing 40 years this season. Over the years, the organization has grown into a destination for fresh organic produce, sustainably raised meats, local honey, flowers, prepared foods, baked goods, and more.
BCFM is a producer-only market, which means everything sold by the vendors must be grown, raised, or crafted by the vendors themselves. Vendors must also be based in Colorado, with preference given to producers within Boulder County.
“Our 40th anniversary year is all about celebrating the nonprofit element of the markets and our mission to uplift agricultural producers and nourish our neighbors for generations to come,” says Frankie Ryder, BCFM’s director of marketing and development.
During the competitive annual application process, vendors are heavily vetted, and BCFM conducts site visits during the season to ensure requirements continue to be met. BCFM also doesn’t allow certain ingredients in any foods sold at the market—like high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame—and vendors must sign a zero-waste agreement. The stringent requirements, though, are what has made the market so well-loved by vendors and visitors alike for four decades.
“The market is pretty close to our farm, so it’s convenient for us to bring a huge diversity of freshly harvested vegetables each week,” says Laura Quaranta, co-owner of the women-owned Rough & Ready Farm in northwest Longmont. “The producer-only rule really sets it apart from other markets, and we’re proud to sell our vegetables alongside the best growers on the Front Range.”
The 2026 market season begins April 4 (8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, Saturdays through November 21). 9595 Nelson Road
