Retirement Planning 101: Shop Local and Support Your City's Economy

There are some wonderful indoor farmers markets here in Fort Collins. I went to the Downtown location Saturday. The Winter Farmers Market and Music is sponsored by Be Local Northern Colorado, a group advocating on behalf of local businesses. There was a good crowd of people at the Opera Galleria on N. College Ave. There were vendors from all over Northern Colorado selling a variety of local food products, such as vegetables, nut butters, grass-fed beef and buffalo, salsas, honey and much more. There were also non-food products, such as soaps, candles, jewelry, plants and pottery. Deb Tewell of Milkweed Designs had beautiful hand-felted scarves and purses. I really wanted to buy one, but promised myself that I would take one of her classes when I return to Fort Collins and make one myself. I can’t wait. They are really stunning!

After browsing the market and sampling the varied food items, I did my shopping. My husband joins me on Thursday, so I needed a few things. For breakfast, I bought milk and yogurt from Morning Fresh Dairy Farm. The yogurt was so smooth and creamy! I’ve never tasted anything like it. The Ten Grain Bread I purchased from Good Seed Bakery makes wonderful toast. I’m enjoying a piece now with peanut butter, honey and sliced bananas on top. I have an appetizer planned for the ColoRouge soft cheese I bought from MouCo Cheese Company; I just need to get some crackers. For dinner one night, I have a bottle of red wine from Blue Mountain Vineyards. That will go nicely with the meatballs and sauce I purchased from the Little Italian Kitchen. For dessert, we’ll have mint chocolate from the Food Co-Op. Sounds great, doesn’t it? And, it’s all local foods from Northern Colorado. Better yet.

There’s a real movement here in Fort Collins to shop locally. I see signs in business windows that announce they are locally owned and in others, I see “Be Local” signs. I support that effort to buy from locally owned shops and purchase locally produced food and products whenever possible. I think most people do. It helps the local economy. But sometimes people forget. Those signs are a gentle reminder to locals, but especially to visitors to shop locally. As a visitor in Fort Collins, those signs also demonstrate cooperation among local business owners who want to not only see their own business succeed, but others, as well. They’re working together for a common purpose – a thriving economy in Fort Collins. I, not only support that effort, I admire it. Another reason to love FC!

To learn more about the Be Local effort in Fort Collins, go to: www.BeLocalNC.org. You can learn more about the Winter Farmers Market and find local businesses at this site. For other farmers markets, go to www.fortnet.org/market. There are a number of markets in the area. In the effort to shop locally, let’s not forget the Chamber of Commerce and their members. This long-standing organization also advocates on behalf of local businesses. FC’s Chamber is at www.fcchamber.org. If you want information about businesses in your city or are thinking about relocating, the local Chamber of Commerce is a great first resource.