I have vegetables, not chickens, in my backyard, but that doesn’t stop me from hanging out at the Savvy Hen Urban Farm & Feed, the go-to spot in Boulder for all things chickens, goats, and bees. That’s because Melissa Winchester’s adorable Pearl Street shop is also a gardener’s haven with a huge choice of rare and heirloom seeds, handmade gardening tools, and so much more.

Winchester assures it’s not too late to plant fruit and vegetables. Browse the Savvy Hen’s collection of organic, locally grown veggie and herb starts, and reach for the healthy heirloom tomato plants, large “salad bowl” starts, and strawberries. Then grab a Rogue hoe made with recycled agricultural disc blades from the Missouri Ozarks, and dive right in. Find inspiration with an array of gardening books such as the Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, the Edible Balcony, and Slow Gardening. Sow quick-growing heirloom seeds like Bloomsdale spinach from Seed Saver’s Exchange Seeds, a nonprofit devoted to preserving rare and heirloom seeds. The Savvy Hen’s blog is also loaded with gardening tips like how to plant veggies into flowerbeds so bees are attracted to your garden space to boost the pollination, or how to plant companion crops such as peas with radishes, spinach with strawberries, and tomatoes with basil.

Stock up on a full line of canning supplies to process the pending harvest. Then, as your garden grows, stop back in the store for a Meet and Greet with baby goats, or take an intro class in chicken farming. Suddenly, the possibilities for fresh food straight from your back yard seem endless.

1908 Pearl St., Boulder, 720-502-6187