Sprawling across nearly 400 acres that once served as a hay farm, Franktown’s Fox Hill home development is a prime example of the growing “agrihood” movement. Residents have access to an array of bucolic offerings, including a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program that delivers boxes of fresh produce and farm goods. Here, farm manager Anthony Zamora gives us the scoop on the neighborhood’s farm-to-table perks.

5280 Home: Tell us about the Fox Hill farm life.
Anthony Zamora: Some of our residents grew up on a farm, so there’s that [sense of] nostalgia here. We have a lot of livestock: cows, Berkshire hogs, lambs, Nubian goats, turkeys, chickens. Kids can come see the animals and how the farm functions, and parents really dig that.

5280 Home June/July 2023
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You also have an orchard?
Yes, with apples, cherries, apricots, plums, and a big hops field. With about 200 trees, it was a big investment, and we’re in the infancy stage, but I can foresee a lot of fruit out there in 10 years. The idea is that, eventually, residents will be able to pick their own fruits.

Anthony Zamora. Photo courtesy of Fox Hill
Fox Hill residents enjoy the roaming chickens. Photo courtesy of Fox Hill

Are CSA shares available to residents year-round?
We’re able to achieve four-season production with our 2,500-square-foot greenhouse that’s equipped with an aquaponics system used for raising tilapia and producing year-round veggies—leafy greens, garlic, onions, beets, etc.

How does the farm help foster the feeling of a tight-knit community?
Fox Hill hosts flower-arranging classes with the wildflowers we grow on site. There are volunteer opportunities that allow residents to help plant rasp-berries and things like that. We also did a “farmer in the classroom” day: I visited the nearby school, brought in a baby goat, and talked about regenerative agriculture. I make a point every year to figure out how to get people involved.

Glossary

Aquaponics: A soil-less growth system that harnesses the symbiotic relationship between plants and fish by nourishing plant beds with fish tank wastewater.

Regenerative agriculture: A food growth and production system that preserves the health and biodiversity of soil.

Garden Variety

Even if you don’t live in an agrihood, you can still get freshly harvested veggies, fruits, and farm goods with these local CSA programs.

Photo courtesy of Fox Hill

1. Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Rarms

Type: Veggie; optional add-ons include flowers, fruit, flour, etc.
Span: 21 weeks
Price: Ranges from $400–$740
Pickup: Weekly at Denver Botanic Gardens’ York Street or Chatfield Farms locations
Sign up: At botanicgardens.org

2. Ela Family Farms

Type: Fruit
Span: Up to 14 weeks
Price: Ranges from $185–$410
Pickup: Weekly at seven Front Range farmers’ markets, including City Park, Central Park, Old South Pearl Street, and Boulder
Sign up: At elafamilyfarms.com

3. Aspen Moon Farm

Type: Veggie; optional add-ons include fruit and flowers
Span: Up to 22 weeks
Price: Ranges from $320–$880
Pickup: Weekly at Ideal Market in Capitol Hill (Denver), Pastificio in Boulder, and the Hygiene Road farm stand in Longmont
Sign up: At aspenmoonfarm.com