Each fall, edible ASPEN asks its readers to vote for those in the local food community who make a difference. Winners from each Edible Communities magazine region were announced at the Edible Communities annual meeting in Santa Fe, N.M., in January.  Please join us in celebrating these winners in the edible ASPEN region for their outstanding contributions to the local foods movement in our area.

Farm/Farmer

Z’s Orchard, Palisade

Carol Zadrozny, Richard Skaer, Stephanie Crow,
Kendra and Ken Williams
www.zsorchard.com
Produce grown at this family-owned orchard includes cherries, apricots, raspberries, peaches and apples. Available locally at the Glenwood Downtown Market and through Z’s online store.

Chef/Restaurant

Ryan Hardy, Montagna at The Little Nell, Aspen

www.thelittlenell.com
Hardy (and farm partners Mike and Adde Waters) grows organic heirloom crops and raises heritage-breed livestock on his 25-acre farm in Crawford, produces his own charcuterie and discovers other local sources for the handcrafted foods featured on Montagna’s four-star menu.

Food Artisan

Wendy Mitchell, Avalanche Cheese Company, Basalt

www.avalanchecheese.com
Mitchell supplies restaurants and shops in the Roaring Fork Valley with handcrafted cheeses made from the milk of her goats at the Avalanche Farm and Dairy in Paonia, where they are fed organic grains and hay to supplement their chemical-free pasture feedings.

Beverage Artisan

Lance and Anna Hanson, Jack Rabbit Hill and Peak Spirits, Hotchkiss

www.jackrabbithill.com and www.peakspirits.com
Peak Spirits, is an artisan distillery that makes organic/biodynamic brandies as well as CapRock Organic Vodka and CapRock Organic Gin. Jack Rabbit Hill makes wine from grapes grown on its 22 acres of certified-biodynamic vineyards.

Nonprofit

Glenwood Downtown Market, Glenwood Springs

www.glenwoodmarket.com
Held Tuesdays at Centennial Park in Glenwood Springs, this farmers’ market’s offerings include organic produce, fresh flowers, fresh-baked bread and pastries, homemade granola, handmade jewelry, weekly cooking demonstrations, local musicians and a great communal vibe.