Growing a premier market

The hard work and dedication of two women earned the Golden Farmers Market its reputation of being one of the premier markets in the world.

It “was very labor-intensive,” said Deborah Robinson, who managed the Golden Farmers Market for 13 years. “But it was a labor of love.”

The whole reason the Golden Farmers Market began was to bring people to downtown Golden to shop, she said. “We were there for the community.”

Robinson and Suzi Pinkert started the market in 2002.

After two years, Jeanne Umbrecht took over for Pinkert and, along with the help of a core group of people, Robinson and Umbrecht managed the farmers’ market until the end of last year’s season. The two retired from managing the market together after Umbrecht decided to move to Georgia because, as it was run on an all-volunteer basis with the exception of last year, it would have been too much for one person to do, Robinson said.

Plus, she added, “we were a team –; we did it together.”

The market was first located on Jackson Street between 12th and 13th streets –; where the parking structures are now located. But it was only there for a couple of years, and after some searching, the women found its home in its current location in the parking lot adjacent to the library.

“Back then, it was a dirt parking lot,” Robinson said. But “the city came to our rescue and asphalted the parking lot.”

The market started off with 15 tents –; not all of them vendors –; and eventually grew to be able to accommodate nearly 70 vendors. Some of the vendors were local, and others traveled from out-of-state to sell their products in Golden. It even attracted people from outside of the U.S. who would take ideas and duplicate them in their home countries, Robinson said.

“The farmers’ market was very inviting,” she said. “We took care of people.”

Robinson is curious to see what the farmers’ market becomes, she said, and plans on going the first day.

“It was like a family,” Robinson said. “We didn’t treat it as a business. We loved it.”

Golden Transcript – Latest Stories