Housing
Why a Denver Suburb Has Gone All-In for Farming
Want to start an urban farm without permitting hassles? Dreaming of dwarf goats in your yard? Move to Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
Wheat Ridge, Colorado, is experiencing an agricultural renaissance. Once known informally as Carnation City, the Denver suburb built its economy on a foundation of flower nurseries, apple orchards, and assorted vegetable crops. But by the time Wheat Ridge incorporated in 1969, residential and commercial development had eaten up much of the town's farmland.
Five decades later, when city leaders sat down to rewrite the community's comprehensive plan, they identified urban agriculture as a focal point. "We wanted to move the city forward and encourage investment, but we didn't want to lose its unique charm, which is largely based on our agricultural history," says Ken Johnstone, director of community development for Wheat Ridge.