5 Fridges Farm

For urban farmer and college professor Amanda Weaver, mornings often shift between finishing a lesson plan and feeding goats and chickens on her 13-acre 5 Fridges Farm, an urban farm in Wheat Ridge. Since 2010, Amanda has been raising livestock and produce on her farm in the middle of a suburban neighborhood – both providing healthy local foods as well as teaching her students and the community the importance of urban agriculture as a part of a secure food network in a fast growing state like Colorado. She started helping out on the farm as a student and eventually acquired it. It is now her labor of love.

“Very simply, there is no way this would be a viable operation without the tools provided by a conservation easement. Our easement protects this land from development and allows us to run as a sustainable and financially viable farm operation,” said Weaver.

Weaver uses her farm not only for agricultural production, but as a living classroom to teach the basics of farming to local students. “It is a rare and unique opportunity for some kids who have never been out of the city to get their hands dirty in the soil. Visiting the farm helps them understand how to grow healthy food and appreciate the hard work that ranchers and farmers do,” said Weaver.

5 Fridges Farm is open to the public, as Weaver provides classes on cheese making, cooking, and hosts an online farmers market.