August 06, 2011

Down on the Farm (?) at the Denver County Fair

Back in the late 1970s, when Colorado counties were designated by two-letter combinations on our license plates, I knew someone with AA "farm" license plates on his pickup truck.

That's right, he had a farm truck registered in the entirely urban city-and-county of Denver. I don't know how he did it, but he was proud of them. These days, the regulation for farm-truck plates reads as follows:
Used to transport to market or place of storage, raw agricultural products that are actually produced, or livestock raised by the owner of the vehicle transporting commodities which have been purchased by the owner of the vehicle for their own use or to be used in the operation of their farm or ranch.
If that 1960-something Chevy pickup were still around, it could be proudly driven to the Denver County Fair, where they judge urban chickens and home-decorated stiletto-heeled shoes.

2 comments:

Darrell said...

I have a Colorado produce story for ya, Chas: I love Rocky Ford melons. Something about the altitude, sun, soil and water makes the sweetest cantaloupes and watermelons. I've been buying them at the local groceries the last few weeks. I noticed a week ago while at Walmart that they were selling cantaloupes from California. I suggested to them that gee, it would be great to support local growers, and sell the Rocky Fords. Today I was back at Wally World, and saw big boxes labeled Rocky Ford Cantaloupes, going for $1.50 each, which beats the prices at local groceries. I looked closely at the melons in the boxes, they all had Grown in California labels on them. Geez. Isn't that like, illegal?

Chas S. Clifton said...

Maybe someone can suggest which state agency should be called. The Colorado agriculture department?