A true taste of farm life

Fall is officially here and many are seeking a taste of authentic farm life; a trip north reveals a hidden gem. Located just off the Bear Creek Trail in south Lakewood, the Yetman Family Farm is gearing up for fall and the holiday season.

Amy and Doug Yetman grew up in the heartland—Amy in Ames, Iowa, and Doug in Lawrence, Kansas. Even with all the farmland around them, Doug joked, “We were both kind of city kids growing up in the Midwest.” Doug credits his grandma for his green thumb and love for gardening; she was a botanist and an avid gardener.

The couple met in Colorado in 2007 and married two years later. For more than 10 years, Amy and Doug lived an urban lifestyle in Northwest Denver, near the Broncos stadium. Both being entrepreneurs, they founded the award-winning Horseshoe Market, which grew into a beloved community artisan fair.

 

Even with busy work schedules, they made the most of their small urban garden at home, calling it “Yetman Farms.” Doug was also building his career as a local realtor (which he still does today). But as the family grew, Amy and Doug wanted more room to breathe. They missed the go-outside-and-play childhood they had growing up and wanted the same for their three daughters—Fiona (15) and twin girls Juniper and Sadie (13). That search for open space eventually brought them to Lakewood.

The Yetmans purchased the four-acre property with an abandoned 1960s farmhouse in September 2020. Not sure what it would look like, Amy and Doug knew they wanted to create a place where people could gather. With years of experience bringing people together through the Horseshoe Market, they were well prepared for the challenge. The couple transformed the property into the Yetman Family Farm, which officially opened in March 2022.

The farm is also now home to chickens, goats, horses, barn cats, a duck, and two farm pups, creating the experience guests have come to love. The property has evolved in other ways too. What began as a traditional veggie garden quickly changed when the couple started planting flowers to beautify the land. “We wanted the property to be beautiful, so we started planting a lot of perennial flowers and exploring,” Doug said. “Eventually, we started growing flowers we wanted to sell to the public.”

At the center of the farm is a 10-by-30-foot glass greenhouse. Beautifully styled for every season, it is a popular rental space for photographers and gatherings. During the fall months, the space hosts a variety of community events, including a story time series, nature-inspired writing workshops and handmade wreath classes.

“One of the things we’ve really found both fun and aesthetically interesting is that after the flowers are done being great for bouquets, we use the dried blooms,” Doug explained. “We now dry them and Amy uses them in the dried wreaths she makes, as well as in our dried flower wreath workshops coming up in November.” While the farm is not open to the public for daily drop-ins, it welcomes visitors through ticketed seasonal events and intimate classes.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 6. The farm will transform for winter festivity, featuring holiday photo opportunities, a hot cocoa bar, fresh donuts, animal meet-and-greets and a mini market with local vendors.

Next year, Amy and Doug are expanding their community offerings. Flower lovers can take advantage of their new six-week flower subscription (a CSA, or community-supported agriculture program). Guests can also look forward to several You-Pick flower-picking field events to wander the flower rows, meet the animals and cut fresh blooms. The farm also plans to host summer sunset concerts featuring local food trucks and craft beer.

While news of the farm travels south, plenty of Douglas County locals are hitting the road to take in the magic for themselves. “Over the last few years, it has been fun for us to see how the farm has grown,” Doug said. “It has become a true destination. Whether you are coming from Castle Rock, downtown Denver, or the Highlands, it’s a unique opportunity close to the city to get a true taste of what farm life offers.”

Yetman Family Farm is located at 2995 S. Estes Street, in Lakewood. For more information, visit yetmanfarms.com.

By Liane Davis