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Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where two close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs! From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we’ve got it covered. Join us as we sip our coffee (or maybe something stronger) and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our fun, light-hearted, and always entertaining take on the quirks, hot topics, and insider tips will keep you coming back for more. Discover what’s really happening in the Springs—beyond the mountains and parks!
This week on Springs and Things, we discuss our favorite Farmers Market brines here in Colorado Springs. We talk matcha stands, cinnamon rolls, fresh flowers, face balm, hair tinsel that outlast a whole summer, and the veggie box that had me at no credit card required, plus so much more. So let's shop local. And speaking of local, we just love Vanguard Aesthetics, our lovely sponsor. We'll talk about them more in the show.
Carly Ries:So let's get into it. Hey, everyone. I'm Carly.
Lauren Ferrara:And I'm Lauren.
Carly Ries:We're two Colorado Springs locals who love uncovering everything that makes the city special.
Lauren Ferrara:If you're the kind of person who wants to know where to go, what's happening, and the stories behind it all, then you're in the right place. Welcome to Springs of Things, your insider's path to hidden gems, local flavor, and unexpected moments that make The Springs one of its kind. From secret spots and campus events to arts, eats, and those you've gotta hear about at local stories.
Carly Ries:We've got you covered.
Lauren Ferrara:So grab your coffee, settle in, and get ready to fall a little more in love
Carly Ries:with Colorado Springs. Let's dive in to Springs and Things.
Lauren Ferrara:So, Carly, we've covered some ground with these Farmers Markets these last few weeks, haven't we? These last few weeks,
Carly Ries:and that's why I'm so annoyed because you and I always put so much on our calendars for the summer. And in my mind, every day, I was going to Farmers Markets depending on where it was in town, and I literally just started going early July. So I guess I didn't waste the whole summer. Oh, wait. Yeah.
Carly Ries:But I'm like, I don't know. In my I just wish I just grocery shopped at Farmers Markets or just got to get some
Lauren Ferrara:So I feel like I go to Farmers Markets more for, like, the local prod. Like, I can't get my head around, like, a $9 cantaloupe. Like, I it's just not gonna happen. So I I do not go for the produce or the food. I go for, like, to see what people in Colorado Springs are making and creating and, like, not to eat.
Carly Ries:Well, so that's why this is so good because we have compiled our list of our favorite vendors from Farmers Markets from across the city, and I think we have very different lists based off of what you just said. You have one food person because we do have because we talked about it. But not produce. Don't worry, produce fans. I got your back because I have something even better than just a $9 cantaloupe.
Carly Ries:Okay,
Lauren Ferrara:I am in a $12 cantaloupe. Yes. Okay, so. Okay, so before we talk about our favorite Farmers Market finds, what has been
Carly Ries:your favorite Farmers Market? Well, in Colorado City. I don't even have to think about that. I is something so magical. I mean, they're all great, but driving over to OCC, I even messaged them.
Carly Ries:I went on Sunday. We'll get into why in a second, but I went on Sunday, and I messaged the OCC Farmers Market after, and I was like, that is no. Wait. Saturday? No.
Carly Ries:Saturday. It went Saturday. I was like, that is the best way to spend a morning. It is so busy, but not in, like, an overwhelming I have to wait forty five minutes in line kind of way. But just like a people just are out supporting local businesses, and OCC is such a good community anyway.
Carly Ries:But final answer, OCC, even though the other ones are great too.
Lauren Ferrara:Ditto on OCC. I'm also a big fan of the Colorado Colorado Farm Farm and and Art Market over at Meanwhile Block on Wednesdays. I like how so, you know, it's kind of the opposite of OCC. I feel like OCC is, like, buzzing. It's insane.
Lauren Ferrara:This feels very, like, intimate kind of, but I found some great goodies there.
Carly Ries:So intimate that didn't you talk to a vendor about your appendectomies?
Lauren Ferrara:I did. For, like,
Carly Ries:five minute
Lauren Ferrara:five solid minutes. Yes. Yeah. I went for the sourdough, and then we shared war stories about surgery. And I'm also a huge fan of the Colorado Springs Sunday Market over at Acacia Park, so I hit up Core Collective, Pilates, and then right I like to get there, like, at 09:00 when it first kicks up.
Lauren Ferrara:The the kicks off, they're still kinda setting up a little bit, but I like being the first one there before it gets too crazy.
Carly Ries:Agreed. Okay. So should we get into some of our finds? Let's do it. Okay.
Carly Ries:So I said I went to the OCC Farmers Market on a mission because as you know, so us coffee lovers, I have pivoted to matcha.
Lauren Ferrara:I took a picture. I know what you're talking about. The matcha stand there.
Carly Ries:Hoshi matcha?
Lauren Ferrara:Is that
Carly Ries:what you're talking about? Yes. It's so cute. Okay. So I've been following their Instagram, I'm kind of on a mission to find the best matcha in town because like I said, I pivoted, and there there are quite a few good ones.
Carly Ries:I'm actually drinking a delicious one at Black Magic right now at the Mining Exchange where we're recording this episode. But I Hoshi Matcha just called me. They have, like, little flavors you can put into it. And I I'm usually a very I'm an unsweetened matcha person, but they have, like, guava, coconut. They have cold foam you can put on it.
Carly Ries:And I was like, oh my gosh. I have to find these people. And I hope I didn't scare them because I walked up and I was like, I'm here for you guys. And not like in a subtle, hi. Nice to meet you.
Carly Ries:It's like, I want your matcha. I was I was super awkward.
Lauren Ferrara:I want to like matcha. I'm just not a fan, but I saw that stand and took a picture of it and I meant to text it to you because I
Carly Ries:was like Carly would be so excited. I went and it was so good. I got the guava. I went with two other friends and one of them went back and got seconds before we left so she could get two in one hour because she liked it so much. But you can also get canned matcha from them, and then they're in these really cute clear cans.
Carly Ries:So you could see the matcha. They're adorable, so you could take them to go. Anyway, I love them. Hoshi Matcha, you should follow them on Instagram. Everything we talk about today, all the links will be in our show notes.
Carly Ries:You won't hear us say the links. Just go to our show notes to get the links, but they're my number one pick.
Lauren Ferrara:So on Sunday, I went to the Downtown Farmers Market at Acacia Park, and I stumbled upon Humble Abode, and they're these super cute fragrances. They have candles, and they're all made with, like, really good ingredients without toxins, without parabens, without all these other things that I cannot pronounce. So I felt really good about it, and I kept like, I tried several different ones, and they are delicious. So that's Humble Abode.
Carly Ries:Okay. I'm gonna piggyback off of the Sunday Farmers Market one down at Acacia Park. So I actually think we talked about it on a recent episode, Hair Sparkles by Britney, we were talking about this, the satin hair. My kids love it. And I think at Farmers Markets, lot of times, I mean, they have, like, baked goods and things like that that kids could like, but this is really if you're taking your kids to the Farmers Market, a really fun thing for them to do.
Carly Ries:My friend Britney actually owns it, so she was plugged there. But unlike plastic hair tinsel, it's soft, flexible, lightweight, kinda takes on the personality of your hair shape, which I don't really understand how that works, but it does because I've witnessed it in my own family. But, yeah, it withstands the highest of heats, like hair tool, like curling irons, hair tools, all that stuff. And then for your kiddos who probably aren't using, like, hair straighteners if they're younger, brushing, hair coloring, all that stuff. So they do, like, hair chalk.
Carly Ries:It's still fine with that. But, anyway, I think just like it's a fun experience for the kids, and it's something that lasts, like face paint and a wash off or get on your pillows within the day. And this is something that they can kinda show off for for a few weeks.
Lauren Ferrara:My kids got the hair tinsel done in early May, and it only recently came out, like, a couple weeks ago. It does last forever. Okay. So this is a find from the Farm and Art Market in Admin Wilde Block. Soul Tide's Herbal Hair Care Repair.
Lauren Ferrara:Smell this, Carly. I wish you guys could smell it too. So it says hair isn't that yummy? So this herbalist and she just launched the business, gosh, I wanna say, like, a couple of months ago, but it's herbal hair hair care, plant based, vegan, cruelty free, clean ingredients, all that, and I I feel like I've only been using it for a couple weeks, and I know it takes, like, three months with hair stuff to know if it made a difference. I've been using it, and I feel like my hair feels thicker.
Lauren Ferrara:I've also been using a red light headband because, of course, I do.
Carly Ries:Of course, you do. Oh my gosh. We need to get back in a van. So am I we need to go back to Vanguard, and I need to be like, you guys are not like what she's doing now.
Lauren Ferrara:You know what's funny? I keep talking about, like, clean ingredients. I just got Botox in my forehead the other day at Vanguard. Have a look.
Carly Ries:I honestly I would not know
Lauren Ferrara:that you did it. See? I love that. I knew you did it, but I would not. I feel like they do a great job of, like yeah.
Lauren Ferrara:Like, they're not trying to make you look frozen. So I'm still I'm still gonna wear you down, Carly. In a couple months, you're gonna get Botox. So we didn't even plan to
Carly Ries:talk about our sponsors right now, but we're going to, because I I I wanna go in and get another Visio appointment because I've been so dedicated to my skincare this summer because we've been outside so much wearing the hats. And then I'm so strict with the products that they gave me. It's all I use.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh my god. So strict.
Carly Ries:But I I'm curious to see if I
Lauren Ferrara:did a good job and protected it over because it's so hot. The Visia does not lie. Well and you were
Carly Ries:saying earlier, I just figured out let's just go all sponsored out right now. You were saying you go over from Court Collective on Sundays over to Farmers Market. Who was our teacher on Friday?
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, Anna. Anna, if you are listening, we're coming for you. I hate you in the best way. I was so sore. I went to a
Carly Ries:6AM with Bonnie there yesterday, and it was yesterday, we're recording this on Wednesday. So Tuesday, I couldn't go until Tuesday after Friday because I was so sore in the best way possible from that class on Friday.
Lauren Ferrara:So Anna's like the cutest, and she's got this sweet little voice, and she says things. She's like, we're here for ten. And then about two minutes later, she's like, we're here for eight. Another two minutes passes, and then finally, oh my gosh. Been sore for almost a week.
Carly Ries:And get there on time because I had to I got there, like,
Lauren Ferrara:a minute late. She you had to be in the, like, ref I call it the reformer of shame. It's the one straight in the middle that, like, no that usually the instructor uses. But if it's that full and it is for her class.
Carly Ries:The instructor uses it as this is what you should do, and I did it as this
Lauren Ferrara:is what you should not do. So I I would never want to be on the reformer of shame during her classes of all of all classes.
Carly Ries:It was so good. You guys, if this is your first time going, you can actually get three classes for just $30. That's just $10 a class, which is just insane by going to checkout and typing the code Springs and Things, all caps, no spaces. It's awesome. We we joke.
Carly Ries:We actually really love her. All the instructors are just instructors are just wonderful. So, the link is in our show notes. But, yeah, Springs and Things is the code. Okay.
Carly Ries:What's your next pick? So this is
Lauren Ferrara:a woman owned and veteran owned business called Green Magic Apothecary. I stumbled upon them. Where was it? Also at Meanwhile Block, and they have all kinds of, like, herbal skincare and body care products. And this, I'm a little bit obsessed with.
Lauren Ferrara:It's called the Resplendent Rose Complexion Balm. So, Carly, I'm gonna make you try it. Putting some on your face.
Carly Ries:Oh my gosh. I'm cheating on Vanguard. You guys, I'm so sorry. I'm cheating on Vanguard.
Lauren Ferrara:But this is, like, different. So all that's, like, medical grade stuff, and this is, you know, the herbally feel good natural products. So, Claire, my What did
Carly Ries:you just put on
Lauren Ferrara:my face? It's it's the complexion balm. Rub it in. What do you think? Doesn't it smell good?
Carly Ries:I was so distracted by how good the scent smelled that I wasn't listening to a word you were saying.
Lauren Ferrara:So it's like, I love the, like, thick, greasy serums and the, like, the things that you feel like you put almost like olive oil all over your face, which I've done before.
Carly Ries:Don't doubt that for
Lauren Ferrara:us. I just love a, like, a really thick moisturizer, and that's what this is. So I've been using this, and my little my little mini me, my youngest, is all into skincare with me. So last night, we were putting on our little balm.
Carly Ries:She is your mini meme. Every time I have seen like, recently, I'm just like, woah. Those genetics run deep.
Lauren Ferrara:It's wild.
Carly Ries:Okay. So like I said, I was gonna come to the rescue for all of us produce people at Farmers Markets because I actually I say I got sold on this. I didn't. I wanted to support this business so badly when I walked by because it's Farm To Fork, Colorado. They call it the Farmers Market delivered to your front door, and they partner with local farmers to provide the freshest in season fruits, vegetables, artisan goods, all that.
Carly Ries:You can customize your box either weekly or biweekly. You can have organic, nonorganic. You can just do fruit or just do vegetables or a mix. You pick your size of the box. And my young my oldest has started getting into Chopped Junior, and so she loves, like, receiving something and not knowing what she's gonna get to to make a meal out of.
Carly Ries:And so was like, oh my gosh. What a fun way to do this and support local. They do it year round because people also grow in greenhouses now and everything. And then as an add on, you can do cheeses and dairy and everything, eggs from local, like, farmers and getting delivered. And the thing that really got me is I assumed I was gonna she was like, fill out the form, and I like, okay.
Carly Ries:I'm gonna have to put my credit card information. She was like, no. She was like, just give me your address and your email and your phone number, and we'll send you your first box, and we'll send you a follow-up email getting it. So I I can genuinely, it's in the it's it should be here on the tenth. And I'll get the first box, and I have not even given my like, it wasn't one of those, we'll get your first one free, but you have to give us a credit card, and then we're gonna charge you for the next year.
Carly Ries:Mhmm. It's genuinely, like, try it, and then see if you like it, and then put in the credit card. And I I think I'm gonna continue. And she was just the loveliest woman. I love supporting local.
Carly Ries:So now we're gonna start getting our produce from local farmers, door by door.
Lauren Ferrara:I love that. And your children are also produce people as well. So I was so impressed because we went to a farmer's market together, and they weren't like, oh, let's go get the tinsel. Oh, let's go get the cookies. Your daughter was like, let's go get some carrots, mom.
Lauren Ferrara:I so appreciate that you think they are produce people. I don't know where that came from. I wish I could be like going off. I wish I could be
Carly Ries:like, oh, yes. My children try all fruits and vegetables,
Lauren Ferrara:and they only eat clean. No. They haven't had Goldfish for breakfast. But, yeah, that was a fun
Carly Ries:she was really excited about that. So I thought she'd also get really excited about this box too because now she eats produce, apparently.
Lauren Ferrara:Well well done, mama. Okay. So my next pick, and this is another find from the downtown Acacia Park Farmers Market. A couple years ago, do you know what tallow is? I had never heard of tallow a couple years ago, and now it's everywhere.
Carly Ries:Oh my gosh. They were also at the OCC wine, and I saw them. Yeah. This exact one. Keep going because you know more.
Lauren Ferrara:Okay. So I don't know that much about Dallo, but I know how good it feels. So I found this last year, and I'm obsessed. Going on
Carly Ries:the other side of face?
Lauren Ferrara:Yes. This is going on the other side of your face. See? Yeah. Rub it in.
Lauren Ferrara:Nice and greasy. Yeah. That is Ain't that nice? I see. I like that.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, like, your skin just drinks it up in Colorado. So good. So that and this was like a mom started it to kinda heal her skin, keep her baby safe, and, again, all natural products, organic tallow, nontoxic. And, yeah, I just, like, love it. Okay.
Lauren Ferrara:So, again, you did all the skincare stuff. I did zero skincare stuff.
Carly Ries:But so we have been talking so much about Gather Mountain Blooms. I love them so much. I just like supporting local flower growers, flower farmers, and everything. And there's another
Lauren Ferrara:many local flower farmers do you know? Two.
Carly Ries:And the second one I'm gonna say right now. Okay. So this one's called Ellen's Flowers. It's an organic flower farm down in Canyon City, and they grow vibrant, like, seasonal blooms for the whole Pikes Peak region. And the farm is committed to protecting the natural habitat.
Carly Ries:They enhance the local ecosystem, and they give back to the land that sustains it while caring for both the people who who produce and enjoy its flowers. It's just the gal the gal I was talking to, and it's funny because a friend of mine the friend of mine that I went with had a really unique story about it, I was like, oh my gosh. I have to share that on the podcast. They just sound like such great people, and I forgot
Lauren Ferrara:the story. So I won't share that, but it
Carly Ries:was a a moving enough story that I was like, I want more people to know about these flowers. So
Lauren Ferrara:I hope to know what that story is.
Carly Ries:So cliffhanger, Ellen's Flowers, if you're listening, can you, like, send us a cool story? Because I kinda owe our listeners one, but I bought some. Our neighbor just moved downtown, and so I when I at the Farmers Market, I just got some flowers for her for her table, and they're beautiful. They're so beautiful. So Ellen's flowers.
Carly Ries:Okay.
Lauren Ferrara:So I do have one food pick. So I've been on a quest to find the most perfect cinnamon rolls, and some are I've had some, and they're fine. These ones oh my goodness. So they're not just cinnamon rolls. They're like blueberry cinnamon rolls, and they're, like, super moist and icing y and
Carly Ries:Ew. You said
Lauren Ferrara:moist. Yes. I did. And but they're delicious. So they're, like, one of the products I've been back for.
Lauren Ferrara:Like, I've gone there, and I'm like, I'm going to go get some more of these because everybody in my house loves them.
Carly Ries:So you're talking about the gilded whisk. Right?
Lauren Ferrara:Not saying that.
Carly Ries:No. Good cliffhanger, though, because it kept people wanting more.
Lauren Ferrara:Where are these blueberry cinnamon rolls? They're with the
Carly Ries:story for melons flowers. We don't know. So we're talking about the gilded whisk. And for my mom's birthday, I got the rosemary and roasted garlic sourdough from them, and it was so freaking good. And I I'm particular about my sourdough.
Carly Ries:I get it from one place, and I'm actually gonna talk about that as of the week in a second, so I'm not gonna talk about it right now. But their sourdough was delicious. So the gilded whisk, again, their link is in our show notes. I couldn't agree more about that.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. I've had their sourdough as well, and it's delicious.
Carly Ries:Well, with that, I do also have a pick of the week that is not farmer well, it's kind of farmer's market related, actually. So you know my friend Jess, Sourdough Jess? She made the cake slices? Yes. I do know Sourdough Jess.
Carly Ries:So that's where I usually get
Lauren Ferrara:You know that we call her that. I refer to the herd as
Carly Ries:my my I have another friend named Jesse. So when my parents are like, oh, who are you hanging out with? And when I drop the kids off at their house, they're like I'm like, sourdough Jess. So sorry, Jess. But she has a local pop up break bakery called Sweet Slice, and that is actually where I get all my sourdough because she does these pop ups sporadically, and I usually get some and freeze them.
Lauren Ferrara:I thought you were tradwiping it this whole time and making it yourself.
Carly Ries:Sunday. For now for now, I'll just go buy stuff from Jess. She has these crazy successful pop ups, but it always blows my mind because she is a working mom too. Like, has two kids, has a job, and has these pop like, these delicious pop ups of sourdough cookies. You look like you're gonna say something.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. I was gonna so I was looking at you know? So I go to these Farmers Markets, and I see all these cool businesses. I'm like, I should start a serum tallow hair care. You know?
Lauren Ferrara:And yeah. So I was looking at herbalist glasses yesterday, but then I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. That's insane. I'm just gonna buy these.
Carly Ries:Lauren, you don't even know what I'm about to say, but you just had the best bridge ever. Jess just started the soft like baker, and she has a course for people who wanna run organized bakery pop ups from their
Lauren Ferrara:house without the chaos. We should do this.
Carly Ries:I bought it this morning. I'm not kidding.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh my gosh. Alright. So next summer, we'll be talking about your little pop up at the Farmers Market.
Carly Ries:Croissants. And it's baking, but I was telling her, was like, think it could apply to anything. So if you wanna do your skincare, we can look and save it's applicable. But she literally has it go from, like, planning the business, launching the business, and then running pre order pop ups. And she does it from her own porch.
Carly Ries:She doesn't do Farmers Markets and does it on her schedule. It's like it's like for anybody that wants to get a skin shot, she go goes through, like, what you need, like, permitting or, like, health wise, like, to make sure you're legit and all these things. And it's just kinda like one zero one. I love baking. I wanna make some money, but I'm a busy mom.
Carly Ries:Like, how do I do that? And she has a course showing you step by step, and that is in the show notes. But it's just she is so legit, and she her, like, pop ups are so in demand that people are like, when are you doing a pop up? When are you doing a pop up? Like, I start craving it if it's been a little bit.
Carly Ries:My husband, for his birthday last year, all he wanted was her jar of icing for her cinnamon rolls, and she gave it to him. So, anyway, that link is in our show notes. If you're interested in doing these kinds of things, go check out our course.
Lauren Ferrara:It's awesome. So my pick of the week is pasta in the park supporting Tessa. So it is on the fifteenth. It's an evening of food, live entertainment, and just amazing impact. And so it's a pasta tasting competition.
Lauren Ferrara:It's for the domestic violence center here in Colorado Springs in Teller County, but it's it sounds like and you hear these incredible stories, but it's also, like, super fun. So you're a pasta judge this year, which I'm very excited about. So you
Carly Ries:go around. I've been treating my whole life for this.
Lauren Ferrara:You got every but, like, all of these community organizations, schools, they have a pasta sauce. So you go and you try a little bit of everything, and then you vote on there's, like, a community pick. So everybody that goes gets to pick, and then you're the, like, you know, expert judge. I'm the expert. I can't been
Carly Ries:training for thirty nine years.
Lauren Ferrara:And tickets are still available, and it goes to such a great cause. But there's a silent auction that it's really great, and I've been helping get items for the silent auction and a live auction and just I mean, it's so it's so incredibly powerful to hear these stories and see the impact that Tessa makes for so many people in our community.
Carly Ries:Yes. So, again, all the details for that are in our show notes. Well, we still have a couple more months for some of these. Like, some of the some of the
Lauren Ferrara:the farmers markets. Yeah. Yeah. So there are some that I have not been to. I'm gonna hit up the Black Forest one because I've heard amazing things about it.
Lauren Ferrara:We we are going. We. And we need to go the Monument One's great too. Have you been there?
Carly Ries:Yes. I actually have. I on the way back from Denver because I I rarely go to Monument just for going to Monument's Sake. Yeah. They're all good, and you still have some time to go.
Carly Ries:So go. This is your sign to go support the Farmers Market. Okay.
Lauren Ferrara:So I want you to now that you have one serum on one side of your face and the tallow on the other side of your face, which one do you
Carly Ries:like better? I keep getting whiffs of both of them, but I think from a I don't I I I think the serum.
Lauren Ferrara:Okay. That one's the the green magic balm. Can I tell you something? You have your your lips are green because of the matcha.
Carly Ries:Lord, for my the other show that I do, I had an interview, and I was like, I have a hard stop at ten till, and everybody has to tell me if my lips or teeth are green during this because we do YouTube for that one. And luckily, they didn't because I was drinking a matcha then. I I'm one of those people that always has spinach in my teeth. Like, I think I have magnets. My mom I it's not from my mom.
Carly Ries:My mom always has spinach in her teeth too. I think it just sticks my teeth. I don't know what it is. I can't drink it beautifully.
Lauren Ferrara:It's it's it's a good look. You look like well, it's the girl from Elphaba. That's what I was gonna say. Not the Shrek's girl. Thank you for that.
Lauren Ferrara:Didn't have Shrek's Fiona on my bucket list of people I looked like today. It's a look good on you. I think you should keep the keep rock the green lips all day.
Carly Ries:Okay. So I have green matcha lips. I have tallow on one side and a serum on other. I'm just rocking the look today. So if you see me out and about, just give me a high five
Lauren Ferrara:and maybe a compliment to make me feel better.
Carly Ries:Well, listeners, as always, thank you so much for tuning in. We would so love that five story view. It helps us reach other people in Colorado Springs who are trying to figure out things that they wanna do. Share this episode with a friend that you want to bring to the Farmers Markets, and subscribe on Apple or Spotify or actually anywhere you listen to podcasts, but I think those are the only two places people really do, because we would love it. And we'll see you next week on Springs and Things.