Colorado Proud Month

August has it over most about any other month for the amount and quality of fresh fruit and vegetables coming in from farms across Colorado.

August is the Agriculture Department's Colorado Proud month. Additionally this marks the program's 20th anniversary of promoting locally grown, raised and made food and agricultural products.

Marketing Specialist Wendy Lee White says the highlighted produce for August is sweet corn. They've developed a recipe for Grilled Street Corn to try out.

"It was hard to pick one thing this month as this is the best time to find just about anything in Colorado. We've got a lot of fresh produce coming in from the sweet corn and the Palisade peaches. Pueblo chiles will be coming in soon as will the Rocky Ford melons. It's a really great time to find local products."

White says the Olathe area on the western slope has the ideal climate for growing sweet corn - hot days and cool nights. Sweet corn also thrives in northeast Colorado

The Street Corn recipe from Chef Jason Morse is found on the Colorado Proud website.

The Colorado Proud Program began with 65 members in 1999. It's 2700 members now include farmers, ranchers, restaurants, retailers, schools. Events marking the anniversary will be held across the state all month. See the calendar along with the Street Corn recipe at

www.coloradoproud.org .