Conversations with Paul Fleischer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Fleischer.

Hi Paul, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Paul Fleischer is a former public school teacher turned urban farmer in Lakewood, Colorado. What started as a hobby to pass the time during summers off from teaching quickly led to the establishment of The Fleischer Family Farm LLC. In 2015 the business was established while Paul was still teaching and growing food on 1/18th of an acre in Denver and selling from a local coffee shop parking lot on the weekends. Soon thereafter Paul, his wife Chelsie and their young son Holden moved to a quarter acre lot in Lakewood where they expanded the business, began selling at the Union Station Farmers Market in Denver and started a Community Supported Agriculture program that included sixteen local families. After a short time the family grew as Paul and Chelsie welcomed a young daughter Monroe, to the family. It was around this time that an opportunity to yet again expand the business presented itself. A two acre parcel of land directly behind the Fleischers’ home became available and was slated to become a parking lot for a nearby retirement home. Through perseverance and diligent effort and with the support of an international agricultural crowd funding lender called Steward, Paul and Chelsie were able to acquire the land and turn it into what is now one of the largest urban farms in the Denver metro area. The Fleischer Family Farm now has a CSA program of over one hundred and seventy five families in the community, runs a weekly on site farmers market and offers a wide range of agritourism events such as farm dinners, kids camps and adult education classes. In 2020 while still teaching high school agricultural education and developing the business, the COVID-19 epidemic occurred. At this same time the farm exploded as folks in the community felt the importance of supporting local and knowing the origin of their food. Paul left teaching to farm full time after that school year and has never looked back. Prioritizing health, education and environmental regard, the mission statement for the farm is “To be a source of nourishment and education, steward this earth and build community through food.” Paul, Chelsie and the rest of the farm team focus on all organic growing practices, low till crop turnover and soil building techniques such as cover cropping, composting, crop rotation and more to assure they are producing the healthiest most nutrient rich products for their customers while still respecting the land.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Local restrictions and regulations.

Financial struggles.

Getting the word out to the community.

Drought.

Drastic weather changes.

Finding quality employees.

Finding training opportunities for small business management.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Paul Fleischer is a former public school teacher turned urban farmer in Lakewood, Colorado. What started as a hobby to pass the time during summers off from teaching quickly led to the establishment of The Fleischer Family Farm LLC. In 2015 the business was established while Paul was still teaching and growing food on 1/18th of an acre in Denver and selling from a local coffee shop parking lot on the weekends. Soon thereafter Paul, his wife Chelsie and their young son Holden moved to a quarter acre lot in Lakewood where they expanded the business, began selling at the Union Station Farmers Market in Denver and started a Community Supported Agriculture program that included sixteen local families. After a short time the family grew as Paul and Chelsie welcomed a young daughter Monroe, to the family. It was around this time that an opportunity to yet again expand the business presented itself. A two acre parcel of land directly behind the Fleischers’ home became available and was slated to become a parking lot for a nearby retirement home. Through perseverance and diligent effort and with the support of an international agricultural crowd funding lender called Steward, Paul and Chelsie were able to acquire the land and turn it into what is now one of the largest urban farms in the Denver metro area. The Fleischer Family Farm now has a CSA program of over one hundred and seventy five families in the community, runs a weekly on site farmers market and offers a wide range of agritourism events such as farm dinners, kids camps and adult education classes. In 2020 while still teaching high school agricultural education and developing the business, the COVID-19 epidemic occurred. At this same time the farm exploded as folks in the community felt the importance of supporting local and knowing the origin of their food. Paul left teaching to farm full time after that school year and has never looked back. Prioritizing health, education and environmental regard, the mission statement for the farm is “To be a source of nourishment and education, steward this earth and build community through food.” Paul, Chelsie and the rest of the farm team focus on all organic growing practices, low till crop turnover and soil building techniques such as cover cropping, composting, crop rotation and more to assure they are producing the healthiest most nutrient rich products for their customers while still respecting the land.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Hard work, attention to detail, organization, perseverance, adaptability

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.fleischerfamilyfarm.com
• Instagram: @fleischerfamilyfarm
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BcWv3g7zg/?mibextid=wwXIfr