Dave Banga was an artist and potter living in Chicago for most of his 20s. After working for two seasons at the Resource Center’s “City Farm,” he was hooked on agriculture.

“I volunteered on an urban farm, and I really loved it,” he said. “I enjoyed it more than anything else I was doing at the time.”

After moving to Southwest Colorado, Banga knew he wanted to start his own farm.

Banga’s Farm, located in Mancos, is in its 12th season. It grows a variety of vegetables including carrots, potatoes, broccoli and bok choy, among others.

He said carrots are a big hit at the Durango Farmers Market.

“We sell a lot of carrots. It’s nuts,” he said. “A lot of people’s kids are hooked on them, and everyone is stocking up now for the winter so they don’t have to buy grocery store carrots.”

Banga said an early frost made the growing season difficult, but the farm persevered.

“It was a good, but really short, growing season,” he said. “There wasn’t any hail, so it was overall good.”

mrupani@durangoherald.com