Running a farm is hard enough, but rapid city growth makes it even tougher. More than a decade ago, the late Verl Cook faced a series of staggering hurdles that threatened to wipe out his family’s livelihood.

First, the city decided to treat the Cook’s greenhouse — the most profitable part of the farm — like a big-box retail store. They demanded the family build a paved parking lot, a project that would cost $200,000.

The Ogden City Council voted 5 to 2 in favor of rolling out its managed parking system that some fear will kill off businesses while others see it as a necessary building block toward cultivating a vibrant city center. That same night, they also voted 5 to 2 to adopt a menu of parking fees.

“My grandfather, Jesse Lawrence Smith, had a grade school education, and during the depression, he shipped fruit to Chicago and Texas,” Scott Smith, current owner of Smith Orchard, said. “He would get paid by the semi load, $3.30 a bushel. That is how he was able to buy more land during that time. That is how long we have been here.”

This year, on September 19 from 10 am until 9 pm, residents and visitors will find live music, scores of local artisans, fresh-picked fall produce, family-friendly fun, and a beer garden where adults can grab brewed beverages and browse the street, “drink in hand.”