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Spring blew into Colorado under the guise of a snowstorm. But now, with the snowmen melted and all of us settling into what will be our new, quarantined normal for the foreseeable future, we’re also uncovering all of the good happening within our communities. The efforts to aid artists who are out of work. The volunteer and donation opportunities. The restaurants and bars that continue to find creative ways to feed us and their staff while in-person dining is paused.
Among the latter you’ll find the team behind Boulder’s Black Cat Organic Farm, Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, and Bramble & Hare. Last week, chef-farmer Eric Skokan and his wife and co-owner Jill announced the launch of Farm to Home Hospitality, which will provide hungry Coloradans with hot-and-ready meals, prepared items they can cook at home, and raw ingredients. Both Boulder restaurants are offering reworked menus for takeout (bottles of wine included!) and delivery, while the 425-acre farm, which was busy preparing for the now-postponed Boulder County Farmers Markets, is sharing its bounty in, well, bountiful ways.
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“We have gobs of ingredients—thousands and thousands of pounds of food out at the farm. We want to get as much of what we have grown out in the community as quickly as possible,” Eric says. “In this unfortunate time, we’re in a fortunate position to have this big organic farm. This is our attempt at making lemonade from this tidal wave of lemons we’ve all been given.”
The brand-new Black Cat Farm Provisions is selling fresh ingredients—think: just-picked greens, potatoes, winter radishes, and more—thin-sliced prosciutto and sausages, and frozen and prepared foods like chicken or pork tamales, lamb and spinach curry, and house-made pasta. All of it is made from ingredients grown or raised on the farm. Additional CSA shares will be made available, too.
If that wasn’t enough, Eric is also resurrecting Ventana Maya—a Salvadoran street food restaurant that used to operate out of Bramble & Hare’s kitchen window. Expect dishes such as pupusas, mole, and curtido (a lightly fermented cabbage relish) available for takeout and delivery.
But perhaps our favorite addition is Bessie, the farm truck. Eric bought a converted ice cream truck that is expected to hit the streets at the beginning of April, bringing fresh produce and provisions to seven Boulder neighborhoods, five days a week (details are still being finalized; sign up for the mailing list to stay up-to-date). Residents can either schedule a delivery and pre-order via the online store (details on that below) or just head outside when they hear the bells ringing.
The added bonus? The Skokans are able to keep more of their staff employed. “Part of it is getting all of this food we have out into the community and taking care of people—that’s ultimately what we’re driven to do,” Eric says. “And then part of it is trying to take care of our staff. With the dining rooms closed, that’s a huge stress burden on all of us. This is certainly a way to get the kitchens operational again.”
Black Cat Farm Table Bistro’s menu can be found here. Bramble & Hare’s can be found here. Call 303-444-5500 to order, or use the online ordering system. (Delivery fees range from $8 to $15.) Food is available between noon and 8 p.m.
Order online from Black Cat Farm Provisions (the truck will be added soon). Pickup will be at the main farm stand (4975 Jay Road, Boulder), just outside of the large white barn on the northwest corner of the intersection of Jay Road and the Diagonal Highway. A second farm stand is located at 9889 N. 51st St. in Longmont; pick-up will be available in the blacksmith barn.
