Down and Out in Denver

Flowers and Wine at GFF

Every year to celebrate our birthdays, which are quite close to each other, my gal pals Historiann and ej and I go out to dinner. Alas, ej has moved out of state recently so she was unable to accompany us, but we toasted her repeatedly.  (Were your ears ringing last night, ej?)  This year Historiann suggested that we have dinner at Grant Family Farms.  Dinner at a farm, you ask?  Why yes, indeed. Grant Family Farms of Wellington (just north of Fort Collins) is both a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm with members and a supplier to restaurants and, one presumes, grocery stores and the like.  And they have begun a series of dinners on the farm that include music, entertainment and tours.  So last night Historiann, Dr. Mr. Historiann, and I got back to the land.  And what an adventure we had.

We decided to live it up — as well as avoid driving — by spending the night at the lovely Armstrong Hotel in downtown Fort Collins.  The Armstrong offers a discount to those participating in the Grant Farm dinners.  And one can take a shuttle bus — a brightly painted former school bus — from the Sports Authority parking lot, just a few blocks away.  The bus, driven by the friendly Maria, dropped us off at the Farm around 4:00.  And we were immediately treated to a delicious selection of hors d’oeuvres: dates wrapped in bacon; fresh vegetables; MouCo ColoRouge and Camembert cheeses; Il Mondo Vecchio cured meats. And wine and cocktails, too.  We were particularly fond of a very refreshing cucumber and mint gin and tonic.  I am a huge fan of the G&T and I usually don’t like it messed with, but this was very tasty and something I might just have to try at home.

Bus as Chicken Coop

Grant Family Farms is not just a family business, it’s also a family business, if you know what I mean, not at all what I was expecting in northern Colorado.  I was very much at home.  After a walk around the beautiful grounds we all hopped back on the bus — cocktails in hand — for a tour of the farm.  We bumped down the lane as farmer Chelsea explained how the farm works.  They farm about 2,000 acres, 600 of which they own; the rest they lease.  They harvest an astounding array of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and trees: eggplants, tomatoes, parsley, onions, raspberries, basil, sunflowers, and so much more.  They grow more cilantro than anywhere in the nation outside of Arizona and California.  Everything — including all the chicken, ducks, geese, and pigs — are raised organically and many of the chickens live in roving coops fashioned out of old school buses.

Before the Feast Commenced

Following the tour it was time for our four-course meal.  We began with a Romaine and butter lettuce salad, topped with poblano vinaigrette, wax beans, carrots, and tomatoes. Then came a very tasty green pepper stuffed with Lebanese zucchini, corn, Anaheim peppers, and cherry tomatoes.  It was served with goat cheese and a cabbage slaw.  I had just eaten two courses without meat and I was satisfied; who knew?  Following a brief interlude of dancing and hula hooping — music courtesy of Cowboy Jazz — we were served our main course: oven roasted duck with wilted spinach, cauliflower, and spicy pico de gallo. This was definitely my favorite of the four courses.  Dessert was a peach cobbler with a biscuit and a surprise flavored ice cream (it was Cap’n Crunch!). Food was prepared by the staff of Café Vino and the wines were courtesy of Vintages. Dinner is served at a very long table, set with beautiful flowers from the farm.  After a couple glasses of wine had loosened everyone up we were chatting with our table neighbors from Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver, many of whom are members of the farm and regularly partake of their eggs, vegetables, or milk.

Fire Dancers Perform Mid-Meal. It was even more dramatic in the dark.

But the fun was just beginning!  After dinner and in between sets by Cowboy Jazz, fire dancers performed in the dark.  Two dancers had ropes that were lit at each end and then swung round rhythmically in a coordinated routine.  As we lounged on blankets spread out on the lawn, the fire dancers lit up the night sky.  And then there were fireworks! One must say this for the staff of Grant Family Farms: they pull out all the stops to insure that their guests have a good time.  I was expecting fresh and tasty food, maybe even a tour, but the cocktails, the music, the performers, and the fireworks made this so much more than just a dinner out; it was an extravaganza.  For those interested, GFF will be hosting a two-day Harvestival on September 11th and 12th: tours, activities for kids, a farmer’s market, and live music (featuring the one and only Judy Collins!).  If Harvestival is anything like their dinners, it’s sure to be a good (and tasty!) time.

Happy Birthday ej!  Happy Birthday Historiann!