Farm-to-table dining is hardly a fad. The movement has gained momentum for decades, and for good reason. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the freshest ingredients possible while supporting nearby farmers using sustainable practices?
With over 1,000 farms and sweeping views of the Front Range, Boulder County is an idyllic place to experience agritourism. Our suggestion? Tour a farm, then head downtown to taste their harvest at a local restaurant.
Explore the farms:
Black Cat Organic Farm
9889 N. 51st St., Longmont
A bucolic cruise through Boulder County’s northernmost farmland lands you at Black Cat, and the setting gets even prettier once you’ve wandered onto chef-farmer Erik Skokan’s 500-acre certified organic farm.
Skokan started as a backyard gardener in 2006, the year he opened his first restaurant.
Since then, he and his wife, Jill Skokan, have grown their operation to include 250 varieties of vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs, and flowers, as well as heritage sheep and pigs — not to mention a patch of mouthwatering strawberries dripping down a hillside between private cabanas that will reopen for farm dinners sometime this summer (most likely July).
If you’re serious about learning the ins and outs of farming, Black Cat’s custom, hands-on, chef-led tours are definitely the way to go. Call 303-444-9110 to book a morning or afternoon outing; $250 for groups of all sizes.
The Skokans gear tours toward the interests of their guests, so you could find yourself walking — and sampling — the fields while learning about food production, actively working with animals and discussing husbandry practices, or even seeing firsthand the integration between farm and table during a harvest.
Three Leaf Farm
445 S. 112th St., Lafayette
Three Leaf Farm owners Lenny and Sara Martinelli specialize in organic heirloom vegetables and herbs, and the first thing you’ll notice when you turn off South Public Road is a sprawling vegetable patch teeming with juicy heritage tomatoes, colorful peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, squashes, plenty of salad greens, and rows of fragrant herbs.
The only soil amendment the Martinellis use is the compost they make, so you might also catch a whiff of something earthy as you explore this 100 percent organic farmstead.
The vegetable field precedes a cut flower garden built into a hill, and beyond that there’s plenty more to see while touring the 17-acre space — including horses and goats, the latter of which come out of their pens for goat yoga in the summer.
Plant lovers will enjoy strolling along winding paths, meandering past medicinal herb gardens, aromatic culinary gardens, and tranquil meditation spaces.
But this isn’t a place where you just drop in. You can arrange tours in advance by emailing the owners at [email protected].
Education is a big part of Three Leaf’s mission; there are lots of other opportunities for guests, including creative workshops, seminars, hands-on demonstrations, and classes on herbalism and food production.
Six outdoor farm dinners are offered from June through October.
Check the organization’s website for up-to-date details.
Cure Farm
7416 Valmont Rd., Boulder
Anne Cure opened her farm in 2005 and has been selling food directly to Boulder County restaurants ever since.
The highlight of any farm visit is Cure’s magical farm stand, complete with twinkling lights, plants, and plenty of fresh produce.
The seasonal stand is open daily, from 12 to 5 p.m. In addition to produce, Cure sells specialty cut flowers and eggs on site, and she works with other local producers to bring in canned and dried goods along with dairy and grass-finished beef and pork.
There isn’t a formalized farm tour, per se, but for those who enjoy a laid-back experience, self-guided exploration is encouraged.
“Folks are always welcome to walk through our fields during operating hours,” says Cure.
If you do it, don’t miss the small herd of Nigerian dwarf goats. Penny, a teacup pig, is a big hit with kids.
Ask nicely, and one of the farm staff will probably let you have a taste of their harvests right from the ground — Cure Farm is that kind of a place.
The Tables
Foodies can’t go wrong with a 3-course farm dinner at Bramble & Hare, 1970 13th St., Boulder, an award-winning restaurant that was recently awarded a rare Michelin Green Star for its sustainability practices.
Most of the food on your plate comes straight from Black Cat Farm. The rotating, seasonal menu includes an appetizer, entrée, and desert, and vegetarian options are available, along with craft cocktails and a satisfying wine list.
Three Leaf Farm sends 100 percent of its produce to five well-known restaurants, three of which are located in downtown Boulder.
Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, 1710 Pearl St., Boulder, is a must for any vegetarians with a hankering for inspired plant-based cuisine — but even the most devout carnivores will appreciate the restaurant’s delightful brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour menus, featuring a mix of health food and comfort fare.
There’s no better place to end a hike than the Chautauqua Dining Hall, 900 Baseline Road, a Victorian-style eatery at the base of Chautauqua, serving fresh, Colorado-bistro cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The views are free to those who nab an outside table.
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, 1770 13th Street, a personal favorite, is a Michelin Guide Recommended restaurant with a diverse international menu featuring dishes from Asia and Europe. Tea enthusiasts can drop in for afternoon tea and sample one or more brews off the thick tea menu while immersed in a beautifully designed teahouse reflecting the 2,000-year-old traditions of Southeast Asia.
Satiate your sweet tooth at Shamane’s Bakery, 2825 Wilderness Place. The bakery offers desserts, pastries, and made-to-order cakes and cupcakes. Scratch-made savory items are available, too. Owner Shamane Simons prides herself on using the highest-quality ingredients, some of which come from Cure Farm.
You’ll also find Cure Farm ingredients at Moxie Bread Co., 4593 Broadway, with additional locations in Louisville and Lyons. Located in the NoBo Arts District, Moxie carries unbelievable bread and pastries, drinks, a few grab-and-go snacks, and freshly milled flour and heritage grains.
Straight to the source
It’d be hard to tell a story about Boulder’s farms and food without mentioning the Boulder Farmers Market, a nationally recognized producer-only market held 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays through November 23. (There’s also a Wednesday market, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., through October 2.)
Given high sourcing standards and selectivity, the market has become an essential stop for local restauranteurs and chefs, as well as the community at large.
“Our most regular customers are the chefs from Potager in Denver,” says spokesperson Frankie Ryder. “Daniel Asher and chefs from Gemini also shop the market.”
Get a literal taste of Boulder at the market’s food court — set up in the parking lot of the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse — offering farm fresh dishes from local vendors.
