The Black Cat Farm suffered substantial losses due to the recent Boulder County flooding (apart from this blog, several news stories have documented the damages). In the wake of the unexpected, we have had occasion to laugh and count our blessings amid some amount of dismay.
We are touched that so many loyal friends and customers have demonstrated their concern and support by patronizing our restaurants, Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro and Bramble and Hare. Doing so has been very helpful. Eric has been stepping back into the kitchen and is enjoying cooking and spending time talking with you at the restaurants.
When pigs are good…
Now comes the part about the pigs. The flood wiped out several crops, such as the spinach, cucumbers, and melons. Having pigs, though, means that a loss is never a complete loss.
Our pigs eat all of the vegetable parts that are inedible or unappetizing to us picky humans, such as carrot greens, from the farm, farmers’ market, and restaurants. They also eat scraps from the restaurants as well as their own feed. They are the ultimate recyclers.
So, they were in literal and proverbial hog heaven when they were turned loose on the cucumber and melon fields. Eric and Jill said that they were kicking up their heels and clearly gleeful to have free license to chow down on those flood-damaged crops.
There are so many ways in which pigs are good.
News stories
Here are some links to media coverage of Boulder county farmer flood losses that contain coverage of the Black Cat farm (and quotes from Eric):
Colorado floods: Deluged Boulder restaurants struggle back to service, Denver Post, Sept. 25, 2013: http://www.denverpost.com/food/ci_24159654/colorado-floods-deluged-boulder-restaurants-struggle-back-service
Taking Stock: The Flood’s Impact on Area Farms and Restaurants [Updated], 5280, Sept. 18, 2013: http://www.5280.com/blogs/2013/09/18/taking-stock-floods-impact-area-farms-and-restaurants-updated
Area Farms & Restaurants Flood-Damaged, Culinary Colorado, September 21, 2013: http://culinary-colorado.com/2013/09/21/area-farms-restaurants-flood-damaged
