It happens every spring: days of warmth and sun, followed by snow, mist, rain, fog, a swirling cloak of gray that sticks around for a patch of days. Were you, too, humming “Here Comes The Sun” yesterday when we woke up to that great fiery star in the sky?
Rain is always important, although for many Colorado farmers it’s really the snowpack that is especially key. For farmers, days of it in spring can complicate matters because it prevents us from planting and spending much time in the fields; footprints and truck tracks turn into adobe once the sun returns.
In the photo above, farmers market manager Xavier is getting ready to head to Wibby Brewing in Longmont to pick up spent grain for our pigs. Needless to say, the truck slipped and slid its way to the paved road.
Epic Lambing Season Includes Quadruplets
We were awfully busy on sunny Thursday and Friday harvesting and managing our enormous flock of lambs. So far this season, our ewes have given birth to more than 220 lambs! That’s a banner year for Black Cat Farm, and we aren’t even done yet with lambing season.
One ewe also birthed our first quadruplets this week. Very exciting! Check out the momma guarding her foursome from a meddlesome photographer in the shot above
In addition, our sows have been having piglets.
Lambs, piglets, harvesting, planting, cooking, serving — none of these things are exactly dull.
Asparagus Rising
We began our 1-acre asparagus field about five years ago, and it’s the only of its kind on our farm. Different crops rotate constantly through all of our fields to enhance soil health, except for the asparagus field. You plant asparagus just once, and it comes back year after year in the same spot. It spreads, too. These are good things!
The first spears began emerging from the ground last week, and now the field is packed with them. If you want to taste our asparagus, we will have some at the Market (you might want to hit the stand early) or head to Black Cat and Bramble & Hare, where we are using the precious vegetables in a variety of dishes.
At The Market
Weekly Harvest – 5/4/2019
Veggies
Arugula greens and flowers · Spinach · Red Russian kale ·Siberian kale · Sorrel · Chard · Mache · Carrot bunches (first crop of new carrots) · Miners lettuce · Hon Tsai Tai flowers · Asparagus · Flat leaf parsley · Radish bunches · Lettuce mix · Spring onions · Chives
Black Cat Frozen Farm-Grown Dishes
Green mole · Pork green chile · Pork vegetable soup
Black Cat Charcuterie
Cotechino Modena sausage · Ken’s Italian Cajun Sausage · Breakfast sausage · Bacon · Breakfast sausage
Black Cat Heritage-Breed Pork & Lamb Raised on Organic Pastures
All cuts of lamb · All cuts of pork
Accessories
Sheepskins (via order form) · Tallow candles
Book Now For Graduation Celebrations
In just weeks now, thrilled students will toss those flat-topped and tasseled hats in the air, and proud parents will beam (and probably shed a few tears). But dinners during graduation season are filling-up fast in our restaurants. We would hate for you to miss an opportunity to celebrate the event in the nation’s most ambitious farm-to-table restaurants. Our world revolves around Boulder County, Colorado and as the parents of four kids graduation holds extra-special meaning in our hearts. We would love to celebrate with you!
