Join us for Shed Fest!
On Saturday, October 15, the Central Colorado FoodShed Alliance (CCFA) will host its annual ShedFest celebration at the Salida SteamPlant, 220 Sackett Street in Salida.
This is an event in which the entire community comes together to celebrate the diversity, abundance, and strength of our local foodshed.
The day begins at 10am with a fabulous farmers market where CCFA member vendors will offer a wide variety of fresh local fruits and vegetables, meats, homemade breads, artisan cheeses, wine, herbal salves and lotions, honey and honeybee products and arts and crafts.
The ShedFest celebration also features a cider press, children’s activities, a scavenger hunt and info booths. Entertainment is planned for the entire day
and the food court will have a beverage booth with local libations including coffee, tea and juice. The market is free and continues until 3pm.
At 5pm, the doors to the Salida SteamPlant ballroom open and the harvest dinner begins. This ticketed event is an evening filled with imaginative foods prepared by CCFA member chefs using local ingredients by member producers. An array of appetizers will get you started in the first hour as you pick out a special soup bowl made by area artists and CCFA members, including Salida’s Maverick Potter.
While you’re munching the appetizers and enjoying local beer and wine, participate in a silent auction of the original artwork used in the ShedFest 2011 promotional material. Salida artist Steve Smazel created a beautiful oil painting especially for the event, donating half of the proceeds to CCFA.
Once the dinner bell rings, fill your new bowl again and again with these delicious soups: chicken tortilla by Ploughboy, potato-leek by Rustingram Catering, and a vegan minestrone created by Amicas. Fresh bread 
will grace the many tables. Be sure to leave room for the delicious wheat- and gluten-free desserts!
To top off the gala event, at 7:30 there will be a special performance by Heidi Clare & Lonesome Cowboy Hobo Wyoming Slim followed by a lively contra dance with Heidi Clare, Ron Thomason & Friends. The dance caller will be Eleanor Fahrney. These two performances are worth the ticket price alone, and we are very grateful to have these fabulous musicians entertain us for the remainder of the evening, which lasts until 10pm.
Tickets for the ShedFest Harvest Supper and the evening’s performances are on sale now at CCFA’s Salida and Buena Vista farmers markets. Any remaining tickets will be available for sale during the ShedFest celebration and at the door of the event. Eligible CCFA members receive a discount on the $25 price so if you aren’t a member, this is a good reason to join! The event is guaranteed to sell out, so get your tickets as soon as possible. For more information about ShedFest 2011, visit our website: ccfa.coop or call event co-organizer Leigh Mills at 719-655-2011.
See you there!
