A Taste of Colorado, Labor Day weekend, September 3-5. Food, food, and more food. Cooking demos, arts and crafts marketplace, carnival rides, and 3 stages of free entertainment. Denver’s end-of-summer blowout.
https://www.atasteofcolorado.com/
Longs Peak Highlands Festival, September 9 -11, Estes Park. Jousting, bagpipes, Celtic music, food, and more. http://www.scotfest.com/
Boulder Fall Fest -September 16 – 18, Food, music, microbrews, and market on Pearl Street Mall. https://boulderdowntown.com/fallfest
Denver Octoberfest, September 16-18, and 24-26. Games, food, and music on Larimer Street. thedenveroktoberfest.com
Colorado Mountain Winefest – September 17, Palisade, CO. Wine tastings, music, chef demos and grape stomping. https://coloradowinefest.com/
Mountain Harvest Festival, September 23-25, Paonia. Music, food, arts and crafts, and farm tours. www.mountainharvestfestival.org/
Pueblo Chili and Frijoles Festival – September 23-A25, Live entertainment, street vendors, cooking competitions, and chilis galore! https://pueblochilefestival.com/
Free Days
Museum of Nature and Science – Wednesday, September 7, 5-9 PM. Monday, September 19, 9-5
Denver Art Museum – Saturday, September 10, Tuesday, September 13
Four Mile Historic Park – Sunday, September 18, 9-5
See https://scfd.org/find-culture/free-days/ for more selections.
The mint has swallowed the herb garden, the zucchini is reaching toddler size, and the tomatoes are causing structural problems on the porch. What to do? Use it! Collect nightly, share generously, and start using all those recipes you’ve been collecting. Consider freezing, canning, and drying for future use.
It is also time to start putting away your summer harvest for your winter pantry. You can freeze, can, and dehydrate. There are several great books out there on the subject. Go to the library, check a few out and then order the ones you like at your local bookstore or Better World Books, an Amazon alternative. Your county extension office also has free information and recipes for all kinds of food preservation.
It’s time to get your herbs cut and dried for your winter pantry and gift giving. Harvest plants in the cooler part of the day. Most aerial parts can be clipped, bound with a rubber band, labeled, and hung upside down to dry. When dry, store in glass jars and label with the name and the date. Store in a cool, dry place. Basil and cilantro are best made into a paste with olive oil and frozen in individual clumps on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Peel off when frozen and store in the freezer.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), is one of my favorite edible weeds. A succulent plant. it likes to lie close to the ground, spreading out on a low mat. Featuring thick, oval leaves and small yellow flowers, it grows in sunny locations and reseeds easily. Purslane makes a tasty green, just pick the stems and leaves and add them to salads, stir fries, soups, casseroles, or wherever you would use spinach. It is a great source of Vitamin E, omega 3’s, and trace nutrients. Purslane has a slightly lemony flavor, with even the older plants staying tasty and succulent.
Here are some great recipes on how to use this nutritious, tasty weed.
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/purslane-recipes/