MOSCA — Approximately 150 people attended the Valley Roots Shindig on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Dune Valley Distillery. The event began at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6 p.m.
The live music of The Gypsy Jazz Social Club played at the family-friendly Shindig. Costumes were optional in lieu of Halloween.
The purpose of the Shindig was to bring the public and local farmers together for a delicious dinner that featured food grown by local farmers.
Nicholas Chambers, of Valley Roots Food Hub, said they will be doing more annual events like this and that this was a great way for people to learn about where their food comes from and how Valley Roots fits into the equation.
“We had all our local producers, which is over 120, around the state,” Chambers said. “We invited them and treated them to dinner. We treated them to a good local food experience. We got them in the same room with a lot of our customers. It was a meet and greet. We were able to converse about the Colorado local food system and supply chain production. This chain includes produce, meat, dairy, and value added. We had a great band. We served awesome food, and it was all in the Dune Valley Distillery which is right next door to where we operate out of White Rock Specialties, which is the potato plant and quinoa.”
Chambers said the band was a perfect fit for the event.
“We brought in the Gypsy Jazz Social Club,” Chambers said. “It was a four-piece band that came out of the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. They were really good, kind of like Django Reinhart stuff. It really fit well, and it wasn’t too loud. Everyone could have a conversation and still listen to the band. It wasn’t overpowering or anything like that.”
Chambers said the dinner included a quinoa salad and a traditional lettuce salad; a full charcuterie board with different meats, cheeses, pickled onions and beets; a chicken thigh platter, and a beef brisket, with onions and garlic and roasted fingerling potatoes.
“We also served one of our signature dishes which is a relleno casserole with Pueblo chiles,” he said.
For dessert they served pumpkin pie, and another signature dish, a flourless chocolate quinoa cake.
“it went over really well. We also served some Amish pecan fried pies, to round out the experience,” Chambers added.
Chambers considered the event a success and a learning experience. About 150 people were packed into the distillery.
“People seemed to have a really good time. It was just a good event,” Chambers said. “It was nice to get people together. It was a very cozy setting. It was the last night of fall more or less too. It was just warm enough. I think everyone really enjoyed each other’s hospitality and companionship. I think we set out to do what we did, and we accomplished it really good. We learned some things about how we are going to tweak everything for next time too. “
Chambers said this event used to be held at different places, but to have it at this type of venue was probably what they would do in the future.
“It was fun but so much work. We were bringing tables, chairs, just all this food service stuff and it was a lot,” Chambers said. “So, just to have a venue where everything is set up and all, will make it much easier to have this as an annual thing. I think it just works well as like a harvest end-of-the-year type of thing too.”
Valley Roots operates year-round. Chambers said that Valley Roots is all about the Colorado local food system.
“We operate from Denver, Springs, Pueblo, and north south from Alamosa to Leadville. We serve restaurants and grocers, and we also do direct deliveries to folks at home,” he said.
Chambers said that along with the Shindig, they also do farm tours during the summer which are popular.
To learn more about Valley Roots Food Hub, visit online Valleyrootsfoodhub.com.
“If people plug into our website, we can keep them updated about all the neat stuff we are doing too,” he said.
