Happy Wednesday, Scouts. Welcome to Edition IX of Scout & Tell.
What what? Corgi butt! My kids have this sticker on their water bottles, yet we have zero cogris in our home. Guess they can get their fill when the annual Tour de Corgi hits Fort Collins this weekend.
This week’s article is for anyone feeling the pinch from the ridiculous prices at the grocery store. There are some great opportunities to help keep those hard-earned dollars in your pocket. Dive in below.
Colorado is supposed to be getting a deluge of rain today, with northern Colorado earmarked for upwards of 1-2”. I guess we can talk next week and see how it all works out.
I’ll see you out there,
Matt McConkey
Editor
Talk of the Town
Photos courtesy of Raul Gonzalez Escobar
Fighting the Price of High Groceries, NoCo Style
It's no secret the price of groceries has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Prices on most items seem to have doubled in the past couple of years, while wages remain stagnant.
While you can't fix the price at the register, there are some workarounds. These past weeks we connected with several programs and a local business who are actively helping people offset those skyrocketing grocery prices.
MEAT
Friendly Nick's Butcher at 2601 S. Lemay Ave. in Fort Collins, makes a refreshingly honest pitch: it isn't cheap.
Owner Nick Chase, a former New York City chef who has run the shop about eight years, says his prices for beef are brutal, but there are several ways to still buy good meat at a reasonable price.
At his butcher shop, they process the whole animal, so they're able to provide cuts like the Denver, Vegas, mock tenders and whole beef plates. At the chains, they're not prized enough to earn case space.
A mock tender runs $10 to $11 a pound, versus about $18.50 for sirloin and $46 for tenderloin. When a customer asks what to do with one, the staff can hand over a tip.
"There's a little sinew in there, cut around that, and it's fantastic," Chase said.
For a cheap beef dinner, he points to chuck eye or neck roast. The harder a muscle works, the more flavor it carries and the tougher it eats, so these cuts belong in a braise, a stew or a crock pot, where extra vegetables and grains stretch the pot further.
The bigger lever is portion size. A normal, healthy steak is six to eight ounces, Chase said, not the 24-ounce slabs restaurants serve. Create large portion soups, pasta and rice let meat season a meal instead of anchoring it. Then spend the savings on fresh fruits and vegetables.
"It feels weird to promote "eat less meat, just better meat," he said, but "that is kind of the concept."
Groceries for Less/Nothing At All
Then there's the grocery store that doesn't charge.
Vindeket Foods runs a no-cost market at 400 Delozier Drive in Fort Collins, open to anyone on Sundays from noon to 3, Tuesdays from 2 to 7 and Thursdays from 9 to 1. The shelves hold food from grocery stores, restaurants and farms that would otherwise go to waste.
Vindeket began as a garage grocery store and has reportedly rescued just under 8 million pounds in more than eight years.
The trade-off?
Patience. The lines can get long and the stock is surplus, blemished and past-date food, so strawberries might not be perfect, but they are edible.
Vindeket relies on a 'give as you can' method to keep the trucks running and fridges cold, so any dollar helps.
Vindeket is also a drop-off site for Larimer County's Grow & Give program, which is where the garden comes in.
Local Gardens For the Win
Grow & Give is a CSU Extension project that began in 2020 as part of a statewide effort inspired by the Victory Gardens of the 1940s.
In Larimer County, Master Gardeners ask backyard and community gardeners to grow a little extra and hand it to pantries. Last year the program logged 11,387 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables from more than 60 gardeners, delivered to 16 sites across the county.
Cyndi Hartmann, a Colorado Master Gardener and retired engineer, co-leads the effort with fellow Master Gardener Mary.
"We figure out who we're gonna contact, we answer questions, we get the email out, we get donations to the right spot," Hartmann said.
The produce lands where people already go for help: the Larimer County Food Bank on Blue Spruce Drive, Rams Against Hunger, UCHealth's FMC Food Pantry, Wolf Pantry, FOCO Café and Vindeket in Fort Collins, plus the House of Neighborly Service in Loveland.
The Food Bank's Plant It Forward program takes garden donations too. Not a gardener? Hartmann says pantries need hands, too.
"Those organizations really love to have people come help and volunteer," she said.
If you'd rather grow your own, Hartmann starts with a look at the yard. A patio means containers. In many newer neighborhoods the soil is compacted and most local dirt is clay with little organic matter, so she suggests testing it through CSU and building raised beds.
They needn't be fancy. "A couple of boards that are 1 foot high will get you pretty good shape," she said.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like prices will be dropping back to 2019 levels any time soon, so we must adapt. Venture out and try a new cut of beef from Nick's. Head to Vindeket on a Sunday afternoon or perhaps find your way to an Esh's.
Get creative with your budget, have some fun with new recipes and see what happens. Getting there is half the fun anyway.
THE WEEKLY SCOUT
Stories Worth Reading, Trails Worth Following
🐻 Bear Goes Full Carb Load at Aspen Farmers Market
A bear helped itself to the pastries and bread at the Aspen farmers market and only left after officers used bean bag rounds to explain that the samples were not, in fact, free.
🪶 Working on Hawk Time
A Fort Collins resident caught a Cooper’s hawk parked on their back fence like it was waiting on a HOA inspection, and the neighborhood squirrels have reportedly decided to work from home.
ON THE TRAIL
🐍 Hewlett Gulch is an 8.1 mile loop just past Poudre Park, and it's a loop, so commit. Creek crossings, wet feet. Poison ivy and rattlesnakes are both listed hazards.more here
🐕 The Dixon Reservoir loop at Pineridge is three miles and about as close to campus as real trail gets. Prime sunset run.more here
HOME OF THE WEEK
Photos courtesy of listing photos on RedFin
Small-town charm with a genuinely absurd amount of garage: four bays, wired for 110V and 220V, ready for a project car, a workshop, or every kayak you own. Walking distance to breweries, coffee, and the farmers market in Berthoud's Mary's Farm neighborhood, with a brand-new roof and a finished basement to sweeten the deal. Built in 1999, but the elegance of a home built in 1909.
TLDR: 5 bed / 2.5 bath, 2,286 sqft, built 1999, $720,000. Contact: Kimberly Caldwell, Premier Lifestyle Realty, (970) 613-4400
This newsletter is built on your tips, pets and porches. We'd love to hear from you:
🐾 Submit your pet for Scout & Tail
🏡 Nominate a home with a story
🏪 Recommend a local business
📝 Suggest a story we should chase
📅 Submit an event
Drop us an email: [email protected]
SCOUT & TAIL
Photo courtesy of NoCo Humane
Curry, Age 4 Months - Domestic Shorthair
Meet Curry! This 2.2-pound guy is being raised as a working cat rather than a house pet, so if you're after a mouser instead of a lap warmer, he could be just right. He'll need a home outside city limits with a barn, shed, or outbuilding, plus two meals a day, fresh water, and future vet care -- after that, he'll mostly do his own thing.
Curry is available for adoption at the Weld Campus in Evans, with a $15 adoption fee. Find out more about this good boy at the NoCo Humane website.
Shawty, We in the Club
Photo courtesy of the Mend NoCo Instagram page
Be the Someone Who Picks Up the Trash
Mend is a Northern Colorado nonprofit for people who want to live more sustainably but have no plans to sell the house and move to a yurt. It started in 2024, is now a 501(c)3, and has a philosophy that fits on a T-shirt: "Be the someone." Their pitch is that real change doesn't come from a giant company launching a massive project. It comes from regular people deciding to do a little better.
In practice, that means small stuff, like picking up a stray piece of trash, buying less plastic packaging, or saying something kind to a stranger on the way past. Mend backs it up with garden tips (mulch your clippings, stop treating leaves like a crime), recipes, and volunteer opportunities around the area. The bar to join is low and the payoff isn't, so check out their website and see what "be the someone" looks like in your neighborhood.
What’s Happening
FEATURED EVENT
🔪 Someone Killed C. Auguste Dupin. Solve It Over Dinner & Drinks 🔪
Upstairs at Ginger and Baker, Playhaus is staging an Edgar Allan Poe murder mystery with six suspects and no shortage of motive. Your ticket covers hors d'oeuvres, a themed cocktail, and a three-course meal while you sleuth.
Wednesday, October 14, 6 to 9pm, Get tickets here.
Thursday, Oct 1
🧓 Powerful Tools for Grandfamily Caregivers
A free six-week Zoom class for grandfamilies, Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. Registration is required and it's not drop-in. Details here
🧘 barre3 at New Belgium
Free 45-minute barre3 classes on the New Belgium lawn every Thursday in October. Details here
👜 Purses & Pearls Cocktail Party
A 6-8pm evening of cocktails, bites and bags at The Agave Room in The Rio, hosted by Project Self-Sufficiency of Northern Colorado. Details here
🤠 Shovels & Rope
The Charleston duo plays Washington's at 7pm, presented by 105.5 The Colorado Sound. Tickets start at $34.40. Details here
🎸 Michigander with lighthearted
Aggie Theatre, 8pm, all ages. A dollar from every ticket goes to HeadCount's voter registration work. Details here
Friday, Oct 2
✍️ Trifecta!!! Poetry Reception
Poetry award winners, a Trifecta Poetica performance and open mic at the Art & Heritage Center, 5-8pm. Details here
🎨 First Friday Art Walk
The monthly self-guided art walk runs 6-9pm through downtown Fort Collins. Details here
✂️ Mindful Creativity Practice: SoulCollage
Make 5" x 8" collage cards from images that speak to you, 6-8:30pm at 333 W Drake Rd. Donation based. Details here
🌴 Tribal Seeds, Fortunate Youth & For Peace Band
Reggae-rock heavy hitters kick off the weekend at Washington's. Doors at 6pm, show at 7pm, $39.55. Details here
🎤 Devon Gilfillian with Jon Muq
Soulful rock and R&B at The Armory on the Time Will Tell Tour. Details here
🎤 Ginuwine & Montell Jordan
Peak '90s R&B nostalgia at Union Colony Civic Center, 7:30pm. Details here
🥐 Pastries & Pirouettes
High Performance Dance Theatre's bakery-themed show for its 30th season, on the Lincoln Center Magnolia stage at 7:30pm Friday and Saturday. Details here
🪩 Mind Enterprises with Fred Fancy & Dilly Dally
A dreamy Italo-disco and indie-dance night at Aggie Theatre, 8pm. Details here
Saturday, Oct 3
🥕 Greeley Farmers' Market
7th St north of Lincoln Park, 8am-noon. One of the last Saturdays of the summer season. Details here
🐕 The Ruff Run Dog Obstacle Race
A dog-and-runner obstacle race at Boyd Lake State Park, 8am. Details here
⛳ Mermaid Alliance 4th Annual Golf Tournament
Tee off at 8:45am at Highland Meadows Golf Course in Windsor. Details here
🥕 Severance Farmer's Market
Saturdays 9am-1pm at Blue Spruce Park. Details here
🐶 Tour de Corgi
Hundreds of costumed corgis, a costume contest and dog vendors at Civic Center Park & Old Town, 9am-2pm, with the parade at noon. Free to watch. Details here
📚 Fall Used Book Sale
Stock up on cheap reads at Wellington Public Library, 9am-noon, and support the library. Details here
🍂 Stove Prairie Fall Festival
Live music, local artisans, food and games at 3891 Stove Prairie Rd in Bellvue, 10am-3pm. Free, with a reservation. Details here
🌱 Haunted Terrariums
Build a spooky little world at The Windsor Gardener, 10:30am-noon, hosted by High Hops Brewery. $81.88. Details here
🍺 Berthoud Oktoberfest
Breweries, German food trucks, and stein-holding and pie-eating contests at Town Park, 11am-6pm. Details here
🧪 Spooky Slime Lab
Free, gooey Halloween fun for kids at Loveland Public Library, 11:30am. Details here
🧸 Timber Dan Toy Show
Vintage and collectible toy hunting heaven at The Ranch (Pedersen Toyota Center). Details here
🐿️ Sam the Safety Squirrel HERO Event
Free safety tips and activities for families at Scheels in Johnstown, 1-2:30pm. Details here
🏊 ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Race Prep & Clinic
A pre-race swimrun session with Team Envol and WILD Swimrun at the Horsetooth Reservoir swimming area, 1pm. Details here
🎶 Neighborhood Concert
A free, easygoing afternoon of live music at Overlook Park, 2pm. Details here
🌷 Master Gardeners: Put Your Garden to Bed
A free talk on putting your garden to bed for the season at Berthoud Community Library, 2:30-3:45pm. Details here
🐾 Pooches in the Park: Dogtober Fest
Bring the pup for a social evening at Historic Halfway Homestead, 5-7pm. Details here
🎪 NOCOFest 2026
A fundraiser for Avery's Light at the Colorado Youth Outdoors Events Complex in Loveland, with live music and a DJ, starting at 5pm. Details here
🐟 Fish Tales and Dam Good Stories
A guided 3-mile round-trip hike on the Bay to Bay Trail at Horsetooth Reservoir, 6-7:30pm. Free, registration required, plus the $10 day use fee. Best for ages 12 and up. Details here
🎻 Fort Collins Symphony: Music, The Purest Art
The season opener at the Lincoln Center, 7:30pm, featuring Sibelius' Violin Concerto with concertmaster Byron Hitchcock. Details here
🎸 Project Foreigner + Fire & Ice
A double dose of arena-rock singalongs, with a Pat Benatar tribute, at Moxi Theater, 8pm. Details here
🎤 Cameron Whitcomb with NEP & Liam St. John
Aggie Theatre, 8pm, all ages. A dollar from every ticket goes to Project Healthy Minds. Details here
Sunday, Oct 4
🏃 Windsor Marathon, Half, 10K, 5K & Fun Run
Starts at 7am at The Island at Pelican Lakes, with an after party of food, drinks and music. Details here
🍺 New Belgium Half Marathon & 5K
Starts and finishes at New Belgium Brewing, 7:30am. Tickets run $0-$83.83. Details here
🥬 Fort Collins Farmers' Market
Sundays 10am-2pm at Harmony Rd & Lemay Ave, in the Ace Hardware parking lot. Details here
🥂 Barbie Brunch
All-you-can-eat brunch from Cactus Grille with local vendors at Wicked Tequila Room in Loveland, 11am-1pm. From $33.85. Details here
🎶 Carla Sciaky & Claudia Schmidt in Concert
Two nationally acclaimed songwriters share the stage at Empire Grange, 3-5pm. $28.52. Details here
🔔 Outdoor Sound Journey: Canticle of Creation
A beginner-friendly sound session at Old Canal Park in Loveland, 4-5pm. Donation based, all ages. Details here
👻 Ghostbusters in Concert
The whole movie on the big screen with a live orchestra at the Lincoln Center. Details here
