Chicken renewal AND first extraction honey

FARM NEWS

It's that time of year again that we receive our day-old Freedom Ranger chicks in preparation for the 100 yard dinner. They arrive from Pennsylvania at the post office.  I get the call and I can hear the chicks peeping in the background. When I arrive at the post office, the gentleman tells me that his co-worker had said if he has to listen to the chicks peeping much longer, he will have to have a chicken sandwich for lunch. I pointed out the tiny size of these little birds and the meager meal they would make, and he said "Oh no, not those; he meant going to MacDonalds to buy a chicken sandwich." He handed me the peeping box, and off I went back to the farm. Wes built a very predator-proof box for the chicks, and we placed them inside, dipping each one's little beaks in water to make sure they would know how to drink. So far, they have settled into their new home, scuttling along the bottom of their box eating and drinking as they go.

Our beekeeper, Emil Blobaum, reports that our bees are doing very well this year, despite the heat and the drought.  He thinks they are flying to the nearby creek to get their water, although the creek has very little water itself.  Emil has been busy taking our first honey off the comb, so we will have jars of honey for sale at the farmers' markets this Saturday--8 oz and 16 oz jars. 

FARMERS' MARKETS

We will be attending three farmers' markets this weekend: Urbana, Green City Market and Springfield. I know many of our Springfield customers will be scratching their heads right now, because we attended the Springfield market last week. In our attempt to get to a point of having no more than three markets in any given weekend, we will be going to Springfield this Saturday, and then we won't be back until two weekends later (July 28th).  Cheese wise, we have some scrumptious offerings:

• Fresh chevre (all three flavors)
• Angel Food Brie (nice and ripe for this weekend's eating)
  
• Black Goat
• Black Sheep
• Ewe Bloom
• Sheep Milk Feta
• Roxanne
• Huckleberry Blue
• Caprino Romano (these are the last wheels, so if you like this cheese, stock up NOW)

Urbana shoppers can enjoy gelato and sorbetto this Saturday. We will have some of your old favorites, along with the seasonal debut of some of last summer's favorite flavors:

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Hazelnut
• Mint
• Strawberry Gelato
• Vanilla Chevre
• Ginger
• Thai Basil (a favorite from last year)
• Buttermilk (tangy and delicious)
• Stracciatella (ganache chocolate chip)
• Rhubarb sorbetto
• Strawberry sorbetto
• Cucumber lime mint sorbetto (another favorite from last year)

Even if it rains on Saturday (which I hope it does even during market), you should all come out to the market to celebrate the cooler weather and take home some great summer cheeses and gelato. I can guarantee it won't be as hot as last weekend! Also, stay tuned for my notice about next Wednesday's on farm sales.