Baby naming, fall news and CHEESE

Farm News

I’m long overdue for my annual ritual of naming the next generation of does--our doelings, young-of-the- year, future milkers--all terms apply.  My method involves selecting a theme (three years ago it was movie stars of the ‘30’s and ‘40’s; last year it was dearly departed matronly relatives), and then peering into the soul of each doeling and giving them a name I believe befits their personality.  This year’s theme is TV personalities from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. I’ve got names like Jeannie (as in “I dream of Jeannie”), Samantha (as in “Bewitched”), Elly May (as in “The Beverly Hillbillies and Marcia (as in the “Brady Bunch).  I confess that I had to do a bit of internet “research” to come up with 22 names. While I am a child of many of those TV shows, my memory and name recall aren’t that great. 

On the farm, we continue to ready the farm for winter as breeding continues and the milk supply slowly tapers off.  We’re pulling up dead squash vines, turning the compost pile and cleaning up the shop.  I have been pouring over bulb catalogues in the hope of giving our flower beds a complete makeover this fall.  The leaves are turning their brilliant hues of reds, yellows, oranges and browns.  It seems that the summer’s drought either stressed the trees to their colorful splendor or they somehow overcame the drought’s stress to put on a truly Technicolor show.  Unfortunately, the winds this week don’t leave the leaves much time to be admired on the trees. 

Farmers’ Market News

This Saturday, October 20^th, we’re attending three farmers’ markets: Urbana, Springfield, and Green City Market. This will be our last outdoor market in Springfield. We’ve got plenty of cheese for you, so don’t let the fall temperatures slow you down:

• Fresh chevre: plain, herbs de Provence, cracked pepper
• An assortment of bloomy rind cheeses including Little Bloom on the Prairie, Black Sheep and Ewe Bloom. Angel Food and Black Goat might be available at some of the markets in limited quantities.
• Sheep Milk Feta—if you’re moving out of salad mode, I would recommend trying the feta on a pizza or finishing a hearty winter stew
• Moonglo
• Roxanne

Our Urbana market goers can still get their hands on pints of gelato.  I know I am not deterred in my gelato consumption despite the cooler outside temperatures.  We’ve got a smorgasbord of flavors for you; sorbetto flavors are available in very limited quantities so come early to get the full selection:

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Hazelnut
• Espresso
• Mint Stracciatella
• Stracciatella
• Hazelnut Crocante (brittle)
• Lemon Verbena-Thyme
• Anise Hyssop
• Ginger
• Rhubarb Sorbetto
• Espresso Sorbetto
• Concord Grape Sorbetto
• Chocolate Sorbetto

Farmers' markets have lots of great food in the fall. Put on your coat and gloves and come out to shop. You won't regret it!