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PRAIRIE FRUITS FARM & CREAMERY
"THE HERD" BLOG
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Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Sep 7, 20237 min read
A pig in the neighborhood
Farm News Several weeks ago, I had driven over to my neighbor's property to borrow some dishes and silverware for our upcoming farm...
413 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Aug 31, 20236 min read
An abundance of apex predators
Farm News Exit august-enter september. There is a distinct change to the repertoire of bird calls in the morning. Melodic wood thrush...
290 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Aug 24, 20235 min read
Cultivating genetics for a changing climate
Farm News The best way to know that your goats are exceptional is to put them in a heat wave. Most dairy goats on commercial dairies...
282 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Aug 17, 20236 min read
Life cycle milestone for the dairy doelings
Farm News In the life of a dairy doe, there are milestones. Being born female is the first important achievement. Next comes weaning. ...
314 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Aug 10, 20236 min read
Deeply celebrating farmers' markets
This week is "National Farmers' Markets Week," aptly timed to showcase the summer bounty of august harvests. What does it mean to...
154 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Aug 3, 20235 min read
Let's talk about grey water
Farm News Dairy farms and farmstead creameries use a lot of water. Water for washing down the milking parlor, water to quench thirsty...
348 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jul 27, 20235 min read
In the company of peers
Farm News Last week, we traveled to Des Moines Iowa to attend the annual American Cheese Society Conference. From resource constraints to...
226 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jul 20, 20234 min read
Off to the American Cheese Society Conference
We are off to Des Moines Iowa this week to attend the American Cheese Society conference. We'll update folks about possible winnings in...
220 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jul 13, 20235 min read
The cognitive dissonance of july
It is mid-July yet the morning air and the landscape feel more like the end of August. The tall prairie grasses have gone to seed and the...
299 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jul 6, 20234 min read
A quiet take on Independence Day
Farm News Sometimes, the best way to celebrate a holiday is to sit on a dock overlooking the most gorgeous serene body of water and just...
257 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jun 30, 20235 min read
and then it rained
Less than 48 hours ago, I was lamenting the paltry presence of fireflies this June. Our robust prairie grasses were certainly tall...
363 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jun 22, 20234 min read
Cover cropping in a drought
Farm News The soil is bone dry. A dust cloud trails the rotovator as we lightly till the soil in preparation for seeding. We have...
316 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jun 15, 20235 min read
Fruitful benign neglect, Cheesy Father's Day and a Farm Dinner
Farm News Despite our best attempts to completely unmanage our fruit trees, we have bumper crops of cherries and pears. The grape arbors...
320 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jun 8, 20234 min read
Self sacrificing starter cultures and other farm news
Farm News Cheese making is essentially microbial farming. Most of the cheeses we make employ the exploits of "starter cultures." These...
201 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Jun 1, 20234 min read
Behind the scenes: Meet a Cheese Maker
Farm News As I write this blog post, we are finally getting a much needed thundershower. We were able to get the last bales of first...
254 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
May 25, 20233 min read
Making hay and the dark side of sunny days
Farm News Our first hay cutting is moderately overdue. Blue skies are a hay-makers dream. The grass-alfalfa stand is tall and lush, yet a...
234 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
May 18, 20233 min read
Tending to fences
Farm News The saying about goats and fences is that "the only fence that can hold a goat is a fence that can hold water." Yes, it's a bit...
284 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
May 11, 20233 min read
Mother's Day Dairy Goat Style
We derive our livelihood from mothers. Every year, every day, we celebrate the goat mothers that give us milk to make our cheese. ...
272 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
May 4, 20233 min read
Going to market
We have been participating in the ritual of selling our wares at farmers' markets since we launched our farmstead goat dairy-creamery...
305 views


Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery
Apr 27, 20233 min read
Savor the spring Eat some cheese
Spring has forced its way onto the landscape, despite moody temperature swings, gusty winds and morning frosts. I have been taking our...
185 views
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