Farm News
Our last pregnant doe kidded yesterday morning, on cue with no fanfare, delivering a healthy set of twins. So ends kidding season 2024. We birthed 185 kids from 77 does. These hearty girls delivered four sets of quadruplets, one set of quintuplets (YES!! Poor Hyacinth!!) and sets of triplets too numerous to count. The kids are growing as fast as the thistle in the garden. The moms are on lush spring pastures, overwhelmed by the abundance that the frequent rains have produced. Their milk is producing cheeses with the telltale flavor profiles of spring--lemon, lemon, lemon!! It's the confluence of green forage, spring wetness and warmth and a hard-working crew of dairy and creamery folks gathering milk and transforming it into a cornucopia of cheeses--just in time for the start of the outdoor farmers' market season. There are a lot of changes afoot on the farm. The construction of a new farm kitchen and dining space, upgrades to the dairy and creamery and a fresh face to the farm for our guests and visitors to enjoy. Please read all the happenings below and come visit us!
Happenings at the Farm & Beyond
The outdoor market season starts this Saturday May 4th. GREAT NEWS: We are attending BOTH the "Urbana's Market at the Square" AND "Downtown Bloomington Market." The Urbana Market runs 7 AM to 12 noon and the Bloomington Farmers' Market runs 7:30 AM to 12 noon. Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery will be in the same location in Urbana as last year (the south end of the market in line with aisle two) but with an expanded footprint (and more offerings). We will be sharing space with Central Illinois Bakehouse at the Bloomington Market. For inaugural market day, we have SO much delicious cheese to share with you:
Mixed-milk feta in whey brine ! Tangy, creamy yet crumbly--just as you remember it!! Crumble it on everything, especially roasted beets!
Chevre frais: plain, herbs de Provence, cracked pepper and everything bagel seasoning--so fresh and lemony, it screams spring is here!!
SEASONAL chevre flavor: fresh chive and lemon zest!! Grab a bunch as we will have limited offerings on all of our seasonal chevre flavors this year.
Goat milk yogurt!!! Both pints and quarts available this week! Buy your yogurt and then pop over to CIB's stand to grab some of there house-made granola!!
Jersey Milk Gournay: the perfect substitute for cream cheese-available in plain, garlic & herb, everything bagel seasoning and spiced cranberry
Ukrainian Farmers' Cheese: think ricotta and cottage cheese make a baby-delicious served with seasonal berries OR use in a savory dish like stuffed peppers
Angel Food-brie style: petite rounds-mixed-milk and introducing our all goat version called "Archangel."
Little bloom on the prairie: mixed milk camembert style bloomy rind--aging nicely
Black goat: our all-goat milk ash-ripened bloomy; super young this week-tart, earthy, toothsome and delicious
Fleur de la Prairie: our all-goat milk bloomy adorned with dried edible flowers and herbs
Our weekly CSA share offers you unique pairings with ultimate flexibility. Every week, you'll get cheese, bread and house-made accompaniments. We will have these for sale at both the Urbana and Bloomington farmers' markets, but please go ahead and sign up for shares. Pretty soon, you will only be able to get these shares if you pre-order. This Saturday's share is all you need for a spring breakfast after market shopping:
1 plain Jersey milk gournay
fresh strawberry compote
mini-bear honey
three-pack of CIB croissants
Farm Open Hours
We are so pleased to announce our new open hours of operation! Thank you so much for your support and patience as we navigated several much needed construction projects on the farm. We welcome visitors during the following hours:
Tuesdays: Happy Hour! 5-7. Goat Yoga (Pilates) available. Buy tickets online in advance or at the farm before class starts. Bar will be open along with small bites and bar snacks.
Wednesdays: Closed to the public. Farm to Table dinner night, reservations and tickets required.Â
Thursdays 11-9. Lunch and dinner counter service available from our newly remodeled restaurant. Find a seat inside or enjoy open seating around the farm. Order at your table or at the bar and pick up inside. Menu items feature local produce and proteins and will change seasonally. Accessible, upscale modern-American farm-to-table dining. Salads, sandwiches, cheese plates and small bites.Â
Fridays. 11-9. Same as Thursdays
Saturdays 9-9. Farm opens earlier on the weekend. Coffee and pastries available 9-11. Same service 11-9. Goat hikes at 11am each Saturday. Reserve tickets online or purchase at the farm before the hike begins.Â
Sundays 9-4. Coffee and pastries 9-11. Lunch service (same menu) 11-4.Â
CLOSED MONDAYS. Please respect our staff's needed time to complete farm work and only plan to visit us during open hours.Â
Stay tuned for goat hikes on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. During all open hours guests can enjoy walking around the farm grounds on marked trails, visiting with the goats and enjoying a meal or beverage sitting under the pavilion or on the lawns. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions about the goats and to chat about the farm. Please no outside food and no pets.Â
Thank you!
Please follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram and check your inboxes for future updates.
Goat Yoga-Pilates comes to the farm in early May, featuring our adorable baby goats and certified Pilates instructor Lisa Staples of Living Legacy Pilates. Sign up now for this light-hearted workout.
Farm to Table Dinners: Chefs Garron and Cody will be offering pre-fixe multi-course meals featuring locally grown foods and our cheeses, of course. Go on our website NOW to make reservations.
Themes for May
May 8th- Nostalgic American Classics
May 15th-Regional Series: Peruvian Cuisine
May 21st-"Cochon 217" Pork Centric Event
May 28th-Regional Series: Cuban Cuisine
May 8th Planned Menu (subject to changes): Nostalgic American Cuisine
Amuse
"Ants on a log" shaved celery, celery leaves, peanut butter mousse, red-wine raisins
Salad
"Cobb Cub" red butterhead lettuce, ham, soft-boiled egg, kalamata olives, blue cheese foam, pickled shallot, avocado crema
Appetizer
"Chicken Wings" lollipop chicken drumstick, chili crisp dip, pickled carrots
Entree
"Salisbury Steak" green beans, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, caramelized onions, roasted garlic cream, almonds
Palate cleanser
Candied citrus, citric acid zest dust
Dessert
"Smores" smoked pot de creme, marshmallow, graham cracker struesel
