The morning frost on desiccated leaves has been fleeting in these unusually warm november days. The intensity of sunlight is deceiving; lulling us into false expectations of mild weather to come. The first breeding group has been set free from their betrotheds, and the bucks are now with their november pinup girls. Elvis is happy to have some new action, while Gaston has begun to make the rounds with the teenage goat girls.
We continue to get the farm ready for winter--barn cleanouts, heat tape on water lines, door sweeps to keep the winter mice out. In the farm kitchen, we are busy making special treats for the holidays. We set up assembly lines and designate tasks to make the work go smoothly. Warming spices of cinnamon and nutmeg waft into nostrils while Mowtown music keeps the motivation high.
Farmers' Market Offerings and Farm Happenings
Hours are 8 am to 12 noon. The indoor market is located conveniently inside the south wing of Lincoln Square Mall. You can shop without a coat if you like! We have all the cheeses and some fun accompaniments for you to make the most beautiful cheese boards to serve to your holiday guests. Seasoned pecans from Voss Orchard, house-made apple chips and much more. Chevre, bloomies, feta and farmhouse cheese for cooking and simple enjoyment. You might even see some PFFC merch, especially as we approach the holiday season.
We'll be bringing the following cheeses to market:
Fresh chevre--plain, herbs de Provence, cracked pepper 2022 American Cheese Society Gold Medal and 2023 Bronze Medal winner!
Fresh chevre with dried tomato AND roasted garlic
Additional seasonal flavors: dill-lemongrass-lemon zest (limited), and NEW!! Just in time for Thanksgiving: dried mushroom & sage!! Use it in your green bean casserole, putting in your stuffing; spread on bread with your turkey sandwich for next day grazing.
Angel Food: mixed milk mini brie or large format wheels--you choose--perfectly ripe!! 20% off gooey ones with purchase of any other cheese; we have super young ones too
Little bloom on the prairie-mixed milk camembert-sytle bloomy rind- YOUNG
Ukrainian Farmhouse cheese-all cow milk fresh cheese, similar to a cross between cottage cheese and ricotta
Feta in whey brine: crumble on hearty stew or chili! Use the whey brine to marinate chicken or lamb! Put it on a pizza! 2023 ACS Bronze Medal
Goat milk yogurt (VERY LIMITED)-all natural, no thickening agents-use it as the base of a marinade, a salad dressing or just eat it with fresh fruit
Chevre-Cranberry-Pecan rolls--perfect for an appetizer on your holiday table or a snack while watching the parade or football or whatever your family traditions might be!
Looking for a show-stopping arrangement for your holiday table? Look no further!! We'll be bringing these stunning pumpkin-succulent arrangements to the market on Saturday. Whatever doesn't sell at the market, will be available in our farm store.
If you want raw goat milk or gelato, you will need to come out to our farm store during open hours. PLEASE NOTE: Our raw milk supply is dwindling as the goats are getting bred and nearing the end of their seasonal lactations. As such, we will only have frozen goat milk available until it runs out. To ensure that you get your milk, we encourage you to order through our online store for farm pickup. PLEASE NOTE: Frozen milk has an estimated shelf life of one week once it's thawed. It will last for several months frozen.
Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery-Fresh Picks Cheese Board Collaboration
For those of you in the Chicagoland area who have been wondering where to find PFFC cheeses, look no further. Fresh Picks, a home delivery service featuring local and organic foods, carries a lovely assortment of our cheeses. You can order a la carte OR, even better, you can order a local cheese board featuring our cheeses, local charcuterie and accompaniments. You can even order wine to go with it!!
Holiday Cheese Platters
Don't forget to order your holiday cheese platters for pick up on Wednesday, November 22nd from 2:30-4:30 pm. The farm store will be open that time too, in case you need any additional bottles of wine or host gifts.
Farm Events in Fall and During the Holiday Season
It's the time of year when people tend to nest and get ready for the holidays. We at Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery are HERE FOR YOU! We have numerous special events, classes and workshops planned for November and December. Follow the links to book reservations NOW as these will fill up fast! Just added: A candle making workshop at the farm with Fire Doll Studio-Sunday, Nov. 19th, 3-5 pm.
Here's what we have planned so far:
November 16th: Cheese For Holiday Entertaining TONIGHT!! come on out if you want.
November 19th: Candle Making workshop with Fire Doll Studio at PFFC 3-5 pm
November 25th. 1-4 pm Goat Holiday Photo Booth (Goats in holiday attire for family photos, goat milk hot chocolate, Nieces Pieces brownie sundaes and more...details forthcoming-save the date)
December 10th-Goat Holiday Photo Booth, 1-4 pm, Take Two (in case you missed the first one in November)
Farm Open Hours
Fall is a gorgeous time to visit the farm, even as the weather gets colder. We are open Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am to 5 pm. You can visit with the goats, taste our raw milk (and buy some to take home), shop our farm store for cheeses, accompaniments and unique gifts, enjoy a cheese board under our pavilion or grab a scoop of gelato.
We've have an amazing wine & cheese flight for fall, featuring a buttery Italian white (La Coccinelle) and a rich French red (Hermitage de Pic Saint Loup). Our beer flight has a fantastic sour weiss from Polyanna, an easy-drinking Belgian style ale and a German-style beer. Both flights feature cheeses from Jacobs & Brichford, in memory of Mathew Brichford, their founder/head cheese maker, who was at the forefront of some of the best pasture-based, raw-cow milk cheeses in the US (even internationally). He was a kindred spirit in the very small community of US pasture-based farmstead creameries, and his recent passing is a huge loss to the artisan cheese community overall.
Please note: on Saturdays, we offer "build your own" cheese boards and flights starting at 12:30 pm until closing. On Sundays, they are available from 11-5.
Our farm is great place to unwind, enjoy some great cheese and gelato and take in the natural surroundings that are so scarce in central Illinois. Our goat teenage girls are usually hanging around close to the barns and fences, waiting for your adoration. We have raw goat milk for sale (now sold as frozen milk) as well as a fantastic selection of cheese accompaniments (crackers, jams, sauces, pickles, wines, beers) as well as Joyful Wren pastured-poultry eggs, our goat milk soap (made for us exclusively by The Wright Soapery), tea towels and t-shirts. Come see the latest new offerings in the farm store. From Divina fruit spreads, to Great Lakes Potato Chips ((the cherry BBQ is the "bomb!") to Central Illinois Bakehouse crackers and a growing array of roasted and seasoned Voss orchard pecans, we have some of the best accompaniments you'll find in central Illinois. Ask for cold brew "affogato" or a root beer-gelato float!
Special shoutout to our new potter in residence Irene Woo (Pottery by Irene). She has made some special goat milk soap holders for us. Her true works of art are these leaf and flower platters, using leaves and flowers from OUR FARM! You must come check these beauties out!!
photo and post by Laura Trovillion
Goat Hikes and Pasture Walks
Looking for something fun and unique to do this weekend? Want to get outside and commune with nature AND take a walk with some adorable goats? Join us this Saturday November 18that 11 am. The weather should be a little chilly but nice 'n sunny. If you can't make it on Saturday, may offer a pasture walk with the milking goats on Sunday at 1 pm. No reservations required for either activity.
When hikes happen, join Wes or one of our rock star volunteers on a stroll along the eastern edge of our farm. It's a gorgeous part of the farm. The hike lasts for about 30-40 minutes and then we take you on a brief tour of the dairy. It ends with a scoop of gelato. $18/person includes the hike, a farm tour and a scoop of gelato at the end. The pasture walk will be with the milking does and we will take you into our silvopasture. This walk also includes a tour of the dairy and a scoop of gelato at the end (also $18/person).
NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. SUITABLE FOR AGES 8 AND OLDER, unless your younger child is good to walk for 30-40 minutes. WEAR STURDY SHOES FOR UNEVEN TERRAIN AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING/HATS FOR THE WEATHER.
HOLIDAY GIFT BOXES FOR BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS
If you own or work in a business or a non-profit organization that has the custom of giving gifts to your favorite clients/customers/donors, consider a unique and delicious cheesy gift box from Prairie Fruits Farm! We have curated four gift boxes for all budgets. Since this page/collection is password protected, please email me at prairiefruitswholesalecheese@gmail.com if you would like to check out our offerings and place an order. The deadline for placing orders is November 6th, to give us ample time to get all components in stock to fulfill orders. For those of you who want to order holiday gift boxes for individual gift giving, have no fear! We will be posting those options on our website NO LATER than Monday, Nov. 20th!
Want to order for farm pick up during the weekend? Need some raw goat milk? Eggs from Joyful Wren? Cheese? Just order from our Online Store for Farm Pick-Up. It's super easy!! Not local? You can still support us! You can order from our online retail store. We ship nationwide Mondays through Wednesdays every week. You can choose from one of our gift collections or just mix and match a la carte. Retail Holiday Gift boxes landing just before Thanksgiving!!