The Farm in Transition
September 14, 2026
September is a season of change at Prairie Fruits Farm. We're harvesting the last of summer's growth, the pastures are turning crisp and brown as the heat dries everything out, and the easygoing rhythm of summer is giving way to the busier pace of fall events. One week is blazing hot, the next is cool enough for a jacket.
Soon, pumpkins and mums will be placed all over the farm and the weekends busy with fun events welcoming the community to the farm. From gelato floats to live music under the pavilion we are excited to have you here to experience our little corner of the prairie.
Slow Food USA Dinner: Heritage Grains Take Root
On Saturday, September 5th, we welcomed new and familiar faces into the Orchard Room for a Slow Food USA dinner centered on Illinois heritage grains.
Our guest speakers brought decades of work in the field. Harold Wilken of Janie's Mill has spent years converting Illinois row crop ground back to organic, regionally milled grain. Marty Travis of Spence Farm has long grown heirloom grains and produce for chefs across the Midwest. Jeff and Katie Hake of Funk's Grove Heritage Grains are reviving grain varieties suited to our region's soil.
The stories they shared traced how Illinois producers are working to bring heritage grains back into our kitchens, and the conversation carried real weight alongside the laughter. It touched on the bigger question underneath all of it: how can Illinois producers get more food onto the tables of Illinois families? How do we feed our own state?
Caprae brought that question to life with a meal featuring grains from Janie's Mill, Spence Farm, and Funk's Grove, alongside other local producers. It was, in every sense, a farm to table dinner.
From the Kitchen
at Caprae
It's tomato season on the farm. The kitchen has been busy processing the tomatoes that keep coming. All different sizes and forms. You can find some being used on the menu or in the farm store (pasta and pizza sauces). The team just wrapped up a successful Cooking with Cheese Dinner with Farm Founder and cheesemaker Leslie
Cooperband.
Next up the team is planning the popular Raclette Cheese Dinner in October.
Caprae Restaurant Hours
Brunch Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 2pm
Dinner Hours: Tuesday -Saturday, 4pm to 9pm
From the Dairy Barn
Our goats' milk is going into cheese every day, but if you've been buying from us the past couple of months, you may notice something different: the tang is a little softer than it was in early summer.
That's not a change in how we make the cheese. It's a change in what the goats are eating. Through the summer, their diet comes mostly from the pastures. As the grasses and plants turn brown with the season, the milk mellows, and so does the cheese.
The goats themselves are changing too. Breeding season is close. Soon the does will be picking up the scent of nearby bucks, an instinct as old as goats themselves, and our dairy team will be busy matching does to bucks, hoping for offspring that carry on the herd's best traits.
Cheese Club: A Gift Worth Giving
Our monthly cheese club, in partnership with Table22, pairs cheeses from our own farmstead creamery with a rotating cast of artisan producers we admire. This month, we're featuring Landmark Creamery of Paoli, Wisconsin, founded by Anna Landmark, who descends from eight generations of Swiss dairy farmers. Food & Wine has called their cheese the best in the country, and this month's box brings their Alpine and feta alongside our Blushing Goat and Cracked Pepper Chèvre.
As the holidays approach, the club is also one of the easiest ways to give a gift that actually gets used all year. It's a standing reminder of the farm delivered monthly, without the guesswork of picking a one-time gift. Cheese Club is an easy option for corporate gifting this season.
Learn more about our Cheese Club!
Classroom & Kids Programs
The full September classroom and workshop schedule is live. A fun lineup this month, including a stained glass class where you'll create a goat head or a witch's hat. Chef Ernesto returns with an Oaxacan cheesemaking class, and Luscious Leaves is back with an autumn air plant sculpture workshop.
A few highlights:
Stained Glass Goat Head Suncatcher with Kari Keller on Sept 16th
A new weekly Farmstead Cheese Making Class, where you'll learn to make a simple, fresh artisan cheese with techniques you can recreate at home
Oaxacan Cheese Making with Chef Ernesto Sat Sept 19th. Learn how to make fresh queso fresco and quesillo (Oaxacan cheese) while exploring the cultural traditions behind them.
Autumn Air Plant Sculpture workshop with Luscious Leaves, September 25th
The Rested Mind: A Sound Bath & Breathwork Experience with Joyfully Blooming Sept 30th
Children's Programming
Story Time (Mondays) and Sensory Wednesdays continue this month, alongside our new Parents Night Out and Kids Club programs. These are all designed to connect kids to the farm, to nature, and to each other.
Kids Club: try-it-out session September 25, official launch October 2.
Parents Night Out: Friday September 18th, 4-8pm
Free Saturday Story Time: September 19 at 10:30 AM.
Story Time with activity, every Monday at 9:30am
Sensory Wednesdays at 9:30am every Wednesday a new sensory theme.
Volunteer Corner
A big thank you to our volunteers who worked through the heat, humidity, and rain this past August. You're a valuable part of our farm family, and your commitment means a lot to us.
This month, volunteers helped launch our chicken project, kept up with garden harvest, led goat hikes, and gave the does spa days.
More opportunities are open this month as we wind down summer and look toward fall:
Event help needed for the Prairie Artist Fair on September 20.
Contact volunteer@prairiefruitfarm.com if you'd like to lend a hand.
Current volunteer opportunities include:
Goat Spa Days, Goat Hike Leaders, and Goat Docents — working directly with the herd
Garden Volunteers — sowing, planting, and harvesting alongside our farm team
Chicken Care — thinking about keeping chickens but not sure where to start? Learn the basics with us
Event Help — support in the kids' corner, event setup and teardown, or showing off our goats
There's a little something for everyone interested in volunteering at the farm, with Family and Group Volunteer days.
Volunteer Orientation Dates
Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:30pm
2nd Annual PRAIRIE ARTIST MARKET
The Prairie Artist Market returns Sunday, September 20th from 10AM-2PM, and we're thrilled to introduce the talented local makers and artisans joining us this year:
ARTISTS & MAKERS:
The Wright Soapery - Handmade cold-process soap
sewgoodbymolly - Upcycled bags and accessories
Grandma K Crochet - Crochet accessories and gifts
Goo.Goo.Studio - Mixed media art
Poured Curiosities - Resin jewelry and decor
Little Bits Studio - Upcycled art and prints
Melissa Morgan Designs - Botanical resin jewelry
Art By Allie Janae - Stained glass art
Saltglacier - Prints and felt goods
Phil Strang artist - Original paintings and prints
Sampson N Delilah - Jewelry and mixed media art
Knot Alondra - Crochet wearables and decor
Hand-made Cards By Vee - Handmade greeting cards
Lottie Rose Art - Watercolor paintings and prints
3 Penny Studio - Textile and mixed media art
Wynee's Wag Wear - Handmade dog bandanas
Andrea Rudisill Fine Art - Original oil paintings
F. Replinger Photography - Fine art photography
Flowers by Kristine - Flower bar and floral arranging
Wine & Wicks - Candles made from repurposed wine bottles
MUSIC:
DreamCatchers will be playing live from 10:30AM-1:30PM.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES:
Libby Jo Art will be on site for face painting (donations welcome).
Plus, our farm store will be open with gelato scoops and cheese sampling, and Caprae Restaurant at Prairie Fruits Farm will be serving brunch (reservations recommended).
This FREE community event celebrates local creativity in the farm setting you love. Bring the family for a Sunday morning supporting local artisans.
Prairie Artist Market | Sunday, September 20th | 10AM-2PM
See you at the farm,
Christina Asklund
Director of Business Development
Weekly at the Farm
There is always something to do at the farm. From story time, cheese making to hiking with goats our schedule is full with weekly activities.
Monday
9:30am Pre-K Story Time & Activity
Tuesday
5:30pm Happy Hour Goat Hike;
5:30pm Drop-In Pasta Making Class
Wednesday
9:30am Prairie Explorers, Jr. Sensory Explorations
Thursday
6pm Farmstead Cheese Making Class
Friday
5-7pm Hot Dogs & Goats (free);
5:30pm Farm Tour with Cheese Tasting
Saturday
9:30am Morning Goat Hike;
Free Story time every other Saturday (9/19)
Sunday
1:30pm Afternoon Goat Hike
Upcoming Events
September & October is full with special events that bring community together.
Sept 20 — Prairie Artist Market, 10am- 2pm. Over 15 Local Artists & Makers
September 27 — SARE Grant Field Day
October 2 — Raclette Dinner
October 2 — Music Bingo 7-9pm
October 4 — Raclette Fest, 10am-2pm
October 10 — Beer Cheese Dinner
October 14 — Goats & Grooves: Merry Travelers Band 5-8pm
October 18 — Fall Farm Fest 10am-2pm
October 24 — Trunk or Treat
October 30 — Halloween Dinner
November 7 — Pumpkin SMASH!
Find Us at a Local Farmers' Market & Grocery
You can find us at the following Farmer Markets:
CU Farmers Market
The market is every Tuesday till October
Hours: 3pm-6pm
Location: Downtown Champaign
The market is every Saturday through October
Hours: 7:30am - 12pm
Location: Downtown Bloomington
The market is every Saturday through October
Hours: 8am- 12:30pm
Location: Downtown Springfield
Find Our Cheese at these Retailers
Our award-winning cheeses are available at these fine retailers:
Martinelli's Market (Champaign)
Salt Fork Food Works Bloomington Food Hub
Salt Fork Food Works Springfield Food Hub
Pekara Bakery and Bistro (Champaign)
Common Ground Food Coop (Urbana)
Harvest Market (Champaign & Springfield)
Green Top Grocery (Bloomington)
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market (St Louis and Chicago Locations)
Prairie Food Co-op (Lombard, IL)
Rosewood Farms (Sugar Grove, IL)
For wholesale inquiries, contact office@prairiefruitsfarm.com
Prairie Fruits Farm & Caprae Restaurant
Farm Visiting Hours includes Farm Store and Caprae Restaurant
During all open hours, guests can explore our marked trails, visit the goats, and enjoy meals or beverages in our pavilion or on the lawns. Our staff is always happy to chat about our farm, goats, and cheese-making process.
Hours & Service
Tuesday-Friday: 4-9 PM Dinner & Store
Saturday: 9 AM-9 PM Store
9 AM - 2 PM Brunch
4 PM-9 PM Dinner
Sunday: 9 AM- 4 PM Store
9 AM-2 PM Brunch
Caprae Seating Options
Indoor dining room and Outdoor patio (weather permitting)
Follow us on social media for specials and updates!
*Please note: No outside food or pets are allowed. All activities are weather-permitting.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at farm life during the seasons.
