Cheeses must go to market despite the heat

NEWS FROM THE FARM The cyclic nature of seasons plays tricks on your mind, especially on a farm. In the spring, the worries stem from expectant mother goats to feeding babies to how to process all that milk, to how do I get all those berries planted with all this rain. As the babies are weaned (we just weaned our last group of kids yesterday), the outside temperatures rise, the excessive amounts of rain turn to dry soils needing a soak, the worries transform. Why does their milk production keep dropping, how do we keep the pasture growing so they have enough good forage to eat, when are those peaches going to ripen???  Every year you think you have learned from these transitions and you promise yourself you WILL be prepared next year; you will anticipate these changes and smooth out the peaks and valleys. You WILL be a better, smarter farmer. Then, the new year rolls around and you’re embroiled in the worries of each day. Before you realize it, the transition is upon you and you have completely forgotten that you knew it was coming and should have prepared for it.  Such is the predicament of being so tied to the land, the goats, the crops-their rhythms are predictable but you're so entwined in them, you often don't see them.

So, what does this philosophical waxing have to do with cheese and markets, you’re asking yourself?  Well, we are in the height of the heat, so milk has become a precious commodity to make into delicious cheese. Nonetheless, we have a respectable assortment of cheeses to offer you this week at the farmers’ markets. 

This Saturday, we’ll be attending FOUR markets: Urbana, Bloomington, Green City and Oak Park. For those of you who live in Chicago, don’t forget: you can also get the best selection of our cheeses at a mid-week farmers’ market in the Andersonville neighborhood (Wednesday afternoon-evenings from 3-8PM).  Here’s what we have to offer you this week:

• Fresh Chevre—plain, herbs de Provence and cracked black peppercorn
• Little Bloom on the Prairie-holding up very well in this heat
• Ewe Bloom-the last batch for a while, so get it while it lasts
• Prairie Dropseed-our blended sheep and goat milk ball of creamy yet crumbly cheese with its distinct blue and white mold rind
• Mollisol Pecorino—the last batch of our sheep milk Romano style cheese for the year. It is 14 months old, slightly salty, a bit nutty and great for grating over hot and cold dishes.

We may be bringing a few of some of our other cheeses to select markets including a few Angel Food (there will be Angel Food at all markets next week, I promise), some Roxanne and a few remaining Pear Capri.  Get to the market early for the best selection; it’s cooler too.