Farm News
With nearly half the herd kidded, we initiated our monthly milk testing program--DHI (Dairy Herd Improvement) this week. We measure the milk volume of every goat and take samples to determine the butterfat and protein content of each goat's milk. We also get a measure of udder health. These numbers help us fine tune the goats' diet and make sure that our girls remain healthy and productive. The testing may reveal a case of "subclinical" (not visible to the naked eye) mastitis, for example. The numbers give us a vital understanding of our breeding program--whose genetics (both maternal and paternal lines) are consistently producing high volume milkers and milkers with high protein and butterfat contents in their milk. Numbers are knowledge and knowledge is power.
The taught udders filing into the milking parlor suggest that our girls are crushing it in the milk production department, but there is nothing like reading the actual volumes associated with those udders. Like baseball stats fanatics who track their favorite players' batting average, RBI's or pitcher's strikeouts, we become obsessed with our top ten milk producers or who came in with the highest volume for a given month.
The pastures are starting to green up and our alfalfa crop is poking its green leafy heads above last years' stubble. Soon, the goat girls will be deriving more and more of their diet from fresh forage, and we await the transformation of homegrown grub to milk.
Happenings at the Farm & Beyond
Come see us at the Champaign Urbana Indoor Farmers' Market this Saturday. We are there every Saturday through the end of April, 8 am to 12 noon. The outdoor market "Urbana's Market at the Square" starts Saturday May 4th!
NEWS FLASH: SPRING CHEVRE IS BACK!!! We're bringing the following:
Chevre frais: plain, herbs de Provence, cracked pepper
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: plain, garlic & herb, everything bagel and spiced cranberry--great cream cheese substitute
Ukrainian Farmers' Cheese: think ricotta and cottage cheese having a baby
Angel Food-brie style: petite rounds--aging beautifully! Serve a top some sauteed green beans and crispy bacon!
Little bloom on the prairie: camembert style bloomy rind--gooey deliciousness--consider a baked little bloom with local honey drizzle and sliced pear wedges for your Easter brunch.
We are also bringing some special accompaniments to go with the cheeses!
We have launched a new weekly CSA-style share with ultimate flexibility. Every week, you'll get cheese, bread and house-made accompaniments. We will have these for sale at the indoor famers' market, 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 generously includes all the fixins' for a Sunday brunch-both sweet and savory:
pint of goat milk yogurt
CIB granola
4 oz. house-made strawberry jam
garlic & herb gournay (fresh cow milk cheese like cream cheese)
CIB demi-baguette
We are also launching a new "Farm Club" subscription--join the club and get special perks!
Save the dates and book your reservations NOW: Babies & Brunch!! Easter Edition--Saturday March 30th is sold out! Taking reservations for every Saturday and Sunday in April! Grab those tickets now as reservations are filling up quickly! Enjoy a continental style breakfast while snuggling up to these adorable baby goats!!! What could be better??
Goat Yoga-Pilates comes to the farm in May, featuring our adorable baby goats and certified Pilates instructor Lisa Staples of Living Legacy Pilates.
Farm to Table Dinners: Starting in May, Chef Garron Sanchez will be offering pre-fixe multi-course meals featuring locally grown foods, and our cheeses of course. He is still fleshing out the themes and menus, but you can now make reservations.
