HAPPY NEW YEAR from all of us!
Welcome to the new season! Our high tunnels have slowed way down thanks to the beautiful winter weather that is icing and snowdusting all the trees. However, we saved some green things to be harvested for this first delivery. We also have carrots, misato radishes, and cabbage from our storage cooler. We are planting new beds every two weeks, so green things will always be available.
We have some new cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery (thanks to all who answered survey.) For info about the cheeses, please scroll to the bottom of the email. We will be putting their cheese into the Extras category available for purchase. We are going to offer an official Share once they start having chevre regularly around mid-March.
House-keeping: PLEASE NOTE PICKUP TIMES ARE 9AM-11AM.
Inside the mall pickup will be at the South-East entrance, not the main market entrance.
Contact Free Pickup will be in the parking lot directly south of the above entrance.
For the Fall season, some of you had trouble knowing which location you had chosen
at signup. We at the farm do not choose this for you, you chose it at sign up.
For Farmstand (One time CSA-shares) users, you choose the location each time.
When you get an email on Friday letting you know what's in your share, the
delivery location will be listed on that email.
If you want to know what you chose ahead of time, just log in to your account.
On the first page it will say "Current Delivery" and there you will see which
location you chose. It will say "Winter-Contact Free" or "Winter-Lincoln Square Mall".
After logging in to your account and looking at the first page, if you still are having trouble,
you can email us at bluemoonfarmurbana@gmail.com.
After January 9th, our next pickup will be January 23rd. Same process will apply.
This week's cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery:
Artisan Cottage Cheese
PFF's newest winter cheese offering. Made with rich Jersey cow milk from Kilgus Farmstead, Fairbury, IL. After pasteurizing the milk, they use a slow fermentation process to produce the cheese curds and then add milk and cream once the curds are formed and drained. Comes in a 16oz container. This is a fresh product and should be kept refrigerated at all times. Expected shelf life is 2-3 weeks.
Cow/Goat Milk Feta.
This is a mixed milk version of their feta aged in whey brine. Made with Jersey cow milk from Kilgus Farmstead and PFF goat milk. This version has the same great creamy-crumbly texture and similar tang to our all-goat version. The feta is made using traditional Greek-style methods. Then, the blocks are aged for at least one month in whey brine. This adds lots of complex flavors to the feta-sharp, tangy with a hint of salt. Sold with whey brine. Shelf life is quite long in the fridge (at least two months in the fridge) as long as you keep it in the whey brine.
Snowy Woodland.
PFF's latest foray into mixed milk bloomies: a crottin style cylinder--similar to their "angel food". Firm, buttery and mild when young, these little gems weigh close to 5oz. Pairs well with chutneys, tart jams, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
