Prairie Fruits Farm

Fantastic place, great people! We took our moms for brunch on Mothers Day and we all absolutely loved it. The food, the goats, the company were all fantastic. I’ve been for breakfast before, too, and it was just as good. The cheese and gelato are top-​notch and it’s good to be able to meet the owners who take such pride in their work.

This place is a super fun place to visit. We come here frequently for breakfast. The goats are super friendly and entertaining. There are a few tips for a fun experience. First, I can’t stress enough how important it is to come early. Peak time is definitely 9:30. If the weather is nice, its going to be very crowded so expect that you might experience some challenges finding a seat. We came by yesterday for breakfast. While it was a beautiful sunny day, it was very cold. The menu was amazing. There was a choice between biscuits and gravy or pancakes with a maple crème fraîche. Difficult choice right?! Although it wasn’t the warmest day, it was a perfect day to come to the farm. There was hardly a line and it was easy to find seating. I’ve been here where we’ve had to sit on some tree stumps outside because we couldn’t find anywhere to sit. Then again, its not the worst place to find yourself sitting on tree stumps sipping hot chocolate.

Where do I begin?! In the past 4 weeks living in the CU area, Prairie Fruits Farm has been a highlight of each week: whether as a staple stand at the Urbana Farmers Market, a stop after my clinical on a Wednesday evening to their Open House for gelato, or look forwarding to their Pop Up event on a Friday night!
I’ve sampled many of their gelato flavors (including Thai Basil, Mint Stracciatella, Mint, and Hazelnut!) and have been very impressed with each, down to the last bite! The family running this farm is absolutely wonderful (including all of the goats and kids)! They are so friendly and happy to tell you about their products and answer any questions you may have. The prices are affordable and the food quality is amazing. I went to their Pop Up Friday earlier this evening with 3 friends and we split two of the oven-​baked pizzas made with PFF’s farm-​made cheeses; boy were they good!
In reflecting on my time in Chambana, Prairie Fruits Farm would be #1 on my list of CU gems. Check them out if you’re interested in supporting a local small business with amazing products and even better service!

Prairie Fruits Farmstead and Creamery is located just North of Urbana. It is a little hard to get to because of the similarly named roads (Lincoln, N. Lincoln, etc.), but well worth the trip. The farm itself is open only on Wednesdays from 3−6pm for «farm sales» but you also can visit by appointment. You also may purchase their products at several local groceries and farmer’s markets.
The farm specializes in goat milk cheeses and milk products. Visit the farm and you will immediately see it is a working farm. Several hundred goats at last count (including seven males for breeding), pigs, chickens, and of course, the dog. You are free to roam the shelter and pet the goats. They also have numerous options for pick your own fruits, with some of the finest berries and apples available in the area. On their Wednesday Farm Sales they also invite other local farmers and have a very small farmer’s market where you can buy breads, eggs, meats, herbs, vegetables, and even get your knives expertly sharpened.
But the real reason to go is the cheese. They have numerous soft and hard goat cheeses, all locally made, and all delicious. Everything on the farm is organically and sustainably grown. The pigs, for example, eat a diet primarily of remnants of the cheese-​making and fruit growing enterprise (plus left-​over products from a local brew-​pub). The soft cheeses are superior to anything I’ve had in the US, easily as good as the farm cheeses I had while living in France. Super fresh chevre is absolutely superb, and is perhaps my favorite, although the goat milk ricotta is amazing as well. To me, the various blue cheeses do not have enough of a unique flavor to induce me to pay the extra price; very good, but not unique enough for me. (I’d choose Ludwig Creamery near Oakland for this, mostly because it is cheaper and just as tasty.)
While there, be sure to try the goat-​milk gelato. The creamy goat milk makes extra tasty gelato, and Prairie Fruits Farm makes many unusual varieties such as lemon balm and thyme gelato, or honey and ricotta gelato, just to name two. But even their vanilla is special, thanks to the goats. Wes Jarrell and Leslie Cooperband, the owners, are very friendly, usually there, and happy to answer any questions.
Their cheeses, by the way, have won a number of awards for best cheese at state fairs, cheese competitions, and even won some national awards even though their competition was much more experienced Wisconsin cheese makers. These two are true artists, and I recommend them highly.
One final note, if you are so inclined and can get a reservation, you should try their occasional dinners on the farm. The finest all local ingredients prepared by invited expert chefs create unparalleled meals, made all the more special eaten out-​doors in their gazebo setting overlooking the farm with what always seems to be a friendly and talkative group of patrons. We’ve met and made friends there.
All in all this is one of the treasures of Champaign-​Urbana.

I’ve been here a couple times for their on-​farm sales (Tuesdays 3−7PM), and it’s been an enjoyable experience each time.
The owners are extremely nice. When we mentioned that we hadn’t been there before, we were offered a little tour around the farm. They welcome their guests to say «hi» to the goats and walk around a bit — it’s a gorgeous farm.
I haven’t had any of the cheese, which I plan to remedy ASAP, but I have had their sorbettos and gelatos. They are amazing! Really great flavors, and they offer you samples (really helps when you’re considering purchasing something experimental). My favorite so far is the white peach — a bit tart and totally satisfying.

I love everything about «the goat farm»: the cheeses, the dinners, the politics, and the goats themselves. If you are a short-​timer to the Midwest on a temporary academic layover in CU, a trip up to Prairie Fruits Farm (10 min north of CU) is a great way to learn to love the town before you move on to bigger and different places.
Their cheeses are excellent, and I have to believe that in 3 years of steady patronage I’ve tried them all. If you see them at the farmer’s market in Urbana (aka Market at the Square) they will usually have a selection of 3 – 5 to choose from with samples. By 10:30, when I usually roll by, their pickens are a lil slimmer, but as I said, you really can’t go wrong w/​any of their goat and sheep cheeses.
They host several bi-​weekly «Dinners at the Farm» on Sunday evenings and weekly Saturday breakfasts (when Market at the Square is off-​season). These aren’t cheap, with the dinners at $ 75 a diner, and you BYOBing, but they are well worth it. The farm employs a gourmet chef who takes local food from their farm, Blue Moon Farm, Tommanhous (sp?) farm, Tiny Greens, and other local farmers and crafts tremendous multi-​course meals. In between courses there is time to tour the farm and its many cool things to check out– I’ll leave them for you to discover, but take my word you wont be disappointed.
The ‘politics’ of this local/​organic/​simple foods concept that proprietors Leslie Cooperbrand and Wes Jarrell champion jibes with my personal view of what producers and consumers of food should pursue. This is of course just my view, but even if it is not yours, it should not interfere with you enjoying the ever-​loving shit out of their top-​notch noms.
No trip to the farm is complete without meeting ‘the girls’. Goats are just awesome. Baby goats are even better. If that is news to you, take the opportunity of a trip to the farm and see if I’m wrong. BTW just for funsies: A compatriot, who shall remain nameless, asked the vendor whether the goat pictured in a photo made the cheese. The response: «No, we make the cheese. The goats make the milk.»

What a wonderful farm this is, with a wonderful set of practices and wonderful products. We went out for one of the Saturday «prairie breakfasts” — they offer up a selection of homemade breakfast items made and you eat outside on their pretty property. Get there early because they sell out of stuff. Today we had french toast bread pudding and scones with prunes and walnuts. They also have prairie dinners starting in May which sound wonderful as well. During the breakfasts they also have a few vendors selling handmade, locally produced sustainable merchandise like bread, soaps, wool, ramps, and mushrooms. And of course, their amazing selection of cheeses. Thank goodness the cheeses are also available in Chicago at high end cheeseshops like Pastoral and at various farmers markets– it’s too long a drive for me to make every time I need a wheel of their delicious Ewe Bloom!
The goats are too adorable for words, sweet and playful and raised under heartwarmingly loving conditions. (If you happen to have a big yard, you will be tempted to purchase one of the day old kids as a pet for $ 15… oh how you will be tempted!) They also have beautiful, friendly chickens, again looking healthy, well-​cared for, and raised in wonderful conditions.
The proprietors are also lovely, enthusiastic about their products and their farm, happy to answer any questions about their animals, offer tips on how to deliver a breached baby goat (reach inside, grab a leg and pull!), and otherwise fan the tiny unreallistic flame of desire to give up city living in favor of a idealistic, pastoral career.

Prairie Fruits farm is a small local enterprise that produces the only Illinois chevre I’ve ever heard of. If you want to support local sustainable agriculture, this is the place to get your cheese. The owners are PHD soil scientists dedicated to their land and animals. The goats are well-​loved and if you visit the farm they will greet you with wagging tails (who knew goats wagged their tails?!). The cheese is produced on site and in small quantities. I had never had chevre before, but I immediately loved it once I started buying from Prairie Fruits. It’s wonderfully light and creamy. They are also branching out to other types of goat cheese and fruits. Their products are sold at many local grocery stores and co-​ops. Go to their website to find a complete list of retailers. If you’d like to tour the farm (it is lovely) contact the owners. It’s a great way to learn about local food.