Late summer sunsets that wash the seedheads and grasses make peaceful moments. Our picnic area is open to the public during daylight hours. Stop by and enjoy some of the late evening autumnal beauty. The farm store all the makings for an afternoon picnic… farmstead cheese, local breads, Unionville wines, and sweet treats. Take a minute for yourself.

We’ve got another tasty batch of Rarebird this week, as well as a limited number of Trilby and Buttercup Brie wheels this week.

Farm Markets are still in full swing and the farm store has been bustling. Here are the cheeses we are featuring this week.

Toma
We let this little rustic raw milk farmhouse Toma batch get a bit of extra age, making it extra special! These wheels boast a delectably dense and creamy texture. Each bite of these buttery wheels melts in your mouth, bursting with layers of grassy notes and hints of fall fruits and salted nuts, alongside roasted malt and fresh sea salt with a wonderfully subtle minerality running through all the stronger notes that really ties this flavorful batch together. Raw Milk...

Trilby
This new batch of Trilby is incredible. These wheels offer  a soft, supple texture with a luscious creamline, and flavor to boot! These little Trilbies give off an aroma of cocoa with a rind carrying just a hint of hoppiness, thanks to the Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey they are washed in. Inside at the creamy center of the cheese, you’ll get notes of earthiness, and autumnal fruit flavors like crisp apples and pears. Make a space on your fall cheese board for these little guys! Pasteurized milk.

Rarebird
The raw milk Rarebird in this batch are dense with a sweet custardy aroma. These wheels carry some of the same sweet fall fruit flavors of the last batch, with added notes of anise-y black licorice and brown butter. The texture is creamy and palate-coating, with some hints of fresh bread and sweet cream rounding out the flavor profile. These Rarebirds would make a welcome addition to any cheesboard, and happen to make a great snack with sliced tart apples or crisp pears. Raw milk.

Havilah
These latest batches of Havilah are really lovely. Cracking the wheels open, stocky vegetal aromas waft up to greet you, and the lovely golden color of the paste says summer gold. These wheels are dense and flakey, with flavors of broiled carrots, caramelized shallots, roasted nuts, and hearty beefy stews and those subtler notes of brown sugar, caramel, and a tiny hint of vanilla near the finish. Raw milk.

Herdsman
These six month old winter Herdsman baskets start off with notes of cultured butter and creme fraiche, lemony citrus, and fresh sea salt, finishing off with hints of toasted cashew, caramel, and a bit of sharpness. This batch is firm and flakey, very versatile – equally great for snacking or for cooking! Raw milk

Abruzze Jawn
In the farm store only! Our savory Abruzze Jawn will be very limited for awhile, while batches ripen in the caves. This creamy raw milk jack-style curd is blended with mild red pepper, ancho, pepperoncini, guajillo, pimenton (smoked paprika), green peppercorn, onion, and garlic. Aged 6 months, the smoky sweet spice blend imparts a distinct meaty flavor. Grate over cornbread, or atop your squash soup. Delicious on a grass-fed beef or black bean burger. Addictively spiced, but without heat. Raw milk.

Our creamy, tangy Lawrenceville Jack and small supply of Jack Reserve are also available in the farm store.

Saturday, November 2nd from 1pm to 7pm

Celebrate the end of the grazing season with our annual Cow Parade! Music, local vendors, food trucks, and the beer tent with a portion of the proceeds to benefit The Watershed Institute. A day packed with fun, face painting, farm tours, hayrides, and more! Stay tuned for details as they are confirmed.

Jammin’ Crepes and Nomad Pizza will be the food trucks on hand!

Don’t miss the Cow Parade and evening bonfire celebrating local farms, environmental stewardship, and our local food community.

A quick and easy summer meal using leftover steak!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 large head Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 3 cups fresh baby arugula
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 ounces blue cheese (like Gorgonzola or Bette Davis Eyes) coarsely crumbled
• Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Roughly 1 pound sliced steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon), pan-fried or grilled and chilled
• optional avocado chunks, or pickled red onion instead of fresh

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup olive oil

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight lid. Making sure the lid is tight, shake it vigorously til the mix is emulsified (thick and opaque with all ingredients mixed).

Salad Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, red onion, baby arugula and cherry tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on a platter.
2. Cut the steak crosswise into thin slices. Arrange the steak slices atop the salad and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the steak slices and serve.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. It seems simple enough and we have been repeated it for nearly 50 years. How do we reframe the 3 R’s  in terms of things we do every day?

How can you reduce, reuse, and recycle during your evening meal?  

Reduce (Your Energy Usage)

That saves money and our natural resources – win-win! Not all cooking devices use the same amount of energy. If you just can’t bear the thought of turning on the oven or burners during these dog days of summer, don’t worry! Your microwave, slow cooker, and toaster oven are actually 2-3 times more energy efficient.

Pro-tip: consider grilling outdoors so your A/C isn’t working overtime during dinnertime!

Reuse (Your Leftovers)
For those hot days, nothing beats having a nice dinner already prepped from the evening before. “Reusing” leftovers will cut down on your food waste and your grocery bill!

Pro-tip: Try reusable, washable beeswax paper instead of cling wrap to cover your leftovers.

Recycle (Your Storage Containers)

If takeaway is your best friend, you can still do your part. Once those delicious leftovers have been devoured, the container you brought it home in can move on to its next life. Find out if the following are recyclable in your area:

• Plastic clamshells
• Foam cups and containers
• Compostable containers

How else can you apply the reduce-reuse-recycle mentality to other areas of your life? Share this information with your friends to keep the conversation going! Check out The Next Level Recycler Team for more info!

Happy Recycling.