Pastoral Culinary Day Trip, Saturday, 9.13.08

Pastoral Culinary Day Trip, Saturday, 9.13.08

I received the following press release this afternoon:

Join Pastoral for our Summer 2008
CULINARY DAY TRIP
“Down On The Farm”
To the Heart of Illinois’ Sustainable Agriculture!

Saturday, September 13, 2008 - $129.99/person* (Rain or Shine)

If you live in the Chicagoland area, it’s easy to forget where your food comes from and also that America’s bountiful farm belt is in our own backyard; where some of the world’s finest fresh foods are produced for us all to enjoy. Summer’s here and it’s time to hit the road!

Take a day trip with Pastoral to our own “backyard” and experience it all: from fresh artisan goat cheese, to pick-your-own berries to the summer’s finest in-season produce for purchase at one of the state’s largest farmer’s markets. We will then have a specially prepared farm luncheon of locally produced food from the market featuring the season’s freshest and finest!

Our trip begins bright and early Saturday morning with a 7:15 AM sharp departure (from the Broadway store), with a second pick-up at 7:30 a.m. (from the Lake Street store) in a new luxury mini-coach where we will offer a lite continental breakfast enroute to the downstate Urbana-Champaign area where our stops will be:

Urbana’s “Market on the Square” weekly farmer’s market, featuring some of the season’s freshest offerings right off the farm. In early September, we should expect to find some amazing late summer produce and a host of other delicious locally produced food. If you would like to purchase some to take home — Pastoral will provide a limited amount of shared cooler space.

Following the market, we head to Champaign’s Prairie Fruits Farm, Illinois’ 1st artisan goat dairy which also produces the finest in season berries & orchard fruits for a “pick-your-own” experience! See how Leslie Cooperband & her husband Wes Jarrel make their creative award-winning and delicious goat cheeses; served in Chicago’s finest restaurants & Pastoral!

Then we will enjoy the fruits of the land in a wonderful gourmet lunch at Prairie Fruits Farm, made especially for our group! Their chefs will prepare locally produced food in their new farmstead gourmet kitchen!

At day’s end, we head back to Chicago and will enjoy cheese & wine enroute for an early evening arrival back to both Pastoral locations.
Note: We cannot guarantee an exact return time due to traffic and potential road construction.

* Ticket price includes round-trip transportation from Pastoral to the above locations including tips & fuel. Additionally, price includes lunch at Prairie Fruits. Please note that the farm does not have an onsite liquor license.

Pastoral will provide a continental breakfast and a snack on the return trip. The Mini-Coach does not have a restroom but a brief rest-stop will be made on both outbound and return trips.

All additional purchases at any destination are the responsibility of the attendee. Pastoral will provide limited shared-cooler space for perishables.

If there are any other dietary restrictions needed, please email or phone pastoral in advance of the trip. We will try our best to make accommodations, but can not guarantee availability.

We regret that there will be NO refunds for this trip due to a customer's cancellation, unless Pastoral is able to find a replacement in time.

Purchase tix at http://www.pastoralartisan.com/.

I can fully vouch that this is a great food idea. If you enjoy food, you should visit the farm. Moreover, not only is the cheese good, but the woman who cooks there is just as good. That said, the price seems a bit steep to me.

goats that enable Leslie Cooperband to create some of the midwest's best cheese:


the best peach of my life came right off of this Prairie Fruits Farm tree


Wes's passion was plenty to completely captivate the group on his farm tour


Nearby Sleepy Creek winery is a worthwhile stop near Champaign. Fun scarecrows among the vines, very friendly first-year winemakers, and pretty tasty products



Get a taco or torta on your way home.