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• Food + Drink
• A guide to locally grown food

The farmer’s market at Lincoln Square is still an empty parking lot (although not for long), but local food is far from out of season. Meat from local farms is still on the menu at several restaurants, such as the lamb from Thistle Down Farms in El Paso served at Papa George (505 S. Neil St. in Champaign) and the bacon from Moore Family farms in Watseka at Bacaro (113 N. Walnut St. in Champaign). If you are looking to cook for yourself, meat and eggs can be ordered directly from local farmers (check out illinoisfarmdirect.org) or bought at local stores such as Common Ground Co-op (610 E. Springfield Ave. Champaign, IL).

The Co-op carries many local items even when the ground is covered with ice and snow. Triple S Farm in Stewardson provides the co-op with eggs and cuts of meat. Other eggs are also available, including those from Tomahnous Farm in Urbana and from Amish farmers in Arthur. Local vegetables will be hard to find until the farmer’s market starts but Blue Moon Farm in Urbana is selling organic hardy spinach and shitake mushrooms from Mill Creek Mushrooms in Marshall, Ill.

At Prairie Fruits Farm in Urbana, the only source for farmstead goat cheese in Illinois, kidding season has begun (baby goats signal the start of milk production). Aged cheese made in December, such as the tangy raw blue “Moonglo” can still be found at local stores such as World Harvest (519 E. University Ave.) and the Co-op. The fluffy chèvre the farm is so famous for, should also be available.