Check out clips from Christmas Light displays, local food, and more. Marion, Herrin, and Makanda areas are featured. There are also frugal DIY projects for home, outdoor, and the Christmas Tree.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa or your beverage of choice and enjoy!
Strawberry season has arrived in Southern Illinois. Blueberries, lavender, and other fresh edible treats will soon follow. Peonies are blooming, and Zinnia and sunflower fields will likely be ready in the future months for gorgeous bouquets. Don’t forget that there is even a gourmet mushroom farm.
As a kid, my parents took us to pick strawberries almost every spring. I remember my grandma going with us when I was really little. We often went to a spot near Farina. Of course, being kids, my brother and I probably looked forward to stopping in at Frontier Village on the way home for those huge, colorful, lollipops almost as we did being in the berry patch.
We also made memorable road trips to Blueberry Hill at Cobden. I don’t know that he is still there, but there was a really cool older gentleman named Moses that directed people to the right areas to pick blueberries. One of my aunts joined us for the adventure one year, and a neighbor friend came along another year. It was a fun event. Of course, we would drive around in the country and through the forest to see plenty of other sites in the area.
My mom would use some of the berries in a wonderful, no-bake blueberry cheesecake… We also made trips throughout Southern Illinois to pick blackberries, apples, and peaches. My parents would prep and freeze many of these fruits to use in the winter months. My parents canned and froze many things. Between these trips and our large garden, our deep freeze and a pantry closet in our guest room, we had a pretty good food supply on hand.
Listed below is a sampling of the many Southern Illinois Orchards, Patches, and Farms. This is by no means an all-inclusive list. Please be aware that due to COVID-19 precautions, places that previously offered U-Pick Opportunities may be unable to do so at this time. They may still have some wonderful, fresh treats already picked for purchase.
PLEASE contact each and/or check social media posts to see hours and if appointments are necessary as schedules may fluctuate before showing up to be sure they are open and not sold out of product.
We will continue to share posts from Southern Illinois farms, orchards, and farm stands, and farmer’s markets as we see them on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook page. When possible, links to contact info for them will be in the “Shop Local: Farmer’s Markets, Stores, & Stands” section of the ASOSI app as well as this website.
ALTO PASS
Rendleman Orchards https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Fruit—Vegetable-Store/Flamm-Orchards-140416935995156/
BELLEVILLE
Eckert’s Country Store & Farm, https://www.eckerts.com/belleville-farm
BUMCOMBE
Hallsberry Farms https://www.facebook.com/Hallsberry-Farms-607311662746573/
CARLYLE
McConauchie Manor Farm http://mcmanor.com/
CENTRALIA
Schwartz Farms http://www.schwartzfruitfarm.com/m/
COBDEN
Bass Farms https://www.facebook.com/Bass-Farms-312520605832167/
Blue Berry Hill Farm https://www.facebook.com/Blueberry-Hill-Frm-145088728847265/
Flamm Orchards https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Fruit—Vegetable-Store/Flamm-Orchards-140416935995156/
Shawnee Hills Lavender https://shawneehillslavender.com/
COLLINSVILLE
The Donahue’s Sunshine Farm https://www.facebook.com/donahuesunshinefarm/
DIX
Schwartz Farms http://www.schwartzfruitfarm.com/m/
KELL
Sager Farms https://www.facebook.com/Sager-Farms-1338423922880064/
HARRISBURG
Peony Hills Farm https://peonyhillfarm.com/
MAKANDA
Flyway Family Farm https://www.facebook.com/FlywayFamilyFarm/
MILLSTADT
Eckert’s Country Store & Farm https://www.eckerts.com/
MURPHYSBORO
McLaughlin Strawberry Farm https://www.facebook.com/MclaughlinStrawberryFarm/
SIMS
Freelands Strawberries and Vegetables https://www.facebook.com/FreelandsStrawberries/
ST. JACOB
Demange Farm https://www.facebook.com/demangefamilyfarms/
Strackeljahn Farms https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strackeljahn-Farms/126200920766900
WATERLOO
Stuckmeyers Plants & Produce http://www.stuckmeyer-illinois.com/
WILLOW HILL
Rising Sun Family Farm https://www.facebook.com/Rising-Sun-Family-Farm-663357053748679
So, my Christmas Eve Eve episode waited until Christmas Eve to actually post, but we still wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
This episode has a few frugal Christmas decor DIY’s mingling in with a tour of a few regional Christmas Light display faves and unique shopping experiences. There are a few mouthwatering peeks at food from Drizzle Mini Donuts and Razmo’s too…
Wherever you are in the world, we wish you joy and peace as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
(For those looking for the PDF hot cocoa bar download, it’s in the Cozy Cocoa & More post.)
Individual flat iron steaks from Dierks Farms and fresh sourdough bread baked by Scratch Brewing Company, both of Ava, were among groceries I got this past Saturday at the Carbondale Community Farmer’s Market. This pair of ingredients seemed like a great starting point for a TOSI (Taste Of Southern Illinois) Challenge creation.
For the steaks, I used a quick marinade of Ponzu, grapeseed oil, salt, pepper and a few drops of red wine vinegar. Then I applied some Cactus Pete’s Ultimate Steak House Rub, made in Buckner, that I found at Arnold’s Market in Carbondale.
I grilled thick slices of the sourdough bread in a bit of butter on my George Foreman grill. I also grilled some onions and sweet mini pepper strips with a few shiitake mushrooms from Fly Away Family Farms of Makanda. Each side of bread was smeared with basil pesto. After grilling the steaks and allowing them to rest for the juices to redistribute, they were sliced against the grain. I added a slice of Swiss cheese for flavor.
The oven fries were pretty simple but tasty. I cut scrubbed Russett potatoes into thick fries and coated them with grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and paprika before baking in a single layer at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, turning once. For the fry dipping sauce, I mixed a bit of mayonnaise with ketchup and added some chopped fresh herbs. I used basil and parsley from my kitchen window with some dill from All Seasons Farm of Cobden. The ivrn fries were the perfect compliment to the flat iron steak sandwich.
