Crop List: Sugar Dumpling Squash, Beets, Garlic, Fingerling Potatoes, Blackberry Potatoes, Watermelon Radish, Orange Carrots, Rainbow Carrots, Cilantro, Kale, Yellow Onion, Basil, Maybe Red Onion, Cabbage, Summer Squash, Parsley and/or Tomatoes

Thank you for joining us for this amazing season. 2025 was a great growing year. The weather was incredibly conducive to growing an abundance of veggies in the Tetons. Hot days, warm nights and a surprising lack of frost all contributed to a bountiful harvest all season. We have still not had a hard killing frost yet! I only remember one other year without a hard frost before the year ended. Summer Squash as a maybe in October is mind blowing for this farmer!
The highs and lows of 2025 report...
The sugar snap peas did not love the transition from cool spring to extreme heat we had in June. They are more of a cool weather crop...which is why they usually do great in the Tetons. We wish the broccoli, and cauliflower would have been better this year. They both got hit really hard by aphids, and we don't know exactly why. It is always sad to have a crop not make it to fruition. At this point in my farming career, I completely understand every year will be different.  Every year some things will be incredible, and some things will be less incredible! So, three things not making it feels like a big win!
The best news is the number of incredible crops this year is long! The beans! We have not had a bean harvest like this year's in a decade! We almost lost them in that early September light frost we had...but they made it and yielded beautifully. 
The sugar dumpling winter squash is a great treat this year. Last year the winter squash failed, so I am extra appreciative this year.
The kale and Swiss Chard were prolific.
The turnips and radishes did great too. I was surprised with the heat that the radishes did not hollow out and have bad centers, but they were yummy, consistent and spicy!
Our onions look beautiful too. I think onions are underappreciated as a veggie. Mostly because I know how tricky they are to grow here, and they are an integral base to most dishes. They did great this year; may they flavor your meals well!
And....the tomatoes!!! I hope you enjoyed eating tomatoes with real flavor. We were happy with their consistency all season making them a staple in the weekly shares for over ten weeks.
We are so proud of all the food Cosmic Apple grew this summer. We are grateful for our wonderful crew, getting it all done, day in and day out. We are thrilled with our community's ability to pitch in and get food to the Teton Valley Pantry. We are thankful for your commitment to nutritious, local food and your willingness to meet us every week. There is always so much to be grateful for in this big, beautiful life we live!
We'd be honored if you choose us to be your farmers again next year. Until then we hope you have a winter full of your favorite people, activities and meals!

​Sign Up NOW for 2025 and get a Free Cosmic T-shirt or Hat!
We have started our 2025 CSA membership drive! If you sign up for 2025's CSA at a pickup location before the 2024 CSA ends, you will receive a free organic cotton t-shirt or hat! Your site host will have sign-up sheets, or you can get one here: 2025 Sign up Link. Signing up early to gets you the best prices and guarantees the pickup location/day you really want...and did I mention the free swag?! Shirts available in Men's, Women's, Kid's, Toddler and Baby Onesies! We have some sizes in our classic purple tee, but the sizes we sold out of were replaced with black shirts with our logo in bright yellow. It was just time to mix it up a bit!  Hats are cap style or trucker style.
​The farm benefits by you signing up now...remember CSA's are mutually beneficial to you and your farmers! We get money to do winter projects and we will have money to purchase seeds before the growing season starts.
If you purchase a share online, you must show your receipt to the site host to get some swag. To pay at the pickup please print out this form, follow the link below or fill out a form the site host will have for you and bring a check or cash.
​Paying online will incur a 4% card fee. Cash or check saves you money.
We have a payment plan available too! See the form for more info.
NO VENMO FOR SHARE PURCHASES.
Speaking of Cosmic Merch...I have not mentioned it, BUT we have awesome Organic Hoodies. If you want one, you can purchase it online and we will happily bring it to your pickup site and refund the shipping cost. (We can't give these out with a share purchase, but they sure are cool!)​
Link to check out some merch: Merch Here! (I haven't gotten the black and yellow tees on there yet!)
​
We will go until week 16! If anything changes, we will let you know, but right now our goal is still to get the garden completely harvested by the end of next week. 

Also, please consider a donation to help purchase shares for the Teton Valley Food Pantry. In 2024 The Cosmic Apple Community purchased 11 shares for the Pantry. Let's do it again. Any amount helps! You can just add it to your payment. Also, you can donate directly to the TVFP and tell them the money is for Cosmic Apple Shares. And THANK YOU!!

​Do you want to stock up on some meat or cheese before we stop seeing you every week? Just send me an email with what you would like, and I am happy to put an order together for you to make sure you get what you want. Even if it is only a couple items...or more! I am happy to do it.

​Lunch on the Farm this week: Kale and Sausage Soup #2
Recipe Ideas: Curry Carrot Soup; Morning Glory Muffins; Carrots, Potatoes Roasted with Onion and Garlic; Oven roasted Kale and Carrots; Colcannon; Butter Lake Root Bake (potato page)
​
Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

We have lots of extra goodies available at your pick up. If you want something specific, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved just for you. Dinner just got easier!
The coolers at your site are stocked with a selection of Lifeline Cheese and Cosmic Apple Pork and Beef (listed below). I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit!
​Pork Available: Grandpa's Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Pork Chops, Shoulder Roast, Spare Ribs, Loin Roast, Neck Bones (make the real deal Ramen!) Hock and Fat
Beef Available: Tenderloin, Sirloin Steak, Eye of the Round, Patties, Stew Meat, Sirloin Roast, Tongue and Liver
​

WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
​
Bring Bags to pick-ups!

If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week. 

Members get 10% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1 (last one 10/4)

Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? [email protected]

Crop List: Fennel, Leeks, Shallots, Carrots, Daikon Radish, Turnips, Blackberry Potatoes, Yukon Potatoes, Beets, Garlic, Sugar Dumpling Winter Squash, Maybe Cabbage, Broccoli and/or Tomatoes

I received a question about something I mentioned in last week's newsletter. I love questions. After authoring many, many newsletters a question is great writing prompt! So thank you to our wonderful curious CSA member.
Here it is: "I particularly loved week 14's newsletter. I especially love that the veggies are giving us vibes of richness and security. My fave part is that they come with specials prayers of health for us! I would love to know more about the rituals, prayers, blessings, etc the veggies receive. I bet the other newsletter readers would, too!"
I have a pretty simple prayer I use whenever I have a moment, or remember to think about what I want a meal or the whole farm to accomplish. Sometimes I say it when I am holding seeds that will eventually bear fruit or as the truck leaves packed with produce. And any opportunity in-between those two moments that it bubbles up in me and spills out. 
"May this produce nourish all it reaches and give each being the stamina to make the world a better place." 
Like I said...sometimes it's seeds or a meal I cook, or a crate of veggies. The word "produce" is replaced with whatever is needed. Sometimes it's even the whole farm and all that is grown there. My prayer stems from one of my favorite Rudolph Steiner (founder of Biodynamic Agriculture) quotes "“So long as one feeds on foods from unhealthy soil, the spirit will lack the stamina to free itself from the prison of the body.” 
We do our absolute best to take care of the soil for your health, the animals and the planet. I don't want to just grow food for you to shovel in your mouth, feel full and move on. I want you healthy and nourished so you can be your best self, and we can all work together to make this world a better place. I know these are lofty dreams...but making the world a better place sometimes just means having the energy to smile at a stranger, or show up for our kids, sometimes it is even getting ourselves vertical and taking a deep breath. For some it could be a goal of world peace, no more hungry children, clean air and water, it just depends on what each person is working on in the moment. There are no scorecards for what we do as individuals, only we, as individuals, know when we are contributing to the light or dark forces we are always surrounded with. I truly hope our food helps you feel well enough to have energy to seek the good in the world and contribute to it in whatever way works for you...that's my prayer! Blessed be!

Sign Up NOW for 2025 and get a Free Cosmic T-shirt or Hat!
We have started our 2025 CSA membership drive! If you sign up for 2025's CSA at a pick up location before the 2024 CSA ends, you will receive a free organic cotton t-shirt or hat! Your site host will have sign-up sheets or you can get one here: 2025 Sign up Link. Signing up early to gets you the best prices and guarantees the pick up location/day you really want...and did I mention the free swag?! Shirts available in Men's, Women's, Kid's, Toddler and Baby Onesies! We have some sizes in our classic purple tee, but the sizes we sold out of were replaced with black shirts with our logo in bright yellow. It was just time to mix it up a bit!  Hats are cap style or trucker style.
​The farm benefits by you signing up now...remember CSA's are mutually beneficial to you and your farmers! We get money to do winter projects and we will have money to purchase seeds before the growing season starts.
If you purchase a share online, you must show your receipt to the site host to get some swag. To pay at the pick up please print out this form, follow the link below or fill out a form the site host will have for you and bring a check or cash.
​Paying online will incur a 4% card fee. Cash or check saves you money.
We have a payment plan available too! See the form for more info.
NO VENMO FOR SHARE PURCHASES.
Speaking of Cosmic Merch...I have not mentioned it, BUT we have awesome Organic Hoodies. If you want one, you can purchase it online and we will happily bring it to your pick up site and refund the shipping cost. (We can't give these out with a share purchase, but they sure are cool!)​
Link to check out some merch: Merch Here! (I haven't gotten the black and yellow tees on there yet!)
​
We will go until week 16! If anything changes we will let you know, but right now our goal is still to get the garden completely harvested by the end of next week. 

Also, please consider a donation to help purchase shares for the Teton Valley Food Pantry. In 2024 The Cosmic Apple Community purchased 11 shares for the Pantry. Let's do it again. Any amount helps! You can just add it to your payment. Also, you can donate directly to the TVFP and tell them the money is for Cosmic Apple Shares. And THANK YOU!!

​Do you want to stock up on some meat or cheese before we stop seeing you every week? Just send me an email with what you would like and I am happy to put an order together for you to make sure you get what you want. Even if it is only a couple items...or more! I am happy to do it.

​Lunch on the Farm this week: Potato Leek Soup
Recipe Ideas: Fennel and Potato Gratin, Braised Carrots and Fennel, To Bake a Squash, any Squash recipe; Dale’s Oven Fries; Sautéed Leeks and Carrots​
​
Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes! 

Crop List: Red Onion, Rainbow Carrots, Huckleberry Gold Potatoes, Green Beans, Swiss Chard, Basil, Maybe Tomatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cosmic Mix, Summer Squash and/or Cucumbers

​It feels like fall. The leaves are changing and the mornings are cold. We are ready for it and working on emptying the garden out. There's a lot of produce out there!! We used the tractor to "undercut" the this week's potatoes and carrots. It helps loosen the soil so the crops are easier to pick up. It saves the crew from using a digging fork every step of the way to manually loosen the soil and dig for treasure. We do still use the forks to move big clumps of soil and to make sure we find everything in some spots that need a bit more attention. But...yay for tractors and the labor they truly save us. The garden is looking like an archeological dig site as we go hunting for all the goods the earth has held all summer.
This is understandably the time of year when everyone starts asking us if we have slowed down yet and when the shares will end? We are still moving full steam ahead. We have 2 weeks of the full market schedule/CSA schedule. Then at least one more week of the CSA and the Driggs market. After we finish our fall delivery schedule we have a garden to compost, greenhouses to clean out and garlic to plant! Then we can slow down.
We will definitely have shares at least until October 3rd this year. I will let you know when the final date will be as soon as we know! It really depends on the weather. If it rains and gets cold...things just take longer to do. We are getting as much produce out of the garden, cleaned up and ready for you as we can each week. The crops this time of year took all season to grow and they keep for a long time, so we are not shy about loading you up with a lot! You don't have to eat it all this week!
We do have a lot of "maybes" in the crop list this week. Many of these things have really slowed down, so we don't know what we will have until we actually harvest them. We won't have enough to cover the whole CSA with some things. Please know we keep really careful records to make sure everyone is getting an equal amount of veggies.
Storage tips for some fall crops:
Onions and Shallots: Our onions are not "dried down" the season is to short for that to happen in our climate...so they are fresh onions. Cut the tops and roots off of them, keep them in the fridge. If you plan on using quickly...they should be okay on your counter for a short while.
Potatoes: This week's spuds are washed. They are not storage spuds! They will keep best in a plastic bag in your fridge.
Carrots: Also keep in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Some folks who have a space that does not freeze (garage, crawl space, cool room in house), can keep some of these items in a cooler or in boxes. We recommend plastic bags to keep the items from drying out. And keeping them dark! Light encourages them to grow...so if you use a box, throw a blanket over them. Key points: No freezing and keep them dark!
I am sure there are thousands of ideas on the internet of lots of clever ways to store veggies for the long term in every kind of living situation. This is just what works for us.
The first day of fall is on the 22nd, we are in the season of reaping all that we have sown for the year. It feels, good and rich, tasty and secure! Enjoy these crops knowing they have gathered the energy of the sun, soil and water to nourish you. They were grown here with love in the Tetons and come with special prayers for your health and stamina. 

Lunch on the Farm this week: Beef stir fry with Farmer John's ginger butter sauce and over rice; Merav's carrot soup
Recipe Ideas: Wild Rice, Fennel & Carrot Soup; Fermented Ginger Carrots; Tex-Mex Potato Cake​;Carrots, Potatoes Roasted with Onions & Garlic 
​
Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes! 

Lunch on the Farm this week: Pad Bai and Farm Curry (Summer Squash page)
Recipe Ideas: Basil Beans; Green Beans & Tomatoes in Oil; Baked Carrot Fries; Parsley Vinaigrette; Persian Chopped Salad ​ ​

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes! ​

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Cilantro, Beans, Basil, Turnips, Carrots, Tomatoes, maybe Sunflowers, Pickling Cucumbers, Cucumbers, Broccoli and/or Summer Squash

When I wrote last week's newsletter I was in utter denial about a pending frost. The weather forecast was going all over the place. Some reports calling for 38 degrees, others 32. I thought we'd skirt it and if we got one it would be really light...just enough to stress the plants but not kill anything.
I was wrong. The temp got to 32.5 degrees. We did get a light frost. It killed the cucumbers. Damaged the squash plants. The tops of the potatoes are dead. The squash may bounce back, it is still flowering, but it will definitely slow down. It will actually benefit the potatoes. The plants will react to the freeze and start to wrap the spuds in a thicker skin which will prepare them for harvest and storage. The cucumbers are done. I'm really sad. They are one of my favorite summer treats and I was not ready to give them up. If you get any in your share this week, they are all the ones we pulled in after the vines died. Savor them!!
The crew did manage to get the beans covered. I'm so grateful. The plants have been looking incredible and a big bean harvest was pending. The plants died where there were holes in the cover, but the rest are absolutely fine and yielding! The beans are so good right now, I'm glad we get to enjoy them! Some years the beans don't make it. They are one of the crops we walk a thin line with growing in the Tetons. They need a bit longer season to ripen then we usually get around here.
The sunflowers are on the way out. They survived the frost, but almost all of them have bloomed and been cut now. The tomatoes and basil in the greenhouses are all fine, yay for plastic and propane! The shorter days have brought a slow-down in growth, which will be evident in decreased tomato yields.
The carrots will start to sugar up and the winter squash will start to ripen. We have many other beautiful fall treats coming out of the garden we are excited to share with you!
It is amazing how one night of cold weather can start a symphony of change. 

Lunch on the Farm this week: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup; Peruvian Quinoa Stew
Recipe Ideas: Green Beans with Tomatoes and Herbs; Tasty Green Beans; Marinated Zucchini & Green Bean Salad; Carrot Ginger Dressing; Roasted Carrot and Tomato Soup with Basil ​

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes! 

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Kale, Radish, Head Lettuce, Basil, Dill, Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Pickling Cucumbers, Sunflowers, Maybe Cucumbers, Bok Choy and/or Cabbage

The farm vibe has moved to late summer. Temps are a bit cooler, the days shorter but the summer flavors are still on! A tank top feels great in the sun...but my house stays cool all day and I need slippers inside. The summer squash it abundant and yummy...but I am wondering what the potatoes and carrots will look like when we dig them. This is the time of year I never want to wish away...but at the same time I know I can not sustain my current pace for the whole year. 
I wear a necklace this time of year that has a bee on it. It is my reminder to keep going for the hive. It would be easy to ignore some responsibilities, but it is the time of year to keep bringing in the harvest. It is the season of abundance and the abundance needs management. My bee necklace reminds me that my hive is depending on me. My family, our farm crew, you, our market customers. I want to keep moving, growing and harvesting for my hive. I know my time of rest will come.
After my initial stumble out of bed in the morning and getting going, I sometimes realize how lucky I am. I cut flowers as part of my job description!! I mean, seriously, how did I land this gig? I am breathing fresh air, feeling the sunlight, watching the bees, smelling the faint scent of sunflowers, seeing the blue sky, watching hummingbirds and cutting flowers!!! Okay...I have to concentrate enough to count every stem I cut, and those buckets get heavy to move. But the downsides are few.
I was having one of those "I'm so grateful moments" watching hummingbirds, flowers and LOTS of bees while I was walking a full bucket of flowers out of the field. In that exact moment I got stung. It only happens every few years, I have learned how to move my hands safely around in the flowers. (A year in a vineyard with black widows hiding on the vines taught me how to mindfully move my hands while working!) I happened to have irrigation boots on because we just watered. I think the bee fell off a flower in the bucket I had hoisted to my shoulder to carry and landed in my boot as I walked. Ouch. The thing about getting stung is, I was now marked. When I got stung the bee injected a pheromone into me to alert the other bees I was a problem. The last time I was stung, I ended up getting stung 2 more times that day. Ugh. Now I was a bit nervous as I completed the harvest.
Bees are amazing, the ways they are constantly communicating with each other to help the whole hive. In its final moment, the bee was alerting and protecting the hive.
I can relate to bees...they work together to collect ingredients and make food, they dance, they visit flowers, they work together for protection and safety.
I truly relish my idea of a "hive mindset" this time of year, it keeps me going. Our farm community is so important. I am not just shipping this food off to a warehouse. I can see your faces, watch your children grow and bump into you around town. While we are growing food for your benefit and health, we also reap the same rewards. On those slow mornings my bee necklace reminds me it is not just about me getting out of bed in the morning. I have a hive of people to feed! Thanks for bee-ing part of our hive!!!

Lunch on the Farm this week: Tomato and Summer Squash Stew, Summer Sauté over pasta 
Recipe Ideas: Yogurt Dill Dressing; Zucchini-Basil Muffins or Panzanella Salad

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Arugula, Collards, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Fresh Garlic, Sunflowers, Turnips, Fennel, Pickling Cucumbers and Maybe Cucumbers

It rained on Sunday night. Really rained, for a long time as I was falling asleep. The ground was wet in the morning and the puddles lasted well into the day. It thundered and lightninged for a long time too. It was beautiful, even though our brave shaking, whining farm dog disagreed. I think it is the first rain that was enough to actually water the Earth in Victor on a deeper level then the light showers we have received.
The cucumbers will be delivered with a bit of soil on them thanks to the lovely rain. Other items may have more soil then usual also. 
All the garlic has been harvested and moved to the storage shed to cure. Curing is the process of drying down the stalks so the bulbs will last all winter. This week will be the last of the fresh garlic. Make sure to use the fresh garlic up because it is not dried down and ready for long term storage. The garlic you receive a bit later in the season will be for long term storage.
This is the time of year the shares are BIG and need to be used soon. The soup we are having for lunch this week is one of my favorite ways to preserve the harvest. The recipe is really easy to change as needed, just stick to the spice and water amounts and add whatever veggies you have on hand. Fill the pot up to the top of the water line with various vegetables. This week I will put summer squash, collards, fennel, turnips and tomatoes in it. Make a big batch to use up your veggies if you need to. Then freeze it! You will be so glad to pull this colorful treat from your freezer in January. It is great over rice and arugula.
Jed told me this morning he calls this "freestyle cooking". I think in the recipe world it is just called seasonal cooking. It is time to improvise with what is abundant in the moment. I do have this belief that if something is ripe...it will probably taste good with the other items that are ripe at the same time. Mother nature really has designed the best menu. 

Lunch on the Farm this week: Curried Zucchini Soup and Pita Pockets with Tzatziki
Recipe Ideas: Creamy Zucchini- Cumin Dip; Zucchini Parmesan Crisps; Shaved Fennel Salad; Pasta with Fennel and Baby Collard Greens​

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Radish, Basil, Shell Peas, Head Lettuce, Pickling Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Bok Choy, Summer Squash, Sunflowers and maybe Cucumbers

We are at the point of the season where it seems all of our energies are going towards harvesting. It is becoming more challenging to keep up with the bounty the garden is providing, a great problem to have! Picking peas is very time consuming, but yields such a sweet reward. The garlic is calling us. It is ready to be pulled from the field and put in the shed to dry. We may have had a record sunflower and tomato harvest on the same day. We are running out of buckets to harvest into! The walk in refrigerator is so full that it feels like playing a puzzle game when we need to fit something else in there.
​I hope you can feel the ability of the Earth to nourish you right now. I hope you can taste how good all the fresh veggies are right now. It is a really great time to be an eater of food in the Tetons!
We woke up Monday morning to a rain shower and then it drizzled for about an hour. The day stayed cool and breezy, it was a big change from the constant heat we have been having. The forecast is calling for cooler temps, but nothing in the freezing zone. It seems like the garden will continue to grow and thrive as it has been all summer. 
Pickling Cucumbers? They are one of my families favorite garden veggies. You don't have to pickle them!! We like them because the skin is more tender and less bitter then a standard cucumber. Use them the same way you would any cucumber. We love them so much we eat them like apples. Did you know cucumbers are one of the few foods that actually hydrate you when you eat them? Most foods require more water from your body to digest then they actually give you, but cucumbers provide more water then you need to digest them. We take them with us on hikes as a snack. I can vividly remember my little ones sitting in their car seats eating cucumbers whole as we headed out for an adventure. Now as teenagers who are way cooler then me...they still look happy when we get the first pickling cukes of the year.

Lunch on the Farm this week: Polenta with Summer Squash, and fresh tomato sauce. Burritos with Idaho Salsa
Recipe Ideas: Turnip and Chard Soup; Roasted Hakuri Turnips with Israeli Couscous Salad, Lemon Butter Basil Turnips or Curried Zucchini & Swiss Chard

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Kale, Shell Peas, Parsley, Napa Cabbage, Head Lettuce, Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Turnips, Maybe Radish, Sugar Snaps and/or Sunflowers

The beginning of August is a mile stone on the farm. It marks Lammas, the traditional "beginning of the harvest season" and the peak of summer. Lammas, August 2nd, is the day in the middle of the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. In ancient times communities would gather to celebrate if it was to be a good harvest year. When things were looking bleak, the gathering would consist of planning how a community was to survive a winter with less food then hoped for. Sometimes it was agreed to plant more short season crops that could be grown quickly to boost the late fall harvest. Sometimes it was a joyous gathering and an excuse to take a break and be grateful for the upcoming harvest. Even though we can have a good guess of how crops are looking for the fall harvest, we still don't know if the crops will truly come to fruition. Drought, storms, freezing temps and hungry critters can still ruin a beautiful harvest. It is a time of being grateful for what we have, what is to come and to put good intentions out there for a bountiful harvest and stocked larder for winter.
For our crew, August 1st is the official halfway point in their season. We start May 1st and work until October 31st. We are so grateful for our coworkers. They work hard to plant, weed and harvest food for their community. They make us laugh, teach us things and quickly become friends. We truly enjoy the folks we work with. We are incredibly grateful for their willingness to be a part of our dream.
In an effort to introduce you to some of the workers I sent out some questions to them! Introducing the fabulous Roberta, Emma and Deb! These three work at jobs with lots of customer interface, so hopefully you have met them at some point.
Roberta is our truck driver and chore helper (she takes care of the animals in the winter so Jed has some nights off).
Emma works at the Driggs markets on Fridays.
Deb is the Tomato Queen (this important title has only been bestowed upon Deb, she manages and harvests all the tomato greenhouses) and she works at the People's Market on Wednesdays in Jackson.
Why did you want to work at Cosmic Apple?
Roberta: I wanted to work at Cosmic Apple because local organic agriculture is something I deeply value, and I’m of the persuasion that it may just save the world! I found the biodynamic practices both mysterious and intriguing. Also Cosmic Apple has been serving the people of the Tetons for nearly 30 years!  
Emma: To learn, to connect with awesome people, and to act on my deeply held beliefs about local food.
Deb: I’ve always loved gardening. I’m happiest when my knees are dirty. It may be genetic — I come from a long line of gardeners and farmers on both sides of my family.
Years/seasons working at Cosmic Apple?
Roberta: 4 years
Emma: Two at the market. I had a workshare (volunteer) years ago too.
Deb: 9 years
Favorite item we grow?
Roberta: Sunflowers, Tomatoes and Potatoes
Emma: Beans
Deb: It’s a toss up between Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes & Green Zebra Tomatoes
Favorite item you wish we could grow?
Roberta: Corn or Lychee! 
Emma: Pomegranates
Deb: If only . . . Sweet White Corn
The thing about farm work that is the most rewarding?
Roberta: Knowing that Cosmic Apple takes the time and effort to  build healthy soil to grow the most nutrient dense vegetables to share with our community. 
Emma:  Being a part of something I truly believe in.
Deb: I love seeing the excitement people have when they pick up their share or come to the market to buy veggies.  Plus I love working with all the young folks at the farm ‘cuz I’m old enough to be their grandmother.
The thing about farm work that is the most challenging?
Roberta:  When I used to work in the fields, the long term squatting to harvest and the heat of the sun midday were the most challenging for me. 
Emma: Grappling with the unjust, systemic problems that small farms are up against.
Deb: Trying to stay ahead of the weeds.
One thing you wish all the farm CSA members knew?
Roberta: their support is crucial, it allows the farm to continue working its magic.  CSA members role model mindful citizenship to their communities and the next generation! 
Emma: That I'm currently running for Teton County (ID) Commissioner and can be reached at 781-929-0148.
Favorite recipe on the Cosmic Apple Recipe page, or one we need to add?
Roberta: Leek & Potato Gratin
Emma:  Zucchini cakes and dill sauce!
(One to add: smashed turnips! Boil whole turnips until tender, then smash/flatten with a spatula on a towel and let drain 20 mins, then drizzle both sides with olive oil and salt and pepper and coat with grated cheese. Bake at 375 for about 10 mins per side until golden. So yummy!)
Deb: Sorrel Cream Sauce with Zucchini Cakes as a close second
Favorite farm job?
Roberta: Milking the cows! 
Emma: Keeping the Driggs market stand looking beautiful and chatting with the customers about recipes!
Deb: I got to milk the cows a few times and you really have to be totally present to them when you are doing it.  You get to let go of everything else in your life and just focus.  Very peaceful and centering. 
Something you want to learn more about or how to do at the farm?
Roberta: the Vortex Brewer! 
Emma: Caring for the cows.
Deb: When do I get to drive the tractor?
Something farm related that makes you happy/proud to be part of our crew?
Roberta: I love to help steward all the animals (cows, pigs, chickens, and Dumbledore the cat) through our harsh winters! 
Emma: How wonderfully well the soil is cared for! I am so grateful to the farm family and crew for your commitment to the holistic health of land, animals, and people.
What does our food do for you?
Roberta: The food provides real, healthy  nourishment and a remembrance of the infinite generosity of Mother Earth. 
Emma: It brings me joy, nourishment, and the freedom of being able to live more fully in line with my values. 
Is there a question I should have asked?
Roberta: Favorite Farm Animal or Pet? Cosmo the dog!! 
Emma:  What else do we do in the community? I'm on the boards of Teton Valley Housing and Teton Valley Community Recycling, and I'm a full-time mom to my two-year-old daughter, Poppy.

Lunch on the Farm this week: Zucchini Cakes
Recipe Ideas: Napa Cabbage Salad; Chimichurri Sauce (parsley page); Zucchini Frittata

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Collards, Basil, Head Lettuce, Bok Choy, Tomatoes, maybe Summer Squash and/or Sugar Snap Peas

The ​summer flavors are in! Zucchinis, tomatoes and sugar snap peas. The eating is GOOD right now!! It's the stuff we dream of all winter. The Cosmic Mix is starting to come in again. We are past the crop that suffered through the June frost. The crew is working hard picking sugar snap peas. The shares are starting to gain some weight as we have moved beyond delicate spring greens.

Summer in the Tetons is such a special time. The temperatures are awesomely warm during the day and the nights are cool enough for deep sleeping. Being outside feels so good, and we are surrounded by beauty everywhere we look. The Tetons are vacationland for many and we who call this place home are so blessed. When I landed here, I never wanted to leave in the summers...except to go backpacking in the Winds, but is that really leaving? I've gotten to a place where I do want a vacation now and then.
For years taking a vacation during the summer was not possible, we didn't have enough help. The winter trips were short because of the animals. When our kids were little, they didn't care, a day at the lake was great...and being on the farm was really fun too. As they got older they began to care and we did too. We needed to carve out more time together doing fun things or relaxing. Collecting eggs together has lost it's luster. Convincing a teenager that cutting sunflowers is cool and a great way to spend time together is impossible.
We took our first ever summer vacation together in 2022. We met my parents, brother and sister-in-law at the beach for a week. It felt scary and big. The farm has so many moving parts to walk away from and most of the parts are alive and need care. I met an old farmer once at a conference and I asked her what is was like for her AND her husband to leave the farm for an extended period...all she said was "everything was alive when I left, I'll see when I get back". It is so true and terrifying. We pour our heart, soul, blood, sweat and my tears (Jed doesn't cry in moments of frustration!) into it all. Walking away for a week with so much happening is a big leap of faith.
The reasons to walk away are important too. Family time is precious. If parenthood had seasons, Jed and I have moved into the fall of being responsible for our eldest son. He is 17 and he has begun the conversations of what moving out on his own might be like. Daily time together is waning (more tears). Our parents are also getting up there in the years (again, the tears). We all need time together. We have had to learn how to go on vacation. What the farm needs when we leave. What our employees need without us there to succeed. How to step away. We are so incredibly grateful we have been able to learn this through vacation instead of a family tragedy that forced us to step away.
We have shifted our thought patterns around "farmers don't get a break" to "farmers do get breaks." Farmers can take vacations just like everyone else. Our own thoughts were one of the biggest hurdles around vacations.
So obviously...We are taking a vacation!!! The farm family is beach bound for a week with some of our extended family. We have left the farm in good hands and those hands have phones if something comes up. We could not do this without our incredible employees. I'll thank them properly in next week's newsletter!
The one thing I can't change my mindset about around leaving? The food. I am really sad to not be eating Cosmic veggies this week. That part is going to be hard, especially now with the summer bounty rolling in!

Recipe Ideas: Tomato, Garlic and Summer Squash; Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto; Balsamic Grilled Summer Squash​

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!