Share #6 July 14th & 16th

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Sugar Snap Peas, Radish, Turnips, Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Head Lettuce, Mint and Maybe Tomatoes

Holy hotness. We don't usually get too many days over 90 in the summer, but it's happening. The plants are loving it, and the warm nights. Enjoy the mint this week! As an herb it has cooling properties that are so perfect in this heat. The absolute easiest thing you can do with it is to put a sprig in your water bottle. You can refill it multiple times and get a hint of mint with each bottle you drink!

One of the questions we get asked the most is: How did Cosmic Apple Gardens get it's name? Good question. Honestly, our name doesn't really make much sense, but it does have an origin.
It's a classic business naming story. Waaaaayyyyyy back in 1996, Jed had harvested and was ready to do his first roadside stand in Victor. The City told Jed he need to call the state to get a business license before he started selling. As he was on the phone with the State Tax Commission, they asked him for his business name. He didn't know!!! His buddy said "DUDE! You should call it Cosmic Apple Gardens because you grow at the 'Painted Apple Ranch' and you're all Biodynamic and cosmic and stuff!"
Jed replied "that's the dumbest name ever". But he couldn't come up with anything else before he had to hand the paperwork into the City of Victor. Time was ticking and he figured he'd just change it later when he came up with something better.
30 years later...here we are! Still, Cosmic Apple Gardens.
The "farm" started in a greenhouse in Driggs.  Jed added the greenhouse to a little rental house on 5th St. He only grew basil at the time. The farm became a real farm when it moved to the Painted Apple Ranch and started growing in real soil under the sun in 1996.
In 2002 the farm moved to our current location. A 30 acre alfalfa field with no infrastructure. We put in a well, moved a greenhouse from the Painted Apple and began building "shed village", AKA...buildings we can build in 1 day.
The 3 sheds by the parking area were originally donations from the Dornan family. They purchased canvas wall tents for their employee housing, but the employees didn't like them so they gifted them to us. We eventually had to remove the canvas as it was destroyed by the Idaho wind. We built plywood sides and put metal roofs on them. If you look at them, you can see the original wood on the bottom quarter of the structures. My first summer working at the farm (2002) I lived in the shed closest to the road and parking area by the lilacs.
Every year in the fall we get what we think are funny-sweet phone calls about people looking for "Cosmic Apples". "Cosmic apple" is an apple variety that has recently been developed and is growing in popularity. Folks are wondering if they can come to the farm and pick apples. Wondering if they can bring the family to see a real orchard. Our favorite was an angry call from someone in Georgia who "bought our apples at Walmart" and was furious with us because they said organic but her and her friend (who also bought a bag) assured us they tasted like chemicals anyway. I'm glad that we don't grow apples and ship them to Georgia Wal-marts.
We have a few apple trees. Jed gets me fruit trees for my birthday to grow our collection. The trees are just starting to get big enough to really have some harvests from them. This year they sadly froze and we lost the blossoms. Apples around here yield every 2 years. So maybe in 2028 we'll have enough to share. Fingers are crossed for a great apple crop! Someday we'll have apples from Cosmic Apple Gardens. Until then...we'll just keep confusing folks with our name. The Teton locals are in the know about who we are and what we really grow. I guess we'll be keeping the name for the time being!

Recipe Ideas: Dale’s Classic Mint Tea; Mint Vinaigrette; Mint Glazed Turnips; Dale’s Mint Quinoa with Veggies; Snap Pea & Turnip Salad

Recipes

Cosmic Apple is 30! Celebrate with Us!!

We have lots of extra goodies available at your pick up. Dinner just got easier!
The coolers at your site are stocked with a selection of Lifeline Cheese, Cosmic Apple Eggs, Pork and Beef (availability listed below).  If you want something specific, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved just for you. I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit, but I love putting together special orders!

​Pork Available: Grandpa’s Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Bacon, Boneless Chops, Shoulder Roast, Spare Ribs, Boneless Pork Loin, Neck Bones, Back Fat, Leaf Fat, Hock, Liver, Heart and Kidney

Beef Available: Tenderloin, New York Steak, Rib Eye Steak, Sirloin Steak, Eye of the Round Steak, Skirt Steak, Tri-tip, Patties, Stew Meat, Heart, Ground Beef, Short Ribs, Brisket, Round Roast, Sirloin Tip Roast, Liver, Kidney, Marrow Bones, Knuckle Bones, Fat and Tongue


WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
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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. 
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Members get 10% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The People's Market: Wednesdays, 4-7 Center for the Arts
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1, Driggs City Center
Jackson Hole Farmer's Market: Saturdays 8-12, Jackson Town Square

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