Tag Archives: Farm Share Box Delivery

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter, Farm Share Box

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 6 & Cedar Rapids Derecho Delivery Plans

August 18, 2020 Adrian White Leave a comment

Greetings CSA Members – to our Cedar Rapids members, you’re all in our thoughts right now as we hope you have power return to your houses soon (if it still has not returned), that things return to normal more and more, and that you’re finding some time and mental space for relief after last week’s awful storm event that hit the city.

We’re going to keep this newsletter short and simple. We sent an email out to our CSA members already about how we can work with you to get you your CSA share, if you have power back yet and if you need it and can hold it in your fridge at this point!

Here’s what shares will contain this week:

Shiitake mushrooms
Tomatoes (either red slicers, speckled Roma, heirloom, or cherry tomatoes!)
Delicata squash
Small head cabbage
Summer squash
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Carrot bunch
Onions (red and white)
Garlic

We are doing home delivery to ALL our members on Wednesday (Cedar Rapids and Dyersville – Peosta delivery will still take place Saturday morning) this week (time TBD) while we wait for our pick up location in Cedar Rapids (Rodina) to get back on their feet. That said, if you are still without power, can’t hold food, or for whatever reason your share this week would overwhelm you, let us know and we will add yet another credit on to your subscription! (Either a double share during the upcoming weeks (yes, even this week!) or another credit in November/December).

If we don’t get a response from a member we will assume to deliver at your doorstep! The last thing we wish to do is pressure you during this stressful and uncertain time, but do let us know if you have any preference by the end of day tomorrow.

Another option: some of our members have been kind enough to donate their shares! If you’re not in a position to take your share at this time or still don’t have power, a couple of our members have been so kind as to contribute their veggie shares this week to folks in need. If you decide to do this, we will be delivering your CSA share to Feed Iowa First, an amazing nonprofit doing very important work feeding the needy in Cedar Rapids.

If you’re a farm share box buyer, deliveries will still take place on their usual schedule! Dyersville/Colesburg deliveries will be Wednesday AM, Peosta Saturday early AM, and Elkader boxes can still be picked up at Schera’s Algerian Restaurant Friday evenings (or Thursday evening if you want it early).

Stay safe, stay healthy, and take care of yourselves during these uncertain times! And please do let us know how we can help and support you if we can, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Your farmers,

Will & Adrian | Jupiter Ridge Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter, Farm Share Box

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 5!

August 11, 2020 Adrian White 2 Comments

*UPDATE* We are postponing CSA deliveries to Cedar Rapids this week to Thursday at the earliest. We are also offering credits to our members who wish to skip this week: a double share next week or an extra week tagged on to your subscription after Thanksgiving. Let us know which of these options work best for you. Peosta, Colesburg, Dyersville CSA deliveries will still go as scheduled but we will keep folks updated.

Greetings CSA members and Farm Share Box buyers!

We’ve got some new vegetables this week that we’ve been eyeing out in the field for quite some time, and now they’re finally ready…and we’re stoked to share them with you. PLUS, we’ve got the return of some favorites….namely, shiitake mushrooms!

Here’s what to expect this week:

Eggplant (new!) (Italian or Asian type)
Carrots (new!)
Cherry tomatoes
Shiitake mushrooms!
Patty pan summer squash
Cucumbers
Garlic
Shallot
Onions (one white sweet, one red sweet)

We think we’ll all be a little happy to get a break from greens and herbs for a bit! (And come to think of it, our greens and herbs may need a little break themselves from all that picking too). We’re especially excited to finally have some eggplant, carrots, and the first of our curing dried shallots from the field this week – plus, the very first of our semi-sweet reds onions. We’re definitely pretty pleased with all the onions coming in!

*Note*: Due to the unprecedented derecho damage down south possibly affecting the power capacities of restaurants we work with in the Cedar Rapids area, there is a possibility that CSA deliveries will be delayed a few days! This may affect our other delivery routes on other days, too, even to areas that weren’t affected. For now, we still plan to deliver tomorrow, but will update our members/buyers via email of any changes directly as soon as we can – and we apologize deeply for any inconvenience if that ends up being the case.

What to do with patty pans? | Information & Tips

Patty pans are such a weird-looking type of summer squash (which are themselves a type of zucchini), so every year, we put a little bit of focus on them – because we grow them every year, and because they’re so good!

If you don’t know what patty pans are, they’re the round/green/flat-looking summer squash in your box, with lobed edges. Expect flavor much like a zucchini but texture that is firmer and taste that’s a little more substantial/buttery.

Our favorite way to eat them up this season: cut them into big slices and cook them straight on the grill. Sprinkle on a little herbs, like basil, thyme, sage, or even oregano. We tried them out with some sage last week, and they were lovely, even just by themselves – though try them on a burger if you like.

What to do with eggplant? | Information & Tips

Eggplants are pretty great, but if you’re new to them, it can be hard to figure out how to cook them best….or what to do with them. Fortunately we have our own experience and ideas for cooking with them!

Farmer Will likes to dice them up into thick chunks and roast them for a reeeeaaaally long time until they’re nice and soft, with a texture not all that different from mushrooms. Make sure to roast them in a shallow pan with a cooking oil that can stand 400 degrees Fahrenheit for long periods in the oven…check on them often, and add more oil to the pan occasionally if you need to so they continue to stay nice and moist!

As for farmer Adrian, she really likes to make baba ganoush! It’s a hummus-like dish that you can enjoy with chips or pita, or on sandwiches. In this case you roast the eggplants whole until their skins are smoky and dark, then you fork out the flesh and thoroughly blend with garlic, tahini, lemon juice, parsley, and other Mediterranean ingredients you may like. Be sure to follow a recipe of some sort, as it can take a fair amount of finesse to get this one right!

If you EVER have questions about items in your CSA or farm share box, please let us know! Whether it’s how to use them, what they are, or anything that might make you curious.

We love to talk food! | – jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com –

Thank you for choosing us to be your farmers!

Adrian & Will | Jupiter Ridge Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter, Farm Share Box

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 4 & Return of Farm Share Boxes

August 4, 2020 Adrian White Leave a comment

Hello CSA Members! We have quite a week’s worth of veggies ahead for all of you, as we’re really starting to get into the height of the summer season’s best produce.

Without further ado, here’s what to expect this week:

Heirloom slicer tomato!
Red cabbage (medium)
Hot peppers! (2 – jalapeño and Hungarian hot or 2 jalapeños)
Cucumbers (1 green + 1 lemon, or 2 green)
Bunch red kale
Kohlrabi
Summer squash (2)
Patty pan squash
Beets (1 medium or 2-3 baby)
Parsley bunch
Thyme bunch
Fresh garlic
Sweet onion

Hot peppers and tomatoes are joining the lineup as some of our newest items, and the bounty of summer squash and cucumbers continues! This is the beginning of tomato and pepper season for sure, and these delicious summer veggies are likely going to be available to our members most of the upcoming weeks to come. Cherry tomatoes are ripening and being picked already, while eggplants are getting larger and sweet peppers are well on their way, too (only green now, but sweetening up and ripening soon!)

Wenks Hot Pepper | Jupiter Ridge Farm — Yellow hot pepper ripening….

Farm share boxes are back!

This week is our return of farm share boxes for non-CSA members! This option is great for folks who don’t want to sign up for a full season CSA share (and pay the large upfront payment), but who still wish to get veggie boxes…just maybe not every single week. (Only some weeks….you choose which ones! That’s the beauty of it.)

HOWEVER, even if you’re already a CSA member, we’re offering a referral incentive! If you refer someone you know to purchase a farm box (and get them in touch with us by email so we can track the referral), you get first dibs on a free *exclusive* item of your choice in your week’s share from a list of items not yet available to CSA members yet this week (for example: our season’s very first cherry tomatoes, sweet yellow cooking peppers, and more – email us for your referral options!)

Delivery is ONLY available to Dyersville, Colesburg, Peosta, and Dubuque areas at the moment.

If you’re a regular farm share box buyer, email us for our coupon code to get a referral discount on the next farm share box you buy!

– jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com –

What are farm share boxes? These veggie boxes are delivered direct to your doorstep, just like with our CSA. Delivery cost is built into the price of these individual non-CSA boxes ($35/each) and will feature all the same items that will be in the CSA the same week according to the newsletter – with some exceptions! (For example, farm share box buyers will not get tomatoes this week – this item is priority reserved this week for our paid members, though that’s not to say they won’t be available for farm share box buyers soon!)

Are you not a CSA member with us, but interested in a home delivery farm share box? Visit this link and you can pre-order and purchase a direct delivery share for yourself, completely online – no cash, no contact, and completely secure!

For now, our farm share box delivery routes are (but may be subject to change):

Dyersville: Wednesday Mornings
Colesburg: Wednesday Mornings
Peosta / Dubuque : Saturday Mornings

We also have a farm share box pick up options! Purchase this option online by following this link: same contents, same price, minus the $5 delivery fee (in other words, $30 per box).

Available pick up locations and and dates:

Cedar Rapids Pick Up: Rodina Restaurant in the Czech Village Wednesdays (1 PM-10 PM)
On-Farm Pick Up: Friday Afternoons (12 PM-6 PM)
Dubuque Farmers Market Pick Up: At our market stand at the corner of 10th and Iowa, 7 AM to 12 PM Saturdays
Park Farm Winery Pick Up (Date + Time TBD Depending on Demand)

Since we have A LOT of updates on kicking our farm share boxes back into full gear, we’re going to skip our recipe and wellness recommendations in the newsletter for now. But, as always, please do let us know if you have any questions! Whether it’s about our farm share box program, about items you’re getting in your CSA or farm share box this week, how to use them, what they are, or any further details about it that might make you curious. We love to talk food! | – jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com –

Thank you for choosing us to be your farmers!

Adrian & Will | Jupiter Ridge Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 3

July 28, 2020 Adrian White Leave a comment

Hello CSA people!

We’ve been looking forward to sharing an exciting item with our CSA members for quite some time. And we think this week will be the perfect time for it: greenhouse delicata squash!

These squash are a “winter” squash, meaning that they usually aren’t ready until August at the earliest. But this year, we grew some delicata in our hoop house high tunnel (with our cucumbers) and we’re pleased to have them ready a full month ahead of typical harvest. Better yet, our members will be the first to get a taste and enjoy them!

Here’s the complete list of what to expect this week:

Shiitake mushrooms
Delicata squash!
Yellow summer squash
Patty pan squash
Cucumbers (one green cucumber, one lemon cucumber)
Kohlrabi
Cabbage
Bunch Lacinato kale
Parsley
Fresh head garlic (first garlic of the year!)

Besides delicata, we’ll have plenty of summer squash in this share for you too. This will be kind of a “squashy” share – but don’t worry, we won’t ever “zucchini” you! (If you don’t know what that is, look it up – plus, we’re not growing zucchini this year.)

Drying Garlic | Jupiter Ridge Farm — Garlic drying in the pack shed – first of the year!

Another first you’ll get in this share is the season’s very first garlic from our farm. Yay! We’ve moved onto bulb garlic from garlic scapes. But just a warning: since this garlic is *fresh* pulled, and not cured, it will have a stronger flavor! (Not too far from garlic scapes – so it’s really good but stronger than dried/cured garlic bulb, which is more toned down in its garlicky-ness.)

Oh yes – and shiitakes are back this week! Yum!

All About Delicata Squash

Since we have these special squash available so early, we’ll be putting a focus on delicata for this newsletter. Some of you might be new to it, and wondering what the heck to do with it! If you don’t know already, the delicata is the oblong stripey tan and dark brown squash in your share or box.

Greenhouse Delicata | Jupiter Ridge Farm — Greenhouse delicata ripening on the vine.

The most amazing thing about delicata is that it’s delicious all on its very own. Slice it in half length-wise, remove the seeds/pulp with a spoon from its inner cavity, and try roasting it in your oven at around 400 degrees F (face down in an oiled sheet or pan) until the flesh and skins are soft to the touch (though I definitely recommend you touch the hot squash in your oven with a fork, not your hand….)

You can top it with some butter and maybe even a touch of sugar, though really, no sugar is needed. Delicata is one of the sweetest winter squash you can grow, and the skins are edible! It is truly a treat.

Though if you want some more ideas about how to incorporate it or combine it into meals and dishes, try replacing dishes that use roasted potatoes or even sweet potatoes with delicata instead. Its a sweeter starch, for sure, and so tasty! With the other summer squash in your share, something I might recommend (especially since its grilling season!) are squash-kebabs on the grill. You’ll want to grill the delicata for longer than the summer squash, since it is definitely starchier (again, think potatoes here), but enjoying all of them together would be divine. (And another quick recommendation: shiitakes are great on the grill and on kebabs, too – so have fun with the idea!)

And a quick run-down on the healthiness of delicata: it’s full of fiber, vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, minerals (like iron, copper, magnesium, and potassium), plant proteins, and even a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids, the best kind of healthy fat you can eat.

Breakfast Delicata | Jupiter Ridge Farm — Roasted “breakfast” delicata squash: with yogurt, granola, ground cherry, and apricot preserve topping.

This week we’re on the same schedule as last week for our CSA and farm share box deliveries! Cedar Rapids area deliveries are tomorrow, while Dyersville/Colesburg/surrounding area shares go out Wednesday morning. Peosta members, you’ll get your share delivered to your doorstep Saturday in the early AM.

Have questions about how to cook/prepare items in your share?

Don’t hesitate to contact us! – jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com

Thanks for choosing us to be your farmers.

Best,
Adrian & Will | Jupiter Ridge Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 2

July 21, 2020 Adrian White Leave a comment

Greetings CSA Members and Supporters,

Here we are at week two! Our crop of summer vegetables are coming along nicely, and we hope you’ve enjoyed the last dregs of late spring/early summer fare: namely, the bounty of lettuce that’s filled farm share boxes and our first official CSA share for the last few weeks, which we hope you’ve enjoyed.

With the last lettuce pulled out of the field, we’re finally done with most of our fresh greens (at least for a while – until we plant our next round of lettuce in, hopefully soon!) We still have kale to give your shares a touch of green and, this week, we’ll be giving you rainbow chard, which we didn’t have last year! (We’re pretty happy with our plants this year….expect big, beautiful bunches!)

As for the rest, this is the full list of this week’s offerings:

Small rainbow beets bunch
Rainbow chard bunch
Kohlrabi
Summer squash
Fresh shallot bunch
Cucumbers (one green, one lemon)
Small leaf kale mix
Large sweet onion
Culinary herbs

We’ve been hard at work (and excited!) about our hot “true” summer vegetable crops this week. Tomatoes are trellised and fruiting (green fruits for now), eggplants are beginning to form, and peppers both hot and sweet are not too far behind. Garlic is being pulled, storage onions too, and in not too long we’ll be digging up the year’s first potatoes – not to mention leeks, squash, and okra not too far off.

Lots of great things to look forward to!

Lemon Cucumbers: What Are They? | Explanation & Tips

What’s the round yellow stripey thing in the box? Since this is a question that’s popped up from some of our members, we’re happy to explain before you cut it up to see what it is (or what’s inside).

Lemon Cucumber Flowers | Jupiter Ridge Farm — Lemon cucumber vines go nuts with flowers, all of these will be cucumbers someday soon!

It’s a lemon cucumber! Despite it’s name, no, it does not have a citrus flavor. It has pretty much the same identical flavor as typical fresh green cucumbers, but without bitterness due to their very thin skins. (That said, it would probably taste pretty good with lemon now that I think about it).

These cukes are called lemon cukes mostly just because of how they look: they’re round, and they’re yellow. We think they shine best when sliced up in a salad and they really do add a refreshing yellow color to contrast all the green. Try them on a sandwich, maybe. I’d bet they’d be pretty good!

Wellness Spotlight: Kohlrabi

If you think kale’s healthy, try a bite of the fresh kohlrabi in your share. Since this veggie is closely related to kale, it has a lot of the same nutritional profile as the superfood green that people have been raving about for years.

This includes cancer-, inflammation-, and diabetes-fighting antioxidants like sulforaphane and vitamins B and C. And you can’t argue with fiber – plus tons of plant proteins and minerals, too! Looking at some research, it does look like some scientists are studying it for the ability to prevent fat production in the body.

Of course, people might be more curious about what to actually do with kohlrabi, not just its health perks! It has a flavor between broccoli and cabbage, and here are some quick recommendations: cut it into matchsticks for a salad, lacto-ferment/pickle it and enjoy it over a long period of time (it tastes delicious as pickles the most, in my opinion – especially with dill!), or cut into very, very thin slices and eat lightly fried (or raw) on a sandwich or burger (burger is my favorite.)

You can always hold onto your kohlrabi for a couple more weeks, you don’t have to use it right away. Just make sure it’s wrapped up in airtight plastic or stored in the crisper in your fridge, otherwise its skin may get soft!

Until next week, we hope you enjoy your veggies! Like last week, Cedar Rapids delivery is tomorrow, Dyersville/Colesburg is Wednesday, and Peosta will be early Saturday morning.

Have questions about how to cook/prepare items in your share?

Don’t hesitate to contact us! – jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com

Thanks for choosing us to be your farmers.

Best,
Adrian & Will | Jupiter Ridge Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), CSA Newsletter

Jupiter Ridge 2020 CSA | Week 1!

July 14, 2020 Adrian White Leave a comment

Greetings CSA Members!

This week kicks off the FIRST full season CSA share of the year, and we couldn’t be more stoked! Thank you so much for choosing us as your farmers.

Last year 2019 we had only a very small amount of members and intended to keep it that way. But with the times a-changing, and a huge surge in CSA interest and local food delivery, we’re happy to be growing, packing, and delivering for over 20 members and farm box purchasers (and growing, even!) in Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Dyersville, Peosta, Colesburg, and pretty much all over!

If you’ve been buying our individual/pre-season/”early bird” farm share boxes up until this point, you’ll see that we have quite a few new types of produce all at once and right on time for our members’ first share in the list below. We’re pretty stoked about this timing – it really couldn’t be more perfect!

A quick reminder to some of our members: the second half of full season CSA payment is due! The second payment ($237.50) can be made online at this link here to our online shop.

What to expect:

Kohlrabi
Small head cabbage
Green beans
Crookneck summer squash
Cucumber
Beets
Salad mix
Kale bunch
Mixed fresh bunch onions and shallots
Garlic scapes
Culinary herbs

In our newsletters we tend to share recipe ideas, info about unique produce you may not find at the grocery store, tips on how to make your veggies “go the distance,” (store longer so you make the most of your veggie share), and even some health and wellness tips.

With this first week getting situated and conveying a lot of important info to our members all at once at the outset, we’ll get all that extra helpful info going next week (we don’t want to overwhelm you) – though please do let us know if you have any questions or recommendations regarding the items on the list. Email us! | jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com

Depending on where you are located, here’s how and when you’ll get your shares. These routine routes/days of the week are subject to change if you’re not in the Cedar Rapids area. But we will be sure to let you know if that happens, ASAP!

Cedar Rapids / Marion / Hiawatha:

- Direct home delivery of your share will take place on Tuesdays if you have a delivery membership (usually sometime between 4 and 6 PM or close to that window).

- If you have the pick up option, you can grab your share at Rodina in the Czech Village when it opens on Wednesday (1 PM-10 PM) and they’ll get it to you from their walk in cooler! Rodina will also be able to get you your share on Thursdays if you can’t get in on Wednesday. However, in order to preserve important space in their walk-in headed into the weekend, shares that are not picked up by Friday will be donated to Feed Iowa First on Fridays.

Dyersville Delivery CSA will take place on Wednesday evenings. It was originally planned for Saturdays in the early A.M., but this is subject to change again, possibly, if our CSA continues to grow!

Peosta Delivery will take place on Saturdays in the very early A.M. (whether you’re a CSA member or farm share box purchaser!) As with all other deliveries, we will leave the box on your porch / stoop on our way to Dubuque Farmers Market.

On-Farm Pick-Up Share (Limited) will take place on Friday afternoons. We will have your share ready for you to grab, with masks and gloves ready! We will be very busy packing for tomorrow’s Saturday market but can chat only briefly.

Looks like that’s all for now.

Of course, if you have questions – about delivery routes, days, pick up details, the produce you’re getting, ANYTHING, send us an email! We love to talk food. | jupiterridgefarm@gmail.com

Very much looking forward to another year of being your farmers for some of you – and for the first time for the rest!

Warm Regards,
Adrian & Will | Jupiter Ridge Farm

What to do with patty pans? | Information & Tips

What to do with eggplant? | Information & Tips

Farm share boxes are back!

All About Delicata Squash

Lemon Cucumbers: What Are They? | Explanation & Tips

Wellness Spotlight: Kohlrabi

Sustainably Grown Mushrooms, Herbs, and Veggies in Driftless Iowa | Farmers Market, CSA, Restaurants, More