The Cosmic Apple Story
Cosmic Apple Gardens is a 30 acre farm in Victor, ID. We are at the base of the Teton Mountain range in Teton County. We are able to walk (a long walk!) from the farm all the way to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park without crossing a road. Our irrigation water is gravity fed from snow melt out of the Tetons. Our water source is incredibly pure and we know it makes all the difference in the flavor of our produce!
The Teton Valley has a band of rich loamy soil called “Driggs Silt Loam”. It runs along the hill side and has been deposited by wind. Most of our valley is rocky with a thin layer of soil, the exception being this wind deposited soil in pockets of the valley. Our farm is also in a special micro-climate of the valley. As the surrounding mountains cool down at night, the warm air generated during the day blows across the farm keeping us a few degrees warmer than other parts of the valley.
Our farm grows food for people in Teton County, ID and WY. About 2/3 of our customers are in Jackson, WY which is about 30 miles east of us. All of our products are Certified Organic and most are Certified Biodynamic through Demeter Certification Services. We sell our veggies, herbs, flowers, eggs, beef and pork at two markets in Jackson and one in Driggs, ID. We also have a CSA program with 200 members.
The farm was started in 1996 by Jed Restuccia. Jed began selling basil to local restaurants in Jackson and quickly realized there was a demand for more high quality fresh produce in the valley. In 2000 a handful of loyal market customers persuaded him to start a CSA. He began with 8 members and farmed at the Painted Apple Ranch. By 2001 he had out grown the land he was leasing. A committed member gathered her friends and pitched the idea of purchasing land so there would be a local organic farm to feed them. A generous local community member supported Jed’s vision and purchased 30 acres so Cosmic Apple Gardens would have land with deep soil and great water rights. A Conservation Easement was placed on the property through Teton Valley Regional Land Trust.
In 2002 as the farm continued to grow and be a success, Dale Sharkey was hired to grow flowers for the CSA and to help with markets. The CSA was expanded to 50 people. With 2 full time farmers we were able to continue growing our CSA. We also expanded our livestock from chickens and cows to include honey bees and pigs. In 2003 we hired a Workshare Manager to help with all of our volunteers.
We now currently employee a truck driver, a General Farm Manager, a Workshare Manager and a market prep person. Jed still runs the farm, while Dale manages the office, feeds employees and raises three children. We also have twenty five Workshare volunteers a year who trade 5 hours of work a week for a share of the harvest. We are grateful to have such dedicated volunteers return year after year who share our vision.
Farming close to Jackson brings a constant change of young, energetic adventure seekers who understand the importance of small scale farming and want to give back the community they live in. We are blessed with a new “crop” of volunteers every year who teach also teach us!
The Teton Valley has a band of rich loamy soil called “Driggs Silt Loam”. It runs along the hill side and has been deposited by wind. Most of our valley is rocky with a thin layer of soil, the exception being this wind deposited soil in pockets of the valley. Our farm is also in a special micro-climate of the valley. As the surrounding mountains cool down at night, the warm air generated during the day blows across the farm keeping us a few degrees warmer than other parts of the valley.
Our farm grows food for people in Teton County, ID and WY. About 2/3 of our customers are in Jackson, WY which is about 30 miles east of us. All of our products are Certified Organic and most are Certified Biodynamic through Demeter Certification Services. We sell our veggies, herbs, flowers, eggs, beef and pork at two markets in Jackson and one in Driggs, ID. We also have a CSA program with 200 members.
The farm was started in 1996 by Jed Restuccia. Jed began selling basil to local restaurants in Jackson and quickly realized there was a demand for more high quality fresh produce in the valley. In 2000 a handful of loyal market customers persuaded him to start a CSA. He began with 8 members and farmed at the Painted Apple Ranch. By 2001 he had out grown the land he was leasing. A committed member gathered her friends and pitched the idea of purchasing land so there would be a local organic farm to feed them. A generous local community member supported Jed’s vision and purchased 30 acres so Cosmic Apple Gardens would have land with deep soil and great water rights. A Conservation Easement was placed on the property through Teton Valley Regional Land Trust.
In 2002 as the farm continued to grow and be a success, Dale Sharkey was hired to grow flowers for the CSA and to help with markets. The CSA was expanded to 50 people. With 2 full time farmers we were able to continue growing our CSA. We also expanded our livestock from chickens and cows to include honey bees and pigs. In 2003 we hired a Workshare Manager to help with all of our volunteers.
We now currently employee a truck driver, a General Farm Manager, a Workshare Manager and a market prep person. Jed still runs the farm, while Dale manages the office, feeds employees and raises three children. We also have twenty five Workshare volunteers a year who trade 5 hours of work a week for a share of the harvest. We are grateful to have such dedicated volunteers return year after year who share our vision.
Farming close to Jackson brings a constant change of young, energetic adventure seekers who understand the importance of small scale farming and want to give back the community they live in. We are blessed with a new “crop” of volunteers every year who teach also teach us!
