Welcome to the Great River CSA!

ENROLLMENT DUE DATE IS: March 31st, 2010.


What is Great River CSA?

Great River CSA is made up of three family farms: Terripin Farm, Feiner Gardens, and Grassy Hills Farms. This is our 2nd year as a CSA!

Terripin Farms is a family farm operated by Jessica Dyer and Brad Whiston. Jess and Brad started farming in 2006 with a push tiller. They grow on twelve acres, three of which are in cover crops. This year they will provide the vegetables and some fruit.

Feiner Gardens is operated by Kate and Jim Daniels. They cultivate a variety of naturally grown herbs. This year, they purchased a green house. As the gardens develop, they hope to provide a wide variety of variety of heirloom herbs, vegetables, fruit, flowers, and specialty crops such as hops.

Grassy Hills Farm is operated by the Hochstetlers, Miriam, Jacob and their children. They raise vegetables for a CSA is St. Louis and this year they are offering chickens, eggs, and turkeys for our Great River CSA.


How does the CSA work?

Members purchase a share in advance and then receive a basket of fresh, local, and in season produce or meat throughout the season. Our season will run from Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 through September 29th, 2010.


What can I expect in my basket?

For the vegetable share, each week you can expect a wide variety of in-season, delicious, fresh vegetables and herbs. One share will contain enough to feed 2 adults per week or one hungry vegetarian.

For the chicken share, every other week you can expect 2-3.5 pound chickens, quickly frozen, and packaged in a plastic bag.

For the egg share, every other week you can expect 2 dozen fresh eggs of various sizes and colors (mainly brown and white).

For the turkey share, one fresh turkey delivered just in time for thanksgiving!


Where will I pick up my basket?

There are two pick-up locations:

In-town delivery (vegetable share only) - Wednesday afternoons between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the side entrance of the Unitarian Universalist Church (1479 Hampshire Street). Limited availability.

On-site pick-up - Wednesday evenings between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Feiner Gardens (6426 Church Hills Road, Quincy, IL – call or email us for directions). While there, you are invited to walk around the gardens and pond and pick up “extras” when they are available.

You are always welcome to come to the farm on Wednesdays between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to pick up extras.


How much does it cost?

Vegetable share: A full, charter season share is $450. This provides enough produce for two adults or one hungry vegetarian over the 18 week season. A 1/2 share option costs $340.

Egg Share: $49.50 for 18 dozen eggs ($2.75 per dozen); 2 dozen eggs delivered every 2 weeks. (The delivery dates are: June 2nd, 16th and 30th, July 7th, and 21st, August 4th and 18th, September 1st, 15th and 29th.)

Chicken Share: $135 for 18 chickens ($7.50 per chicken); 2 chickens delivered every 2 weeks. Delivery dates are the same as the egg shares.

Turkey Share: $33.00 for a fresh approximately 16 pound turkey delivered the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.


How many shares are available?

We are again limiting the number of available member shares to 20. Membership enrollment is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Our charter members will have the 1st option to purchase shares until February 28th, 2010. If there are shares available, new members will have until March 31st to purchase there shares.


How can I become a member?

For more information contact Kate Daniels at (217) 440-7608 or kate@greatrivercsa.org. Or download the Membership Information and Membership Agreement. Mail in the agreement and your payment to reserve a share.

It is customary for members of a CSA to pay for their share of produce in advance. This enables the growers to buy seed and equipment before the season begins, thus reducing the burden of up-front costs for the grower. In order to guarantee your participation in our 2010 season, the signed membership agreement and a payment must be returned to us as soon as you are ready to commit. The deposit is non-refundable, and is $100 for a share. The remaining balance must be paid in full by March 31st, 2010.

April 1, 2009

No Fooling, We Planted Today!

From Feiner Gardens and Terripin Farm:

When I last left you, I hoped to put together the tiller, till the asparagus beds, and spread ash on them. Well, I did get the tiller started. It took most of the morning, but I got it put together and it looked good. I put gas in the tank, put the gas tank away. When I came back, gas was pouring out of it! What had I forgotten!! I'm standing there alternating rereading the directions and looking at the gas leaking out. Our friend Steve happened to be here doing some repairs on the house. He said gas was coming out of the carburetor, that the tiller had probably tipped during transport. We had to run the tiller until the gas burned out of the carburetor.

So, I finally brought the tiller to where we would plant the asparagus. It is pasture that we have put our sheep on to keep it trimmed up. I would have to break through sod. The horses had come over to the fence to see what I was doing. Despite the online reviewer, who warned others that the tiller works well if you till a little bit at a time, I thought it would be best to start with the greatest depth. I started up the tiller, engaged the tines and off it went. Literally... with me hanging onto the handlebars and running after it! The horses lifted their heads and watched me run as I tried to control the tiller. After it broke through the gate and headed down the hill, I let go and it stopped. It was a little like a "Laurel and Hardy" skit.

In the end, I did get the asparagus bed tilled. Actually getting the ash spread and the asparagus in will have to wait for another day. I was so sore the next day from trying to manage the tiller, that I couldn't do much, then it snowed.

On Terripin Farms, Brad Whiston and Jessica Dyer have been hard at work tilling the farm and planting in the greenhouse. Today, I went over to help with planting. We put in Paris Island Romaine, Red Sail Lettuce, Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach, Early White Vienna Kohlrabi, White Stem Pak Choy, and Red Giant Mustard. They already had potatoes and michili planted. They are well on their way to providing some great vegetables. Ah, experience has its benefits. The CSA will start June 1st, but be sure to see Brad and Jessica at the Farmer's Market in Quincy and Hannibal, where they will certainly have a great variety of greens.

CSA Calendar