2023 “You Choose Meat CSA”: Des Moines and Knoxville
Crooked Gap farm is excited to offer our “You Choose Meat CSA” again this year! This prepaid Community Supported Agriculture membership will allow you to receive your selection of our meat products to be enjoyed on a regular basis throughout the year. This is the perfect opportunity for those who don’t have freezer space for a whole or half hog and who like to cook with a variety of meats and cuts.
With our pork and lamb taking 9 months to reach maturity and our beef taking 24 months, pre-selling our meat through CSA subscriptions will help us plan for the year ahead accordingly in order to produce enough meat to reach customer demands. The upfront subscription fee will ensure that we have the necessary funds to raise out and process this meat as well. Our CSA will also allow us to regularly connect with our customers and our customers to connect with our farm, something that we hold great value in.
What Is in a Share:
You will be able to choose from a variety of cuts each delivery featuring our Heritage Breed Woodlot/Pastured Pork. Cuts might include chops, bacon, roasts, hams, ground, links, patties, and ribs. In addition, seasonal meats such as pastured broilers, grass-fed beef, or grass-fed lamb will be offered as they become available. As a CSA member, you will have access to some of our specialty cuts not available to the general public.
For each delivery, we will send out a newsletter describing our current cut choices. We encourage you select a variety of types of cuts so that we will continue to have a broad selection of cuts to choose from between processing dates. Since each animal only produces a limited number of particular cuts, we may at times limit the number of these cuts available per share. If a cut you choose runs out during the window for ordering, we will suggest possible options for substitution prior to filling your order.
Subscriptions and Costs:
With the purchase of a CSA subscription, you will also receive a “Preferred Buyer” status. This will allow you to place your order for any additional cuts of meat that you would like before we open up our individual cut orders to the general public, as some cuts frequently run out between processing dates.
Our CSA subscriptions run the duration of one calendar year and are prepaid at the start of each year. You are welcome to partner up with friends or family to purchase a subscription, however, you must choose one contact person/family and personally divide your share up. If you would like to join after the start of the year, we are able to pro-rate our CSA subscriptions for the remainder of the calendar year.
Budgeting Option: Although a complete payment greatly helps us plan our production for the year, we understand not everyone is able to pay all at once. As a budgeting option, we are offering scheduled payments with an additional $15 charge per payment.
- Full Subscription: $1800 / 24 shares ~ 216 lbs of meat/year
Delivered twice per month over the duration of one calendar year
~ 9 lbs of meat/share :: $75.00/share (~$8.33 per pound) - Half Subscription: $930 / 24 shares ~ 108 lbs of meat/year
Delivered twice per month over the duration of one calendar year
~ 4.5 lbs of meat/share :: $38.75/share (~$8.61 per pound) - Quarter Subscription: $485 / 12 shares ~ 54 lbs of meat/year
Delivered once per month over the duration of one calendar year
~ 4.5 lbs of meat/share :: $40.42/share (~$8.98 per pound)
Meat Distribution:
We will assemble your order of cuts to be delivered for pick-up on the following dates, unless otherwise communicated. (CSA members with quarter subscriptions will need to choose which delivery date they prefer.) Subscribers will choose one of the following locations for their deliveries:
- The Cheese Shop (DSM): first and third Tuesday evening of the month
- Knoxville/Pella Option: evening and time to be determined
- Any other location where we receive enough interest: dates to be determined
Meat CSA members are responsible for picking up their shares during the delivery time allotted for the location they have chosen. If you are unable to make your pick up last minute, we request that you call us due to our drive. You are welcome to meet us at another location if applicable, you may arrange a pick up at our farm, or we can hold one share’s worth until the following delivery.
Occasionally, we must reschedule a delivery due to weather conditions or an unexpected event. As this may be a last minute decision, we suggest that you check your e-mail prior to leaving, especially in the case of bad weather. Should this happen, we will reattempt our delivery the following week or you are welcome to arrange a pick up at our farm.
How to Subscribe:
To make your CSA subscription active, we will need to have received your completed and signed Subscription Contract and your payment. Payment is due in full and can be paid by cash or check. (Credit and PayPal are also available with an additional 3% charge to cover fees so we can continue to offer maximum value at minimum charge in our subscription prices.)
Please e-mail us for a full 2023 CSA Subscription Guide and Contract.
Renewal and Subscription Changes:
Customers with current subscriptions have first options of renewing or upgrading their subscriptions for the next year.
Because we plan and set up our production based on purchased subscriptions, we have established the below policies for subscription changes. Thank you for your understanding of the impact on our farm in these circumstances.
- You are welcome to upgrade your subscription with a prorated fee at any point during the year if openings remain. Subscriptions may not be downsized unless we have a waiting list or you are able to find a substitute to assume the other portion of your subscription.
- Purchased subscriptions may be canceled and refunded before the first pickup if we have a waiting list or you have a substitute to assume your CSA subscription. In the case that we still have open subscriptions or do not have a waiting list, you must find a substitute to assume your subscription in order to receive a refund.
A CSA Isn’t for Me:
If you are interested in purchasing our individual cuts of meat through our twice a month deliveries, but none of our CSA options fit for your family, you are welcome to place orders after we have filled our CSA shares and CSA members’ add on orders. Please click here us to join our mailing list. In addition to individual cuts of meat, we also have our Heritage Breed Woodlot/Pastured Pork available for purchase as whole and half hogs.
Crooked Gap Farm 