Join the Rock Bottom Ranch CSA!

The RBR CSA share is an easy one-stop-shop to get Rock Bottom Ranch produce mid-valley, mid-week. Each week from Wednesday, June 5 until Wednesday, October 2nd, you will pick up a box of the best seasonal produce with the option to purchase additional meat and eggs.

A CSA allows customers to eat through the seasons, but requires experimenting with seasonal crops and different ways of using staples. CSAs can lead to more creativity in the kitchen and take the stress out of grocery shopping. In June, boxes are full of frost-sweetened greens, and summer variety comes in full force in August. 

However, CSA shares are not a great fit for everyone. If you plan on traveling a lot in the summer or prefer having a lot of choice in selecting produce to cook with, please consider supporting us at Aspen Saturday Market instead (June 8 – October 5, 2024)!

Summer 2024 CSA shares go on sale to the public on March 4, 2024.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Frequently Asked Questions

Please find the answers to our commonly asked questions below. If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to Ariel Rittenhouse at arittenhouse@aspennature.org.

The RBR CSA share is an easy one-stop-shop to get Rock Bottom Ranch produce mid-valley, mid-week. Each week you will receive a box of the best seasonal veggies curated by our farmers. 

The selection in each box varies throughout the season, helping CSA participants to gain a better understanding of seasonality while enjoying the freshest and tastiest produce. CSA members also receive a weekly update from Rock Bottom Ranch farmers, a seasonal recipe we love, as well as some tips and tricks our farmers have learned throughout their careers.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA shares allow customers to pre-pay for vegetables for the season, and provides communities with an opportunity to develop deeper connections with local farmers and locally-grown food. Picking up fresh vegetables from those who grow them is a special experience, and offers the chance to learn exactly where your food comes from and exactly what is in season.

Our 18-week season begins on Wednesday, June 5 and ends on October 2, 2023. CSA members will pick up between 2pm and 6pm on Wednesdays at Rock Bottom Ranch in Basalt. 

The cost for the season is $675, with flexible sliding scale pricing and payment plan options available. 

Email Mariah Foley at mfoley@aspennature.org for more information on pricing. We are committed to helping our products be accessible.

Each share has 6-9 crops in total, and is made up of 4-5 backbone crops and 2-4 seasonally rotating crops.

Backbone crops include greens (salad mix, arugula, mustard mix, swiss chard, and kale), radishes, scallions, and cucumbers. Seasonally-rotating crops include, but are not limited to: spring garlic, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, potatoes, eggplant, tomatillos, and broccoli. The last share of the summer will stock members up on fall storage crops like onions, potatoes, winter storage radishes, and winter squash.

One RBR CSA share is packed with 6-9 crops each week. This size share can work for anyone, while still allowing for flexibility in your meal planning. RBR CSA shares can supplement a large family, feed a couple, or single person who loves to cook and eat vegetables.  Because of changes in seasonal availability, shares tend to be on the smaller side in the early summer, but are bursting with bounty in August and September.

We do not offer half shares, but we encourage you to split a box with a friend. You can alternate weeks or split the produce up each week – you decide! 

ACES does not have the capacity to coordinate split shares. It is up to individuals to figure out a system that works for them!

CSA members will receive reminder emails with the week’s newsletter every Tuesday.

If you cannot pick up your share between 2pm-6pm on Wednesdays, you can have a friend pick up during that time for you. 

We understand that life happens, so we can pack a bag for you to pick up Thursday if you communicate that you won’t be picking up prior to 5pm on Wednesdays. Please email arittenhouse@aspennature.org each week you need late pick up accommodations.

To ensure fresh quality produce we cannot accommodate pick up later than 4pm on Thursdays each week. 

We also are unable to accommodate early pickups, so please plan for pickup before signing up for a CSA share. In addition, this year we are adding a “Flex Week.” If you cannot pick up your share once through the season, you can opt to receive a weekly share on October 9th. In order to receive the “Flex Week Share” you must email Ariel Rittenhouse at arittenhouse@aspennature.org when you miss a week and request the “Flex Share.”

We don’t have a formal add-on option for meat and eggs. However, our pasture-raised eggs, chicken, lamb, beef, and additional produce is available to purchase on-site at Rock Bottom Ranch during pickup. These items sell on a first come, first served basis, so we cannot guarantee every cut will be available when you pick up your CSA. But rest assured that there will always be something great available to complement your share!

We will have select vegetables, meat, and eggs available for purchase at Rock Bottom Ranch during open hours at our site:

October-May Wednesday-Friday 9am-4pm

June-September Wednesdays-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am-1pm

If CSA or visiting us at Rock Bottom Ranch is not a great fit for your lifestyle, please visit us through the summer at farmers markets!

We attend the Carbondale Farmers market alternating weeks with our meat and eggs.

We attend the Aspen Saturday Market each week with a full selection of produce, meat and eggs.

Meet Your Farmers

Pat Banks

Agriculture Director

Alyssa Barsanti

Farmer Training Facilitator

Mariah Foley

Agriculture Manager

Cameron MacKenzie

Livestock Lead

Ariel Rittenhouse

Vegetable Lead

Upcoming at Rock Bottom Ranch

Select Fridays

Friday, March 22

11:00am

Winter Vegetable Tastings