The Thunder 5 Ranch CSA, Farmers Market and delivery schedule page.
E-Mail deeann@thunder5ranch.com Phone 618-308-0917 or 618-308-0792
E-Mail deeann@thunder5ranch.com Phone 618-308-0917 or 618-308-0792
T5R Members Club update FOR 2014
08-12-2014
Over the last few weeks I have made some major changes in markets and locations. This has simply
been a move to eliminate markets from the list that were costing more to operate at than they returned.
This has thrown a hiccup into the Member Club drop off locations in C'dale. The location in C'dale is
now at The Auto Shop at 317 E. Main from 11am-1:30pm on Wednesdays. If that does not work for you
we hop a short distance away to the Carterville Cannon Park Market on Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm
and I am usually at Cannon Park until 6:45pm packing up after the market
08-12-2014
Over the last few weeks I have made some major changes in markets and locations. This has simply
been a move to eliminate markets from the list that were costing more to operate at than they returned.
This has thrown a hiccup into the Member Club drop off locations in C'dale. The location in C'dale is
now at The Auto Shop at 317 E. Main from 11am-1:30pm on Wednesdays. If that does not work for you
we hop a short distance away to the Carterville Cannon Park Market on Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm
and I am usually at Cannon Park until 6:45pm packing up after the market
THe 2014 Thunder 5 Ranch Members Club / CSA
The Pork, Poultry, and Beef, Membership.
52 week Based on $4.40 per pound
10 Pounds Wkly for 52 Weeks $2,288
5 Pounds Wkly for 52 weeks $1,144
26 week based on $4.60 per pound
10# $1,196.00
5# $598.00
12 week based on $4.75 per pound
10# $570.00
5# $285.00
Fruit and Produce Membership.
Fruit and produce memberships are available for sign up any time. Delivery
will begin the first week of May 2015. 60 New Memberships available in
2015.
26 week big box share averages out to 20# per week $962
26 week Half Box Share 10#-12# $572
Payment Options for Regular Memberships.
LINK CUSTOMERS.
I want to thank so many LINK users for their participation in the T5R
Members Club. It is a honor to be able to make our beyond organic foods
available to you guys at reasonable prices and to offer better choices than
the grocery stores. We are firm believers in food equality here at the T5R
and giving as many people access to local, sustainable foods. While the
Federal rules put some restrictions on paying with the LINK card we are
happy to accomodate those rules. The same levels of memberships are
available to LINK users but the payment is made in 2 week increments
rather than up front or in the standard payment options for non LINK users.
Also we now have our own LINK terminal so no more using funny money at
markets and running back and forth to get your weekly shares :)
Finally Add on Items.
A full list of all available addons will be available and placed weekly in
the member tubs :) Simply let us or our staff know a week in advance
which add on you want and we will place that order with our partner
farm and send a paypal invoice for payment or you can pay the
additional charges at the time of pick up.
Cakes $8.00
eggs $2.50
Pies $9.00
Jelly/Jam $4.50 1/2 pint
Bread White or While Wheat $3.75 (Loaf)
Herb Bundle (Mint, Sage, Sweet Basil, Cilantro, Rosemary, Chamomile, dill,
greek oregano, chives.) $3.00 each small bunch Subject to availability.
The Pork, Poultry, and Beef, Membership.
52 week Based on $4.40 per pound
10 Pounds Wkly for 52 Weeks $2,288
5 Pounds Wkly for 52 weeks $1,144
26 week based on $4.60 per pound
10# $1,196.00
5# $598.00
12 week based on $4.75 per pound
10# $570.00
5# $285.00
Fruit and Produce Membership.
Fruit and produce memberships are available for sign up any time. Delivery
will begin the first week of May 2015. 60 New Memberships available in
2015.
26 week big box share averages out to 20# per week $962
26 week Half Box Share 10#-12# $572
Payment Options for Regular Memberships.
LINK CUSTOMERS.
I want to thank so many LINK users for their participation in the T5R
Members Club. It is a honor to be able to make our beyond organic foods
available to you guys at reasonable prices and to offer better choices than
the grocery stores. We are firm believers in food equality here at the T5R
and giving as many people access to local, sustainable foods. While the
Federal rules put some restrictions on paying with the LINK card we are
happy to accomodate those rules. The same levels of memberships are
available to LINK users but the payment is made in 2 week increments
rather than up front or in the standard payment options for non LINK users.
Also we now have our own LINK terminal so no more using funny money at
markets and running back and forth to get your weekly shares :)
Finally Add on Items.
A full list of all available addons will be available and placed weekly in
the member tubs :) Simply let us or our staff know a week in advance
which add on you want and we will place that order with our partner
farm and send a paypal invoice for payment or you can pay the
additional charges at the time of pick up.
Cakes $8.00
eggs $2.50
Pies $9.00
Jelly/Jam $4.50 1/2 pint
Bread White or While Wheat $3.75 (Loaf)
Herb Bundle (Mint, Sage, Sweet Basil, Cilantro, Rosemary, Chamomile, dill,
greek oregano, chives.) $3.00 each small bunch Subject to availability.
The next sign up for the T5R Members Club (Meat and Poultry) is now open for Deliveries starting the
first week of November. As many will notice the prices have been raised, not something I like to do.
Several factors have gone into the price increase. The cost of HACCP processing has increased quite a
bit, the cost of open pollinated non GMO grain has remained higher than pre 2012 drought prices while
we use 60% less grain for the hogs and poultry than conventional operations, grain cost are still our
highest annual expense. In general the cost of almost all overhead had seen notable increases.
All of that being said I believe we still offer the best pasture based meats available in Southern IL. at the
most affordable prices!
The decision has been made to focus 90% of our meat production on the Members Club. 2012/2013
was a very much experimental year for this aspect of the T5R. With 40% of our meats going into the
Club and 60% being sold at the retail level at the markets. The Club has proven to be very popular and
will be expanded by 50%. We will still offer limited amounts at markets of certain products primarily
brats. We will be offering a total of 40 new meat and poultry memberships and no more unless someone
does not sign up after a membership expires. We are offering 10 new memberships for the November
Start. 20 new Memberships for delivery starting in March 2015 and 10 final Memberships starting
Delivery in July 2015. The Memberships are being offered in increments as we bring our pork, beef and
poultry production to our maximum sustainable levels.
The 2015 Produce Memberships will be reduced to 26 weeks and deliveries starting the first week of
May 2015. We will offer 60 new produce memberships between now and April 1st 2015. In hind sight
offering 52 week produce memberships might have been a mistake. Before accepting any further year
round produce memberships I want to be certain that we can deliver year round and that I am still as
proficient in the use of greenhouses and high tunnels as I once was.
The experiment into accepting LINK as a payment option has met with great success and we will
continue accepting LINK as a payment option for the Club. LINK does have special rules in regards to
Buyers clubs and CSAs but those rules are easy enough to conform to.
Once the memberships are full we will not be able to accept any more members unless someone does
not renew their membership or we buy more land to increase sustainable production. I have no plans of
buying more land for another 5 years and at present we have a 94% renewal rate. I am not saying that to
create a sense of urgency or a high pressure sale, just advising that at some point it will be very difficult
to sign up for a membership if things continue as they have.
first week of November. As many will notice the prices have been raised, not something I like to do.
Several factors have gone into the price increase. The cost of HACCP processing has increased quite a
bit, the cost of open pollinated non GMO grain has remained higher than pre 2012 drought prices while
we use 60% less grain for the hogs and poultry than conventional operations, grain cost are still our
highest annual expense. In general the cost of almost all overhead had seen notable increases.
All of that being said I believe we still offer the best pasture based meats available in Southern IL. at the
most affordable prices!
The decision has been made to focus 90% of our meat production on the Members Club. 2012/2013
was a very much experimental year for this aspect of the T5R. With 40% of our meats going into the
Club and 60% being sold at the retail level at the markets. The Club has proven to be very popular and
will be expanded by 50%. We will still offer limited amounts at markets of certain products primarily
brats. We will be offering a total of 40 new meat and poultry memberships and no more unless someone
does not sign up after a membership expires. We are offering 10 new memberships for the November
Start. 20 new Memberships for delivery starting in March 2015 and 10 final Memberships starting
Delivery in July 2015. The Memberships are being offered in increments as we bring our pork, beef and
poultry production to our maximum sustainable levels.
The 2015 Produce Memberships will be reduced to 26 weeks and deliveries starting the first week of
May 2015. We will offer 60 new produce memberships between now and April 1st 2015. In hind sight
offering 52 week produce memberships might have been a mistake. Before accepting any further year
round produce memberships I want to be certain that we can deliver year round and that I am still as
proficient in the use of greenhouses and high tunnels as I once was.
The experiment into accepting LINK as a payment option has met with great success and we will
continue accepting LINK as a payment option for the Club. LINK does have special rules in regards to
Buyers clubs and CSAs but those rules are easy enough to conform to.
Once the memberships are full we will not be able to accept any more members unless someone does
not renew their membership or we buy more land to increase sustainable production. I have no plans of
buying more land for another 5 years and at present we have a 94% renewal rate. I am not saying that to
create a sense of urgency or a high pressure sale, just advising that at some point it will be very difficult
to sign up for a membership if things continue as they have.