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market-farming - Re: Working share advice

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Petersons <petersns AT mail.whidbey.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Working share advice
  • Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2001 06:44:58 -0800


Work share option input:

>(1) How many hours?
We expect 3 hours per week for a share valued at approx $20/week
>
>(2) What % of discount?
So far, each of the work/share people have opted for working off the entire
cost. One gave out part way through the season, but she paid for the
remainder and continued to get veggies.
>
>(3) Success or trouble with participation?
Same range as your other respondent-Some people put in far more hours than
are required, some can't manage the work and quit, leaving a gap in the
workload, and extra vegetables. I like the idea of having a trial work
session. Its hard to predict just from talking with people, how they will
work out. You can spend more time training, educating and directing than
you get back in work accomplished. At that point, we try remember that a
part of our goal is to educate, and stop fretting but it does mean we do
the work that didn't get done.

We've had good luck with couples working, even with children. One recent
couple had a schedule that didn't fit well with our needs but..... they
could come one hour at distribution time and one of them was willing to
come back the next day to cart off leftover shares to a women's shelter and
food bank. We were relieved to solve the donation dilemma easily.

Our best workers so far have been a physical therapist, a yoga teacher, and
a leader of wilderness trips. We've met wonderful people doing work
shares, so its worth the potential hassle.
>
>(4) Pay in full then reimburse? or reduced? If reduced how are work hours
>enforced?
When we take on a work trade we emphasize that the committment is for the
entire season, so reimburse is not a good option for us. Some workers
still feel entitled to not work, and not get veggies at random points
during the season. Again we end up doing the work that wasn't done. We
ususally wouldn't want them back on a work trade.






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