Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] CSA definition was End of season?

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Allan Balliett <igg AT igg.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] CSA definition was End of season?
  • Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:31:38 -0400

In traditional CSAs, the total cost of farm operations, profit, farmer's
salary, etc is projected and a price for a share determined. In a
subscription CSA, a farmer determines how much his market will bear, sets a
price, and then gets as many shareholders as he thinks he can harvest for.
The CSA usually isn't the only form of farm income, so a farm's
costs/expenses/salaries/etc are spread out over the CSA AND other sales such
as farmer's markets, roadside stand, restaurants, etc.

I'd just like to clarify that in the traditional CSA the shareholders agree to pay a share price that does support the farm and farmer and other economic activities are not engaged in, except those (like raising a few beef or eggs) that augment the CSA.

The subscription CSA probably should be renamed because it is a marketing method like any other so the 'community supported' part becomes rather confused. "Subscription produce" is probably more accurate.

Sadly, a new, highly commercial 'subscription produce' operation has started up here in the Washington, DC area. You can get Chilean (and whatnot) produce all through the year in a weekly box that is a guaranteed wait and content. given the number of people who don't look too closely at what they are buying or supporting, I can't help but think this is going to hurt we DC-area CSA operators in the long run.





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page