Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] How many CSA shares per acre?

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Andy Fellenz <artisanfarms AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] How many CSA shares per acre?
  • Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 09:23:21 -0400

I have >40 shares/planted acre, including 1/3 acre of high tunnels. The hightunnels and the fact that with the exception of beans, carrots and a few minor crops everything is transplanted make a big difference for me in terms of the number of shares/acre.  I grow very intensively with some of the high tunnel space yielding 5 crops/year and some field areas at 3 crops/year.  I have also stopped growing some of the space intensive crops like sweet corn.  Finally, I have eggs and honey as supplemental items for the shares as both require little space for the number of portions produced.  I offer 3 share sizes - micro with 4 items/week, small with 6-7 items/week and large with 10-11 items a week and offer season lengths from 4 - 34 weeks.  I start small with ~25 shares in mid April and have ~200 shares in the peak growing months and wind down with ~50 shares in November/early December.  We also sell at one farmers market and on the farm year round. 

Andy


On Wed, Aug 28, 2013 at 8:48 AM, elaine granata <elainegranata AT msn.com> wrote:

I have  a ¼ acre urban farm and have 20 shares.  People get 5-10 items a week depending on the season and I still have produce to supply two grocery stores, and 4-5 restaurants and the farm stand.

 

Elaine

Denver

 

From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pech
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 2:25 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] How many CSA shares per acre?

 

I'm doing 70 on on 2.5 acres.....I only sell to restaurants if I have any extra after the CSA gets their share...I feel I could get this up to 80 or 85 on the same space if I had any regular labor..

 

Good Luck

Have Fun

Dave Z6a

 


From: stonecirclefarm tds.net <stonecirclefarm AT tds.net>
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 4:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] How many CSA shares per acre?

 

20 to 40 is a realistic range with 30 being a reasonable nationwide average.  However, nailing down a figure for CSA members per acre is complicated by the fact that so many farms that do CSA also do some farmers' markets and sales to stores and restaurants.  Another factor to consider is whether you are going to be including space-hogging crops sweet corn and pumpkins in your CSA shares.  -John

 

On Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 2:39 PM, quarter acre farm <quarteracre.sonoma AT gmail.com> wrote:

How many CSA shares can 1 acre provide? 

I'm trying to figure out for future expansion plans. 

 

Right now I'm growing on 1/2 acre and I have a 10 member 25 week CSA with 2 sizes of shares a $20 Couple Share and $26 Family Share.

I also sell at 1 farmers market and to 2 restaurants.

 

I'm looking to increase to 1 acre and drop the farmers market, so I'm trying to figure out how many shares I could do then.

 

My original assumption was 20 members to an acre but I have been hearing from other farmers that its more???

 

Thanks in advance for all your words of wisdom,

Andrea

 

Sonoma, CA


_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming

Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/market-farming/
Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
address and password):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming

 


_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming

Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/market-farming/
Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
address and password):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming


_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming

Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/
Unsubscribe from the list here (you will need to login in with your email
address and password):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/market-farming




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page