Ann asked some great questions specific to CSAs on a previous thread and I thought I would answer them here in better detail.

In regard to pest/disease damage: generally crops are not totally wiped out. You might loose this weeks lettuce crop to slugs but not the radishes, etc. You plant several sowings of the most important crops (salad mix, carrots, potatos) so that there is a harvest of those at some point. Unless there is a tornado, you are not likely to lose your entire crop at once, even so to a certain extent you could replant. Most customers are sympathetic to disasters, just make sure they feel it as well when there is a bumper crop of something.

What is the box: The boxes can be anything, we are eventually going to move to the rubbermaid boxes so we can send them with a freezer pack in them to keep the greens cool. We will charge a deposit for the boxes. For now we are using wax coated "organic" veggie boxes (get from organic co-op store. Regular veggie boxes still have chemical residues in them.

What is in the box: Between 8-10 different items. Example: Spring: 1 bunch of carrots, 1/3 lb salad mix, 1 bunch radishes, spinach, 1/2 lb peas, 1 head broccoli, chives, green onions, thyme, beet greens Summer: corn (4 ears), onion, 1 lb new potatoes, basil, 2 tomatoes, 1 leaf lettuce, 2 peppers, tomatillos (2), zuccini (1), cauliflower Fall: winter squash, kale, large potatoes (2), 1/3 lb salad mix, 2 beets, 1 turnip, 1 bunch carrots, broccoli, 1 small head cabbage

Delivery: Always costs more. You can deliver to a central site or if folks live close to each other you can go house to house. If so make sure you get at least $20/hour delivery- including your drive time there and back. We charge $2 per person since we live close to town. I live close to town and am asking them to come early to pack boxes. Their kids can go pet the rabbits and chickens and look for eggs.

Value added: Vegetables are not the only money makers. We have fruit shares too. We offer eggs at $2.50 per dozen or $1.50 perhalf dozen. Flowers for $4 per bouquet per week with their share. They will also be for sale at the stand at $5 per bouquet. We will also have some plants, crafts, soap, extra vegetables, fruit, ornamental corn and pumpkins in fall, and boxes of Christmas greens (holly, cedar, etc.) for sale at our stand. That way when they come they can purchase more. The stand will also be open to the public.

Price per week (paid in advance-split 6 wk payments available for higher price): $15 small veg only share, $25 large. Fruit $5 small, $10 large. Eggs $1.50 half doz $2.50 doz. Flowers $4.

Meat: We will be selling chickens for $2.50 per pound, pre-ordered and picked up with their share. We are trying to figure out a way to (legally) sell our beef to a group of CSA members and then give them some each week with their box (2lbs). We are not allowed in our state to sell it by the piece. Same way with pork. Turkeys will be for sale at $2-$2.50 per pound.

Our effort is to get them to buy as much as possible from us. A diverse farm is a healthy farm anyway. We would be growing our own stuff so why not grow enough to feed 20-30 families? I figure with all going at the same time we should bring in gross over $20,000+ our first year (We moved here in fall of 2000- last year was a practice year for most things). BTW we only have 7.8 acres (all usable). We will let you know how it goes. Amy

-- Amy Richards (amysgarden2@earthlink.net), January 23, 2002

Answers

Response to More on CSAs

Oh! you are just wonderful for answering these questions. I'd like to do a modified version of this someday. Have you thought of useing (free) food grade 5 gal buckets instead of boxes and not have that expense?

Amy when I was in the city I'd have loved to buy this way. You should say where you are located so interested people can contact you by email. You aren't soliciting if we want to know how to find it, I think....

I guess I'm not sucessfull enough at what I do to know I'd have crops (boy I have some fantastic failures!!).

How did you find your customers?

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 23, 2002.

Response to More on CSAs

I am not sure the buckets would work because you would have to stack stuff on top of each other and things could get mushed.

I am on Whidbey Island, WA but I would think most Countrysiders are already growing a lot of their own food. For many of my customers I am giving them the farm experience as much as the food. It is a life they would like to dream of but not have. They don't want to deal with pigs in the mud on a cold rainy night but they want to eat the pork, save veggies for the pigs and pet the piglets.

Many of my customers are coming from a CSA that is stopping in February. I was asked to start one and some of my customers will come from that. A friend of mine is active in a food order co-op (flour, supplements, etc.) and she sent my letter out to those people and anyone else she knew might be interested. The letter has been out a week and I have five people signed up- all are ready to pay in full. This is for a spring season- our summer season will begin in Mid-May. I will post a note at the closest organic food co-op (40 minutes away) so that folks from the island who drive over to get stuff can see it. I need 10 people to start (by Feb.22) and don't think I will have a problem getting it. I want 20 people for the summer season. Amy

-- Amy Richards (amysgarden2@earthlink.net), January 23, 2002.

Response to More on CSAs

hello there ms.markson & ms. richards, i too am too running a c.s.a. farm. this year i will be expanding to 20 paid shares.up from last years 3 families a resturaunt & market sales.

i would highly recomend that y'all take a peek at the attra.org site.

free to all, great knowledgeable folks, & referances & sources listed at the end of each subject topic. [even our own mr.k.scarboro<- sp? is listed as a reference source so you know the stuff has to be good !]

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/

this is the toll free phone # 1 800 346 9140, you can ask for a copy of the c.s.a. farm overview publication. it gives a good account of failed & succesful farms & the work/knowledge required to run one.

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), January 23, 2002.

Have customer all sign a "coop" agreement to go in on a beef cow, with you as the purchasing, handling, and processing "broker". State the share of the price in the contract and have them all agree up front to any specs on feed, medical care, etc. Put in a clause stating that if unforseen circumstance occur accident that requires major vet care, sickness that requires replacement of animal, etc, the price for each share may go up by X%, but no more.

Have them state in writing on their own personal sheet (each should have a preferences sheet in addition to group agreement) stating which portions of the animal they would prefer, and how much. Make notes on extra things like organ meats, bones for dogs or stock, hide, other animal parts that could be used for crafts or other purposes, etc. that you could charge for or substitute for meat portions. In the case of conflict (two or more want the hide, say) have some way to break the deadlock (first signed up, first pick, or blind drawing, what have you).

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

wow, you are going at the csa big time , we are just trying it this year , we have 2 member families , since this is the first year we have lived here, we thought it best to start small, we do have a cow , and as the last respondant stated , we are going shares for the meat , we get a free share (50lbs) as we are growing feeding tends ing the animal , and the rest of the shares we are selling (this year only) at 1.50 lb, in a block , or 2.50 lb cut and wrapped , we are sending it to a local butcher , who will let me be there to watch the entire butchering( i have food service cert), which will work well, several of the cow families mentioned they arent always sure they get the "same meat" they sent in , this will assure it , as i will freeze brand the halve , and will return the following week to help with cutting and packaging( this also cuts our costs ), i simply went there and talked with the butcher , he had concerns about me being there for packaging , so i showed him how to cut up a quarter cow for restraunt cuts , and he was satisfied , even offer me part time job :)

we are selling organic free range eggs starting in fall, and wasnt sure how much to charge , thanks that helps us out as well, here in ND , there arent a lot of enforcement of these types of laws , its kind of unwritten code , but with my restraunt exp. i am making sure all is done as cleanly and sanitarily as possible on handling of animal prducts

any how, best of luck , Beth

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

I am interested to know if this is still working for you. thanks, Kristean

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.