Anyone here run their own CSA?

[kklibrarian]

DH and I are considering a small (like 10 shares - all people we know) CSA for the fall. If we are successful with a fall and spring/summer crop, we would consider expanding to 20 shares for the fall crop 2015. Has anyone else done something like this? Do you have any advice?

Blessings,
Kelly

[deena]

I've contributed to a CSA. I probably can't help you much but I wanted to chime in so you know you're not alone.

[Sundance]

We did for 1 season a few years ago. We weren't set up to do it, yet (mostly time-wise--too many off-farm commitments/jobs/kids, etc.) so we aren't doing it right now.

10 shares is NOT a small CSA, though!!

Just , though....I am running out the door!

[canadiyank]

No, but my friend does. Here's their website: http://www.rosehillacres.com/

Here's their Local Harvest listing: http://www.localharvest.org/bella-terra-gardens-M52586

Here's their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaTerraGardens

And this is the site they use to place orders (it's got a cool feature where you can "hold" if you're out of town or something and then it doesn't charge you for that. I travel a lot in the summer so that was a vital feature for us when we did it): http://www.farmigo.com/store/bellaterragardens

The above site just shows what they have currently available, but it's also where you manage your CSA acc't, payment, etc.

Anyway, hope that gives you some ideas.

[kklibrarian]

Originally Posted by Sundance

We did for 1 season a few years ago. We weren't set up to do it, yet (mostly time-wise--too many off-farm commitments/jobs/kids, etc.) so we aren't doing it right now.

10 shares is NOT a small CSA, though!!

Just , though....I am running out the door!

Where we are most mid-sized CSAs run about 75 shares. The bigger ones run over 150 shares. Most aren't that big though.

[WaitPatientlyOnTheLord]

Im mostly just posting to follow along.....

Ive wanted to do this. I wanted to do even smaller- like just start off selling a share to two families I know well who would be really relaxed about me figuring everything out and such. But we havent had a consistent enough harvest for more than a couple years in a row (due to moving so often!) so obviously not a good fit yet.

[Soliloquy]

I have a friend that runs a very large CSA. Mennonite farmers grow everything and she manages all the delivery/drop points, sales, customer service, etc. Like many things, customer service and dealing with unreasonable expectations and complaints are THE hardest part of her job. It basically sells itself, though. She has no trouble getting people to sign up.

[peekaboomama]

I don't run one, but I'm a member for the first time and I love it. I think it would be so great to run one eventually.

Our CSA has 40 full shares with the option to buy half shares (roughly 70 families/individuals participating this year); she farms on 2 acres. I think the hardest part would be pricing - making sure each share gets their value each week. I know there was something in our member agreement about her purchasing from other farms/farmer's markets to reach our value for the week. It seems really complex, though worthwhile.

[Sundance]

Originally Posted by kklibrarian

Where we are most mid-sized CSAs run about 75 shares. The bigger ones run over 150 shares. Most aren't that big though.

I have a friend who did a 15-share CSA a few years ago, and she ended up farming/gardening full time.

I guess my comment just meant that for someone who wanted to do a little extra & not have it as their full time job, 10 was biggish.

There are big ones around here, like you mentioned, but that is their business--not a side. They have employees & make enough money off of it to sustain their families.

When we did it, I didn't find the growing part too much, it was definitely the harvesting, packaging & delivering! Ours was *really* small, though, like WPOTL mentioned--just a few families we knew well.

I also found there was a lot of pressure for your garden to perform & that was stressful to me. We ended up getting late blight in our tomatoes, so had *none*, despite having planted extra, to ensure we'd have enough.

[kklibrarian]

My DH was laid-off from his corporate job a year ago. He is a full-time grad student and part-time aggie at this point. We only have five acres, but it is our goal to squeeze every ounce that we can out of them. If we do the CSA, it would essentially be my husband's job in addition to finishing up his water resource engineering degree.

[deena]

Waoh. That's a lot of work. I have so much respect for you. Also... I would guess that's way more than ten shares, but I could be wrong.

[kklibrarian]

I think we're doing it. Three families pretty excited about the idea and on-board. Another three on the fence but clearly curious and may jump on. Four or so prospective members that we just haven't had a chance to talk to yet. Hoping for at least 10 shares for the fall. DH is already plotting out the garden expansion and planning succession plantings. Here we go!

[canadiyank]

SUPER excited for you! Prayers for growing and financial success.

[Hannah Elise]

, because a CSA is a dream of mine. A far-off dream, from the looks of things, since the only thing that didn't get eaten in our garden this year is the beans, corn, tomatoes, a single winter squash, four watermelon plants, and the beets and spinach that I planted in a raised bed just outside our door.

Oh, and our strawberry bed. But that's not producing yet, since it's in its first year.

[kklibrarian]

Flyer is ready to hand out to interested friends. We've cancelled our satellite tv so that we can afford CSA management software and website support. Tomatoes have been started. Seeds for a dozen different varieties of fall and winter veggies came in today's mail. Please keep us in your prayers.