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Re: Explain to me, please...



Hilary -

Leslie's observations and suggestions about CSA variability and data
collection are right on.  I second her message!

Let the CSA list know if you have other questions.

- Sarah Milstein

>At 11:53 AM 9/8/97 -0400, you wrote:
>>Dear Hilary, 
>>The problem with your question is that there is no "typical" CSA. Part
>>of what attracts people to the concept is its adaptability to different
>>levels of automation, size, and even products.  I think that your
>>comparison would be useful if you used case studies, comparing a CSA and
>>a "conventional" farm who produce similar products at a similar scale
>>(measure in volume or weight of products or $ value???).  It is a hard
>>comparison to make objectively, without a lot of resources or a lot of
>>innaccurate generalizations.  I know of CSAs that serve 8 people who are
>>all within a 10 mile radius and others that truck their produce 100
>>miles to a central pickup for urban members.  I'm sorry if this sounds
>>discouraging (and I hope some one else has more useful suggestions),
>>but  I worry that you will use numbers in a very innaccurate way, and
>>you would be better off figuring out a different way to compare the
>>global industrial food system and CSAs.  If nothing else, you may be  to
>>look at other people's studies about existing CSAs and comment on the
>>trends and "implied footprints" based on that info.  You should be able
>>to find the few studies out there by doing a worldcat database search at
>>your library.
>>
>>Leslie Pelch "Former Grad Student who Know how misleading numbers can
>>be"
>>Burlington, VT
>>
>>
>>
>>Hilary Chop wrote:
>>> 
>>> I am a fourth year Environmental Studies student, at Carleton University,
>>> in Ottawa, Ontario.  For my research paper I have decided to do a
>>> comparison.  What I am comparing is the "Ecological Footprint" of CSA with
>>> that of specialized, globally envisioned agricultural practices.  The
>>> Ecological Footprint is.... an "accounting too that enables us to estimate
>>> the resource consumption and waste assimilation of a defined human
>>> population or economy in terms of corrosponding productive land area"
>>> (Rees, 1996)  What I need is information on what is involved in a "typical"
>>> CSA farm, throughout the farm's life.  For example, what is the average
>>> size of a farm, how far out is it located, what type of machinery is used,
>>> is crop rotation a regualr practice, the impact on the soil, etc.
>>> 
>>> I would really appreciate it if anyone out there could help me out.  I am
>>> awaiting a reply.....
>>> 
>>> Hilary Chop
>>> 
>>> hchop@sympatico.ca
>>
>
>