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Re: can CSA provide a living?



I've skimmed (who can READ this time of the year) the thread on this. My
thinking is well, of course it can provide a living. But there are more
than a few cautionary statements to add. What kind of living, for example.
Speaking for our own micro-farm and our own situation...the CSA provides a
very modest (we think of it as low impact) living on 1/2 acre. But we have
zero debt and few needs. With no core group as such and no really bad
seasons in our 5 years (though some excessive heat, cold, dry times on
occasion) we feel that our most loyal members would stay with us after a
tough season. Partly because we have become a community. Partly because
after some difficult parts of seasons we have a track record. Partly
because we have a naive belief in people's good nature...

There are many examples of larger farms which are all CSA or various
combinations of CSA and market/wholesale/specialty operations which are
seemingly working out well. The family farm, in examples we have heard, is
saved. Granting that CSA is much more than another clever marketing scheme,
it is still a way to generate an income that is much less subject to the
whims of the regular farm economy.

Go for it!

Jo and Jim at Five Springs Farm (and "The Community Farm" newsletter)

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