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CSA history



Dear Art,
As I understand it, it's generally agreed that the CSA concept got its
start in Japan in the 7o's -- where it is known as food with the
farmer's face on it.

Europe saw some CSA initiatives in the late 70s and early 80's.  The
concept came to America with Jan Vander Tuin, a CSA farmer from
Switzerland.  He spoke about the idea of community farms in, I believe,
'85.  Then as the growing season of 1986 got underway the first two
farms that could truly be called CSA emerged more or less
simultaneously, both having been inspired by Vander Tuin's talks: The
Temple-Wilton Community Farm in Temple, NH, and the CSA Garden at Great
Barrington in Great Barington, MA (now the Mahaiwe Harvest CSA).

Good luck with your article, Steven McFadden 
(co-author Farms of Tomorrow Revisited: Community Supported Farms, Farm
Supported Communities)