[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

RE: More About New Regional CSA Alliance



Here's a sample from the CSA-L list, one I thought would be an interesting
idea for this area or for wannabe farmers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sylvia Kantor
Agriculture Information Coordinator
WSU Cooperative Extension, King County
700 Fifth Ave, Suite 3700
Seattle, WA 98104-5037
(206)205-6410
mailto:sylvia.kantor@metrokc.gov

Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common
sense.              --Gertrude Stein

> ----------
> From: 	DGreen47@aol.com[SMTP:DGreen47@aol.com]
> Sent: 	Saturday, January 02, 1999 7:32 AM
> To: 	csa-l@prairienet.org
> Subject: 	More About New Regional CSA Alliance
> 
> CSA of the Upper Susquehanna (West Branch of the Susquehanna River from
> Lewisburg PA and points north, Tioga River, Conhocton River, Chemung
> River,
> and Susquehanna River to Owego NY -- and all tributaries/feeders of this
> watershed):
> 
> Mission Statement:  "To form supportive alliances among farmers and other
> people who love good food and the environment."
> 
> Membership is open to anybody within the target area who gardens, farms,
> or
> eats.  At last count, the US Government thinks there are about 3,000,000
> people there so it's our guess that we should be able to find enough of a
> market to help 20 or 30 farmers and gardeners stay in business -- and we
> should be able to develop enough of a market once the word gets out that
> we
> could encourage more people to put farms that have been fallow for ten to
> thirty years back into production.
> 
> No gardening or farming experience is necessary by consumer members.  It's
> strongly suggested for farmers and gardeners.  We will attempt to connect
> wannabe farmers and gardeners with mentors and other appropriate
> resources.
> 
> Wide range of business computer services available to gardeners and
> farmers.
> Have Pentium II computer, full office setup and software, will organize.
> Reduced hourly and project rates for members!
> 
> Farm market booths maintained and staffed at most of the major towns
> within
> the target area. (Staffing salaries paid by farmers who don't serve at the
> booths themselves, assistance at market provided by volunteers who choose
> not
> to work in the gardens because of allergies or physical limitations.)
> 
> Farmers receive 80% of retail price for all produce sold.
> 
> Organic, transitional, and IPM farmers/gardeners welcomed.  Assistance
> provided to any farmers who wish to become certified organic.
> 
> Members who require only 100% organic produce can state so on their
> contract,
> and that is what they will receive.  Otherwise the weekly food packet
> delivered to members will just be local, fresh, and delicious -- some
> organic,
> some transitional or IPM.
> 
> Members can sign up for a 10, 20, or 30-week season at $5, $10, or higher
> levels.  They signify preferences on monthly order forms, but each weekly
> package consists of what the gardens and farms actually produce that week.
> For example, a member can check both "strawberries" and "rhubarb" for
> June.
> On June 15th, strawberries might not be ready but rhubarb is abundant so
> they'll get rhubarb on the 15th, both on the 22nd, and just strawberries
> on
> the 29th because the rhubarb has all been harvested and sold.
> 
> Members can elect to "work off" half of their purchase commitment by
> helping
> out at the farms at group "Project Days", with the monthly newsletter, or
> at
> distribution points and/or farm market sites, at a rate of exchange of $5
> per
> hour.
> 
> Members may also volunteer at the same jobs, with their time applied to
> the
> purchase of produce for additional donations to the Food Bank of the
> Southern
> Tier (unsold items from the market at that site near Arnot Mall on Route
> 17
> will be donated straight into the coolers at the Food Bank warehouse every
> week with or without volunteer credits).
> 
> Nobody except the Facilitator knows who's working off part of their fee as
> a
> volunteer or for credit against their share price.  And she doesn't know
> who's
> doing so from financial necessity, because they want to learn more about
> gardening and farming, or because they like being a part of this really
> "grass-roots" solution to social and environmental problems.
> 
> Whenever farm markets participate in the New York State WIC program,
> CSA-US
> booths will include at least one farm which also participates in this
> excellent program.  Only the produce from that farm can be paid for with
> WIC
> coupons.
> 
> Farmers are encouraged to participate in the USDA food stamp program.  As
> soon
> as the formal incorporation has been completed (as a state-licensed
> not-for-
> profit 501c3 organization), CSA-US will look into directly accepting food
> stamps for harvest shares and market sales.
> 
> At the same time, CSA-US will also look into accepting credit cards
> payments
> for harvest shares and market sales.
> 
> Members can also get seeds and seedlings for their own gardens in April,
> May,
> and June.  Many of the member farms specialize in hard-to-find heirloom
> and
> open-pollinated varieties not available in garden centers.
> 
> Farmers and gardeners also get to take advantage of our cooperative
> purchasing
> and advertising programs.  Each farmer may choose how much to contribute
> to
> the advertising budget based upon how much benefit they expect to receive
> from
> it.  If nobody contributes, we just won't advertise.  Not the
> facilitator's
> first choice of action, but Group Conscience runs this group, not me.  <G>
> 
> All of this and more can be seen after tomorrow at the new CSA-US web
> page,
> http://www.agrove.com/csa-us.html
> 
> If you are in the target area or have a friend who is and who you think
> would
> like to be part of this project, please drop me a line.
> 
> Dori Green
> Ash Grove Community Farm & Center for Sustainable Living
> Corning, NY
> 
> http://www.agrove.com
>