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Northeast CSA conference


                        MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!!!!

        NORTHEAST REGIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE
                A FUTURE FOR FARMING IN THE NORTHEAST
                           NOVEMBER 7-8, 1997
                        HANCOCK, MASSACHUSETTS

Through the generous support of Northeast Region SARE, CSA of North
America, Just Food, UMass Extension and Wilson College are convening a
conference this fall to tackle the challenges of creating and operating
successful CSA farms in the Northeast now, and to explore their
possibilities in the future. This conference is exciting because it will
create a forum where farmers, CSA members, land grant and USDA personnel,
related non-profit organizations and the public can communicate, exchange
ideas and learn from one another.

                        PLEASE JOIN US!!!

Community Supported Agriculture -- or CSA, the mutually beneficial
arrangement whereby farmers and consumers cooperate to grow, market and
distribute food, is one of the most rapidly expanding agricultural
approaches today.  Since taking root in the Northeast over ten years ago,
CSA has become the most dynamic innovation in small scale farming.  It has
also proven an effective way for farmers all over the country to maintain
profitable, environmentally sound farming practices.

In addition to creating sustainable farms, CSA enhances local cottage
industry, local food systems and community food security.  It can also
serve as a tool to facilitate the transition from conventional/chemical
growing to organic methods.

A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE IN THE NORTHEAST
The Northeast was the birthplace of CSA in the United States and the
concept has had a tremendous impact on communitues across the U.S. and
Canada.  Today there is widespread public interest in CSA and increasing
involvement.  At present there are more than 600 CSA farms in North America
providing food for an estimated 100,000 members.  The Northeast continues
to lead the country in CSA development, with nearly 250 farm projects that
have attracted local, regional and national attention.

IDEAS AND WORKSHOPS
Your ideas on what the conference should include will carry great weight in
our final planning, so please let us know what you think. YOU ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONFERENCE AND YOUR INPUT IS ESSENTIAL.

Workshops will be designed largely based on your requests. A starting list
would likely include:

-Begin a CSA
-Sustain & expand a CSA
-Secure land use and ownership
-Assess your legal structure
-Develop a core group
-Increase member involvement
-Choose appropriate technologies
-Learn about labor, apprentices & the law -Discuss crop management issues
-Understand budgeting & accounting
-Explore CSA farmer standard of living
-Build networks of CSA farms
-Create urban-rural partnerships
-Survey other types of CSA
-Examine food security & CSA
-Probe the potential of CSA in the NE

You as CSA growers, members, and advocacy groups MAKE the conference and we
need your advice.

What subjects would you like to see presented?



Who would you suggest for possible presenters or workshop leaders?



If you are knowledgeable in certain areas, let us know what the subject is
and if you would be willing to participate in a panel or lead a workshop.

All responses should be received by June 7th.
Please include name, address, phone, farm or organization you represent,
and telephone with any correspondence.

COME SHARE IN THIS HISTORIC MOMENT FOR CSA IN THE NORTHEAST!!

REGISTRATION MATERIALS WILL BE SENT OUT IN OCTOBER. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR
RESPONSES, PLEASE CONTACT: CSA of North America, Elizabeth Keen, 57 Jug End
Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230 Tel: (413) 528-4374 csana@bcn.net or look
at our web page: http://www.umass.edu/umext/CSA

CONFERENCE CONVENERS: CSA OF NORTH AMERICA, JUST FOOD, UMASS EXTENSION,
WILSON COLLEGE and made possible through the generous support of Northeast
SARE.