© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

3/1/1990 - Community Supported Agriculture: Nuts and Bolts. by Arthur Getz

NOTFOR PUBLICATION WITHOUTWRITER SCONSENT INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS Washington DC Commu S uppored Agr ur__o March SUtS End Bolt Peter Bird Martin B Drector nstitte C rrent World Affairs Whee House West Whee Street Hanover NH 03755 Deac Peter Community supported ariculture riculture supported adoptin farmer gettn directly Because community pported experiment process ettin these means level community evolve The basic discussions practoners those started solutions central uestions peopJ ownership become process socia relationships attempted themes winter Kimberton workshop CSAs See AAt practical quest details riang community supported arden Picture bolts effort provide dagrm C As Ket started ElJ1 D NG C OMM NTTY For Alabama there first little sophJ J besjveness The attraction newcomers although group motivated Ja ecologJc ideaIs A nearby university commtnty We those havng medical consuming or_anic produce Of several ommunt sought interesi their Dro This C GA quite there difficult Is decided administer question group together alternate souroe Arth Institute examinine issues agriculture hlman oross perspective Since theInstituteofCurrentWorldAffairs theCrane RogersFoundation hasprovidedlong termfellowships enable outstandingyoungadultstoliveoutsidetheUnitedStatesandwriteaboutinternationalareasandissues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations Some techni doing thrown consideration One first group starte series picnics second rained third small Mention difficulty getting schedules people weather match trying organize everyone systematic fashion activities suggestions about having festivals spring planting harvest festival Linked seasonal event these broader symbolic appeal practical effect lucks could besides The objective increase partici pation invite cooperative activity Another approach aavertised attitude welcome hayri tasks where people Org anzers emphasized visitors their appreciated produce given thanks These things bring people community mentioned before provide opportunity donate labor Providing people opportunity received among sharers Kimberton CSA where experiences extra helpers carloads digging potato They believe lucks actual brings people closer after sharers leave It recounted atoes enjoyed homes evenings after communal harvest shareholders together again imagination could house house neighbors kitchens wonder spuds sliced diced sauteed baked enjoyed DEGREE OF PARTICIPATION Expectations community people still involve4 The talked these people included Communicating phone least people updated groups message machine deliver messages about harvested events planned Many circulate their newsletters Some roups distribute shares maintains degree nteracton Others found communal harvesT where people their hares trade stories achieves shine getting throu carpooli Flowers herbs other crops ndividuals browse planted purpose which people greater degree persona involvement daily selection reminders table meals THE ROLE OF CHILDREN Children especially animals exposure community builder first straight hutches They eager excited omething should always there should openness freedom please freedom while learnin willingness think others allows social process imposed Adults freedom designed built children coming easily supervised adult which llows parents frolic Fa associated school number Waldorf school introduced programs their curriculum structure children visits focus particular component SECURING A LAND BASE All these above topics presume available although groups gotten organized without initially identifying particular piece They farmer enter relationship group Land trusts feature community supported agriculture arrangements These their simplest properties purchased removed possibility agricultural development under agreements which govern length piece protected restricted A trust document unpainted canvas potential style uniqueness implie4 The specific rules piece under agreement limited creativity legal counsel helping frame agreement A seperation development rights actual ownership property option owner would protect development In several states landowners these development rights other benefits In addition these variety other legal approaches exist which serve protect farmland including restrictions 4onation easements which enforceable documents governing privilege piece properf particular manner Groups seekin involvement piece advised obtain lease other secur piece contributes stability group enhances fertility building process seperating speculative pressures farming otherwise force short period How manage question thorny issue Two Biodynamic groups I mentioned under arrangements either benefit ownership generous available minded participant Biodynamic community Wilton Kimberton Wa school leases CSA group But Massachusetts group difficulties between landowner early CSA gardener project break agreement seperate The small birthplace having support CSAs tensions still exist A presentation member American Farmland Trust described their approach administering trusts nationally coordinated program state locally funded donated being preserved agricultural purposes A revolving purchase farmlands danger development state local groups tually reimburse Trust those purchases The difficulty found definitions agricultural purposes which being broad admitting practices thought unsustainable An example given trust being converted horse nursuries courses typically import other farms doing export nutrients presumably waste accumulation problem other Numerous other cases unsustainable practices cited Another complaint I heard AFT rules about structures property limiting people wished seeking closer connection wante build farmhouses property where existed Apparently construction buildings strictly limited The tension level management national preservation movement fundamental ethics actually operate specific piece The preservationists concerned about macro level issues farmland being uncontrolled development horse farms other forms better housing developments pavement others concerned farming class cannot survive unless rules governing trusts sensitive requirements farmers saving farmland ultimately preservation scenery emphasize ecologically attuned specific kinds agronomic tices these protected lands These irreconci conflicts point differences emphasis groups interested farmland preservation dependin scope their active WHERE ARETHE FARMERS AND CARDENERS Once problem unknotte4 group still partJc farmer gardener Rod Shou served resource person several newly artJng groups identifies limiting factor prevents C A multiplying There shortage farmers gardeners Those these arrangements typically veteran market gardeners farmer market background Most found network searches rather placing advertisement Mana_ing large garden variety crops staggered harvesting requirements CSAs depend highly skilled These growers their other marketing experiences because economic risks involved words farmhand enough vegetables They community interest support As another CSA member I experience getting involved CSA gardener reallM spend their cultivatJ cultiva crops which vegetable market grower crops never going school whereas CSA concept seems closer doing because needs built budget WHAT TO PAY THE FARMER How decide costs farmer For original presentation CSA without connecting hourly wages participant suggested instead estimate relative being their farmers should enjoy This search support experimentation injects additional sense innovation concept Examining farmers position economic world looking parity someone trained responsible others farmer should compared doctors awyers priests perhaps idealism should extend children teachers A shared theme discussion principle exploitation agricultural workers ected CSA groups living wages those engaged agriculture needs Organic agriculture especially West Southwest labor component times greater factor production conventional agriculture being achieved migrant labor often wages Several _iections concept things developed osophy cannot exploit workers notion farmers gardeners should somehow other members society large CSA tr_ie tried problems agriculture agricultural workers society consciously exploit living wages provide living benefits SHARES PLEDGES One farmer anticipating first meeting prospective sharers inquires Trauer Groh while vsion abiliT express vision helps articulate I still haven quite ability people these ideals foreign their experience quite ready figure 85cents pound their working registers ringing I little ideas holding meetinEs shareholders members community communication there these ideals might expressed believable people otherwise would incredible These along following related questions mechanism pledge system meetin colle pledges public pledge Trauger offers See really share cannot carry alone share various necessary loosen between produce costs produce price Especially organism cannot really calcu costs individual produce totality package The necessarily everywhere situation situation where little Very rocky there interested group wanted produce I beforehand experience there tried would would costs First situation difficult second people totall spoiled think supermarket closer somethinE They consistency stick truly every grows every every thinking shall first thing really costs I think important thing everyone should through specified differentiated budEets because there yourse What I these J ntentons And realise working people spend money makes people costs makes electricity costs working group attrib costs someone someone stand behind every sphere responsibility What costs first certain fiEure could How cover Ani Anthony manager Wilton fairly squeezed because wouldn deliver difficult natural situation ready cover through pledges And something people difficult beginning stuck sticking ledges ubllc We people whole community together March April budget month before meeting where explain every expense spend money Becaus there spirit figure everything buying plants animals place whole spirtual configuration And meeting where people pledge pledging meeting someone start really I always auction budget auction budget publiclY At Kimberton things little differently Their approach payment system identify average total estimated budget divided number sharers establish range below above 1nderstanding individual households could could afford within range Then after first round pledges total second round auctioning budget within range figure began succeeded creating surplus The auction doesn always first round Wilton group either And sitting every deficit people cannot budget second there still deficit there something ideal other farmers cancel depreciation thing enough reduce personal income reality certain certain amount money trust people figure arrange ourselves works cover costs And beautiful situation beginning every every anyone expenditure Now beautiful process fulfilling DETE RMINING THE SHARE COSTS The first tough establish share figure easier guesswork refined subsequent years In Kimberton CSA identify average share records amounts Were harvested share basis observed there repeatin surpluS produce efforts expanding membership rather resorting average share holder The actual figure among groups variety reasons A Kinston NY workin share quasi contractual statement CSA faith provide shareholder average pounds organically grown vegetables first harvest until winter storage vegetables distributed But offer share those willing hours during season deposit thirty additi dollars which refund after hours converted tasks raning planting weeding carpentry cleanup watering helping harvest Another CSA Great Barrinton Ma offers pounds organic produce conventionally produced supermarket prices weekly weeks season price provides option summer winter shares respectively This allows summer gardeners partake CSA crops stored their cellar through winter The Kimberton CSA share averagin aforementioned range fifty dollars above below average single parent families might afford share while better households might contribute average Other grops might higher share figures because offer greater variety foods including cheese yogurt chemically meats poultry People installments The Wilton CSA monthly based pledge sometimes adjustments tunin neede4 Trauger speaking Wilton group There compromises things really great problem pledges covering costs feeling winter sometimes little since monthly payments monthly short winter short money supermarket someone proposed Why extra payment summer where fifty dollars worth produce thirty dollars Apparently thirty percent members found arrangement suite4 their needs decided double amount months summer covering pledges A couple roups discovered original share large several households shares proposed would regular price This could solve problem larger average households perhaps needed shares The producer household excluded pledging system Trauger explains And community doesn other people speak would doesn It doesn because households consuming households responsible covering costs different system seventy families working cover cover costs sitting alone problem It always working there human intelligence initiative somehow solve every RISK AND COMMITMENT On commitments people willi these arrangments incentives farmers perform Another thing I CSAs commitment people budget commitment people loner commitment But commit people budget small people Well I fifty dollars month I I ruined Ya It calculate makes people small If contracts people would On other there enormous incentive pressure because perform leave eventually leave leave So certain motivation I ideal solution interesting social process about INVESTMENTS BY THE GROUP The shares cover operating costs sometimes allow extra expenditures encountered running Losses drought experienced first Genesis Farm group NJ necessity capital investments fencing irrigation The Wilton group contemplating contingency repairs equipment other costs might arise Beyond assessment farmers amount produce raised kinds information decisions deliberations total budget figure community supported operation NEEDED DATA FOR PRODUCTION PLANNING There certain other kinds managers accurately their yield linear determine their seedbed transplanting patterns although there doesn reliable ormation compact scale multicropping intensity operations involved Farmers CSAs excell juggling variety available given during growing season people armload lettuce beans little something They clever extending growing season community supplied possible Abandoning chemicals often means their place greater degree management skill needed However production estimating statistics general agronomic information available county extension agents other onventional sources limited value because typically serve large monocrop operations often intensive In order succeed operating under these qualitatively quantitatively distinct regimes based personal experience knack innovation guesswork ability information informal farmer networks The Kimberton gardeners started estimates family would weekly using themselves model extrapolated total number members Then turned whatever yield could On whole produce variety constant supply vegetables invariably there surpluses shortfalls particular crops natural variables paucity yield But other CSA farmers gamble market could feedback preferences suitability Local records yields source information valuable since diversified small scale farming provided information disappeared Some catalogs provide yield estimates unreliable lacking specificity HARVEST AND DISTRIBUTION Me thods harvest handling consideration consumers veggies weekly harvest queen useful invention elected honor responsibilities guessing harvested deciding organize For those summertime vacations their shares either donated needy passed participating neighbors frequently after exposure concept In distributing produce rather packaging individual households group allows people knowing others pulling which favors broadening social consc ousness sometimes people enough harvest queen might gently APPRENTICES The experience working shaped little money diverse program managed interesting participants But commonly agreed generation farmers vital resource nutured somewhere these CSA farms gardens important training grounds future stewards Some CSAs attempting support trainees their budgets INTRODUCING THE IDEAS OUTWARD For purposes developing these techniques ideas ongoing active research objective ofmany existing CSA groups This includes variety tasks keeping hours logged aspects In addition having directly practical effect annual budgetary process monitoring being serve inform critiques conventional agricultural approaches This applies yearly comparisons monetary equivalent value produce against conventional supermarket prices wholesalers New insights environmental accounting tradeoffs iciency fertility enhancement measurement waste resource flows might facilitate later improvements overall design Some comparisons already suggest CSA approach rival exceed savings buying organic foods wholesale conventionally produced marketed which might useful enticement those skeptical unfamiliar deeper value commnity supported agriculture experience Co ordination local restaurant small natural foods store exposure the_community In Swiss example where CSAs operating years local chefs their menus extra supply community natural foods stores handle surplus groups provide Vermont storage space convenient location serve pickup point sharers Other outreach ideas tested nclude festivals surrounding community Co ordinating system collecting receiving composting municipal leaves kitchen organic refuse hosting communal canning parties mentioned earlier distributing surplus uncollected harvest shares needy homeless individuals larger community NO CSA IS AN ISLAND These groups always provide themselves within local climatic resource constraints ideas being developed other producers Trauger Groh responding question about ideal number people suggestion The Midwest problem because there people I visiting years I there people I visited farmers people every second house empty farms given Good houses No there around produce produce And people We breadbasket World It their invention heard radio always If world doesn world And I feeling really justified where people where there demand because produce there demand Often nuisance world market It makes difference See there reality production there demand visible demaud Now cannot people there farming Wilton vegetables grain I should concrete connection grain farmer I extending consciousness community these desperate grain farmers grain responsibility paying conventionally buying longer envision network community farms network It organism beyond organism there networking between areas between concrete places between markets vision I Another dimension seeking linkages other groups being discussed trade tropical products essential coffee spices dried fruits Efforts under extend concept exchange mutual support through alternative trade channels which assure producers higher return their products identify those farming oranically equitable relationships among field workers producer cooperatives This another parallel Japanese groups I witnessin interest although potential assess still relatively recent developments ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION handbook introducing short bibliography being updated available Robyn VanEn Indian Line Farm RR Box Great Barrington MA 01230 short video available first group developed concept CSAs US Contact Mickey Friedman John MacGruer Downtown Productions Railroad Street Great Barrington MA 01230 Trauger Groh authoring Steve McFadden available later entitled The Farms Tommorrow published Biodynamic Association North America Contact Rod Shouldice information about Biodynamics Biodynamic Farming Gardening Association P O Box Kimberton PA 19442 Rod keeps expanding mailing CSA roups around country Received Hanover