From jhendrik@vms2.macc.wisc.eduMon Sep 18 22:40:37 1995 Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 10:49:42 -0400 From: jhendrik@vms2.macc.wisc.edu To: mooreprods@aol.com Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: Information on subscription farming I would agree with the recent response cautioning against a rigid distinction between subscription farming and community supported agriculture (CSA). Having been involved in the CSA movement for the past few years, I see a continumm of farms that range from a very utilitarian, market-based subsription approach to a very community-oriented, risk-sharing approach. In between are all sorts of options and configurations that make sharp distinctions difficult. I am involved in the Madison-Area CSA Coalition (MACSAC), a group of CSA farms in southern Wisconsin that exists to promote cooperation among farms as well as collective outreach ("marketing" and education) to consumers. There are 17 farms involved in MACSAC and, while they all call themselves community supported farms, there is great diversity among them in terms of philospohy, goals, and organizational structure, etc. In regard to numbers, the Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association keeps a database of "CSA" farms accross the country. At last count there were 435 farms in the database but I think this number is substantially lower than what actually exists. Call the Bio-Dynamic Association at 1-800-516-7797. Here in the midwest, where CSA/subscription farming has been growing in leaps and bounds, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute recently published a Regional Directory of CSA farms. There are 60 farms listed. Contact Michael Fields at (414) 642-3303. Address: W2493 County Road ES, East Troy, Wisconsin, 53120. And, to add to the conference announcements: The second annual Upper Midwest CSA Conference will be held December 1-3, in Madison, Wisconsin. Watch for a more detailed announcement coming soon! -John John Hendrickson Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems University of Wisconsin-Madison 1450 Linden Drive, Room 146 Madison, WI 53706 jhendrik@macc.wisc.edu