Dining with your members sounds like a great idea. Most consumers really
don't know what goes into farming, so hearing it from "their" farmer would
really bring it home. Also, the personal connection is very important in
CSA. Just seeing you once a week may not be enough for people to
sympathize with your economics.
If you tell them what you told us, that you're making $1.10 an hour, that
should also help. It's not even minimum wage, and it is conceptually a
number that people can understand. "Let's see, I make $15 an hour, and
have a hard time paying all my bills. How can he survive on $1.10?"
More than one CSA has said that their members raised their wages once
they found out how low they really were.
And finally, don't despair. CSAs often have hard times the first year or
two.
Your idea reminds me of the country parson traveling around
dining with his parisioners and spreading the Good Word at the same time.
Bill