I've been meaning to do this for quite some time.
Below is a beginning draft of a FAQ for the CSA-L email list. A FAQ is a
list of frequently asked questions and answers that is posted periodically
to an e-mail list such as CSA-L to answer common questions that
come up repeatedly. I plan to update the FAQ and repost it every month or two
depending on the level of traffic on the list.
Please look it over and send me corrections and additions. I
particularly need help filling in answer #9 and #10 as I haven't been to
any conferences this year and could use brief summaries of what functions
various national organizations serve with regard to CSA and current
contact info. Since the CSA movement is still young I know this
informatin can become out of date quickly.
John Barclay, jbarclay@prairienet.org
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John Barclay (217) 352-4025 jbarclay@firefly.prairienet.org
Champaign, IL, USA http://www.prairienet.org/~jbarclay/homepage.html
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Frequently Asked Questions for CSA-L Networking List
(available at http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/csa-l.html)
1. What is CSA-L?
2. How do I subscribe to CSA-L?
3. How do I unsubscribe to CSA-L?
4. What is appropriate to post to CSA-L?
5. How do I post to CSA-L?
6. Who subscribes to CSA-L?
7. Where can I find archives of CSA-L?
8. How can I find a CSA where I live?
9. What are some useful CSA organizations?
10. What are some good books, articles, and videos of CSA?
11. What are some CSA Resources on the World Wide Web.
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1. WHAT IS CSA-L?
The e-mail list "CSA-L@prairienet.org" is for networking on Community
Supported Agriculture. We hope to see discussions on goals, distribution
styles, outreach tools, member retention, educational work, connections
with non-CSA organizations, etc. We also would like to see the exchange
of newsletter articles and information about resources on CSA such as
networking organizations, books, journals, videos, audio tapes from
conferences, speaker tours of interest to CSAs, etc. In short, we would
like to take advantage of the collective knowledge of as many CSA's as
possible to help the CSA movement grow and strengthen!
The listowners are John Barclay (jbarclay@prairienet.org) of Prairieland
CSA in Champaign, Illinois and Sarah Milstein (milstein@pipeline.com) of
Roxbury Biodynamic Farm in New York.
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2. HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE TO CSA-L?
Send a message to "listproc@prairienet.org" with "subscribe CSA-L
Firstname Lastname" in the message. Put you first and last names in place
of Firstname and Lastname and omit the quotes. You may leave the subject
line blank.
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3. HOW DO I UNSUBSCRIBE TO CSA-L?
Send a message to "listproc@prairienet.org" with "unsubscribe CSA-L" in
the message. Omit the quotes. You may leave the subject line blank. If
this doesn't work, send an e-mail to jbarclay@prairienet.org and I will
unsubscribe you.
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4. WHAT IS APPROPRIATE TO POST TO CSA-L?
All messages should meet the following criteria:
-> Messages should be related to the purpose of the list.
-> Messages should have a clear subject heading.
-> Messages between individuals should not go to the entire list unless
the information in them may be of interest to the list.
-> Messages should include a good signature which includes your name, any
organization that you represent, and where you are located
geographically.
-> Questions that are answered in the Frequently Asked Questions Postings
(FAQs) should be avoided.
These guidelines are to improve the quality and effectiveness of the list
as a networking tool. As the number of subscribers to the list grows,
the success of the list will depend on the quality of our postings.
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5. HOW DO I POST TO CSA-L?
To post a message to the whole list, send it to CSA-L@prairienet.org
In order to post to CSA-L, you must be subscribed to the list and send
the message from the account name that you are subscribed on. In other
words, If you have several e-mail accounts or aliases, you need to send
e-mail from the account you subscribed from.
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6. WHO SUBSCRIBES TO CSA-L?
Over 200 Farmers, CSA members, students studying CSA, and other
interested parties from around the world. To get a list of the
subscribers send a message to "listproc@prairienet.org" with "recipients
CSA-L" in the body and a current list will be sent to you. Some
subscriber biographies are available on the CSA-L web page.
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7. WHERE CAN I FIND ARCHIVES OF POSTINGS TO CSA-L?
On the world wide web at:
http://csf.colorado.edu/sustainability/plants/csa/
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8. HOW CAN I FIND A CSA WHERE I LIVE?
Call the Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association toll-free CSA/BDA
Consumer Hot Line (1-800-516-7797) to request a free list of the CSA/BDA
farms and/or gardens in your state.
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9. WHAT ARE SOME USEFUL NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS ON CSA?
Please send me short one paragraph summaries of any national or regional
organizations you work with including current contact information and
roles your organization performs.
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10. WHAT ARE SOME GOOD BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND VIDEOS OF CSA?
If your organization publishes or distributes and CSA materials, please
send me current summaries and how-to-order info. I'd like to list
several of the best books and periodicals of use to CSAs, but the info. I
currently have may be out of date.
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11. What are some CSA Resources on the World Wide Web.
Several CSAs have web pages, but there really isn't a whole lot on the
WWW specifically devoted to CSA's. Links to all the web sites I can find
related to CSAs can be found at:
http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/CSA-L.html