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Re: CSA discussion group, anyone?
>Hello: I've been looking all over the map to find a Community Shared
>Agriculture (CSA) discussion forum. No success.
>
>Can someone point me in the right direction? I need to do some detailed
>research and would appreciate locating this discussion forum.
>
>Tomas Nimmo
>(705) 444-0923 * FAX: 444-0380 * E-Mail: organix@georgian.net
Hi Tomas.
Hope this helps. (To subscribe, see #2 below.)
Beth von Gunten
colibri@west.net
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Welcome to the CSA-L networking list on Community Supported Agriculture.
Below is a list of common questions on the list. Please read this before
posting to the list. You are encouraged to post a short biography about
yourself to the entire list to introduce yourself.
John Barclay, list manager, Champaign, IL
---------------------------------------------------------
Frequently Asked Questions for CSA-L Networking List
(available at http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/csa-l.html)
1. What is CSA-L?
2. What is Community Supported Agriculture?
3. How do I subscribe to CSA-L?
4. How do I unsubscribe to CSA-L?
5. What is appropriate to post to CSA-L?
6. How do I post to CSA-L?
7. Who subscribes to CSA-L?
8. Where can I find archives of CSA-L?
9. How can I find a CSA where I live?
10. What are some useful CSA organizations?
11. What are some good books, articles, and videos of CSA?
12. 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
Just Food in New York, New York.
*******************************************************
2. What is Community Supported Agricutlure
Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between farmers and
consumers. In CSA, consumers buy products directly from the farm, and pay
for them in advance. Farmers do their best to produce sufficient quantity
and quality of fresh, nutritious food for their customers' needs and palates.
In some CSAs, people pay in advance to support a farm for a season. In
return, these 'shareholders' or 'sharers' receive a share of whatever the
farm has ready to harvest each week. In other CSAs, also called
subscription farms, people subscribe to a share of a given value,
prepaying monthly or quarterly. Although the size of subscription shares
don't change throughout the year, the content varies with the season.
CSA gives non-farmers a chance to get more involved in producing and
distributing their own food. Farms sponsor tours, workdays, and even
'workshares' to bring shareholders out to the farm. CSAs also often ask
shareholders to help deliver shares, sponsor drop-off sites, manage
shareholder lists, write newsletters, and more
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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 your first and last names in
place of Firstname and Lastname and omit the quotes. You may leave the
subject line blank.
*******************************************************
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.
*******************************************************
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.
*******************************************************
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.
*******************************************************
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.
*******************************************************
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.
CSA West is a resource for finding CSAs on the west coast of the U.S.,
especially California. (408/459-3964).
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9. WHAT ARE SOME USEFUL NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS ON CSA?
CSA OF NORTH AMERICA (CSANA), founded by the recently deceased Robyn Van
En, will be one of the lead organizations in the Northeast CSA Conference,
scheduled for January 1998. Tel: 413.528.4374.
http://www.umass.edu./umext/CSA
THE BIODYNAMIC FARMING AND GARDENING ASSOCIATION, Inc. is a major
promoter of CSA in North America, especially in the Northeast. Located
in Kimberton, PA, the Association publishes a bi-monthly newsletter,
sponsors a CSA conference every winter and maintains a large and
remarkably comprehensive database of established CSAs in North America.
On request, the Association will provide a list of CSAs for any given
area. They also sell Louise's Leaves. They can be reached at
1.800.516.7797 or PO Box 550, Kimberton, PA 19442.
http://www.biodynamics.com/.
EQUITY TRUST, INC. is a community development organization that has
created a revolving-loan fund for CSAs to acquire and develop
agricultural land with appropriate conservation easements and/or other
tenure arrangements that serve both farmers and communities. Their Fund
for Conservation and Community Supported Agriculture allows investors to
make unusually safe, flexible financial investments that support
progressive social change. Equity Trust also provides technical
assistance and advises CSAs on lend tenure issues. Equity Trust can be
reached at 539 Beach Pond Road, Voluntown, CT 06384. Tel: 860.376.6174.
JUST FOOD. Just Food is building connections between urban communities
and regional small farms. During the 1996-97 season, we were
instrumental in enabling six new CSAs to begin delivery in New York City.
For the 1997-98 season, Just Food will be focusing on low-income
residents' access to CSA. We are not a core group, BUT WE ARE HERE FOR
YOU, AND WE CAN HELP YOUR CSA TAKE ROOT AND GROW IN THE CITY. Contact
Sarah Milstein or Kathy Lawrence, at any point & with any questions: 290
Riverside Drive, #15D, New York, NY 10025-5287; Tel: 212/666.2168;
Fax: 212.531.4849; Email: milstein@pipeline.com
CSA WEST. CSA West was founded to expand the CSA movement by offering
regional information to farmers, prospective and current CSA members, the
media, student/interns, and related non-profit organizations. CSA
projects are very much the product of a grassroots movement, where
farmers and other CSA organizers swap information among themselves. We
strive to expand this exchange of new ideas, tried-and-true practices,
and helpful tips on running CSAs among new, old, and potential
participants in the western United States. csawest@caff.org.
916-756-8518, extension 27; fax: 916-756-7857 US mail: CAFF, PO Box 363,
Davis, CA 95617. http://www.caff.org/caff/programs/
MADISON AREA CSA COALITION (MACSAC) maintains an updated directory of CSA
farms serving the Madison, WI area and sponsor several CSA-related events
each year, including a CSA Farm Fair in March, farm tours during the
summer, and conferences and grower workshops in the fall and winter. We
also have ongoing regular meetings which are open to the public. Karen
Foley-Stauss c/o Wisconsin Rural Development Center, 125 Brookwood Dr.,
Mt. Horeb, WI 53572, 608/437-5971.
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10. WHAT ARE SOME GOOD BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND VIDEOS OF CSA?
FARMS OF TOMORROW: COMMUNITY SUPPORTED FARMS, FARM SUPPORTED
COMMUNITIES, by Trauger Groh and Steven McFadden. Although published in
1990 -- only five years into the CSA movement in this country -- the book
is still relevant today. With a section on the troubled relationship
between modern agriculture, environment, people and food, plus profiles
of seven CSAs that are beginning to address these problems, it's a very
readable and useful work. Farms of Tomorrow is available from the
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association (see above). A new version
will be published later this year.
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE. . . MAKING THE CONNECTION. A 1995
HANDBOOK FOR PRODUCERS. Presented by University of California
Cooperative Extension Placer County and Small Farm Center, UC Davis. 198
pages ** binder format. MAKING THE CONNECTION pulls together the
experience of many innovative projects. While describing the diversity
of CSA, this handbook for producers also addresses common questions and
concerns including: What is CSA?, Developing a CSA, Finding and keeping
members, Production for CSA, Managing the shares. $25. Contact UC
Cooperative Extension at 916-889-7385 for ordering information or on the
CSA-L web page or e-mail ceplacer@ucdavis.edu.
THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL FOOD GUIDE, published by cornell coop extension,
has excellent information and tips On eating local, seasonal produce. To
order, call 607.255.2080.
GROWING FOR MARKET is a monthly newsletter that has articles by and about
CSA farmers. Good ideas and honest discussion abound. Subscriptions
are $27/year. Gfm, fairplain publications, P.O. box 3747, Lawrence, KS
66046; Tel/fax: 913.841.2559.
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11. What are some CSA Resources on the World Wide Web.
Links to all the web sites I can find related to CSAs can be found at:
http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/CSA-L.html
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