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CSA Community Supported Agriculture One Grower’s Experience

CSA Community Supported Agriculture One Grower’s Experience. Phil Hannay and Kathy Kubal Trumpeter Swan Farm Buffalo, MN Upper Midwest Regional Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference January 21 & 22, 2010 St Cloud, Minnesota Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

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CSA Community Supported Agriculture One Grower’s Experience

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  1. CSA Community Supported AgricultureOne Grower’s Experience Phil Hannay and Kathy Kubal Trumpeter Swan Farm Buffalo, MN Upper Midwest Regional Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference January 21 & 22, 2010 St Cloud, Minnesota Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

  2. Wouldn’t It Be Nice... • If customers committed to buying before you even started planting. • If customers paid in advance. • If you could bring perishables like strawberries to market and know you would sell out. • If you could load up bulky items like winter squash knowing you would not bring any back home. • If you could experiment with new vegetables knowing you would not get stuck with them by a skeptical public. • If you could move an unexpected surplus more easily.

  3. CSA - What Is It? • Community Supported Agriculture • Customers in the local community support local farms by paying, in advance, for the regular delivery of food throughout the entire growing season. • Farmers in the local community, have sustainable growth with a loyal customer base, while producing food that meets the needs of those customers with little waste and reduced risk.

  4. CSA - What Is It? • Original Concept • Share The Risk • Share The Harvest • Current Concept • Up Front Commitment • Committed Supply • Know Your Grower • Current Status • spreading fast, high demand

  5. CSA - Our Experience • Getting Started • Pilot • Partnering • Structure • Program • Selling Shares • Marketing • Delivery Options

  6. CSA - Our Experience • Customer Expectations • Is That All I Get? • Yes, we can’t control the weather... • I Don’t Like Turnips! • Mother said to “eat your vegetables”... • Why Don’t You Have Sweet Corn? • Dry spring hampered germination 2 months ago...

  7. CSA - Our Experience • Our Experience and Opinions • One on One Customer Relationship • Picking Full Bore for a Bad Market Day • Customers Paid Promptly • Feel The Love • We Need More Communication • We Need More Variety • We Need More Consistent Supply of Basics

  8. CSA - Why and Why Not • Advantages and Benefits • Up Front Commitment • Solidify Planting Plan • Justify Equipment Expenses • Support Hiring Extra Help • Committed Market Share • Smaller Grower in a Big Market • Simplified Harvest Planning • Good Market Regardless of Weather Conditions

  9. CSA - Why and Why Not • Disadvantages and Downsides • Week after Week after Week after Week • Committed Delivery - no skipping markets • Gotta Pick it All - no slacking off • Those Darn Customers • Managing Expectations demands People Skills • Extra Communication • Farming Conversations and Farm Visits

  10. CSA Checklist - Is It Right For Me?Must be able to say “Yes” to All • Commitment • Can I deliver week after week for entire season? • Can I grow the variety and quantity to fill the shares? • Do I have a backup plan should I experience crop setbacks or failures?

  11. CSA Checklist - Is It Right For Me?Must be able to say “Yes” to All • Transparency • Am I willing to openly answer questions about my operations? • Cultural Practices - how do I grow my products? • Fertilizing and Spraying - specifically what and when? • Origin and Storage of my products? • Am I willing to have Farm Visits?

  12. CSA Checklist - Is It Right For Me?Must be able to say “Yes” to All • Customer Service • Do I want a one-on-one relationship with my customers? • Do I prefer “retail” instead of “wholesale”? • Will I make the extra effort to communicate? • Am I willing to be flexible and make exceptions to accommodate customer desires or alternate pickup needs?

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