From jcb13@cornell.eduFri Sep 15 22:17:17 1995
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 16:44:54 -0400
From: "Jennifer C. Bokaer-Smith" <jcb13@cornell.edu>
To: MOOREPRODS@aol.com
Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Request info on Subscription Farming

I would caution against drawing a definitive line between CSA and
subscription farming.  Having worked on a number of CSA's before starting
my own four years ago, it's clear to me that there are as many ways to
forge the farmer/consumer relationship as there are farms involved in this
type of marketing.  You may want to look at one aspect of consumer
involvenment, such as deciding what's grown, or level of financial
commitment.

Good luck!

Jennifer Bokaer-Smith
Division of Nutritional Sciences
231N MVR Hall
Cornell Univesity
Ithaca, NY 14853

Phone:  607/255-7153
FAX:    607/255-0178
e-mail: jcb13@cornell.edu


From bbwetzel@franc.ucdavis.eduFri Sep 15 22:18:54 1995
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 12:43:27 -0700
From: Barbara Wetzel <bbwetzel@franc.ucdavis.edu>
To: David DeCou <david_d@efn.org>, mooreprods@aol.com
Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu, san@nalusda.gov, FARMCSA@aol.com,
    geveerkamp@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Re: Request info on Subscription Farming (fwd)

The University of California Davis held a conference in December 1993 about
Community Supported Agriculture.  Sponsors were: California Alliance with
Family Farmers (CAFF), UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
Program (UC SAREP), UC Small Farm Center and Solano/Yolo County Cooperative
Extension, and Fiddler's Green Farm (a CSA-provider).  The proceedings from
this conference are available from the Small Farm Center (916-752-7978, fax
916-752-7716) for $8.00.  I would be happy to send you a brochure about this
or other publications available from our program, or you can check out our
web page, http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/

A description of the conference/proceedings:  "In CSAs, consumers buy
"subscriptions" to local farms, and farmers are able to plan ahead with
prepaid customers. Four farmers experienced in operating CSAs discuss their
farms and the history and philosophy behind Community Supported Agriculture
in these proceedings from a 1993 conference at UC Davis. Includes
bibliography and resource guide. 37 pp. Editor: Gerry Cohn. Price: $8.00."

Good luck with your story!  There is another conference about CSAs happening
in San Francisco Nov. 12-14.  Contact farmcsa@aol.com for information.  Let
me know if we can help you further (SAREP has had articles about CSAs in our
quarterly newsletter, Sustainable Agriculture" as well.)

Barbara Wetzel

>>Date: Wed, 13 Sep 1995 21:42:38 -0400
>>From: mooreprods@aol.com
>>To: san@nalusda.gov
>>
>>I am currently writing a story on subscription farming for the TV show
>>"Market to Market" seen on about 100 PBS stations.  Seeking any info you
>>may have on the numbers and national scope of what appears to be a trend
>>towards subsc. farming, i.e. subscribers (mostly urbanites) signing up for
>>weekly or bi-weekly bags of fresh produce (veggies, fruit, herbs...) from
>>a farm (usually organic) for the season.  This is not to be confused with
>>CSA (Community Supported Ag) which has shareholders who share risk and
>>reward (bounty) with the farmer and in some cases can review financial
>>documents.  CSA in its purest form would be a group of people hiring a
>>farmer to grow food for the group as is done in Japan.  Subscription
>>farming is sometimes referred to as being at the opposite end of the
>>scale, or is removed from the CSA umbrella entirely because the
>>relationship between farmer and subscriber is like a magazine subscription
>>-- you get the mag for as long as you subscribe and you have no direct say
>>over its production (you get what you pay for).  MOOREPRODS @ AOL.COM
>>
>
>
>
>
Barbara Wetzel
UC SAREP

From jhendrik@vms2.macc.wisc.eduMon Sep 18 22:36:00 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
