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

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.

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.

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

CSA - Our Experience

• Getting Started– Pilot– Partnering

• Structure– Program– Selling Shares– Marketing– Delivery Options

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...

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

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

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

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?

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?

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?