Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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Part-time growers sold mostly to farmers' markets, with 68 percent of their
gross sale here. Interestingly, 21 percent of full-time growers were female,
whereas conventional agricultural operations are mostly led by males. And
37 percent of full-time growers had hired labor, indicating that operations
were of significant size to warrant this help. Clearly this work substantiated
the idea that farmers'markets address both an economic and social function
for vendors. These authors noted that much economic theory overlooks
markets because it ignores these community relationships which emerge
within the local economy.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is another means of direct
marketing that is rapidly increasing in popularity. Some people actually call
it Community SharedAgriculture (Fieldhouse 1996). It provides ameans for
linking farmers and consumers and developing a true sense of community
(Norberg-Hodge 1995). CSA is a specific connection between a farm and
a group of customers who are paying “members” or “subscribers.” This
relationship allows for the members to share in the production risk (e.g.,
will there be a drought that destroys all the beans or a flood that washes out
the lettuce?) rather than the typical situation in which all risk is assumed
by the farmer. Likewise, the members share in the crops harvested. Usu-
ally, a fee is collected upfront before the growing season, when a family or
individual joins the CSA. Then for a certain number of weeks during the
spring, summer, and fall, the member receives a basket or bag full of fresh,
in-season produce. Each CSA has its own “culture.” Some require members
to work a few days during the growing season - planting, weeding, picking,
or boxing the produce. Others do not require on-farm work, but encourage
farm visits through field days and other events. Distribution of the weekly
produce baskets varies by group as well, with some CSA farmers delivering
these to a central drop-off point in the city, and others having members
drive out to pick up the produce. In either case, these CSAsprovidestrong
links between rural production and urban consumers, and most are located
within easy driving distance of urban or suburban areas.
The informative guide Sharing the Harvest described the background and
development of CSAs, as well as specific concerns such as legal aspects, labor,
and food distribution (Henderson andVan En 1999). Topics were addressed
through examples of successful CSA operations. For example, a CSA may
opt to be less “efficient” but more educational and participatory. Likewise,
social issues such as sliding scales for fees and accepting food stamps were
explored as ways of attracting members from all walks of life.
Research on CSAs investigated both farm characteristics and member
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