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?