I am inspired to start up a CSA in my area of VA. There is about a half acre+ of greenhouses near me that went out of business last Spring, and about an acre of farmable land. I have spent some time with the guy who ran the CSA I joined last year and rejoined this year. I have friends in the "green foods", wheatgrass and sprouts, business in Pennsylvania.

I think that I can round up the consumers, and can hire labor, but need help optimizing product mix, marketability, yield/intercropping.

I am also looking to do organic bedding plants for other CSAs.

See growingcommunity.net - a work in progress.

Best Regards,
Ken

Hi Ken!

Here's a link to our local CSA: http://www.bluehousefarm.org/

They seem to be nice folks and I'm sure would be happy to give you lots of advice (esp. since you're not a competitor down the street!). They're in N. California, about 40 miles south of San Francisco on the coast.

Let us know how your project goes.

Giselle

Hi Ken We started a CSA last year with 10 members and liked it and are looking for new ones this year. There are several CSA around my area it is a growing interest hope the best for you . This year I've been growing in an unheated green house to see what can make it so far I'm amased we are still eating spinach, lettuce and other cold hardy crops. Look up information on Elliot Coleman about Four season Harvest has alot of good info. Mikiedun

I am glad that I have found this site! I am wanting to start a small CSA garden of my own. I was thinking of starting with 5 members this year and then building up to 15-20 in the future. I just had a new baby in Dec. and need to take it slow this year.

My motivation for starting the CSA garden is to help create a source of income for my two sons ages 6 & 7 (and eventually my newborn daughter) so that they will have some spending money and also to have a college savings account. They are a lot of help and they are quite motivated by money! I know that I would be doing most of the work of course, but I want to teach them gardening, business management and responsibility. I was raised on a farm and we had a large garden growing up also. I was out changing sprinklers when I was 3 years old! I want my kids to really learn how to work as I feel that it has been a huge advantage to me in my life growing up the way I did.

I live on 1.3 acres out in the country in Middleton Idaho, putting me in zone 6. I have about 1/2 acre that can be totally dedicated to gardening. I have only used about 1/4 of this in the past and it has always yielded way more than my family could use. If I decide to go bigger there is a lot more land that could be used it would just take more work to get it ready.

I also have a culinary arts degree and I love using and growing specialty varieties of veggies and melons. I am also interested in providing value added items like bread, jam, salsa, etc.

I hope to share ideas and gain knowledge from all of you!