Tips for Selling through CSAs — Community Supported Agriculture
NCAT Marketing Tip Sheet Series
By Marisa Alcorta, Rex Dufour, and Tammy Hinman, NCAT Agriculture Specialists
![Serendipity Farm](https://attradev.ncat.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/serendipity-farm-csa-350x234.jpg)
Photo: Serendipity Farm
CSA is a system of direct marketing where consumers pay the farmer at the beginning of the growing season for a weekly box of fresh fruits and vegetables. A CSA “share” is harvested and delivered to customers over a period of several months. CSAs may include meat, grain, flowers, or valueadded products such as bread or cheese, in addition to fresh produce. A core philosophy of the CSA model is that customers (or “members”) truly support their local CSA farm by sharing the risk each season. This means that even if there’s a bad harvest, the members still pay the same amount for the season. Members are willing to do this to ensure that “their” farm survives over time as a healthy food source and connection to the land for the local community. A CSA farm has the opportunity to cultivate a very
loyal customer base.
For this market you can expect:
- Lower volume of product
- Higher price per unit
Advantages
- Customers pay up front, which generates operating capital.
- The major marketing push is completed before the season starts, leaving more time to farm during the growing season.
- CSAs can build loyal customers who may be willing to share the risks of farming.
Farmers must earn that loyalty by growing high-quality products. - No standard pack or grading is required.
Considerations
CSAs require thoughtful planning to maintain a continuous supply of crops.
- Packing is labor-intensive because of the wide variety in the weekly box.
- CSAs require an extensive post-harvest handling set-up for washing, sorting, packing, etc.
Tips
- Build community through efforts such as harvest parties, work days, and newsletters.
- Conduct annual surveys to get customer feedback on quality, variety and service.
- Consider collaborating with other CSA farms if you want to offer a wider selection.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Timing and planning are critical in a CSA. How will I ensure consistent weekly harvests of a variety of vegetables and fruits for my CSA customers? See ATTRA’s Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for a Continuous Harvest.
- How many other CSA farms are in my area? Do they have waiting lists—unmet demand that I could tap into?
- Will I enjoy the social aspects of running a CSA, such as hosting festive gatherings or work days for members, writing newsletters to include in weekly boxes, and generally creating opportunities for people to get to know the farm?
![Packing CSA boxes, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, California](https://attradev.ncat.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/packing-csa-boxes-350x243.jpg)
Packing CSA boxes, Full Belly Farm, Guinda, California. Photo: Rex Dufour, NCAT
Further Resources
ATTRA Publications
- Market Gardening: A Start-Up Guide
- Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Continuous Harvest
- Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners
- Community Supported Agriculture
Books and Guides
- Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen’s Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. By Elizabeth Henderson with Robin Van En. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2nd edition, 2007.
This 300-page book provides valuable insight into making CSA a viable economic model as well as an excellent arrangement for farmers and food lovers alike. It provides information on starting a CSA and how to strengthen existing CSA operations. - Community Supported Agriculture. By Matt Ernst and Tim Woods. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, New Crops Opportunity Center.
CSA Software
- Farmigo is a computer software subscription service that provides recordkeeping and membership management. It costs 2% of gross sales from the CSA or farm.
- CSA Toolbox is an online “toolbox” that offers programs to communicate with your customers, do your paperwork, handle your billing, and take payments.
- CSAware is a customizable, user-friendly Community Supported Agriculture software from LocalHarvest.com designed for CSAs with lots of moving parts. The cost is 2% of sales.
Tips for Selling Through CSAs—Community Supported Agriculture
By Marisa Alcorta, Rex Dufour, and Tammy Hinman, NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Published December 2012
© NCAT
IP422
This publication is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This publication was also made possible in part by funding from USDA/NIFA/OASDFR. ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.
Related Publications
- Tips for Selling at Farmers Markets
- Tips for Selling to Aggregators/Grower Marketing Coops
- Tips for Selling to Institutional Markets
- Tips for Selling to Wholesale Buyers at Terminal Markets
- Tips for Selling to Produce Distributors
- Tips for Selling to Produce Packing Houses
- Tips for Selling with Agritourism and “Pick-Your-Own”