One thing that we have missed in this discussion is the dropout of the farmers doing CSA's (burnout), which I think is a most important element of the "retention rates" of members. What seems to be the most important factor in my experience with our CSA is that the food is actually second to most of the people. The most important thing for them is to support someone & something that they believe in. In short they feel more "united". I've also sensed how the interest wanes when I'm stressed.
Think about it. Go to a super market and pick out some perfect looking veggies or pick them up from a guy/gal that is so enthused about creation and the fact that this incredible variety of tastes shapes a colors come out of the Earth, and they do it for the love of that connection because they sure aren't gettin' rich doin' it, and they're excited about feeding those that come and are concerned with their well being. They are the connection for an ever growing number of people to nature spirits, and people think that they are just getting great food. Keep the farmer healthy, with sufficient pay and help and I believe that no CSA that starts up will ever falter. In Love and Light, (Mr)Chris > >The biodynamic CSA I belong to, the Temple-Wilton (NH) Community Farm, has > >been in operation since 1985 and provides 100 families with vegetable and > >dairy products. We have 60 families on the waiting list and have only 1 or 2 > openings a year, a retention rate of 98+ > > Commendable! Temple-Wilton is one of the original and one of the > great CSA's in the U.S. You're lucky to have the opportunity to join > them, Richard. > > For we upstart CSAs, waiting list tend to turnout to be pretty > unreliable, also. People who wanted to join in July of last year may > have got on the list and then found another CSA, lost interst, or > moved. Relocation is a continual liability in the Washington, DC > area, as you may well expect. -Allan > >
