From: london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London)
Subject: Re: Community-Supported Agriculture
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 06:05:31 GMT

In article <psmith.724712606@cunews> psmith@alfred.carleton.ca 
(Peter Smith) writes:
>I'd be very interested to hear input from others in the group
>pertaining to what they have seen/heard about Community-Supported
>Agriculture (or is it Agriculture-Supported Community?).
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Article 7279 (184 more) in rec.gardens:
From: Tom Yelton
Subject: Organic Vegies from new Framingham CSA
Summary: Locally grown Organic Vegies available thru CSA in Framingham
Keywords: organic vegetables locally-grown Community-Supported-Agriculture
Date: Mon, 11 May 1992 13:33:22 GMT


    STEARNS FARM CULTIVATES ORGANIC FOOD AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Fresh, locally grown organic produce is now available through Stearns
Farm's Community Supported Agriculture program.  Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) is an innovative new concept gaining popularity at
small farms across the country.  It's a cooperative arrangement in
which members of the community purchase shares of the harvest in the
springtime, and receive fresh vegetables throughout the growing
season.  The result is that consumers get good prices on top quality
organic foods, and the farmer can concentrate on farming rather than
marketing the produce.  Share holders come to the farm each week to
pick up their food, usually about bushel per share, and to enjoy a
connection with the land so often forgotten in these days of
agribusiness and supermarkets.

Stearns Farm is located at 859 Edmands Road in Framingham.  Its has
been farmed organically by Penelope Turton for 37 years and will
continue in this tradition with the support of the community.  This
year Penelope will be joined by Tim Cooke, a native of Abington, MA,
who has been managing an organic farm in Vermont for the past three
years.

Unlike conventional methods of farming, organic agriculture is
ecologically sustainable.  Rather than depleting the soil, organic
farms continually rejuvenate the land through proper crop rotation and
the use of only naturally derived fertilizers and pest controls.  The
crops themselves are of high quality and are free of chemical
residues.

Full shares in Stearns Farm are being offered at $500, and feed two
adults on average.  This amounts to less than $21 per week from June 1
to November 14.  Half shares are available for $250.  For more
information, call (508) 529-3008.

        -------------------------------------------------

A NOTE FROM THE POSTER:
    My interest in this CSA is in preserving a source of organic
    produce in my community, promoting ecological, sustainable
    agriculture, and helping out a young farmer.  I am a member of the
    "core group" that is helping get this CSA started and I can answer
    some questions by email.      - Tom Yelton

-- Tom Yelton

Article 3909 in misc.rural:
From: gil@Gilsys.DIALix.oz.au (Gil Hardwick)
Subject: Community Supported Agricultur
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 02:32:10 GMT
Organization: STAFF STRATEGIES - Anthropologists & Training Agents

In article <.....> london@calypso.uucp writes:
>A current hot topic here is community supported agriculture. Do any of you 
>know where I can find published material on this phenomenon? I currently have
>a pamphlet published by the Bio-Dynmanic Farming and Gardening Association
>entitled "Community Related Agriculture."  I found only two references in
>Agricola to this concept.  One of them is an article entitled "Vegetables for
>All" from the September 1987 issue of "Organic Gardening".  I also have a
>photocopy of an aticle entitled "Share the Land" from the May 15, 1991,
>"Washington Post"; another photocopy of an article entitled "Fresh Hope for
>the Small Farmer" (June 1989 from an unknown source).  Steenbock has also
>purchased the book, "Farms of Tomorrow", by Trauger Groh and S. McFadden 
>from the Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association.

I have a research program currently queued for for the 1993/94 R&D
budget period entitled, "An Ethnographic Survey of the Community Base
of Rural Production in Western Australia".

Yes, it is a "hot topic" at the moment; for many of us who have been
working in this field for so many years finally the window of interest
in our work is opening. Well, better late than never. Any articles or
references you can send me would be very welcome indeed, and further
discussion on the net with others I would actively encourage.

Please, let us try to network on this also. I am very happy to
establish a mailing list as well, since I am (honorary) consulting
anthropologist to the Land Management Society and the Greenhouse
Village Project here in W.A. We have many people here literally
starving for information and support following such massive social
breakdown and rural depopulation during the past 10-15 years.

Enquiries have also come into us here from South Africa, concerned
with the post-apartheid/post-industrial rehabilitation of the rural
populations from fringe townships. They are still cut off from their
neighbours and are looking to Australia as a clearing house for
information . . .

>I am also interested in finding published information on the concept of local
>or indigenous knowledge as applied in "developed" (First and Second World)
>countries.  There is a prodigious amount of information concerning Third 
>World applications of this idea.

Without appearing cynical, please advise when you locate any. So much
of this work needs to be done yet while such significant allocations
of the R&D budget are simply taken over by industrial interests.

Please help, anyone who can.

Gil

--
Gil Hardwick                                      gil@Gilsys.DIALix.oz.au
Independent Consulting Ethnologist                            3:690/660.6
PERTH, Western Australia                                 (+61 9) 399 2401
   * * Sustainable Community Development & Environmental Education * *

Article 3918 (2 more) in misc.rural:
From: rls900@netspy.anu.edu.au (Richard Siggs)
Subject: Re: Community Supported Agriculture
Date: 13 Oct 92 04:21:26 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.4.31

gil@Gilsys.DIALix.oz.au (Gil Hardwick) writes:
>In article <1992Oct9.193732.3785@samba.oit.unc.edu> london@calypso.uucp writes:
>>A current hot topic here is community supported agriculture.  Do any of you
>>know where I can find published material on this phenomenon?

        The Permaculture International Journal, May 1989 has an article about
community gardens, however, the details of the article have long left my mind
so I'll post again tomorrow about it. However, this is a topic close to my
heart, as you'll gather from this post..

>I have a research program currently queued for for the 1993/94 R&D
>budget period entitled, "An Ethnographic Survey of the Community Base
>of Rural Production in Western Australia".

        I'm currently involved in establishing a small (2 acre) community
garden through Friends of the Earth, Snowy Mountains (in south-east New South
Wales, Australia.. for those not 'down under') in the town of Cooma, NSW 
(approx. 110kms south of the national capital, Canberra).

        The land for the gardens has been donated for 4 years (so far) by a
local family and so far 4 local small businesses have given seeds &/or viable
plants to the gardens. We've got the cooperation of the local high school
through interested individual teachers bringing classes out to the gardens for
activities ranging from RiverWatch (a state-wide program being run by schools
to monitor the water quality of local rivers) through to "hands on" digging &
planting to begin the long task of establishing the gardens.

        The project has only been running for 6 months & still relies of the
continuing energies of a core of people to keep it going, but we're finding
more and more favourable & eager people interested in growing food & gardens
in a community context.

>Yes, it is a "hot topic" at the moment; for many of us who have been
>working in this field for so many years finally the window of interest
>in our work is opening. Well, better late than never. Any articles or
>references you can send me would be very welcome indeed, and further
>discussion on the net with others I would actively encourage.

        I agree. I'm particularly interested in how individual wishes are met
by the community garden as a whole. In regard to people who wish to have "their
own plot" in the garden as opposed to general garden beds. In our situation, 
we have set aside a small area for individual beds, with much of the 2 acre
block being general use within an overall flexible plan for the block which
already has an established orchard area of 30 fruit trees forming a canopy and
cultivation of various species under these trees.

>Please, let us try to network on this also. I am very happy to
>establish a mailing list as well, since I am (honorary) consulting
>anthropologist to the Land Management Society and the Greenhouse
>Village Project here in W.A. We have many people here literally
>starving for information and support following such massive social
>breakdown and rural depopulation during the past 10-15 years.

        A mailing list would be great! Put me on it for sure..

        We've found (when I say 'we' I do mean FOE Snow & our involvement in 
this community garden concept) that there is a great deal of concern in the
small rural town community as to what is happening to social structure of these
towns.. The gradual suburban trend and dying neighbour relations has decimated
what I can only call "community spirit" - Dog Eat Dog simply doesn't work in
such small towns.

>Enquiries have also come into us here from South Africa, concerned
>with the post-apartheid/post-industrial rehabilitation of the rural
>populations from fringe townships. They are still cut off from their
>neighbours and are looking to Australia as a clearing house for
>information . . .

        This also interests me, through my 'real' work as a Permaculture
designer and teacher I know of many other highly qualified people who travel
overseas & teach communities sustainable attitudes.. I would if I could, but
I'm young, my mortgage for my co-owned farm has 2 years to go & I must continue
to earn a salary until then. sigh.. chained to the grindstone yet :-)
>Please help, anyone who can.
>Gil
>Gil Hardwick                                      gil@Gilsys.DIALix.oz.au
>Independent Consulting Ethnologist                            3:690/660.6
>PERTH, Western Australia                                 (+61 9) 399 2401
>   * * Sustainable Community Development & Environmental Education * *
-- 
Richard.Siggs@cscgpo.anu.edu.au
Australian National University, Computer Services Centre
"Hey, I'm just glad you guys pay me to do this!"


Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture