The research team heard a story about members armed with hoes who inadvertently removed a planted crop, believing it to be a weed. However, there were far more examples of members providing much-needed help. Many farms hire workers. The farms in the study relied on one farmer or seasonal worker for every 20 to 40 shares. Farms with 100 or more shares had crews of three or more workers or interns.
Some larger farms using paid labor also ask members to help with deliveries.
Finding, training, and managing interns and apprentices requires its own set of skills and responsibilities. CSA interns and farmers stressed the importance of communication, especially at the beginning of a working relationship, to match the goals and needs of each party. One farmer noted that when looking for an intern, he considers communication skills to be as important as, if not more important than, production skills. Farm land challenges Owing to the intensity of the production system and the relatively high value of the crops, a CSA farm can be established with less land than many other types of farms. In Wisconsin, CSA farms average five acres in vegetable production.