The CSA Model is Dead!

[@ddouglas3687]

I wonder if being a vegetable "Ice Cream Man" would work. Those "old" people would remember that especially if you had that music going!😂 Just set a route every week and hit neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs on certain days after 4-5pm. You could probably do 2-3 different locations per day and be on your way home by 8pm. Might be worth a try!

[@mattb9537]

They do this in the neighborhoods in smaller towns in Puerto Rico. Box truck, all kinds of veg, fruit, staples, playing music to alert you they’re there. A great service to the elderly.

[@farmerkeith]

That is the most out of the box idea I've heard, and it might be crazy enough to work. The real trick would be convincing my market crew to try it. Lol! I could actually see it working at apartment complexes, retirement community, etc. It would take a couple of weeks for word to spread, but...right time, right place. Keep Farming!

[@ddouglas3687]

@@farmerkeith Lol. If you are able to I'd try knocking on doors with an introduction and what you're thinking of doing to get feed back directly from those who will buy some choice vegis on wed. afternoon around 4-5 pm. It could be a thing! And I'll take say 2-1/2%😁

[@carrief7342]

That is exactly what I thought of! Great idea 😊

[@gregmartz5235]

I feel like the original concept was to allow people to come work on the farm in order to earn a share and to feel connected to "their" farm. It seems like this just isnt part of the model anymore. With that in mind, why use a confusing name like CSA? Maybe call it a veggie subscription or another self explanatory name. Good work, Keith!

[@jeromevorndran2124]

I like CSA's in concept, but as a farmer and former CSA customer, I just don't mess with it anymore. I hated getting stuff I never used, and as a farmer, I'd be stressed AF about getting boxes full enough and having the types of produce people want. When I started farming, I focused entirely on Farmer's Markets. We're in a small town but our market is great. I had some personal struggles early this spring that messed up plantings and I had several weeks of just taking a big pile of radishes and salad mix. If I was running a CSA, people would've been pissed. The markets are far more forgiving and I'm putting together an online store for local delivery. If they're choosing what they want online in your CSA, I don't see any difference compared to online store other than when they paid. Up front capital is the only upside, but if you can operate on your own and sell good product, don't really need up front capital with repeat customers and a good year behind you.

[@farmerkeith]

That is the other part. I'm good at keeping up on planting, but some times thing fall through the cracks or fail. The farmers market does not notice if you're missing a couple of items, but a CSA custome does when their selection becomes limited. Keep Farming!

[@Tefoe]

This model has always had issues and growers go about it the completely wrong way. Instead of getting paid and then growing. what we need to do as growers is have our crops growing and then just put them out there. people will buy what they will. No worrying about crop failures or mis management by accident. Before your crop is ready to harvest put it out there to your group of people and sell it until it's gone.

[@farmerkeith]

I agree, the CSA model was born out of farms wanting to expand too quickly without the capital to do so. I've watched several small farms in our area do this on year 2 or 3 and not exist in year 5.

[@BoreasCastel]

Memberships are very tricky. If you change anything people can feel betrayed even if it's a clear improvement and people can forget if/when they paid for what time period and suspect you of wrongdoing. But anyways. What about a buy one for $5 or 5 for $20 incentive that jumps to 6 for $20 if they're a member? Then you get to offer them a clear incentive that is easy to understand and you get both membership income and ongoing cashflow. The main benefit of this would be getting people to commit to buying from you for a season. The main downside is it's hard to make everything fit into $5 in value in a way that makes sense for the customer, like an old couple.

[@farmerkeith]

We tried selling multiples of the same item to make a bundle pricing work, but I discovered many people just want 1 of that item. We do sell a box combo that I can adjust quantities to meet a price point.

[@nuestropandecadadia]

We’re doing something similar to what you intend to do. We sell square gift cards (three tiers $200, 300, 400 and load them, respectively at 225, 345, and 465). Our customers shop a la carte at the farmers market and buy as much or as little as they wish whenever they want. At the end of the year, we clear all the remaining balance. This has been very successful for four years and we currently have a waiting list for 2025. Three advantages: 1) It ties up your costumers to buying from you and to buy frequently 2) creates a constant flow of people through our booth, which attracts more people and 3) we get cash ahead of the season. Our retention rate with this model is about 85 percent, which is significantly higher than our other more traditional model which we have been doing through Harvie for five years. Best luck to you and thanks for the content.

[@farmerkeith]

I'm digging the concept. Especially the tiered discount. 12%, 15%, & 16% might be a little step for us because we also allow free delivery. Currently, members save around 5% and get 10% off additional items outside of the 4 CSA grouping items. I will have to run the numbers , but think 5%, 7%, & 10% might work. I know 20% whole sale discount only works with bulk orders and chef order al a carte 10% is the max. I know our region requires a lower level buy-in, $50 or $100.

[@swathig5821]

I like that I don’t have to haul the produce to the market it’s like pre sold. I didn’t have to invest in any coolers That’s why I’m on the fence to stop my CSAs offering next year. Third year doing it, it’s pick your own style, complicated but customers seems to be happier. And charge them to door delivery. But 90 degrees hot days where less time to harvest now I have to 🚚 📦 Close by good rural farm, does 50 CSAs, their members come to their farm and pick and choose and weigh what they need 6 or 8 items whatever. They don’t step outside their farm. Then they have farmers market close to DC. So it can be done easily if I can get folks to come up to farm like that.

[@farmerkeith]

We went from full in March for years, to full in May, to now not even full membership when we started deliveries this year. Big city CSAs with a high income base are still prospering with the model. The rest are not.

[@swathig5821]

@@farmerkeiththe farm I mentioned are very rural ,1.5 hours from big city, but has huge fan base so they are exception. I’m planning to keep CSA for folks who supported us from the day 1 that could be 5 people. For the rest I’m planning to just keep it simple. Pay as you go. Post the product available, they can choose and prepay, then I drop off at the host locations and farm pick ups. As I’m growing, I need to see what’s efficiency. Other idea I’m planning to start a farm stand, people come and self serve which I do for plant sales and it did really well.

[@hollybrunes5861]

Sometimes CSA's just don't work in certain communities. Push advertising it in the next county over that's a higher income threshold????

[@farmerkeith]

I was going to try that a couple of years ago. There were already 3-5 established CSAs in Lawrence at the time, with 1 being over 30trs old. It just wouldn't be worth the drive to deliver under 10 shares.