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Duration Of Season
In Alberta, most CSAs canvass for subscribers in the winter months, the farmers then plan the
crops and order seeds. Planting occurs (weather permitting) in May, although some crops are
seeded in autumn (garlic) and others are successively seeded every two weeks (greens).
Weather permitting harvest begins in early June and most farms are able to offer 12 to 16 weeks of
produce.
Delivery Options
Most farms organize one or more weekly central drop-off spot(s) – often at a farmers’ market – in
a nearby town or city where subscribers gather to collect their share of the week’s yield. Some
farms require subscribers to come to the farm to pick up their produce.
Member Solicitation
CSAs by definition are locally based. Farmers wishing to start a CSA canvass local residents by:
email, websites, social media networks (Facebook and Twitter), client referrals from other CSAs
and non-CSA farmers, word of mouth, posters at farmers’ markets, and flyers. Mention in local
print media increases visibility of CSAs; in some cases, memberships have filled completely after a
newspaper article profiling local CSAs.
In general terms, CSAs remain a grassroots approach to farming, with no cohesive structure or
national database. However, nearly every province in Canada does have a CSA listing, although
not on government websites, and newly formed CSAs are encouraged to submit their names for
inclusion on the list. However, as noted previously, not all CSAs are listed on these websites (see
Appendix E for a website listing).
Farmers also try to maintain a database of members. Some farmers utilize Google Forms to set up
and track their membership bases, schedules and participation. Others use Excel spreadsheets or
simple hand-written lists.
Communication and Member Service
Nearly all CSAs have websites and/or blogs. CSA farmers usually email, blog or print a weekly
newsletter for subscribers. These may include recipes for what is in season each week, storage tips
for produce, stories about the farm and its residents, news of current activities, the farm’s state of
weather, and other affairs.
Frequently, during pick-ups, subscribers informally exchange recipes and cooking tips, and often
establish relationships with the other subscribers. As subscribers learn who lives where, some
organize car pools or take turns collecting the week’s goods for each other where geography
permits.