Starting a CSA Webinar - Nov 5th

Join the Missouri Beginning Farmer Program on Monday, November 5th from 7-8:30 pm for a webinar on Starting a CSA with Eric and Joanna Rueter from Chert Hollow Farm.  Catch the details of how this CSA operation does it successfully.  Join the webinar by logging in at univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/debikelly

Below is a description of Eric and Joanna's CSA operation (taken from their website).

January 2012 full share: garlic,
onions, sweet potatoes, butternut
squash, carrots, parsnips, leeks,
daikon radish, spinach, cornmeal.

The Chert Hollow Farm CSA program includes our certified organic produce, dominantly vegetables but also limited amounts of fruits and mushrooms as available. The core growing & distribution season here runs from roughly May through October/November, during which time members can reasonably expect weekly shares of farm products. However, we consider membership to cover the entire calendar year, and additional share distributions will be made whenever enough products are available for deliveries to be practical. This system allows the farm to take advantage of favorable weather or conditions outside the normal growing season, and should allow members a better return on their investment.

Distribution boxes

Members receive weekly shares on Monday or Thursday afternoons, as assigned in advance. Deliveries should be weekly from roughly May to October/November, with off-season shares when possible. Most members live in the central Columbia area and receive home deliveries. Members who will not be at home leave a cooler in a known location, with ice if necessary, to allow proper storage conditions for the share. Alternate share distribution options are also available, including workplace delivery.

We do not require or offer work-shares (working for a partial discount). While this is ideally a way to involve members more directly in the farm, we don’t feel the extra management requirements are worth it. Members will have access to the farm through many organized events, and may still be given the opportunity to help out on special occasions.