Creating A Market

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Unlike advertising, publicity is media coverage that you don't pay for. Let local media outlets such as newspapers, radio, cable television, and Web sites know that you're starting an exciting venture. Send them--or have a member write and send out--a press release announcing the availability of shares and include with it your brochure, farm newsletter (1f you have one); and clips from other coverage you have received (if any). Many farms find it fruitful to start out by holding one or two informational meetings at the farm, or to give a couple of off-farm presentation (ideally with a slide show of your operation and your family in; libraries, schools, churches, synagogues, or other community centers in the town your targeting for members. Media outlets will find the meetings interesting, so let the know when you're holding them.

Word-of-mouth is the most success fun form of marketing for CSA group. It tends to catch over time, but how can you maximize personal advertising right now?

• Ask each current member to tell three friends about your CSA group. Give them brochures so they can pass them along and ask them to post flyers at ten different places.

• Encourage vacationing members to have friends pick up their sharers when they are out of town.

• Create a rotating gift share and print up a gift certificate. .Each week, give the certificate to a different member and ask them to give it to a friend who can then use it to pick up a share and learn about the CSA group firsthand.

• Try an incentive plan in which you give $10 per share referral bonus to both the referrer and the referred.

A Core Group

Generally speaking, a core group is a committee of four to ten committed CSA members who volunteer is take responsibility for CSA functions that happen beyond the garden gates - responsibilities include recruiting members, finding a distribution site, overseeing the distribution site, keeping treasury and membership records, coordinating member work shifts at the distribution site running community events such as potlucks and farm festivals, educating members about local agriculture and cooking with fresh produce, and maintaining food pantry connections. A core group can also work with the grower to figure out an annual budget for the farm and set the share price.

By taking on some or all of these CSA functions, a core group enables you to concentrate on growing. And, by getting involved in the farm and working closely with the farmers, core group member develop a special commitment to your CSA and carry their enthusiasm to the larger community.

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