Share the harvest, share the risk?

Here’s a new article from the Rodale Institute about CSA farms that might interest you. When things go very wrong: Community Supported Agriculture and shared risk. CSA growers don’t like to think or talk about the ‘share the risk’ aspect of the CSA model. It’s one of those topics (right up there with farm injuries and accidents that maim or kill growers) that’s almost too horrible to contemplate.

I’ve wondered what I would do if I lost all of my crops to the wind and rain of a hurricane, or the appetite a really hungry tribe of woodchucks. I’ve wondered if my shareholders really understand and agree to the “share the risk” part of their CSA involvement.

On a more cheerful note, there’s been no sign of woodchuck activity for five days!