Consuming Something Awesome!
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an important business model for farms in the Hudson Valley because it allows farms to retain more of the retail dollar, reliably plan seasonal operations and build clientele. At the same time, investing in a CSA share offers consumers a direct connection to food production and local farms. By its very definition, CSA is about building communities around local agriculture.
The Hudson Valley CSA Coalition (HVCSAC) is a network facilitated by Glynwood of more than 110 farms (and growing!), located primarily in 11 New York counties: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Ulster, Washington and Westchester.
Owners of small- to mid-size farms are often pressed for time, expertise or resources to effectively market their shares and expand their customer base, even as their financial viability relies on it. Through a series of strategic initiatives, the Coalition strives to collectively expand and diversify CSA memberships in the Hudson Valley by converting more residents into lifelong shareholders.
The Coalition was created in response to needs expressed by a number of CSA farmers who share a desire for CSA to reach more people in the region. The Coalition is facilitated by Glynwood in conjunction with a leadership committee of CSA farmers. The work of the Coalition currently includes a searchable directory of farms selling a diverse array of CSA shares, including but not limited to vegetables, meat, eggs, herbs and flowers. In addition to the online directory, the Coalition conducts a yearly sign-up campaign; organizes a series of CSA Fairs; creates evergreen resources such as our CSA Vegetable 'Zine and Vegetable Information Cards; oversees our CSA is a SNAP project; and conducts other promotional outreach.