Farmer Profiles

"Sam Cantrell"
Maysie's Farm, Glen Moore, Pennsylvania

"CSA farming is not for everyone-consumers and farmers alike. You need to be able to deal with the public. Be yourself and build your system on integrity. Come across as a knowledgeable and business-like farmer..."

Farming Operation: Sam Cantrell started CSA marketing in 1997 on his family farm of 64 acres in southeastern Pennsylvania, a region quickly losing farmland to development. Sam markets almost exclusively through the CSA. Occasionally extra produce is sold to local health food stores. Excess and seconds-quality food is donated to the county gleaning program. Six acres are currently in production for the CSA. A couple of years ago, Sam created Maysie's Farm Conservation Center, a nonprofit educational organization that operates the CSA as one of its five program areas. An internship program is another component, providing the farm with its entire labor force.

CSA marketing: Maysie's Farm currently has 135 households, with member share sizes ranging from one-person to five-person shares, and prices ranging from $250 to $900. Vegetables make up a majority of the share, which are provided for 26 weeks, from May to November, and are available for farm pick-up only. Flowers, chestnuts, and some crops are available on a you-pick basis. Sam also connects his shareholders to a pastured poultry farmer. Maysie's Farm has a monthly newsletter, orientation and membership meetings, volunteer work days, and a number of festival days.

Views on CSA: Sam believes that CSA farming is the model for the future, especially in areas that are rapidly suburbanizing. As the large conventional farms are lost to development, Sam feels that if agriculture is to survive in the area, it will be in the form of small, diversified farms that are ecologically responsible, use direct marketing, and operate with the support of their communities. He believes that organic CSA farms are the best model for this type of agriculture. He maintains that CSA farms also increase public awareness of "where their food comes from" and of the role the consumer can play in shaping policy. He also appreciates the sense of community that has developed around his CSA.

Key Challenges: Especially during the winter and spring, Sam spends a great deal of time and energy recruiting shareholders and interns. He also notes that the agricultural economy is very stressful, even in the CSA model. His time commitment is so overwhelming that it is only by bringing in additional financial support through the Conservation Center that he is able to divert some of his time from production work to educational initiatives.

Words of Advice for New CSA Farmers: "CSA farming is not for everyone-consumers and farmers alike. You need to be able to deal with the public. Be yourself and build your system on integrity. Come across as a knowledgeable and business-like farmer. You should want to educate the public and build community and you should make that evident to your shareholders. Maintaining the quality of your product is very challenging as you increase in size to get to where the numbers start to make sense. Most CSA success stories include a situation where someone can bring in some off-farm income for a while."

Contact: Sam Cantrell, Maysie's Farm, phone 610-458-8129; e-mail sam@maysiesfarm.org; Website www.maysiesfarm.org.

Profiles of Community Supported Agriculture