This past growing season brought a slew of challenges to farmers in our region, whether climate volatility, changing consumer preferences, inflation, or worker shortages. This constant state of uncertainty is exhausting, but presents the opportunity for reflection, collaboration, and adaptation for future growing seasons.
The Hudson Valley CSA Coalition’s third annual Summit will provide an opportunity to collectively explore and address these challenges in meaningful ways. Featuring farmer-led learning circles, full group discussion, and opportunities for individual networking, the Summit is a much-needed space for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers and food systems professionals to connect, learn from one another, and identify solutions to make the regional CSA landscape as vibrant as possible. Whether you are a flower farmer looking to increase member retention; a livestock producer struggling to recruit qualified labor; a vegetable operation hoping to supplement your share with wholesale cabbage; or a farmer interested in launching a CSA for the first time this season, the Summit will provide you with tools, an active learning space, and most importantly, a peer network.
Join us for a day of peer learning, educational presentations, and community building. The Summit will include refreshments and lunch for all registrants.
______________________________________________________________________________________
AGENDA***
I. Arrivals and Check-In
II. Welcome & Overview
III. Session #1: Farmer-Led Learning Circles
- Wash/Pack Efficiency for Vegetable CSAs
- Facilitators: Chris Callahan (UVM Extension) and Jody Bolluyt (Roxbury Farm)
- Pricing & Marketing Flower Shares
- Facilitators: Xenia D’Ambrosi (Sweet Earth Co.) and Diana Cowdery (Diana Mae Flowers)
- Economic Viability in a time of Inflation
- Facilitators: Elizabeth Higgins (CCE) and Jarret Nelson (Glynwood)
IV. Session #2: Farmer-Led Learning Circles
- Collective Crop Planning and CSA Aggregation
- Facilitators: Tianna Kennedy (The 607 CSA) and Megan Larmer (Glynwood)
- Creating the Best CSA Member Experience
- Faclitators: Nichki Carangelo (Letterbox Farm), Katie Speicher (Common Ground Farm), and Mike Parker (GrownBy)
- Building and Maintaining Farm Team Morale
- Facilitators: Claudia Kenny (Little Seed Gardens/NY Ag Mediation Program) and Sam Zurofsky (Long Season Farm)
V. Lunch & Sponsorship Presentation
VI. Coalition Annual Report: Year in Review and Priorities for 2022
VI. Closing Panel: Community Supporting Farms: Creating Social Change and Joy Through Farming
VII. Closing
***Order of events/organization of peer learning circles subject to change
Thank you to our sponsors: Corio Strategies, Farm Credit East, Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation (HVADC), and Farm Generations Cooperative.
