We’re wrapping up our tenth growing season—something to celebrate, for sure! When Dan and I broke ground on Restoration Farm in 2007, we were unmarried, without staff, and without kids, but with a vision of what we’d like to accomplish. Ten year later, we’re still far from claiming victory, but we can claim progress, which in certain contexts, is just as good.

Fields and Farmers

Our relationship with the fields and soil continues to evolve at a steady pace. We accept that Lower Crooked Field will never be suitable for growing spring crops. We accept that Brussels sprouts harvested in October will be covered in aphids, but those harvested in early December will be beautiful and aphid-free. We accept row cover as an essential, albeit frustrating, component of spring. It’s taken us years to get to this point, but there’s deep satisfaction in knowing it because we lived it, not because a boss told us or because we read it online.

On the labor front, we’re settling into a comfortable arrangement, and we hope it continues into the future. Our full-time assistant, Steve Cecchini, has been with us for over two years, and he’s assumed leadership in field management, which has freed me up to focus on planting, harvests, and marketing. We continue to seek new ways to mechanize, but nothing beats a committed, friendly crew when there are

beans to pick and carrots to bunch. That’s where Peter Notarnicola and Kieran Frodell came in. Their energy was uplifting through the summer months, and I only wish they

could have stayed on through the fall, when

the winter share kept the fields in full swing.

Last but not least, I’d be dead in the water on

Sunday mornings without Elizabeth Rexer to

help with the farm stand harvests.

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Changing Business Landscape

While the fields remain steady, this year

marked a significant departure on the

business front. We were lucky to launch

Restoration Farm at a time when CSA awareness and demand was at its height. In 2007, CSAs were all the rage, and with minimal effort on our part, we sold all of our inaugural shares before harvesting a single item. By 2009, we were maintaining a waiting list of 100+ people!

Over the past five years, however, we’ve watched our advantage fall away to competition from supermarkets, delivery services, and middlemen masquerading as CSAs. By 2016, the waiting list had evaporated and we did not sell all of our available shares. I knew that if I wanted to keep the business going, I had to jump into the marketing fray. So this year I joined Facebook, ran an April membership drive, set up online payments, attended local fairs, and welcomed after-hours curiosity seekers when I really just wanted to go home. I even bought a garish roadside sign for the farm stand. At times it felt as though the Tin House was turning into Penn Station (Saturday members, you know what I’m talking about), but I believe it paid off in that we sold all of our 2017 shares and saw a moderate increase in farm stand sales. Business isn’t booming, but it’s holding steady, which is better than it was.

Investing in Current CSA Members

Meanwhile, our current CSA members continue to be our foundation. CSA retention rates are a huge indicator of CSA sustainability, and ours has always hovered around 75%. Given that the industry average ranges from 50%-60%, that’s pretty good! It’s also an indication that while drumming up new members is important, investing in our current members is even more important.  Here are some steps we’ve taken toward that end.

Putting in Face Time

The weekly pickup provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and commune with CSA members, and in 2008, Dan and I were always present. But as demands on our time increased (kids, fields, off-farm job), we were happy to have volunteers step in. This season, however, I resolved to spend more time at pickup, rearranging my schedule accordingly. Of course I continue rely on pickup hosts Ann Holdgruen, Arline Garbarini, and Yvette Wang, but I’m also happy to reconnect with the members who have made such a big commitment to us.

Website Members Page

The new Members Page is a

centralized online location with all

information CSA members need,

including:

—the pickup schedule

—the weekly share

—the weekly berry quota

—picking hours & policy

—rescheduling policy

—herb harvest videos

—vegetable curing tips

For the Luddites in our membership, I

feel your ennui. For everyone else, I

hope the Members Page helped.

Field Gleaning & Snack Plot

Last year, as an afterthought, we offered members the chance to glean spinach, basil, and arugula in the fields. The feedback was wildly enthusiastic, so this year we made it a forethought. We added peas and beans to the offering, as well as detailed directions and maps. If you got lost on the way to the spinach, we provided an adventure! And of course, Dan’s “CSA Snack Plot” provided an on-the-spot eating experience for those unable to venture into the fields.

CSA Survey

This year’s CSA survey was the first in many years, if not the first ever. I shied away from these surveys in the past because I know that if I ask 100 members what veggies they would like more (or less) of, I’ll end up with 100 different answers. That’s not very helpful when you’re trying to please as many people as possible. Indeed, with this year’s survey, that’s exactly what happened. That said, with 95 of roughly 200 recipients responding, the survey did give me some unexpected insight. More members read the monthly newsletters than I would have guessed. Many members would appreciate longer pickup hours. Some members requested items and services that we already provide. This information is certainly valuable and will give me a lot to focus on over the winter.

Moving Forward

With ten years under our belt, we’re now gearing up for the next ten. Dan and I anticipate some software upgrades in the office and some new equipment in the field. We look forward to seeing our kids more active around the farm, though we’re careful not to push (I swear!). There’s a lot we can’t anticipate, but a lot that we can count on—our soil, and our community. If we’ve got that, we’ve got all we need. Thanks for being a part of it!

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—Caroline

   October, 2017