Georgia Organics - Market Tool

Choosing Your Market -- A Direct Marketing Decision Tool

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Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Case Studies

Riverview Farm

Wes and Charlotte Swancy provide fresh, organic produce for about 130 families in the Atlanta area for 6 to 7 months a year. They are operating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for the second year on a portion of their 150-acre family farm in the foothills of north Georgia. Last year they started the CSA with 25 shareholders and increased their number of shareholders five-fold by word of mouth, the national Local Harvest website listing and advertising at their farmers' markets. This method of marketing has great potential for Georgia, according to Wes. During 2004, several new CSAs started in the north Georgia area.

Instead of a large prepayment, the CSA at Riverview allows the members to pay for their share a week in advance of the delivery. The price will be dependent on what is available that week but averages around $25. Approximately half to two thirds of the farm's income comes from the CSA. Riverview also markets at the Morningside Farmers' Market and the Spruill Gallery Farmers' Market and they do a limited amount of wholesale and on-farm marketing. The CSA has become the core of their marketing and the Swancys plan to focus on this strategy and expand their number of shareholders next year.
Wes and Charlotte Swancy
Riverview Farm
888 Graves Rd. NE
Ranger, GA 30734
706-334-2926
singingfrog@earthlink.net

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