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(Continued) Philosophically, however, "teikei" means "food with the farmer's face on it." Today, such clubs operating under this concept in Japan serve literally thousands of people sharing the harvest of hundreds of farmers.

This innovative idea did not come to the United States until the mid-1980s. At that time, Robyn Van En was in her second season as owner of Indian Line Farm, during a period when number of small farmers across the country were struggling with the financial realities of market gardening. Yet, though the CSA concept was at the tip of their thinking, none had a real model to crystallize the thought. "Subscription farming" - paying on a weekly or monthly basis - already existed, and was experiencing significant support and proliferation through Booker T. Whatley's book, How to Make $100,000 Farming 25 Acres (Rodale, 1987). Eventually, in the summer of 1985, the teikei concept became known as "Community Supported Agriculture" here in the U.S.

Today, there are at least 500 active CSAs throughout North America, including one at our own Musgrave Orchard in Bloomington, Indiana. Known as the "Core Farms," our mission is to benefit the earth, the local community, and our own CSA family. These benefits are provided through a combination of hands-on education, taking leadership and action to promote a healthy environment, and implementing a community supported agriculture network of local farmers using natural growing methods.

Though there are variations on the basic theme, our success begins with a core group of Central Indiana consumers and producers who draw up a budget which reflects annual production costs. The budget includes all salaries of the farmer, distribution and administration costs, plus costs of seeds, soil amendments, small equipment, etc. We then divide the resulting figure by the number of shares that each farm site can produce, and this determines the costs of a "share" of the harvest. Typically, a share is designed to feed two adults with a mixed diet by providing all of their vegetable needs for one week. Our consumer group of sharers have agreed to pay their share of production costs, and also share the financial risk with producers. In return, the sharers receive a basket of local, same-day-fresh, typically organic vegetables and herbs once a week from May through October. Our current producers include: New Growth Gardens, the Heartland Family Farm and Musgrave Orchard. One day, with the addition of more producers, we hope to provide up to 40 different crops to feed 300 people or more.

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1/2 Share =	1 adult portion	$325
1 Share =	2 adult portions	$600
1 1/2 Shares =	3 adult portions	$850
2 Shares =	4 adult portions	$1100

Beets, eggplant, broccoli, broccoli raab, brussel sprouts, cabbage varieties, carrots, endive, cucumber, green beans, fresh cut herbs, kale varieties, kohlrabi, leeks, mesclun salad mix, fall greens, peas, radicchio, radish, onion varieties, spinach, summer squash, summer melons, winter squash, chard varieties, pepper varieties, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potato varieties, garlic varieties, fresh cut flowers, apples and cider from Musgrave Orchard, red and black raspberries, strawberries. (This list may be amended at any time.)

Pick up your produce weekly on either Wednesdays (10:30 am - 6:30 pm) or Saturdays (10:30 am - 6:30 pm) at the Musgrave Orchard Market, located 2 miles east off Highway 37 North, just north of Oliver Winery.

There is a delivery service available for an additional $100 (payable with your membership fees) to pre-arrange delivery for every week, or you can use the service on an as-needed basis for $5 per delivery. Please call at least 2 days in advance of your pick up day. Deliveries are available only on Saturdays.

Download our membership form here and mail your completed form with your payment to:

The Core Farms CSA
8820 N. Old S.R. 37
Bloomington, IN 47408

OR, visit the Bloomingfoods stores (East or Downtown Bloomington) to pay by cash, check or credit card.

Phone: (812) 360-3328
E-mail: corefarmsCSA@musgraveorchard.com
Web: http://www.musgraveorchard.com/corefarmsCSA

Mail:
8820 N. Old S.R. 37
Bloomington, Indiana 47408