In partnership with the CSA-IN Equity & Access Learning Community, we're hosting 3 CSA farmers to share about a strategy they've implemented in support of wider food access. We'll hear stories of farms who have sliding scale models, or other ways of dynamically improving the affordability of their CSA shares while not cutting into the farms' own financial viability & sustainability.

Jared Lukens-Black of Budding Moon Farm: Jared has been operating Budding Moon Farm solo since it was established in 2018 in Spearfish, SD. Before learning vegetable production from a number of farms in the Pacific Northwest, Jared was a middle school teacher in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN. The goal of the farm is to implement innovative programs that increase nutrition security in the community, while also supporting a healthy ecosystem and maintaining financial viability.

Abigail Miller of Wonka's Harvest: Abigail has been working for farms for about 8 years now. She has managed Wonka's Harvest for 2.5 years. Together Abigail and Patty Grimmer run Wonka's Harvest, a no-till CSA and Market farm out of Madison, WI. Wonka's Harvest incorporates a "pay what you can" model for their members, and offers three seasonal shares throughout the growing season.

Bryan Allan of Zephyr Organics: Bryan, a former lawyer turned CSA farmer, began farming at Zenger Farm in Portland, OR in 2010 where he wrote a guide for CSA farmers to process SNAP payments and started CSA Partnerships for Health - a program connecting CSA farms with health centers that has grown to feed 300 patient families last year. In 2022, Bryan and his friend, David, started their own farm, Zephyr Organics, in 2022 where they use a sliding-scale payment method for their truly "take as much as you'll eat" CSA.

Frances Kellar, facilitator, of Cooking With Our CSA: Frances has developed a robust online recipe site that teaches people how to cook seasonally with what's in their CSA boxes or at their local markets. She's a member of Sage Mountain Farm's CSA in CA.