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I am seeking other people (say 2-10, though if we get more maybe we can figure out a larger scale project) that want to operate a bitcoin urban farm CSA in either Minneapolis or St Louis for next growing season (This growing season/fall/winter will be making preparations) Think of this as a hobby project, a proof of concept, and a way to get some more goods into the bitcoin economy.

For those of you that don't know what a CSA, basically you buy "shares" in a farm. Based on shares sold, you then get a proportion of all crops harvested during the growing season. It is a way to provide farmers upfront capital for work (since most out the money outlay is at the beginning of the season), to eat seasonally, to support small farms, to share risk, etc.

I have been a community gardener for many years. I have potential spaces for a small proof-of-concept urban farm in both cities (would prefer Mpls but would move back to St Louis if there was a critical mass of folks there). I am nearly positive we could find enough subscribers in either place that would want to both support a micro-scale urban farm and bitcoin.

or of course interested in that topic of small scale urban farms funded by bitcoins - doesn't have to people that want to play in the dirt with me, could want to play in the dirt elsewhere :)

Great idea! Im not in your area but I wish luck to you!

I'd love to see you succeed.  This might compell the local CSA's to accept bitcoin from me.

Creighto: I think it might be easier at this point in bitcoin's evolution to go in the other direction -- ie; convince people that have already had a sip of the BTC koolaid that have an interest in small-scale farming/large-scale gardening to try a pilot project.

but yes, I'm excited as well.

Wow this idea is great!  I am new to this whole bitcoin thing but I already have .43 btc :)

I am in North St. Paul, and I'd love to get in on this collaborative effort...  But I don't have a lot to invest, as it were, so is there another way that I could also help?

Nefario should implement GLBSE payouts in carrots.

Hi Liz:

I don't think investments (in the form of shares) will be terribly hard to come by (though donations are always welcome). More difficult is getting a crew of solid folks together to work out the organizational documents, get the application to the city in for land, etc and more important, grow food!

There will definitely be opportunities for volunteers that may not be willing to make any comittments for a growing season but could come out for a weekend workday....

There are many sustainable CSAs that already exist.

Some are more expensive than buying equivalent produce at megacorp grocery store, but demand a premium from folks who value supporting local and/or organic agriculture, etc etc.  Some can charge premiums for growing niche heirloom vegetables.

Some are cheaper because you are eliminating a lot of middleperson costs as well as storage/packaging/distribution/etc etc.

One of the key features of some CSAs is that you are buying into a literal "share" of the harvest, so the amount/type of food that is delivered changes each week. This is different than other CSAs which are essentially shares not subject to any variance (ie; your meat share always gets you XXX lbs of bison, etc). There are a variety of papers written about share pricing -- many CSAs are also non-profit ventures (which of course doesn't mean that they aren't making money, just that it is being reinvested) that also double as youth development programs, job training programs, lend remediation programs, agricultural education programs, etc.

Also I think OSE is fantastic, doing really great work, have been a monthly donator for a longtime (BTW: they are now accepting BTC). At this point however, if we are talking about a small hobby-sized urban CSA, most of their tools are overkill.

I think CSAs are fantastic, have been buying marketshares for my produce for the last year or two and I really enjoy it for both the product and the fact that I am supporting local farming initiatives. I'm not in your area but I wish you the best of luck with your CSA!

Very interesting.

Even more interesting to me, since my family operates a small organic farm (most revenue via CSA, some via farmers markets) in the Minneapolis area...

-Phil

Heil, upcoming world-wide-scale agrotech overlord !! :P

bump :)

I'm interested in this, do you have some sort of dossier outlining your business plan for potential investors you could send me?

Not yet. Right now I am mainly looking for other people to help with labor. I have a feeling we could have enough local people subscribe.

Im located in Florida so my growing season starts in Mid September and I was already planning this.  Grow some food and sell for BTC.  Good luck on your project.

Ah the joys of a long growing season :)

We most be more creative with our time in zone 4

No joys with all the pests though the organic route is extremely difficult here.

What are so organic pesticide options besides Neem Oil that I can look into?

I'd join it but don't live anywhere near that location.

I'm so glad to have found this thread.  Alternative currencies for local stimulation and production was how I stumbled upon bitcoin a year ago.  Check out the site I'm working on openalcohol.org  and watch the video on the front page.  It will blow your mind.

I know this is a necro, but I am interested in if this ever took off or if it would if I offered my help for next year (2012)

BITSEEDS.ORG is available.