364 CSA Buy Down Offers: Marketing Case Study with Thirsty Fruit Farm
June 3, 2026
In this episode, I sit down with Krista Barzen-Hansen of Thirsty Fruit Farm — one of my students inside Farm Marketing School — to break down how her marketing has evolved over the past year.
In this farm marketing case study, we unpack:
- how customers discover her farm,
- how she nurtures leads,
- how she’s constantly optimizing her “gateway” product
- what content she creates,
- how she thinks about onboarding,
- the systems she’s building,
- and how she’s learning to approach marketing with confidence and experimentation instead of overwhelm.
Krista’s primary sales model happens to be a CSA “buy down” structure, so much of the conversation naturally flows through that lens. But the real lesson here is seeing how marketing principles come together inside an actual farm business.
If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to move from “random acts of marketing” into a more intentional marketing ecosystem… this episode will give you a practical example.
Helpful Links & Resources
Proof Sentence Live Workshop: Want help finding your farm’s proof sentence? This June inside Farm Marketing School, I’m hosting a bonus live workshop where we’ll write your farm’s proof sentence together. You’ll get time to draft it, share it for feedback, and get coached on revisions so you can use it in your emails, product descriptions, website, and social media.
Join here: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms
What email provider do I use to connect with my farm customers? Choosing a good marketing email provider is SO important. It’s one of the most important tools for making money! I recommend Kit.com — it is easy to use, powerful, and getting better every year. It also integrates with most e-commerce providers and tools. Use my affiliate link!
Krista’s “Tip Jar” FAQ ideas: Krista shared this strategy in our interview. Here’s a list of the questions she pulled from to make her IG reels:
Q1: “What if I don’t use everything before it goes bad?”
Q2: “I’ve tried a CSA before and felt overwhelmed. How is yours different?”
Q3: “What if my family won’t eat half the vegetables?”
Q4: “How much do I actually get? I don’t want to be overwhelmed.”
Q5: “What if I can’t cook everything before the next week?”
Q6: “What if I’m traveling and can’t pick up?”
Q7: “Do I have to commit to the whole season?”
Q8: “What if my schedule is totally unpredictable?”
Q9: “I have a garden. Do I really need a CSA?”
Q10: “Is this going to add more stress to my life?”
Q11: “What if I don’t know how to cook something?”
Q12: “Do I have to meal plan around what I get?”
Q13: “What if I’m a beginner with vegetables?”
Q14: “Will this actually help me eat more vegetables?”
Q15: “What’s the most beginner-friendly vegetable to start with?”
Q16: “How long do your vegetables really last?”
Q17: “What does ‘knowing your farmer’ actually mean?”
Q18: “What if I don’t like something I ordered?”
Q19: “What makes your CSA different from others in the area?”
Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors:
Local Line is my farm’s preferred e-commerce platform for farmers. Are you looking for a new solution for your farm? I can’t recommend it enough. Easy-to-use inventory management, great customer service, continuous improvement, and a culture dedicated to equipping farmers with marketing expertise. Local Line is offering a free premium feature for free for one year on top of your paid subscription. Claim your discount by signing up for a Local Line account today and using the coupon code: MDF2026. Head to my special affiliate link to get started: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/localline
Farm Marketing School is my step-by-step membership program for direct-to-consumer farmers who are ready to treat marketing like a system, not a guessing game. Inside, you’ll get plug-and-play projects, templates, monthly coaching, and a repeatable framework to help you grow your email list, run stronger promotions, and increase sales (whether you’re a vegetable, meat, CSA, flower, dairy, microgreen, or value-added farm). Your investment is only $69/month. Over 15 marketing projects to choose from. Learn more and enroll at: www.mydigitalfarmer.com/fms
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