CSA Quickstart
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a CSA Up and Running in 60 Days… the RIGHT way!
Walk away knowing EXACTLY how to build and optimize ALL the systems you need to start and scale a CSA into a profitable enterprise that serves as your farm’s financial anchor for years to come.
ENROLL NOWDo you have a TON of questions about starting a CSA farm?
If so, that’s completely normal. Every would-be CSA farmer begins their journey with a lot of questions. Here are just a few of them….
==>You’ve heard that running a CSA is complicated with a lot of moving parts. What exactly is involved before you make this step? Are you ready to make this leap?
==>What do you even grow? And how do you make sure you always have something for the box?
==>Is the CSA model profitable? How long does it take to get there? And is it true that it can become a foundational revenue stream you can count on?
==>Are you spending precious time Googling “how to start a CSA,” and wading through YouTube and farmer Facebook groups, trying to piece together a roadmap? What if you’re missing something important?
==>You wish someone would show you the ropes and break it all down piece by piece with everything you need in ONE place — so you can feel confident that you’re on the right track.
We’ve all been there. You’re not alone….
What if I told you I created a
60-Day CSA Implementation Plan…
…that was designed to give you the most important information you need to build your CSA the right way as quickly as possible (without having to do ALL the research yourself), and led by two experienced CSA farmers who can teach you the ropes and reassure you that you’re doing it right.
ENROLL TODAYMeet your CSA farmer/instructors
Why we created CSA Quickstart…
Hi, my name is Corinna Bench from Shared Legacy Farms in Ohio. In 2020, during the early onset of the COVID pandemic, while other farm businesses were trying to keep it together, our farm was able to easily navigate the volatile market without a lot of financial stress — thanks to the CSA customers who stood firmly beside us. Not one of our 400 members broke rank, and the next year 95% of them renewed for 2022.
That’s when I realized I had created something special and lasting with my CSA. I was uniquely positioned to help other farmers learn this powerful framework.
I also noticed that many farmers were jumping into CSA too fast, without knowing what it takes to sustain one into the future.
Here’ the thing: great CSA’s don’t “just happen.”
They are forged on a strong, reliable foundation that includes multiple, scaleable CSA systems — as well as a fool-proof production plan.
There are so many pitfalls that can hit you mid-season if you don’t know what you’re doing. I know, because I fell into almost all of them.
That’s why I’ve partnered with Lauren Rudersdorf to create this course. We will guide you through your CSA startup process, steer you away from common rookie mistakes, and set your CSA up for success the right way ~ so it can be your financial anchor for years to come.
Resilience is possible. Join us.
-Corinna and Lauren
Master the framework, strategies, and techniques used by seasoned CSA farmers
Introducing:
The CSA Quickstart Course
A comprehensive, 60-day program for vegetable growers that teaches you the frameowrk for a successful, profitable vegetable CSA that can scale.
ENROLL NOW!The only CSA start-up course of its kind.
This course will change you from a confused, uncertain CSA vegetable farmer to the confident, “ready-for-anything” farmer who knows exactly how to make CSA profitable for the long haul.
Here’s what you get when you enroll:
+Five essential video training modules that teach you all the systems needed to set up a long-term, thriving CSA enterprise that can scale over time! We worked hard to keep these short and succint! Pick and choose from the comprehensive menu of topics to meet your needs. They are ready to binge-watch right away!
+Done-for-You Spreadsheets, Templates, Swipe Files, Exercises, and Examples for each section of your training to shortcut your creation process. Use them as a starting point to customize for your farm.
+Printable CSA Quickstart Workbook to help you work through exercises after each lesson and customize the content for YOUR style CSA.
+Lauren’s CSA Box Planning Spreadsheet to help you map out your weekly boxes before you start seeding, to make sure they are well-rounded and full of customer value.
+Our CSA Field Planning Spreadsheet — use this to help you map out your beds so that you have enough product to last all season
+Lifetime access to all course updates, additions, and future course launches.
+Email support from your instructors. We know questions come up. For quick answers, we offer this option to clarify and coach you through your obstacles.
+Access to one-on-one Coaching Calls with Lauren and Corinna to troubleshoot your specific CSA questions and help you get results faster (for an additional fee).
+Confidence that you’re on the right track, you’ve covered all your bases, and you’re setting up the processes so they can perform consistently.
Imagine these results for your CSA…
STACEY MADE CSA THE HEART OF HER FARM.
“This course is what helped my husband and me take the leap and transition away from farmer’s markets altogether. Your course helped us to not only survive during this year, but build our farm business bigger and stronger.”
Stacey Thompson
Our Fiddlehead Farm
ISAAC BUILT STEADY WEEKLY CASH FLOW.
“This course has changed my life. [We went] from $0 to around $3-5k gross sales a week [in our CSA]. It has saved our business. If you work the plan, it will work for you!”
Isaac Frerichs
Urban Veg
LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT’S WAITING FOR YOU INSIDE CSA QUICKSTART WHEN YOU ENROLL…
We’ve organized the content into 5 key sections to master, including…
ENROLL IN CSA QUICKSTART
MODULE #1
CSA PRE-PLANNING & LOGISTICS
MAKE YOUR KEY DECISIONS FIRST.
We start by setting the foundation and helping you think through the most important decisions that will shape your production plan and CSA execution. In this module, we cover:
How to choose the best CSA style to align with your farm’s workflow & unique customer base.
Your box size, season length, as well as your harvest timing, delivery dates and pick-up location (so it fits into your workflow).
Whether to offer home delivery.
How to build a compelling (and clear) CSA offer that makes your clients say YES. (Plus how to price it).
Policies you should put in place so you clarify your expectations for customers up front and avoid awkward encounters later.
How to choose your CSA sign-up platform & payment process.
What information to include in your simple onboarding process to welcome your new clients into the CSA family.
MODULE #2
CSA PRODUCTION & CROP-PLANNING
MAP OUT YOUR CSA GROWING PLAN.
Now that you know what style of CSA you want to run and how many weeks you’ll be delivering, it’s time to plan for production. This is the area so many rookie farmers mess up. You’ll learn WHAT to plant, how MUCH to plant, and WHEN to plant so you never have to stress out about filling the box. In this module, we cover:
How to decide what and how much to grow for your CSA box plan so your customers stay happy.
How to set up your spreadsheets for succession plantings to make sure you always have enough product.
Lauren’s Box Planning Spreadsheet Template to give you a starting point for mapping out your boxes to deliver incredible value to your clients.
How to develop a field planning spreadsheet to keep your crops organized and on schedule.
How to know how much seed to buy
How to structure your planting schedule
How to forecast accurate yields and account for crop failures so you always have options.
MODULE #3
CSA HARVEST & PACKING
DESIGN YOUR HARVEST & PACK SYSTEMS.
With your production plan in motion, we turn our eyes to organizing your harvest day and pack day flows. A CSA is nothing without high quality produce, and getting such a diverse number of products from field to CSA box in a way that maintains superior quality can be tricky. In this module, we’ll share our processes that create a “wow” box every week, including:
How to organize your harvest plan and goals so you make the most of your team on harvest day.
The harvest tools every CSA farmer should start out with, and what tools to invest in as you scale.
Our recommended resource and tools list, including links to our favorite CSA guide-books, CSA box containers, washing tools, and harvest bins.
Everything you need to know about CSA pack day, including how to set up your pack line so your product looks fresh and beautiful when your customer opens the box.
How to design your wash and pack area for optimal workflow — even if you don’t have a deluxe packing shed.
Module #4
HOW TO ACE CSA PICKUP DAY
ENGINEER YOUR PICKUP PROCESSES.
Now that you’ve got a beautifully packed box, how do we get the box to the customer? Don’t overlook this! The moment when we pass the product to the client is full of potential. How can you make the most of this opportunity to impress? In this module, we cover:
The difference between staffed versus unstaffed pickup sites and how to set them up.
How to design your pickup site layout for optimal flow, no matter what style CSA you choose.
What to look for in a great CSA site-host, and how to train them so they provide A+ customer service.
Our valuable checklist of “what to bring to the CSA pickup site” so you don’t leave anything behind.
How to design your customer site checklist with the right information so your site host knows exactly what everyone gets at pickup. (We even include Corinna’s template).
Everything you need to know about delivery, including picking the right delivery vehicles, what to pack, handling delivery delays, home delivery, and options for handling unclaimed boxes.
Module #5
CSA COMMUNICATION & CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEMS
BUILD THE COMMUNICATION ROADMAP FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS.
CSA has a learning curve, not only for you, but also for your customers. Providing your customers with a clear communication and onboarding process is critical for long-term CSA retention. The systems you put in place manage customer expectations and help them overcome common roadblocks. In this module, we cover:
The information you should share with your CSA members in the weeks BEFORE your CSA begins so they feel ready and excited for the first week’s box.
What to include in your CSA Handbook and weekly newsletters.
The essential skills to teach your first-year CSA members in the early weeks so they experience success faster.
Everything you need to know about designing and executing an engaging CSA member event to build a deeper connection to your customers.
Common CSA customer service issues you may encounter and how to handle them.
PLUS… DONE FOR YOU TEMPLATES, CHEATSHEETS, AND SWIPE FILES
We know that TIME is your most precious asset. So instead of asking you to spend hours trying to build spreadsheets, templates, emails and handbooks from scratch (that may end up being full of mistakes and omissions ), we’re sharing our own CSA files, documents, and templates to give you a starting point and strong foundation. Feel free to customize these to your operation.
==>Lauren’s Field Planning, Seed Order, and Seeding Chart spreadsheet templates
==>A finished CSA Handbook to use as an example.
==>Weekly newsletter templates and content ideas
==>Pre-season customer onboarding emails.
==>Site host job descriptions and training agendas.
==>Packing shed and pick-up site layouts
==>Customer pick-up checklist
==>Recommended Resource List of our favorite CSA tools
==>CSA site pack checklist
==>printable Quickstart Workbook to help you work through exercises after each lesson and customize the content for YOUR style CSA.
PS: I HAVE SOME EXTRA
“GOODIES” FOR YOU
WHEN YOU ENROLL TODAY…
BONUS #1
Lauren’s CSA Box Planning Spreadsheet Template
$100 value
This is gold. Make sure you’re planting enough of the right stuff! When you join Quickstart, you’ll get Lauren’s box planning spreadsheet template, so you can plan out what goes in the box each week AND quickly evaluate its estimated worth.
This tool will help you know where each crop goes in the field, when to plant in the greenhouse, and how to time everything so you never run out of product for the CSA box. This template was created from YEARS of experience, and serves as a great baseline for a new CSA farmer. It will help you avoid many seasons of planting mistakes! So incredibly valuable.
BONUS #2
The CSA Marketing Toolkit
Everything you need to attract, nurture, and convert new CSA members—without guessing… $200 value
When it comes to selling CSA shares, great marketing is half the battle. That’s why I’m including my CSA Marketing Toolkit as a special bonus. This video training vault features 9 bite-sized lessons that walk you through the most essential marketing assets every CSA farmer needs to sell with confidence. You’ll learn how to create tools that work while you sleep—bringing in leads, warming them up, and turning them into loyal members.
Inside, you’ll get:How to Find Your First 10 Customers
CSA Lead Magnets that Grow Your Email List
The Weekly Email Newsletter
Using CSA Testimonials to Help You Sell More
How to Write the CSA Product Description
How to Write a CSA Promotion Email Campaign
Website Messaging for your CSA Sales Page
Social Media Posts for CSA Sales
What to Put on a CSA Brochure
Whether you’re starting from scratch or tightening up what you already have, this toolkit will give you a solid foundation to promote your CSA like a pro.
Bonus #3
CSA Retention Secrets
How to Keep Your Members Coming Back—Year After Year
$50 value
Getting new CSA members is hard work… but keeping them? That’s the real challenge. With average CSA retention rates hovering around just 55%, it’s no wonder so many farmers feel stuck in a constant cycle of replacing lost members. In this powerful video training, you’ll discover the 5 core strategies behind customer loyalty—and learn exactly what you need to do to close the revolving door. I’ll walk you through the proven strategies that top-performing CSA farms use
ENROLL IN QUICKSTART NOWQuickstart comes with a Money Back Guarantee.
You have 30 days from the time you enroll in the course to decide if this course is a good fit. If you change your mind within that 30 day period, you may request a full refund, no questions asked.
ENROLL NOW AND GET YOUR CSA STARTED
What Quickstart farmers are saying:
See what Quickstart students appreciate most about the program…
FOR ANDREW, QUICKSTART REMOVED THE CONFUSION OF STARTING A NEW CSA FROM SCRATCH.
“The QuickStart class allowed us to start our CSA last year! I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. I might’ve tried, but it wouldn’t have been good. Thanks for offering it! This kind of information sharing and learning opportunities don’t exist in most industries when you want to start from scratch.”
Andrew Mattimoe
Next Door Farm, Ohio
AEROS USED QUICKSTART TO HELP HER SCALE HER EXISTING CSA.
“A checklist of all the necessary things to get a CSA online! This course has great details, descriptions, options and scenarios as well as templates to help guide you along the way of setting up your CSA program. I’m a seasoned farmer that has run a CSA in the past, and I found this course to be a great guide so nothing important was forgotten and it gave confidence that our members were getting the very best I could organize for them. If you are starting from scratch this course is amazing; it’s also a great resource if you want to up your game and refresh your standing CSA program. “
Aeros Lillstrom
Who Cooks for You Farm
FOR COLBY, QUICKSTART GAVE HER A WAY TO LEARN FROM OTHER FARMERS.
“The CSA Quickstart Course is a really concise and informative course to take the mystery out of starting your CSA. I was able to learn from and connect with other farmers. The Facebook group is an invaluable tool and great place to bounce ideas off each other and get direct advice and support.”
Colby Yeager
Noble Farms North
OK, Let’s RECAP!
When you join CSA Quickstart, you’ll receive instant access to everything you need to build a CSA you can be proud of, including…
==>Five essential training modules that teach you all the systems needed to set up a long-term, thriving CSA enterprise that can scale over time!
==>Spreadsheets, Templates, Exercises, and Worksheets for each section of the training to help you internalize the material and build the systems you need to succeed.
==>Lauren’s Field Plan Spreadsheet (module 2) to help you map out your production plan for CSA
==>Printable CSA Quickstart Workbook to help you work through exercises after each lesson and customize the content for YOUR style CSA.
==>BONUS: Lauren’s CSA Box Planning Spreadsheet to help you map out your weekly boxes before you start seeding, to make sure they are well-rounded and full of customer value.
==> BONUS: CSA Marketing Toolkit — that spells out the key marketing assets you’ll need to create to build a strong sales pipeline for new CSA members. Includes video trainings for a lead magnet, social media posts, brochures, and more…
==> BONUS: CSA Retention Workshop Video training, so you set up your systems to keep those CSA members you work so hard to acquire your first year1
==>Lifetime access to all course updates. You can go through the class again and again, and take advantage of any future updates!
==>Email support from your course instructors, as well as an opportunity to receive private coaching (for an additional fee)
==>30 day Money Back Guarantee, so you can get inside and see if it’s got what you’re looking for.
Questions Other Farmers
Have Asked About CSA Quickstart:
When does the course start and finish?
The course is ready for you now! As soon as you enroll, you can binge-watch the entire thing. We recommend you work through one module every two weeks. ALSO, don’t forget you have access to the course indefinitely, so if you can’t get to the sessions right away, they’ll be waiting for you whenever you have time.
I’m a brand new farmer. Should I take this course?
We don’t typically recommend that first-time farmers start with a CSA. It’s best to get some experience growing for other markets before you make the commitment to growing the diverse array of vegetables required for a CSA.
I have no experience with CSA. I’m a rookie in this area. Is this course still right for me?
If you already decided you want to start a CSA this year, then this course is exactly what you need. In fact, we designed this course FOR YOU. You’ll get the overall framework for logistics, how to plant, harvest, pack, dispense/deliver, and care for your customers so they turn into raving fans of CSA. If you were going to do it anyway, then let us be your guide so you do it the right way. Because we know starting a CSA can feel overwhelming, we’re going to give you as many done-for-you services as we can — like our newsletter template, the box planner, customer onboarding emails, what to teach your customers, and more.
I already have a CSA and it didn’t do too well last year. Is this course for me?
Possibly. Although some of the material will likely be information you already know, you can always gain new insights on how to build your CSA systems to work more efficiently and consistently. By learning the CSA framework from the beginning, you will likely identify the gaps that are tripping you up and uncover ideas for how to fix them.
What if I’m a meat or flower CSA farm. Is this course for me?
Honestly, probably not. Some of the principles overlap for sure! But most of the content is designed to help a vegetable farmer start a vegetable CSA. This may be something we add in the future though!
I can’t afford it. Is the course really worth it?
Well, you could probably find a lot of this stuff we teach for free if you want to take the time to hunt around for it on Google, blogs, FB groups, podcasts, and YouTube. Ask yourself how valuable your time is. I know it’s not cheap, but it’s far cheaper than the alternative. Just consider how much time and money you will save by avoiding the big mistakes that come from inexperience and not knowing what can happen. We also believe that when you invest in something, you’re more likely to bring your best energy to the project to get it done – and make sure that you find your ROI from it.
What if I decide it’s too much work after all, and that I’m not a good fit?
Try it out risk-free with our 30 day money back guarantee. You have 30 days after the time you enroll to ask for a refund. If you ask us within that 30 day window, we’ll give it all back. That’s ZERO risk for you.
How much time will this take? I’m not sure I have the time right now.
We estimate 5-10 hours a week for 60 days. We created this program to help you save time trying to piece-meal the solution together from all over the internet. There’s a lot of content in the course! Some students only work through a few of the modules where they need extra support their first year, and then go back the next year to add on another layer. Remember, you get lifetime access to the course and all future updates, so you can keep tweaking and optimizing your CSA for years to come.
Are you covering how to specifically grow every vegetable?
No. This is not a course where we teach you production techniques. (JM Fortier’s course is great for that!) The CSA Quickstart program is designed to give you the planning framework, overarching systems and strategies that you can then execute as the season unfolds. We don’t typically recommend that first-time farmers start with a CSA. It’s best to get some experience growing for markets before you make the commitment to grow all kinds of veggie mixes for a CSA. The farmers who find the most success taking this course and starting their CSA are experienced growers.
When will I get access to the course?
As soon as you sign up, you’ll receive access to the entire course content.
What if you don’t cover a question in the course?
Lauren and Corinna are available via email to answer your questions.
Can you remind me of everything I’m getting when I sign up today?
The CSA Quickstart Course includes 5 Video Training Modules, Lauren’s Field Planning, Seed Order, and Seeding Chart spreadsheet templates, the printable Course Workbook, Lauren’s time-saving CSA Box Planning Spreadsheet, additional worksheets and resources for each module, lifetime access (including future updates and additions), and email support from course instructors.
Meet your Quickstart Course Instructor:
Corinna Bench
Corinna Bench is an entrepreneur, CSA farmer, speaker, podcaster, consultant, and educator who is committed to helping CSA farmers build CSAs that are profitable and viable for the long-term.
Since 2008, she and her husband have been full-time farmers at Shared Legacy Farms in Elmore, OH, and have relied almost exclusively on their 400-member CSA to generate profits and build a life they love.
Corinna is the founder of MyDigitalFarmer.com which is dedicated to helping farmers master the art of messaging and sales for their CSA. She also hosts the My Digital Farmer podcast and is the founder/coach of Farm Marketing School.
Corinna brings her expertise of customer service, logistics, customer onboarding, education, marketing, and sales to the table in CSA Quickstart.
Meet your Quickstart Course Instructor:
Lauren Rudersdorf
Lauren Rudersdorf is a writer, recipe developer, marketing consultant, and educator obsessed with the CSA model and helping farmers execute it well in order to find more stability, profitability and success on their farms. She is the creator and producer of the video series “CSA Starts Here” and was an organic CSA farmer with her husband Kyle at Raleigh’s Hillside Farm for 9 years where she grew their CSA membership from 8 to 380 members in a saturated CSA market.
ENROLL IN CSA QUICKSTART
GET STARTED TODAYStill not sure? Need some more information about CSA first?…
Register for my FREE webinar:
The 3 Mistakes Rookie CSA Farmers Make (and how to Avoid Them)
CSA is not for the faint of heart!! Learn the 3 most common pitfalls that many first-time farmers run into. The list may surprise you. It helps to prepare for them, so you can minimize their effects. Plus… This webinar will help you decide if CSA is something worth pursuing at this point in time, or if you’re better off pursuing other avenues.
REGISTER FOR WEBINARStill have questions about CSA Quickstart?
Email us at mydigitalfarmers@gmail.com