Farmer Strategy: CSA

Entering Farmer #20386

I am 22 years old and have 3 years of regenerative farming experience. I have worked on a farm on Lopez Island, Washington where I learned about rotational grazing of cattle, market gardening, and commercial compost production. Next, I worked on a farm in Havre de Grace, Maryland where I grew veggies and berries in a 2 acre market garden, rotationally grazed cattle, sheep, and chickens, raised pigs in the woods, and even had my own personal dairy cow and taught myself how to make cheese. Finally, I worked on a market garden in Sellersville, Pennsylvania where I learned a bit more about the business side of operating a farm.
I would love to have my own farm one day to grow veggies in a market garden style, graze livestock in a rotational system (cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep), and would also like to have some dairy cows (would be interested in starting a small creamery). I am looking for a piece of property where I could make my farming dreams a reality and live on the property, too. It would be nice to take over a farm that someone is no longer interested in farming and eventually buy in from them. Since I am young and have been farming, I do not have the capital to buy a piece of land outright.

Entering Farmer #20371

My husband and I are graduates of the PSU College of Agricultural Sciences and grew up actively involved in 4H and FFA. We do not come from farming families, but have found a deep love for it.

Chris previously worked as a Herdsman for 300+ cow/calf beef operation and a Relief Technician for Genex. He is now the Career and is now the Specialized Career and Technical Education Advisor – Agriculture for the PA Department of Agriculture.

I work in the Hershey Area as a Cancer Researcher using animal models.

We previously rented 150 acres, making hay, wheat straw, and corn; as well as maintaining a flock of roughly 100 commercial Katahdin ewes. We recently refocused our operation to buy more land (instead of renting) and improve our genetics. We have a strong customer base both for show lambs and hair lambs, and are desperately looking for land to buy in order to expand our operation.

Our current property is only 10 acres, on which we manage 10 head of commercial Katahdins brood ewes, 10 head of wether type crossbred show ewes, and 3 head of beef cattle. We grow our own hay and rotationally graze our stock roughly 8 months out of the year (but would love to do more!). While we do vaccinate our animals, we believe prevention is the best medicine, and therefore strive for the best management practices as well as select for the right stock in order to avoid the need for antibiotics and anthelmintics, unless absolutely necessary.

We are passionate about maximizing our rotational grazing and improving the soil, as well as supporting and educating local youth. We love the constant challenge to improve our genetics and systems to best meet the needs of our clients while remaining highly profitable.

Entering Farmer #20370

I am a 1st generation farmer from the Lehigh Valley. I currently manage a farm in Bucks County where we have over 10 acres in production. I have experience with organic practice farming, vegetable row crop production, greenhouse production, extended season/high tunnel production, cut flower production, perennial production, wine grape production, orchard fruit, and beekeeping. I have experience managing a 100 member CSA, farm store, wholesale program, and a farmers market. I have experience with farm machinery, irrigation systems and IPM. Id like to add benefit to the local community where I’d be farming in by providing access to fresh, healthy produce/fruit/products/flowers/honey. I am seeking a farm to continue my passion for farming. Id like to raise a family run a farm to continue to pursue my career in agriculture and support my family. An ideal situation would be a farmer looking to transition their property to the next generation (me), bonus if tractor and /or other equipment, etc was also available with the purchase. I am looking for a piece of land, ideally at least 5 acres, with a home available, with options to either sign a long term lease, to lease to own, or purchase.

Entering Farmer #20359

We are a family-run, grass fed beef production farm, specializing in production of low-cholesterol beef with excellent tenderness and exquisite taste. This is accomplished by using the Piedmontese cattle breed. We started operations in 2008 and have now grown the herd to the point of seriously entering the farm to table market. We also sell seedstock for this remarkable breed using imported Italian Anaborapi semen and offspring from these registered cattle.

Entering Farmer #20356

Hello there. Our names are Sasha and Tony Bellucci. We are respectively 35 and 37 years old and have resided in Colorado for the past 11 years. Tony grew up in Pennsylvania and lived there for 25 years before moving west. Sasha was born in Ukraine and came to Pennsylvania by way of California when she was 13. As we’ve built our lives and skills out west, we are looking to return to our home state to be closer to family and live out our long term visions of sustainability, permaculture, organic agriculture, and community enrichment. We’d love to tell you a little about ourselves and our intentions.

Tony has spent many years working around plants and trees. His introduction to farming began at Greenmoore Gardens in State College, Pa. At the farm, Tony, along with farm manager Laura, ran a 50 person CSA. This included the management of 2 large tunnels of vegetables, a 20×12 propagation greenhouse, drip irrigation water systems, and a flock of 40 chickens. In 2020, he was studying Horticulture at CSU and was selected to intern at the Colorado State Extension office in Grand Junction, Co. where he curated an garden growing indigenous Ute ethnobotanical plants, herbs, and trees. Tony holds a BA in Communication and designed marketing materials, brochures, and signs for use in the garden and community. Currently, he has been working as an arborist and will soon be ISA certified. Daily tasks include management of fruit trees, climbing and pruning, felling/removing dead trees, and management of landscape plants. In his free time, he loves to play all types of music though his primary instrument is guitar. He plays in a successful band called Tumbledown Shack based in Fort Collins, Co. which plays 4-8 shows a month. He is a passionate soccer fan and enjoys being outside through his work or various recreation activities such as disc golf and biking.

Sasha is a successful mental health therapist with a Master’s in Transpersonal Counseling. For the last 9 years she has worked with clients with varying degrees of PTSD and complex trauma. In 2022 she completed Equinox Center’s 10 month herbalism intensive and integrates herbalism into her work with patients. She is fluent in Russian and spends much of her free time creating various pieces of art including traditional Ukrainian folk art. She is an accomplished artist and sells art, herbal remedies, and her leatherwork at local artisan markets. She enjoys spending free time outside riding her bicycle and playing disc golf with Tony.

Together, we share experience and a vision for a sustainable future. In 2012, we went to Chile to volunteer on a small 2 acre permaculture in the foothills of the Andes. While there, we were given our first glimpse into permaculture practices and self-sustainability. We tended gardens, cooked using fresh ingredients, and cared for the land, trees, and property. From that experience on, we have managed our own gardens both in Pennsylvania and Colorado. In 2017, we volunteered at a 33 acre permaculture in southern Costa Rica. We were given a month of training then managed the property for the owners while they were away. Daily tasks included pruning of plants, harvesting of food, processing food, caring for various animals including ducks, sheep, horses, and cows, greenhouse and compost management, and community outreach. We received our PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate) in December of 2017 and began to construct our own vision for this lifestyle. In 2018, we returned to Costa Rica where we helped care for a small 1 acre property while the owner was out of the country.

Through various experiences and education, we have slowly formulated our own vision for an agricultural and permaculture based lifestyle. We have always dreamed of tending the land, growing food, educating and impacting community, and hosting enrichment events. Our life in Colorado is rich however, we wish to return to Pennsylvania where we would be better able to enact this vision. We would love to sell food through farmers market or CSA, cultivate herbs and herbalism products for the community, and design community events where people can experience professionally prepared meals with locally grown food.

Entering Farmer #20354

I am currently a Livestock Nutrition Consultant for a supplement company, but I have previously worked in roles as a vegetable farmer, field technician, and livestock manager. All of these prior positions were held on organic farms.

I am looking to work into having a beef herd of my own. I would also be interested in operating a dairy, if the situation is right.

I currently have a few beef steers of my own, and help out on a dairy farm on most weekends.

I would likely have to keep my office position while I started the farm, so starting small-ish and local would be ideal. The office is located in Lancaster County, between Harrisburg and Lancaster city.

Entering Farmer #20348

Hi. I am a farmer’s daughter, an Early Childhood Educator, an avid gardener, and a true tree hugger. I want to live a self sustainable lifestyle while growing food for myself my family and my community. I have always been involved in CSA’s, school gardens, community gardens as well as nurturing my own backyard garden. I am currently volunteering at our local community garden in Holidaysburg where all of our produce goes to food banks. We have two high tunnels and over an acre in field for vegetables.
I would like to wake up and be where I want to be, my happy place my garden. I want to witness each sunset and sunrise and celebrate each season in the garden. I understand and respect the daily work that a garden needs. I also know it takes a team and want to involve youth programs and other non profits to assist with some gardening activities. I would like to operate a farm school and use the garden and land for teaching and learning about gardening and our natural environment. I would like to use recycled materials and use regenerative farming practices. I am familiar with typical farm animals and would consider exploring options for small farm. This is my dream and I believe it is where I am to be on a farm being a farmer.

Entering Farmer #20347

I am 21 and was born and raised on a dairy farm, which has since been transitioned to a beef and crop farm. I own and manage a small flock of khatadin sheep for meat. I have experience with beef, dairy, sheep, goats, small scale chicken and hogs, as well as flower and veggie production for a small family CSA we ran a few years ago. I just recently moved off the farm and got a job with the Farm Service Agency but am looking for a farm to purchase. Ideally it would have a barn for beef and sheep production, pastures, and acreage for crop production for the operation.

Entering Farmer #20343

We are aspiring farmers who are dreaming of running a small operation that includes organic vegetables, small meat livestock and value added products for market. We have an interest in sustainability and revitalizing the local economy through farming