The Box Model is the most common type of CSA and is basically a farm subscription, although as
a type it exhibits great internal diversity. Members pay up front for a set amount of time. The
minimum payment period varies, from week to week, to monthly, to quarterly, to a full season (six
months); in our sample, the average minimum payment time is eight weeks, while the median7 is a
month. CSAs using the Box Model use different distribution systems, including on-farm pick up,
neighborhood or institutional drop-off sites, and door-to-door delivery. Some CSAs have standard
boxes in which every member gets the same items (Figure 3), while other CSAs allow members to
customize their boxes by size and/or item. There are three subtypes of the Box Model: Single-Farm
Box CSAs, Multi-Farm Box CSAs, and Farm-Linked Aggregator CSAs.