Contrary to claims by scholars touting the role of
community in CSA, this study suggests the CSA model
does not offer much in the way of community to members,
even among members who are interested and involved in
community. While community is desirable on many levels
and much of the CSA literature accepts community as
inherent and attainable, these findings underline just how
idealized this concept is. Farmers and managers are more
often than not farming alone without the support of community. Accordingly, the instrumental and functional
models best depict the current condition between farmers
and members in New York State (Feagan and Henderson
2009). In part, this is due to farmers’ need to be economically viable, as well as the difficulty they face sustaining
and facilitating member participation (Loughridge 2002).
While the ideal CSA is one structured around committed
and involved members, CSA as an economic model is not a
novel idea.
This study illustrates the importance of recognizing the
broader role of community. To date, a dearth of empirical
work framing community more broadly contributes to an
incomplete understanding of community in CSA as evidenced by this research and Loughridge’s (2002). A weak
sense of community among CSA members lends support to
Putnam’s (2000) claims that Americans are experiencing a
declining sense of community, likely influencing members’
perceptions of their CSA. Conceptualizing community
within alternative agricultural arrangements is complex,
subjective, and highly contested, but a necessary step to
reconciling the ideal notion of community with practice.
This is important not only for scholars but farmers too, lest
they till, hoping to cultivate community without reaping
any of the purported benefits.
Future studies of CSA should continue to investigate the
nuances of community in CSA. To that end, we recommend the scope of study be extended to include regional
and national studies of CSA members to mitigate the local
bias of a single state or locality. Methodologically,
enlarging sample sizes and generating random samples to
yield generalizable results will enhance our understanding
of member perceptions. Undertaking qualitative research,
including interviews and focus groups of members and
farmers, will offer a more nuanced and in-depth understanding of the role of community in CSA. For example,
studying interactions between farmers/managers and
members, as well as among members, at pick-up points
might offer insight as to whether or not this constitutes a
sense of community for some members. A qualitative
approach is better suited to asking ‘‘how’’ and ‘‘why’’
questions, unlike survey research, which is particularly
useful for measuring complex concepts like community.
Finally, comparative research might explore differences
and similarities between community in CSA and other
types of alternative food arrangements.