Age, Economies of Scale, and Types of CSA
The first independent variable in the model is the age of the farmer who filled out the survey (hereafter referred to as Farmer A). Farmer A's age is positively and significantly related to earnings. 10 The importance of age captures a number of processes. First, farming, marketing, and management skills all improve with experience. Learning matters a great deal in running a CSA, as farmers noted, and most farmers continuously deepen and expand their skill sets. Second, capital that has been invested in the operation over many years can eventually pay off. Some farmers noted this time lag in relation to learning and long-term investment, such as “During the first couple of years, don't expect to make any money. If you need money right now, have a job outside” (Farmer 45). Third, CSA farmers who did not find the endeavor to be worth it have left, while many of those who have found it worthwhile have stayed (and are older). Fourth, as farmers age, they tend to become more concerned with the money needed for retirement and health care. As one of the farmers with high earnings noted: “I've been doing this for almost 36 years, and I didn't pay myself a salary until about 10 years ago. But it didn't matter. I lived in that trailer for 35 years, and I've got no rent, I've got no house, I don't have a mortgage” (Farmer 21).