Grow Your Own CSA Training

CSA is a profitable, sociable and sustainable way to link land and community. We would like to see CSA projects thrive across the UK.
We run both on site residential training & online training.

Online training

This online course is aimed at groups or individuals who already have or are in the process of attaining the growing skills needed to run a CSA.

The course runs from October to December, so that growers have finished the main season & can run through this training in time to set up a CSA the following season! You may also want to do the course to help you decide if CSA is for you.

Each online session topic will last 1.5 hours & we will host these sessions weekly.

The sessions are an opportunity for us to go into depth and explore each subject area that we consider vital in setting up your CSA. We generally have a guest speaker each week with particular expertise. There is also plenty of time for students to share ideas & raise questions.

Prior to each session we will send you a list of study resources. These will be a mixture of web pages, short films & documents. For each session we will also give you an assignment to complete. These assignments will form the basis of discussion when we meet.

Whilst the online session will be 1.5 hrs, we suggest that you will need to give anywhere between 2 to 4 hours & upwards per week to work on your CSA plans as we guide you through the session topics. The more time you put in the more you will get out!

This course will ideally be supplemented by you receiving mentoring from a range of organisations. We will try to help you find this extra support.
The course tutor (Tom) will also be available outside the course times to answer emails & chat on the phone if you have particular queries.

Course Co-ordinator – Tom O’Kane

  • 7 years setting up & running Cae Tan CSA
  • 30 years experience in sustainable farming
  • BSc Organic Farming – Aberystwyth
  • International Certificate in Biodynamic Farming – Lynette West, NSW, Australia
  • Certificate in ‘The Human Context of Organic farming’ – KVL Copenhagen
  • 10 years experience of mentoring community growers
  • Experience of setting up & running community garden training programmes

Course Fees:

  • Full price: £360
  • Discounted price for CSA Network Members: £335

Some bursaries will be available, please apply to csanetworkcomms@gmail.com

To book a place or find out more: go here.

 

Abbi

“Training at Cae Tan gave me a solid foundation in running a CSA. The help and support from Cae Tan in setting up Big Meadow was invaluable and made the process of setting up clear and accessible and gave me the confidence to get started.”  Abbi Mason

Working from our own experiences, we will give you an overview of the main issues you will need to consider in order to successfully set up & run your CSA.

Session Topics

  1. What is CSA
  2. Have you got the skills base?
  3. Finding & assessing land quality
  4. CSA company structures
  5. Business planning
  6. Tools & equipment for varying scales
  7. Financing the set up
  8. Planning issues for barns, polytunnels, parking & toilets!
  9. Crop planning & site planning
  10. Growing for 4 seasons & Crop storage – beating the hungry gap!
  11. Engaging volunteers
  12. Engaging & retaining members / membership management
  13. Managing your finances through the season
  14. Hosting trainees & supporting them to move on – passing on your knowledge
  15. Good working relationships