Why Sliding Scale?
Our share pricing strategy is based on an ideal that we hope promotes CSA participation by people of various income levels, while at the same time paying our farmers a living wage. Vegetable farming is very low paying work because most vegetables are priced at or below the cost of production. We do not want to price our shares so that only the wealthy can afford them, and we want to make enough money to support ourselves. That is why we created the sliding scale.
Our sliding scale payment method was first introduced at Seven Springs in 2008. Since then, members have joined the CSA paying at a level they could afford. We believe this offers a degree of fairness, balance, and opportunity so that a wide variety of individuals can join.
We price our shares using a range of prices for each type of share.
You choose the price you pay within the range of prices within that range.
All payments above the minimum price provide additional money to increase farmer wages and to support our Neighbors Help Neighbors Fund