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About the Core Group

The Williamsburg CSA was started in 2000 by El Puente, a local community group with deep roots in the South Williamsburg Puerto Rican community. El Puente administrated the CSA for its first two years. At that point, the CSA became sustained by its own membership. Certain members of the CSA stepped up and formed the core group, volunteering their time to run the CSA. Each year, different members volunteer to run the accounting and organize the distribution. As the size of the CSA grew, so did the size of the core group. (Nerdy fact: the CSA has grown about 30% a year since 2006)

Any member of the CSA can attend core meetings and join the core group. There are monthly meetings. (Usually in the first half of the Month at a member's house.) Every member of the CSA has an equal voice and vote at the core group table. We run the CSA through a semi-consensus system, voting on major decisions. The meetings last about 2 hours and it is a mixture of planning, discussion, and reports from coordinators.

Our core group has 10 coordinator positions. These positions require a lot of the grunt work needed to keep the CSA afloat and an economically viable model for the farmers. In return for the hard work, the farmers give these coordinators a 50% discount on their vegetable share. (Accounts coordinator gets a free vegetable share). Coordinators step up to the position for the upcoming season at the October and November core meetings. The Core group meets with the farmers in December finalizing things for the next season. Any member can volunteer for a coordinator position.

This community is self-organizing group facilitated by a core group of members; it is a good time and highly recommended for anyone that wants to get more involved with creating a just food system in our Greenpoint-Williamsburg community. If you'd like to get involved in the core group, email us.

In addition to being a member of the core group, there are many ways to put a capital C in your community supported agriculture experience. We have started several committees for members to join in order to expand the fulfillment of our mission in supporting sustainable food systems in NYC.

• Low Income Fundsraisers Committee
  • Help our CSA fulfill its commitment to providing 2 MegaCombo shares to the Greenpoint soup kitchen and 4 local low income families and seniors with CSA membership. The CSA raises $$ for the shares through member donations and would like to hold a yearly fundsraiser to increase the size and sustainability of the program.
• Help get food donations to local soup kitchen
  • There is a new soup kitchen in the hood; we would like to donate share "leftovers" from Wed & Sat distributions. We need volunteers who will help transport the food to the kitchen in Greenpoint.
• Website Committee
  • We are building a new website. Wanna help?
• Farm Trips Committee
  • Help organize our day on the farm.
• June Cocktail Mixer Committee
  • Tuesday June 10 2008 the core group will be hosting a happy hour cocktail mixer. Help organize the mixer and make the strawberry sangria and tapas menu.
• Iron Chef Kolrabi Potluck/Picnic Committee
  • Help organize the potluck picnic in McGolrick Park which celebrates the glories of Kohlrabi (everyones favorite CSA veggie!!)
• Bloody Mary Brunch Fundraiser for Green Dome Garden
  • Last year, 2 of our members started a wonderful tradition of a CSA fundraiser in support of our Saturday distribution "neighbors", the Green Dome Community Garden. This year the event will be a brunch with bloody marys from tomatoes picked on our trip to the farm. Help organize this fun event!
• Harvest Dinner Committee
  • Every year our CSA hosts a Harvest Dinner in November, raising funds for the amazing non-profit group, Just Food. Help organize the potluck and silent auction.
• Craft Committee
  • Wanna crochet bags out of recycled plastic bags? Wanna silkscreen recycled clothes? Just wanna get crafty? Join the committee dedicated to bringing sustainability to the craft table.
• Etc. Committee
  • Do you have a skill you would like to share with the CSA? If so, let us know...

Email us if you'd like to get more involved in your CSA.