Burnet County farmer uses contemporary business plan
Alexandria Randolph/The Highlander
Hairston Creek Farm in Burnet County produces boxes of food each week for roughly 50 client families.
by Alexandria Randolph
A local farmer has succeeded with a business plan that is quickly gaining national popularity.
Gary Rowland of Hairston Creek Farm participates in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA,) a program that connects locally grown produce with consumers. Currently, there are CSA farms in Austin, Bertram and Dripping Springs.
Rowland and his wife began the program in 2000 after one of their farmers' market customers said she had heard of a similar farming situation in Colorado.
“We attended a conference in New York and visited with folks actively engaged in CSAs up there,” Rowland said.
Rowland now has about 50 regular client families who receive fresh, USDA certified organic vegetables raised on his farm.
“It’s similar to a subscription to a newspaper or magazine,” Rowland said.
Customers pay annual fees up front to receive produce during a 32-week season and can select different share plans based on how frequently they would like to receive produce.
For the full story, see Friday's Highlander.