WHAT WE DO
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. Our mission is to support and connect farmers and consumers through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). We envision a future where CSA is the backbone of a strong local food system and where all families have access to locally-produced, organic food from small family farms.​​
CORE PROGRAM AREAS
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Support in finding local, organic CSA farms near you.
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Educational workshops and resources for farmers on topics ranging from crop-specific growing techniques to social media marketing.
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Financial assistance for low-income households in purchasing CSA shares through the Partner Shares Program.
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Along with key partners, developing a national CSA network to provide robust resource-sharing, trainings and discussions for CSA practitioners and advocates.
WHO WE ARE
Executive Director
Carrie delights in eating fresh, local & organic produce throughout the year via CSA. She has an extensive background in food systems, from working on statewide farm-to-school initiatives at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems to working as a farmhand at Crossroads Community Farm to teaching sustainable agriculture to undergraduate students in Thailand. She enjoys applying her Masters degrees in Public Health and Urban & Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to her daily work at FairShare.
Organic Vegetable Educator
Claire Strader is the Organic Vegetable Educator for FairShare and Dane County UW-Extension. In this shared position, Claire works with organic vegetable farmers serving direct markets. Her previous experience is as a certified organic vegetable farmer, beginning farmer educator, and retail produce buyer. She has worked in the Wisconsin local food system since 1993 and joined FairShare in 2013. Her key projects include on-farm research on cover crops and reduced tillage techniques for organic vegetables, the Organic Vegetable Farm Manager registered apprenticeship, and the annual Organic Vegetable Production Conference serving farmers in Wisconsin and surrounding states.
Program Manager
Liv’s journey with food has followed her around the country (and beyond); from exploring the farmers market as a child in San Francisco, working on an organic farm in Germany, reviewing her college’s food waste system in Massachusetts, to working on an urban farm and assisting with farm classes for Tilth Alliance, in Seattle. She enjoys cooking new food, and has always looked to her CSA shares and ever-expanding home garden for inspiration. She sees an equitable and sustainable food system as a central component to our environmental and social well being, and is excited to promote that work with FairShare.
CSA-IN Network Coordinator
Liliana is a Senior at UW-Madison majoring in International Studies with certificates in Public Policy, Development Economics, and Latino Studies. Liliana has worked as the Finance Director for F.H. King: Students for Sustainable Agriculture, an organization on her college campus. After interning at the U.S. House of Representatives in D.C., Liliana has become increasingly passionate about building relationships across diverse communities and promoting community engagement. Liliana is excited to contribute her efforts toward strengthening our local food system as the Network Coordinator for the national CSA Innovation Network.
Communications Coordinator
Tess is thrilled to bring her passion for local food systems to FairShare as Communications Coordinator. Her previous experiences- from an urban farm in Iowa to a permaculture acreage in India- have helped shape her belief that access to sustainably grown, culturally appropriate foods are crucial to creating a just and equitable food system. She loves growing and cooking her own food, and is excited to call Madison home again after receiving her Master’s of Food & Agriculture Law and Policy from Vermont Law School.
INTERNS
Partner Shares Program Intern
Emma is a farmer, writer, and creative with a love for food, farming, and social justice. She cherishes warm summer memories of her grandparents’ hobby farm and harvesting from her family’s backyard vegetable garden. Emma has since kept her hands in the soil at an organic rooftop farm in Copenhagen, Denmark called Østergro and at Troy Farm during the Covid-19 pandemic. She recently graduated from UW-Madison, where she had the opportunity to conduct research on urban agriculture systems and support programming to improve farmer resilience in Wisconsin’s Driftless Region. Emma continues to be inspired by the incredible wisdom in BIPOC narratives of farming and cooking and hopes to help amplify these voices in local food systems.
Partner Shares Program Intern
Hawthorn McCracken is the child of a former dairy farmer and public school teacher. They grew up in East Tennessee and have made Wisconsin their home since 2008. With a background in arts, community education, and organic growing, Hawthorn is passionate about combining technical knowledge and community connections in order to build stronger food systems and more diverse and equitable rural communities. They are interested in perennial crops, foraging, creating queer rural spaces, and integrating art and self-care into farm practices. In addition to their work in communications for various farming organizations, Hawthorn also serves on the boards of Madison Mycological Society and the local South Central Chapter of Wisconsin Farmers Union.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Being a FairShare Board member is an incredible and rewarding experience. You will have the opportunity to make a lasting difference by helping to define FairShare’s future and be engaged in decision-making on governance, accounting, ethical and legal issues, and strategic visioning.
Our Board members are passionate about providing our communities with fresh, local, organic produce through farmer relationships by putting our own skills to use in supporting FairShare staff and organizational growth. Contribute your ideas and knowledge. Network and meet amazing people. Stretch your intellectual and emotional muscles.
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Current Opening(s): The FairShare Board of Directors is seeking a Board member with deep experience in fundraising and donor relations. Proficiency with donor and prospect cultivation, engagement, and stewardship as well as donor database use, strategy, and maintenance—especially for non-profits—would be a significant benefit to our Board.
If interested in this Board seat, please email carrie@csacoalition.org with a note of interest and relevant information about your background and experience.
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