FairShare CSA Coalition

10/20/2026

A month out from Bike the Barns, we wanted to share our HUGE appreciation for all of our Bike the Barns fundraiser riders!

Over 125 fundraiser riders signed up to raise money for our food access program, Partner Shares, last month. Thanks to their incredible fundraising, over $55,000 was raised to connect limited-income households to fresh, locally grown food in the coming year!

From strawberry costumes and stuffed ducks to homemade pesto and carrots on helmets, our fundraisers know how to put the FUN in fundraising 😀

And a HUGE shout out to our top fundraising rider, John - over his 14 years of fundraising through Bike the Barns, he has raised OVER $250,000 in support of fresh food for everyone!

At a time with rising food costs and increasing uncertainty over what food assistance looks like, we are so grateful to the many fundraisers (and their incredible donors) for showing the power of community 💚

10/19/2026

Creating a farm workplace where everyone can contribute and succeed starts with intentional environments, practices, and systems.

Join us on Wednesday, November 4 Thursday, November 12 for a two-part series on how thoughtful approaches to communication, training, routines, expectations, and workplace design can create greater access for neurodivergent employees while also benefiting everyone on the farm.

These sessions are open to anyone, including farm employers, farmworkers, and agricultural and food systems professionals and will take place over Zoom.

Learn more and register here: events.humanitix.com/supporting-neurodiversity-on-the-farm

10/16/2026

We 💚 our volunteers!

It’s been just under a month since Bike the Barns wrapped up, and we are still in awe of all the hardworking and enthusiastic hands that pitched in to help make this year’s ride so successful.

From smiling faces at check-in, on the farms, and on-bike support riders to HAM radio operators, SAG wagon drivers, on-site mechanics, food & beverage volunteers, and SO much more - Bike the Barns could not happen without all the generous folks who donated their time and energy to create such an amazing event.

And shoutout to some of our sponsors who spent the day with us: REI for providing on-site mechanical support; Just Coffee Cooperative & Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co., Telsaan Tea, Working Draft B**r Company and americanwineproject for providing delicious food & beverages to our riders throughout the day; AprilAire and Driftless Seed Supply for having groups ride with us; and
W***y Street Co-op for bussing the barns as tour guides again this year!

10/15/2026

We're excited to share the premiere of a brand new video all about the wonderful work our supporters help make possible!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2BHjaFZN8Y

Created for those who have been with us since the beginning as well as for those just getting introduced to our work, we hope you find it inspiring and enlightening.

Huge thanks to Squashington Farm for hosting the video shoot, and to Big Dreamers United for putting it all together!

What is FairShare CSA Coalition, and what do we do? Find out in thi...

10/14/2026

Check out this week's episode of Pivot Points!

Hear from Carmen & Maja Black and Susan Jutz of Sundog Farm / Local Harvest CSA on maintaining the community of a CSA through a farm ownership transition.

Listen in at sites.libsyn.com/587945 or wherever you get your podcasts!

This week's episode is sponsored by Renewing the Countryside.

10/12/2026

The FairShare offices are closed today (Monday, October 12th) in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day, a day dedicated to recognizing and honoring the rich history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across the Americas.

As we spend time today recognizing and celebrating the original inhabitants of the Americas, we also must acknowledge that, for centuries, the Native communities that once stewarded this land have been displaced and marginalized.

If you are interested in learning more or celebrating the diverse cultures and traditions of Indigenous communities, here are a few educational resources you can explore:
🍁 PBS’s Native American Heritage Collection takes a look at Indigenous art, history, and culture as told by historians, artists, students, and scientists (https://wisconsin.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/nativeamericanheritage/)
🍁 Native Land - A website that maps Indigenous territories, languages, and treaties (native-land.ca/)

10/09/2026

Interested in connecting people with fresh food from local farmers through CSA? We’re hiring!

FairShare is seeking applicants passionate about food access and local food to join our team as our Program Coordinator. This full-time position will primarily administer FairShare's food access program, Partner Shares, as well as provide assistance in planning Bike the Barns.

Applications submitted by Monday, November 2nd will be given priority.

Learn more and apply at csacoalition.org/employment.

10/07/2026

Next episode of Pivot Points is out today!

Tune in to hear Richie Buser and Jordan Lyon of Buser's Produce discuss passing on the family farm…to another family.

Listen at https://sites.libsyn.com/587945 or wherever you get your podcasts!

This week's episode is sponsored by Practical Farmers of Iowa

10/06/2026

Now that we're a couple weeks out from Bike the Barns, we wanted to share a few final fun facts to wrap up an amazing event!

This year's ride included:
🚲 Over 850 registered bike riders and 40 bus riders, supported by over 100 volunteers.
🍅 Food and beverage provided by 22 local vendors.
🥕 A menu that incorporated almost 3,000 pounds of local, organic produce, donated by 18 farms & local producers. That's almost THREE POUNDS of fresh produce per participant!
♻ Over 500 pounds of waste diverted from the landfill, thanks to our partnership with Green Box Compost. We estimate that OVER 75% of our total event waste was composted, recycled, or redistributed!
🤗 And finally, thanks to our amazing fundraiser riders, we have surpassed our fundraising goal and raised over $55,000 in support of fresh food for everyone!

Our impact doesn't stop at the finish line. We're so grateful to everyone who joined us for a celebration of vibrant farms, local food, and - most importantly - everyone working together to build resilient food communities 💚

10/05/2026

Mark your calendars for next month's Nourishing Wisconsin: A Farm to Institution Conference!

Hosted collaboratively with FairShare and REAP Food Group, the upcoming conference will feature sessions on establishing fair terms, packaging and marketing, product standards, collaborating for local purchasing, and more.

Join us in Chipppewa Falls on November 11th as we scale up local food procurement by bringing together producers and buyers from across the state to build community knowledge and identify gaps for wholesale distribution to regional institutions.

Learn more and register for the conference at reapfoodgroup.org/farm-to-business/nourishing-wisconsin/