At AdkAction, we believe that tackling tough challenges begins with listening and being open to new ideas.

Since 2021, our Fair Share CSA project has helped make fresh, locally grown food accessible across the Adirondacks. By sponsoring Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for families who cannot afford them, Fair Share has connected hundreds of households to weekly boxes of organic produce while providing small farms with reliable income.

What started with just three farms and a few families has grown into a regional network. By last year, Fair Share partnered with 18 farms across 11 North Country counties, giving nearly 250 households consistent access to fresh food throughout the growing season.

This model works, but like all of our projects, we keep questioning, refining, and improving it.

Listening to What’s Working and What Isn’t

Through conversations and surveys, we have learned something important: a traditional CSA share does not fit everyone.

For some families, picking up a share for 20 to 25 weeks can be hard to manage. Summer schedules change. Transportation can be tough. Sometimes, the amount of vegetables is more than a household can realistically use.

We’ve also heard that some participants want more flexibility in the number of vegetables they receive. They feel they often don’t use all that they are given or only want specific items. Some have mentioned they would be open to contributing financially if it meant having a say in the program.

Farmers provide valuable feedback too. They often notice when someone does not pick up a share or when a participant struggles with the CSA pace. They also spot patterns in what people use. For instance, some members might only want a few staple items each week instead of a full share.

These insights show an opportunity, not a failure.

A Farm-Led Pilot: Share a Share

This season, we are partnering with one of our Fair Share Farms, Plattsburgh’s North Point Community Farm, and with Essex’s Reber Rock Farm, to try a new approach called Share a Share.

Unlike our traditional model, Share a Share is led by farms and supported by the community. It is meant to be flexible, locally focused, and less reliant on large grants.

Here is how it works: Community members can donate to the program, and AdkAction is matching those donations dollar for dollar. At North Point Community Farm, these funds support two options for eligible households:

• A subsidized CSA share, where participants contribute $100 and receive a season-long share valued at $500.
• A farm gift card, offering $100 to spend at the farm stand or North Point’s table at local farmers markets, giving participants greater choice and flexibility.

At Reber Rock Farm, which raises grassfed meat, a similar subsidized farm gift card pilot is underway, offering $420 to spend at the farm’s store, farmers market stand, or their website.

This multifaceted approach is intentional. It acknowledges that food access is not one-size-fits-all, and dignity and choice are vital to the solution.

Why We’re Testing This Model

Share a Share is, fundamentally, an experiment.

We are investigating whether a shared financial commitment, even a small one, helps participants stay committed throughout the season. When families invest in their share, does that make it easier for them to prioritize picking it up each week?

We are also exploring if flexible options, like a gift card, better meet the needs of households that cannot commit to a full CSA schedule.

Importantly, we are testing a funding model that relies less on large, onerous grants and more on community involvement, with neighbors supporting each other and local farms at the center.

What We’re Learning

At AdkAction, we focus on actions that lead to visible, lasting change. We also recognize that progress isn’t always straightforward.

Pilots like Share a Share allow us to learn quickly and adjust as needed. They help us understand what works, for whom, and under what circumstances. They ensure our projects are based on the real experiences of the people they aim to help.

Our goal is to build systems that can outlive our direct management.

Started Locally, Relevant Everywhere

The Share a Share pilot project embodies our mission to make life better in the Adirondacks through partnerships and creative problem solving. It supports local farms, strengthens regional food systems, and helps more Adirondack families access fresh, healthy food.

While this effort is grounded in our communities, the lessons we learn are relevant beyond our region. Rural areas across the country face similar challenges and seek models that are both practical and adaptable.

Moving Forward, Together

Share a Share brings together farmers, donors, and participants to test a different approach to expanding food access.

We do not expect to get everything right on the first try. By staying responsive, transparent, and grounded in local knowledge, we can keep refining what works.

That is how this kind of progress takes shape. One season, one partnership, and one new idea at a time. We look forward to sharing our findings with our community of AdkAction members as this pilot project unfolds throughout 2026.