Membership

From farmers to consumers, advocates to food businesses, since 1979 CFSA has been guided and driven by our network of members across the Carolinas – once just numbering in the dozens, today 3,000 strong. We are brought together by a desire to support sustainable, local, and organic agriculture, and we understand that resilient food systems start here.

No matter what part of the food system you’re grounded in, there’s a place for you here as a CFSA member! Your membership supports our work, providing technical support and continuing education to farmers, advocating for fair food and farming policy, and building resilient food systems in our region.

• Discounted pricing on all CFSA courses and workshops, including our signature events: the Sustainable Agriculture Conference, Piedmont Farm Tour, and Organic Commodities & Livestock Conference

• Farm technical assistance from CFSA’s Farm Services team across key topic areas:
  • Organic Certification
  • On-Farm Food Safety / GAP
  • High Tunnel Production
  • Market Access
  • Conservation Planning
  • Climate Resilience Planning

• Job Board posting access

• Crowdfunding Board posting access

• Subscription and posting access to the CFSA Member Listserv

• Participation in our periodic virtual Member Meetups, featuring guest speakers from across the food and farming system

• Eligibility for CFSA’s Member Advocacy Program, a virtual, cohort-based community advocacy training course

• Invitation to CFSA’s Annual Meeting; voting rights on Board of Directors candidates

• Enjoy exclusive discounts from our Member Perks business partners:
  • BBL Plants / BunnyBuddy Life: Offers pollinator-friendly perennials, and native plants and shrubs for low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly gardening and non-traditional landscaping, as well as a wide range of fruiting trees and plants for your food plot, including: a variety of semi-dwarf fruit trees, elderberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, figs, and more. Also offers consultations and plants for rain gardens, pollinators gardens, and general landscaping. 10% discount for CFSA members.
  • Cedar Grove Law: Provides legal services in North Carolina and Tennessee to entrepreneurs, family businesses, agribusinesses, hemp and CBD businesses, farmers, growers, artisans, artists, authors, landowners and stewards, and equestrians. Handles business formation, contract negotiation, land use, agritourism contracts, and disputes. CFSA members receive a 15-minute complimentary consultation with an attorney, and a one-time, $200 discount on legal work valued at $1,000+.
  • CoolBot: Store it Cold are the makers of the CoolBot, which can transform your farm’s storage space into a walk-in cooler. $25 discount for CFSA Members.
  • Country Farm and Home: Provides everything you need to keep your homestead or small farm growing! NC-grown and milled non-GMO feed, lawn and cover crop seed, plants and organic starts, produce packaging supplies, a full array of organic gardening and farm supplies, irrigation and fencing, spring chicks and poults, bulk topsoil, compost, and hay, beekeeping and small livestock supplies. CFSA members receive one waived delivery fee per year for deliveries on Country Farm & Home’s established routes. 
  • dpeg Marketing Company: At dpeg Marketing, we craft custom, creative websites, blogging, email, and social media marketing for equine, farm, brewing, tiny home, and agritourism. CFSA members receive discounted access to the introductory marketing package.
  • Farm Trader: An innovative online farmers market platform that bridges the gap between farmers and consumers, enabling direct sales of meat, produce, services, equipment, and land. CFSA Members receive free, lifetime access to Farm Trader.
  • Fifth Season Gardening Co: Offers a full-service garden center experience with a focus on organic gardening, indoor growing, houseplants and homesteading. Fifth Season store locations include Asheville, Carrboro and Charlottesville, as well as online. 10% discount on purchases over $50 for CFSA members.
  • Good Agriculture: Handles the “indoor activities” like financial management, marketing, and grant applications so farmers can do more of what they do best – farming! CFSA members receive a free month of financial management or marketing services up to $250.
  • GrownBy: The first farmer-owned marketplace for buying and selling locally grown food. Each purchase is a direct transaction between the farmer and consumer, with no third party facilitating the sale. The app is designed by farmers and has scalable features for every farm, including CSAs and custom direct sales. CFSA members receive five hours of complimentary, personalized set-up support.
  • Hipcamp: Hipcamp gives farmers a simple way to turn underused land into a new source of income by hosting campers, RV travelers, and glampers seeking unique outdoor stays. You stay in control, choosing when to host, how your space is used, and who books, while Hipcamp handles the visibility, booking tools, and payment flow. It’s an easy way to monetize your property while sharing your land with people who value nature and respect it. CFSA members receive 30 days commission-free, and a $100 cash bonus on first bookings.
  • Johnny’s Selected Seeds: Johnny’s Selected Seeds has served farmers by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service since 1973. Everything they sell has been rigorously trialed on their organic-certified research farm in Maine and with partner growers across North America. A 100% employee-owned company offering only non-GMO seeds, all Johnny’s products have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. 5% off all orders for CFSA Members.
  • My Trusted Source: A solution that empowers your company to meet the market requirements while connecting you with the perfect buyers for your business and products. CFSA Members enjoy free Premium subscription access.
  • Seven Springs Farm Supply: Supports farmers of all kinds with effective, ecologically-sound solutions, quality advising, and superior service. Offers a large selection of organic fertilizers, growing mixes, animal supplements, pest management, deer fencing, bird netting, row covers, and organic cover crop seed. Full catalog online. Nationwide shipping. CFSA members have access to Seven Springs Farm Supply’s annual Cooperative Purchasing Events and winter online store sale.
  • SolFarm Solar Co.: Full-service solar energy company located in Asheville, NC, that serves the Southeastern United States. Offers consultation, system design, installation and service for solar photovoltaic energy systems. SolFarm is devoted to providing a simple, streamlined solar experience to its customers. CFSA members gain free access to SolFarm assistance applying to a variety of grants and programs for solar installation.
  • Tangaza.io: Empowering local farmers and vendors, Tangaza seamlessly facilitates the online sale of fresh produce, simplifying the process for both you and your customers. With intuitive features, customers can effortlessly schedule convenient pickup times, ensuring a hassle-free experience. Tangaza also offers CSA management, inventory management, multi-farm store website, allowing collaboration with fellow farmers. CFSA members receive a 6-month free trial to the Tangaza Standard Plan.
  • Tar River Trading Post: A North Carolina retailer specializing in hard-to-find products that support a sustainable lifestyle, including an NC-made grub composter. If you have a source of food waste, offal or manure, you can quickly offset your purchases of store-bought feed by growing huge quantities of grubs for your chickens or fish. Self-reliance meets sustainability meets recycling meets insect farmer! $50 discount on the 4ft Homestead ProtaPod Grub Composter for CFSA Members.
  • The Farm Board: Helps do-it-yourself local regenerative farms and farmers markets attract sales with confidence and resilience while establishing a local reputation with local-values aligned, efficient marketing practices. CFSA Members enjoy a free 90-minute marketing training and planning session.
  • The Patio Farmer’s Plant Club: Provides consultations, installations, maintenance services, and education to meet people where they are in their food growing journeys. Based in Charlotte, NC. Education subscriptions are open to everyone, no matter where you live in the Carolinas, or beyond. CFSA members save 15% on the Plant Club SOW plan or the Plant Club KNOW plan.
  • Vermont Compost Co.: Crafts living soils and compost-based amendments to support healthy, productive plants from seed to harvest. Our community of growers consider us a valuable resource for cultivation advice. All products are approved for use on organic farms by Vermont Organic Farmers (VOSF), the certification branch of NOFA-VT. 10% off all orders for CFSA members.

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