TRENDS — In Belfast, Maine, bankers have created a fee-free CSA savings account similar to a Christmas Club savings account. Customers can add small regular or occasional amounts to the account anytime throughout the year to make it easier to build up to the full preseason upfront fee to pay their CSA farmer. It’s a great advantage for most CSA farmers to receive the full year’s fee well in advance of the coming season. — www.microecofarming.com
AGRITOURISM -TRENDS: Want to get immersed in learning sustainable farming, permaculture, and regenerative community? We’ve recently affiliated with Common Circle Education. With CCE you can learn sustainable farming and permaculture in multiple ways including workshops and bicycle tours across the country that stop at successful small-scale eco-farms and communities. Bicycle tours are suited for beginning and intermediate cyclists. Check out what they have to offer those interested in sustainable local farming and permaculture. — www.MicroEcoFarming.com
AGRITOURISM, MARKETING, TRENDS — Here’s a fun example of autumn agritourism marketing for your farm. The Anacortes Parks and Recreation department is holding a pumpkin carving pizza party for an $8.00 fee, and with registration, participants receive a voucher for a free pumpkin 15 pounds or less from Schuh Farms, a nearby farm that sells pumpkins, ornamental gourds, ornamental corn, and other seasonal products.
Studies show that many people who come for one pumpkin end up buying more once they see what’s available. And the city catalog that describes the farm and their partnership with it goes out to every resident of Anacortes, meaning the Schuh Farms name is promoted to a lot of people for free. Registration for the pumpkin carving workshop is limited, so the farm doesn’t have to be concerned with too many vouchers. — www.MicroEcoFarming.com.
MARKETING — Our own local farmers’ market is having an official “Ride your Bike to the Market Day” Saturday event to help draw attention to the market and promote the good will of encouraging people to exercise and protect the environment.
The event includes a parade that starts at 10:30 a.m. in a park several blocks from the market, which includes contests for best decorated bicycle. Community volunteers included owners of a local bike shop who greet riders when they arrive at the market and answer any bike safety or maintenance questions they have, along with providing free local bike maps.
The local newspaper picked the story up, put it on the front page, and both the farmers’ market and bike shop benefited from the positive exposure. — www.MicroEcoFarming.com
MICRO ECO-BUSINESS: 
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has approximately $10 million available in competitive grant funds in fiscal year 2011 to be awarded through the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP).
AMS will competitively award grants to projects that develop producer-to-consumer market outlets, including but not limited to farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture, and road-side stands. Complete applications must be received by July 1, 2011. — www.MicroEcoFarming.com
AGRITOURISM: A poultry club in Washington State earned income and drew attention to its ag-projects by putting on a chicken coop tour.
Local farms and backyards were open on the day of the event to show their various chicken coops, enclosures, and other creative ways of raising chickens.
Owners of the chicken coops were on hand to talk with the public. The tour was self-guided, and the club members sold tickets via local farm and garden stores for $10 each, with a map provided with each ticket.
— www.MicroEcoFarming.com
TRENDS: Enjoy!