Wow, Dave, this is one great idea. We have lots of CSA activity in Vermont, and some good support from our state and farm groups, including NOFA, but nothing of this sort exactly. The bread CSA I belong to in Vermont posts every Monday what’s available that week and we order online. But it’s on his site, not a community site. I would love to go to one place to find out who has what when.

I am also working in a small town in Idaho which is trying to find ways for local farmers to market their wares in town, and for would-be buyers to locate farms that will sell them eggs, greens, chickens, etc. So far they are putting together an online directory of farms and products and contact info. I plan to show them this plan as an example of a next step.

The incorporation of storytelling is brilliant–it is just what I am trying to do in my work with rural communities this year.
One of my favorite examples of farmer/food/consumer storytelling is going on in NYC, where a woman who loves farmers markets, gets up every morning and heads out to the markets and blogs immediately (in the field?) about what is fresh, new, particularly interesting as well as what’s available. Apparently many chefs in the city depend on her blog to decide on their daily specials, and they will send out their staff to get that essential something that is perfect that day. Pretty fabulous use of social media, but dependent on a single person.

I will follow along from down south here, hoping you are wildly successful!