A CSB is not simply a bakery, but one in which the risks and rewards of the enterprise are shared. It’s true that local bakeries are supported by people in the community around the shop buying loaves, but only as and when they feel like it. For a bakehouse or bakery to be considered a CSB there must be a greater level of involvement and commitment shared between consumer and bakery. There needs to be some blurring between the ‘me baker and you customer’ line, with each becoming what the Slow Food movement would call a co-producer.

All in all, a community supported bakery, is bakery which sells its fare through programs using the CSA business model, where community members come together to participate in buying bakery products in a weekly delivery and purchasing program in a preordered format. This in turn lowers waste for the environment, lowers cost for the end consumer, and creates a more secure income for the baker.

The inspiration for Community Supported Baking comes from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), which The Soil Association describes as “A partnership between farmers and consumers where, at best, the responsibilities and rewards of farming are shared.”

Subscriptions Works?

Like the Community Supported Agriculture, each cycle is broken down to a set number of deliveries for a set number of weeks. In the case of Agriculture, this break down normally comes down to, and is for the most part dictated by the growing cycles of a farmers crops. In the case of Community Supported Baking, there are more choices as to how subscription cycles are set-up. CSB Subscription programs very from bakery, to bakery and are not the same set up, each bakeries Subscriptions are set up for efficiency of work as well, partially based on the cycles of their ingredients production cycles.

Here at The Blue Ox Bakery, we offer a few different ways of ordering/subscribing to items, we offer a 6 month seasonal subscription cycle, Month to Month subscription, as well a weekly pre-order menu for those not wanting to commit to a subscription program. All subscriptions we offer the choice of either pick up or delivery, and all state required sales and usage taxes are included in our prices. Delivery is included in all prices, and all subscriptions are ready for pick-up or delivery on Wednesday

Subscription Delivery and Pick up: All subscriptions are ready for delivery or pick up on sundays after 4 pm.

Subscription size by item:

• Bread:
  • Half Share: 1 Loaf.
  • Full Share: 2 Loaves.

• Cookies(cookies are 4 Oz Each):
  • Half Share: 11 Cookies
  • Full Share: 22 Cookies

• Cupcakes:
  • Half Share: 9 Cupcakes.
  • Full Share: 18 Cupcakes.

• Artisan Pastries:
  • Half Share: 8 Pastries.
  • Full Share: 16 Pastries.