Here's a project in Oregon that relies upon members of the community buying shares to support
a costs associated with a local farm.
I presume they get some food and/or poultry in return.
We Make the Road by Walking - White Oak Farm CSA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFZF3q5tsXs
Peak Moment 111:
Amidst cob-wall plastering in the background, co-director Stacey Denton relates the story of the first years at White Oak Farm and Educational Center in Oregon: Acquiring the 62 acres of food and pasture and protecting it through conservation easements, and creating a non-profit organization. See food baskets for their CSA (community supported agriculture) program, visit their abundant permaculture-based farm; attend a workshop in natural building; and delight with kids in an educational program "down on the farm."
[ http://www.whiteoakfarmcsa.org ]
Nestled into a northern fold of the Siskiyou mountains of Southern Oregon, White Oak Farm (WOF) is a small, non-profit farm-based education center. WOF is dedicated to cultivating connections between people and their local ecosystems by: Pursuing community food security, Fostering agricultural and ecological diversity, and Teaching the arts of sustainable living