I am a relative new-comer to the list (joined early this year) and have =
slowly gleaned an understanding of CSA. At first, I felt that CSA was =
beyond my grasp for the moment. But now I *need* to know what it takes =
to be a part of this elusive group. 
I recall a posting indicating that 5 ways of brewing & 5 ways of =
roasting would qualify. I can come up with 5 different ways of brewing =
that I have/do use. But my roasting has been confined to modified and =
unmodified poppers: WB2, modified WB2, and a Popcorn Pumper. I could, =
but never have, roasted in the oven or in a skillet on the stove. Are =
there any requirements on stash size or other such things? Mine has =
definitely expanded over the last year, but doesn't hold a candle to the =
likes of many on the list. (Only about 15 different beans, though I can =
feel a SM order coming on soon.) And I have "infected" at least two =
others with the disease.
And I never pollute my coffee with any sort of flavoring. (Except for an =
occasional bit of frothed milk, a hold-over from my pre-roasting days =
when the coffee was way below what I drink now.)
Am I there yet, what do you think? If not, what are some suggestions on =
what I could do to accumulate the necessary points?
Dave Lowe

Dave,
I think showing up at the gathering - sucking up a lot of coffee and
putting up with all the chatter would qualify you.  For your other
roasting methods - don't forget the skillet, wok and bbq pit.  
John - roasting the LAST of my Oaxca Hand Washed La Pluma
On Wed, 2003-06-25 at 15:22, Lowe, David wrote:
    I am a relative new-comer to the list (joined early this year) and have slowly gleaned an understanding of CSA. At first, I felt that CSA was beyond my grasp for the moment. But now I *need* to know what it takes to be a part of this elusive group. 
    
    I recall a posting indicating that 5 ways of brewing & 5 ways of roasting would qualify. I can come up with 5 different ways of brewing that I have/do use. But my roasting has been confined to modified and unmodified poppers: WB2, modified WB2, and a Popcorn Pumper. I could, but never have, roasted in the oven or in a skillet on the stove. Are there any requirements on stash size or other such things? Mine has definitely expanded over the last year, but doesn't hold a candle to the likes of many on the list. (Only about 15 different beans, though I can feel a SM order coming on soon.) And I have "infected" at least two others with the disease.
    
    And I never pollute my coffee with any sort of flavoring. (Except for an occasional bit of frothed milk, a hold-over from my pre-roasting days when the coffee was way below what I drink now.)
    
    Am I there yet, what do you think? If not, what are some suggestions on what I could do to accumulate the necessary points?
    
    Dave Lowe
    

We do own a wok and a skillet but alas no bbq pit. Do I actually need to =
roast some coffee in them? 
I am continuing to scope ideas for a home-built roaster, I'm leaning =
toward a drum roaster. Then again, it would be easier (and maybe =
quicker) to buy a HotTop. Then again, I could build a roaster and =
upgrade my espresso machine for not much more than the price of a =
HotTop. Then again... too many possibilities for coffee toys, too hard =
to decide. 
Dave Lowe

On Wednesday, June 25, 2003, at 04:46  PM, Lowe, David wrote:
<Snip>
yep!  You learn a lot paying close attention to beans roasting in a wok.
Jim Gundlach
Rosting methods:  wok, 2 Androck over the fire popcorn poppers, whirly 
pop, two electric hot air popcorn poppers, home made drum roaster, and 
I often roast over pecan wood fires in the drum and the Androcks.
Brewing:  4 pump espresso machines, 1 moka pot, two filter systems, 1 
french press, 2 Turkish ibricks, and cowboy coffee.
Grinders: 1 sick  and dusty Solis 166, Mazzer Major Automatic, Rocky, 
Zassenhaus 154, Zassenhaus grain grinder, and 1 very dusty  whirly 
blade.
Stash:  Large, diverse, and not cataloged.