A money-making idea: Farms on wheels
Filed under: Food, Shopping, Green
If you're not a fan of farmers' markets, you're really missing out on some fantastic produce and should give them a try.Buying directly from the farmer not only assures you of the freshest vegetables and fruits, but the prices are often cheaper than what you'd pay at a grocery store.
But getting to the farmers' market can be a hassle, unless you live or work near one. As someone who's lazy and doesn't always have the time to go to my local farmers' market, I looked into having produce delivered to my home. That was a bit costly.
The people behind GOOD, a collaboration of individuals, businesses and nonprofits with a goal of "pushing the world forward," found a solution. Or at least its contest seeking design solutions to getting food grown by local farmers into urban hands found a solution.
It's sort of like an ice cream truck, but instead of peddling high-fat ice cream, the winner of the contest came up with a "Farm on Wheels" to bring fresh produce to urban Los Angeles. The mobile vending concept is a fleet of electric trucks dispatched from three permanent markets to neighborhoods.
Instead of ice cream trucks chugging through neighborhoods, an electric truck would sell carrots and apples. It's a unique idea that should make money, although who knows if the entrepreneurs on Shark Tank on ABC would want a cut.
According to the winning entry on the GOOD blog, the Farms on Wheels program "selects fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers and distributes the produce through a network of farm trucks. To engage more people in the consumption of fresh foods and support local and urban agriculture, Farm on Wheels creates a simplified and convenient food distribution network between farmers and consumers."
It was created by Mia Lehrer + Associates, a design firm in Los Angeles.
The GOOD contest had 22 finalists for redesigning farmers' markets, and many expanded them to just about every common area where people gather, including a gas station. There are some great ideas there, which, if they become reality, could save produce buyers some cash.
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Reach him at www.AaronCrowe.net
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-10-2009 @ 12:53AM
Sissy said...
When are Walletpop bloggers going to quit clamoring about farmers markets? It's getting old. I've said it once and I'll say it again. In some parts of our country, the farmers markets are much more expensive than the grocery stores. The only people who actually shop there are SUV driving soccer moms with fist fulls of cash and too much time on their hands. These are also the same people who have gourmet kitchens with granite countertops and stainless appliances, but don't know how to boil water. HaHa, what a joke. It's all for show. However, if the market came to me, and I needed a couple of onions or tomatoes, I would probably buy from them. That would be a handy service. I hate having to run to the store to buy one ingredient needed before I cook dinner. When I was little, I grew up in Europe, and the milkman would bring bottles of milk to the door every day and the fishmonger would come by a couple of times a week also. Why not the green-grocer? It's a great idea as long as they don't over-inflate the prices.
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9-10-2009 @ 8:32AM
spud said...
you must be shopping the wrong farmers market
9-10-2009 @ 8:08AM
bon said...
I agree....farmer's markets are not the places to shop for low prices. Their produce is at the top of the price range. If you want economy, the fresh produce at larger grocery stores is always being sold at the best prices.
However, most people going to these farmer's markets know that they are going to find bargains.
They are willing to pay a little more in order to support the concept of buying locally .
Also, farmer's markets are the best places to find certified organically grown produce that you can trust.
This is important for many people and the extra cost, if there is any, is worth the quality of the food.
Bottom line: Not EVERYTHING is about price.
.
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9-10-2009 @ 10:12AM
Jere said...
Nothing new... I'm 67 and that was the way we got farmers produce when I was a child. No electric truck, just his horse and wagon.
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9-10-2009 @ 10:45AM
Alina said...
This isn't a New Idea, nor a Unique concept!! Mia Lehrer & Assoc. have simply turned a centuries old concept into a new fangled-bling- truck-francise opportunity. I have traveled this whole country & have seen nothing like what we have here in Miami, Florida. We have 'Street Vendors' called "Los Vianderos" (translation=The Vegtable Guys) these independant vendors convert old pickup trucks with gazebo type wooden roofs over the bed of the pickup into Roving Markets and peddle All kinds of vegtables & friuts like Mangos, Avocados, Plantains, Onions, Bell peppers, Oranges, garlic... You name it. They play music much like the Ice Cream truck of old & come by ones neighborhood at specific times everyother day. They are true Entrepreneurs & supply us with fresh produce from the local growers here in south florida. While they do not visit every residential area, are usually not incorporated & sometimes miss a day or two when you need them most... They are very humble, hard working older businessmen, etching by a living makeing small change for our convenience. And Yes, their prices are cheaper than Winn-Dixie & Publix!!
Having been born here from refugee Cuban parents I can attest to the fact that many of these independant vendors are immigrants or refugees that did this very same thing or saw someone else do this in their country of origin. They are not Rich but make enough to keep their families fed in these tough times.
I'd have preferred to read that someone took an Age Old Concept & simply Tweeked It. And that's the Truth.
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9-10-2009 @ 11:27AM
Leonard said...
WOW! Isn't that a neat idea, Sorry cool people, but it was done way back when - using horses and wagons. I know it was done in the 40's when I was a kid, and before I was born by my parents. Don't worry, you can't come up with a new idea, it has all been done before! Except now, you want to be paid for coming up with the idea because you showed up for the Shark Tank show? No wonder the country is falling apart. GREED! GREED! GREED! The only thing differnet between now and the Roman Empire is that we have electricity, they did the same stuff. Nothing is new!
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9-13-2009 @ 6:52PM
JIM said...
Leonard: You are so on target. I am amased what these young dudes think is new. I am sure someone is just waiting to come up with ice delivery. They don't know that while they sleep the vendors are at the produce
dock buying the vegies as they come in from where ever they are grown. Nothing is new
9-10-2009 @ 2:28PM
sandee said...
When I was growing up in a suburb of Detroit, back in the 60's, we had a vegetable vendor that drove down the streets in our neighborhood in an ice cream-like truck, including the ringing bell. They provided the BEST fruits and vegetables I have ever eaten - even to this day. We also had a mobile knife sharpener.
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9-10-2009 @ 9:12PM
zack said...
what a great idea to have produce on wheels its a cool concept like an ice cream truck
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9-11-2009 @ 6:46AM
Brian said...
when I was in England about 30 years ago we had a guy come round selling all types of vegetables in a converted furniture van. Under the table he had cheap cigarettes from the nearby US air force base and smuggled brandy from France, across the English Channel. A little illegal but great service.
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9-14-2009 @ 12:16AM
Ayana said...
While I was reading the story I thought , "wow, I remember the vegetable man driving his truck through our neighborhood in the 1960s in Richmond, Va." He would call out as he drove slowly down the street, "Fresh peaches, fresh turnnnup greens, fresh tomatoessss" And the housewives would come running out to the truck. Brings back great memories. But it sure is funny that someone thinks that this is a new idea.
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