Two Whitworth University graduates joined forces to become a vendor at local farmer’s markets, selling a myriad of goods.
Vincent Peak and Eric Kobe studied biology and business in college, and now they are delving into the world of apps.
Their “Share.Farm” app aims to connect buyers with local sellers. Users input their location, and the app compiles a list of nearby farms, vendors and farmer’s markets. They can then look at their offered goods, make orders and soon will be able to send payments through the app as well.
Peak and Kobe said they are receiving positive feedback from both buyers and sellers, and that the app is helping farmers gain valuable visibility in their communities.
“There is a lot that goes into growing tomatoes or raising cattle, or things like that, and even running a farm [or] a business,” Kobe said. “There’s so much that we want to educate and create visibility of and create awareness of.”
“You can purchase tomatoes from your friend, carrots from across the road,” Peak added. “Our real goal is to lower the risk and investment in this space and increase access to these goods.”
Peak and Kobe have teamed up with several farmer’s markets within the northwest to connect vendors with “Share.Farm,” and have had sign ups from as far away as New York state. They said their ultimate goal is to empower communities to trade locally and enable consumers to make healthy food choices.
The beta version of “Share.Farm” is available for now in mobile app stores, and the app will launch officially next month.