2/25/13 - Eric Bowen '03 starts virtual farmer's market

Eric Bowen '03 created an online farmer's market called goMarket.

"According to Bowen, at a traditional farmers’ market, when farmers bring their produce onsite, they are unaware of exactly what will be sold or unsold and how much of each type of crop they will need to meet customer demand. As a result, there is often some form of waste or profit loss.

With goMarket, farmers will be able to create a profile page where they can update their inventory of produce weekly. The customers will then be given a 36-hour window to make their selections. As a result, farmers will know in advance how much of a crop needs to be harvested and the amount of spoiled food will be greatly reduced.

“From the perspective of the farmer, this is a huge advantage, because you know what you’ve sold before you even picked it,” Bowen said. “Whereas at a regular farmer’s market, you can’t control the weather or demand. If it rains, people might not even show up.”"

http://www.technicianonline.com/news/article_eff251a0-7f09-11e2-96c4-001a4bcf6878.html