FarmFetched app connects producers and customers

I was lucky enough to be able to purchase fresh seafood daily, either directly from the boats, the local lobster or barramundi farm or straight from the cockle pickers who spend hours each night combing the beach for cockles (or pipi’s as you call them in NSW).

Since that time almost 15 years ago (before the smartphone and Facebook) I have been lucky enough to work throughout regional South Australia and western NSW.

I have always loved buying direct from local farmers and producers and wholeheartedly believe that buying local is the best way to support and grow an economically strong regional community.

What’s even better however is knowing the people behind the food and the friendships to be made through a mutual love of food and feeding the local community.

When I found myself in Dubbo five years ago I landed my dream job at Lazy River Estate, where my employers have a huge passion for buying fresh local produce.

I began buying direct from the paddock on a whole new level.

The Central West region’s paddock to plate community is so large that I found myself juggling over 20 suppliers, with separate suppliers for free range eggs, organic garlic, pasture raised chicken, the list goes on.

Now in the age of the smartphone I found myself mumbling “there should be an app for this”.

I wanted to streamline my ordering process and increase my paddock to plate purchases. This is where the idea for FarmFetched began – an app to better connect producers and consumers.

It will be an online farmer’s market where consumers can get up-to-date information of what’s in season, prices and what farmer’s markets producers will attend.

Farmers will have their own profile page so if tourists come to Dubbo and want to eat pork, then they type pork into the app and the local free range pork producers in that radius will come up.

I have never had a lot to do with the tech industry, so the thought of building an online platform for primary producers and hospitality professionals to do business on was daunting.

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So I reached out to the local community, the people I want to see grow their own businesses through my idea and the support has been overwhelming. Everyone wants to help to see it grow. 

Now with a developer secured and my local community keen to use the platform I hope to see FarmFetched launched by mid 2019.

To put it simply, primary producers can access all of their clients and orders in one easy to use location and vice versa for chefs with an abundance of many other opportunities to increase online awareness and sales.

Using my favorite brand of beef Hereford Red from Yeoval NSW

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

In the base of a roasting dish splash a little red wine and water. Place the ribs on top and sprinkle with peppercorns, salt berries and herbs.

If you have any other fresh herbs on hand toss them in too.

The more the merrier. Cover with a sheet of baking to prevent the foil from sticking.

Cover the dish securely with foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 100 degrees for 6-8 hours. 

If you are lucky enough to have a Combi oven insert 3 per cent humidity and drop your fan speed to three otherwise turn your fan off.

These ribs go really well with potato in any form, my favorite is roasted and greens tossed in herb butter.