Cumberland Acres Farms to be a viable contender in the mobile delivery service by delivering seasonal fruits and vegetables to individuals who live in a food dessert or rural communities. In 2019, we started Ida B’s Green Hands a mobile service component of Cumberland Acres Farms that delivers food to underserved communities in rural counties for nutritional and healthy lifestyles changes. Historically, 70 percent of Orange County is rural. Orange County grew by 12,325 residents from 2010-2018, while its 65+ age group grew by 7,575 residents. This means 61.5% of Orange County’s growth was from the population 65+ (statistical information obtained from ncdemography.org) Orange County have an existing food dessert and/or barriers because of proximity to a market and no public transportation. There are no grocery stores in Northern Orange County, NC which is our focus to provide a food delivery service to seniors in the community. While seniors are our primary focus, grants will provide a source of equity to assist other ethnic groups who need food to feed their families. Gas prices continue to escalate, and the nearest food market is 15-20 minutes by car and the nearest wholesale market is 30-40 miles away.
Cumberland Acres Farms is designated as a Century Farm in Orange County, NC. and a Voluntary Agricultural District. Known in the past for raising livestock, timber, tobacco, nuts as well as fruits and vegetables. Most recently, Cumberland Acres Farms has reestablished itself as a progressive working farm by family members. Being part of the grant program would catapult the farm for the upcoming seasons to better serve the rural community of seniors and enhance our current developmental process to improve the infrastructure for the operational delivery of the farm food system. The infrastructure would include, website development, create marketing material, equity development program, and purchase of equipment for operational needs. The farms mission is to provide a consistent food supply of fruits and vegetables to seniors age 50+/ geriatric individuals in the rural communities who otherwise would not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Many seniors do not drive once they reach a certain age, thereby needing the food source to be delivered to them. Ida B’s Green Hands is filling the desert gap and seek to be a partner to fill a need in the community and eventually provide food to other groups in the community.
Cumberland Acres Farms uses no harmful chemical during the growth process and is well trusted in the community. Ida B’s Green Hands is a mechanism used to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables baskets to seniors for their daily food supplement and help them make healthy eating and living choices. We are an embryonic (less than 2 years old) production venue serving the rural community within a 25-mile radius (Alamance, Caswell, Orange, and Person Counties). Often gathering of crops take place in the morning and deliveries are in the afternoon. Based on weather, demands, and pre-orders, we change the delivery schedule to compliment the garden growth. Ida B’s Green Hands prides itself on flexibility and sustainability by protecting the soil, recycling plants, and attracting pollinators by increased flowers and crop production. The seniors we sold to last season were still self-sufficient and/or were living nearby their families. Our average sale’s ticket is $35. The seasonal concept offers food from the farm to the table supports Cumberland Acres Farms core mission to be an active partner for healthier living and lifestyle changes based on the food selection. The fruits and vegetables baskets included recipes with low sodium that focused on healthy nutrition. Teaching and providing a source for healthier eating is a part of the mission of Cumberland Acres Farms; assisting after the sale with meal preparation and providing a shopping list makes it easier to make decisions for healthier living and lifestyle changes.
Creating a human food echo system of good health, support changes for healthy eating and lifestyle changes. Being good stewards over the Lord’s natural resources via conservation and seasonal live foods targeted to the senior and geriatric community becomes the narrative and not just a trend. The farm supports the core values of integrity, loyalty, honesty, respect, and trust will lead to the belief that “health is wealth”. Multi- generational servitude is learned and practiced at Cumberland Acres Farms to create a pathway for a green space for the next generation of farmers. Our vision is to promote healthy nutrition by providing local produce to promote cultural interaction and more active living related to seasonal availability. This produce will be targeted to the seniors and elderly within the rural community and their nutritional connection to an active food supply for a healthy lifestyle and living for individuals who reside in food deserts or low income or undeserved areas. The average sales ticket is $35 with incentives. If seniors do not want a vegetable basket, we will sell A La Carte or design baskets based on the request of the individual. The order request sometimes comes from the extended family members who want us to deliver a fruit and vegetable basket to their relatives. Items sold by the pound or bushel are priced based on market value. Incentives are offered to first time buyers based on a basket return policy, returned baskets get a $2.00 rebate off next purchase, refer five or more customers, and get free food basket and pre-orders got a discount on a split order basket.
To price fruits and vegetables, websites were used, grocery stores visited and farmer’s markets to review prices and prices are based on reasonable value and we pick and deliver to our customers and Ida B’s Green Hands may have a slightly higher price. Delivery is between 25-to-45-mile radius. Outside the 25-mile radius a $10 delivery fee is charged based on increased gas prices. The mobile market served weekly approximately 20-35 customers, who were repeat customers, referrals, or new customers on a weekly basis. The mobile market serves about 80% of the customer base are over 50+. This number is derived from Ida B’s Green Hands estimated anecdotal data collection. If fixed income is considered low income, then 50 percent or more of our customers would qualify as low income or under-served. As a practice, Ida B’s Green Hands does not ask our customers their income level. What is evident about the before mentioned counties is there is a high population of veteran’s and spouses, university and hospital former employees, entrepreneurs, and lifetime residents over the age of 60+.
Given these scenario’s income could come from pensions, social security, disability, buyouts, veteran spouses, and children can also receive supplemental income. Primary mode used by senior market we serve is cash. The customers base uses cash instead of credit cards, even though cash apps are on hand for all customers based on demand. Ida B’s Green Hands employees consist of four (4) individuals who work full and part time on the farm. The staff package the food, deliver the baskets, keep records, and several members of the staff are bilingual. Per COVID-19 protocol and North Carolina mandate all staff is required to have vaccines, proper washing of hands, wear gloves, and face mask while on the farm whether inside or outside. Data collection is possible for the mobile delivery food service based on programming and training. In summary, because of name recognition (Ida B. Fuller) customers will stop by the house or call the landline which has been the same number for 77 years and most of them know “there is always room at the table for one more”.