Finding a farm close where you want is made unnecessarily difficult by the site’s interface. The grouping of states in regions is a hindrance and once you get to your state, the farms can’t be sorted other than by their name, so you have to look through every single one of them to find the farms close to you.
Great idea, terrible execution.
But probably not a difficult fix. Websites can be updated.
Which is why I’m providing feedback. I really want this to work.
Who are you providing it to? Because I don’t think FlyingSquid made this website.
The great wide web. I don’t think it’s him either, but this is the channel I found.
I don’t see a contact part on the website, but they do have Facebook, instagram and Twitter (X), those would probably be the best places to provide the feedback. And maybe you can add a message when donating?
I’m not not on fascist platforms but thank you for following up with options.
People who produce bad design like that, are often resistant to change.
Or they’re inexperienced and don’t know any better.
Or they might welcome assistance from someone who knows how to do it, since their expertise is in farming and they don’t have a lot of money for web design. Such assistance could possibly qualify as a tax-deductible donation.
As a software developer making enterprise software, that simply isn’t true.
I have been responsible for making some pretty poor design choices and UX flows. I was never resistant to change and more just needed someone to say hey bro that’s dumb, I don’t why don’t we do it like this.
Now I know how to do X and won’t make the same mistakes again.
I’ve worked in IT for over 30 years. I have come across a lot of people who design terrible UIs and get all pissy when you suggest any improvements. I didn’t in any way want to imply that everybody is like that.
Thanks for coming back to reply. First I want to say that the downvotes you’ve received have been unnecessary imo and I think I should have added that my original comment was in my experience and purely anecdotal.
I guess it all depends on the person and whether they see constructive criticism as… well constructive or whether they see it as a slight against them. Like in any industry really.
it’s offended developers who have been forced to make awful UX/UI for sure. i had to change mine back to an upvote :)
I second this - though I agree that it definitely isn’t universal. Especially given that I’m exactly the opposite - I welcome critique and improvements to anything I write because I love learning and improving.
If they are, you can probably make a better site, that adds the feature you’re missing and can link to results on theirs.
deleted by creator
Cmd-F or Ctrl-F to search for cities. It’s imperfect, but I found seven hits for my city instantly. I could search neighboring cities and towns the same way.
To add to this comment, it’s not hard to find any of this information. “States grouped into areas” scroll to find your state, or again ctrl+f. “Hard to find cities” thankfully living in my area and being somewhat familiar with said area I can scroll down the list and find farmers in my general area. Short of putting in my address and searching for ‘closest to’ which I hate anyway, this isn’t as bad an interface as op suggests.
I’m still going to say it’s just not great design; it presents you a large map that is not interactable in any way, then below that are bits of that map again with ordinary hyperlinks below for each state and/or region. Just let people click on the first map, or just ditch it entirely.
Once you’ve clicked on a state, you get a list of paragraph format entries sorted in the most useless way: alphabetically by business name.
Who is this website for?
I agree whole heartedly, it could be done better. I’m just saying it isn’t complete garbage and if a little confusing still usable.
That assumes you know all the place names of the region where you’re at. Someone that moved recently and/or lives in a tristate area (all of which are in different state regions in my case according to that map) is just faced with a very hostile design.
at least you have something my state doesn’t even have anything lmao, it goes to a boilerplate page that gives little info
My state (big ag state) has a whopping 3 and 2 of those are hemp. The one that isn’t just hemp doesn’t have an area listed, just the state.
I mean I’m glad there are any… but yeah, not a super great resource for some areas lol
deleted by creator
You could try researching CSAs in your area. There are a few near me that sell farm shares with weekly pickup of seasonal veggies during harvest season. I’m in northern California, and our rate is under $20 per week after we split it with another couple. We usually receive more veggies than we would buy during a weekly grocery store trip, plus our farm let’s everyone pick fresh bouquets each pickup as a nice bonus.
I’d love to learn more about the ones in NorCal. I’m in the peninsula.
CSA huh
Yup, stands for community supported agriculture. They’re often called co-ops or farm shares, but I think CSA is the industry term that you’ll have most luck with when searching around online.
Farm co-ops I think focus on local farms.
deleted by creator
It’s cool, but buying produce from your neighbors is also cool. Strong communities thrive together
It’s cool, but buying produce from your neighbors is also cool.
Um… My neighbors are black you fucking prick.
Okay, buy produce from your black neighbors then.
Whats the problem?
My point was that the comment I replied to was a ridiculous false dichotomy.
I would really like an Imperfect Foods replacement. Originally, IF was scratch and dent ugly veggies on discount with some consignment items. Post covid, prices crept up and then you had to pick and choose to get a deal, but you could still get a good box for under $40 every 2 wks that also included things like farro and yogurt. Misfit Marketplace bought them out and it took on a Whole Foods by mail vibe. Double to triple the regular grocery store prices. It would be $80+/week for the same box content which is galling. And it’s not the groceries, it’s MM. Who is paying $3 for 1 cucumber? $4 for 2 apples? $8 for a single pound of grapes or a pint of blueberries?
New potential produce sources are most welcome.
I had to drop Imperfect Food as well from the same problems. It was just more expensive than I needed. I haven’t found a replacement yet unfortunately. We are now just buying food as needed. I have been interested in a CSA but haven’t done it yet
The unbagged produce was fresher than grocery store and didn’t rot on the shelf in 3 days like post COVID produce from the grocery store tends to do.
So this post has potential.
It’s a bit sad that it’s just the “black farmers”. If possible, getting your stuff from a local market or even a farmer is always a good thing, no matter if it’s a black or white farmer. I have that here in austria where I get most of my meat and cheese directly from the farmer and it’s not just insanely tasty but also cheaper than from the grocery store.
Strong communities thrive together.
In Taiwan, we had “day markets” where local farmers and fishers sell produce directly to you from the previous day’s harvest. Every city has at least a few dozen day markets as well. It really serves the community and not big corps.
Some veggies still have live bugs(ladybugs) on it. That’s how fresh it is.
It also cost 1/4 the cost in a corporate grocery store.
We (the US) have farmers markets in a lot of places. They can have very specific times that I always forget about. Around here in the northern climate, the farmer markets stop during the winter or move indoors and shift to selling more jarred and canned goods. My neighborhood has a coop, but it’s more expensive than the grocery store and with a worse selection. We have options here, but they require more thoughtfulness.
That was a culture shock for me when I moved to the US. I knew that back in the day, in rural areas of my country, the markets only opened once a week. I was shocked to find that happen in urban/suburban areas in the US. Back home I could just go to the closest market any day. Morning news would have a report comparing prices in different markets across the city, so you could pick the one that has the best price for what you need that day.
So every “farm” in my region is actually a community plot you can rent space in or a non profit outreach…no farms to purchase from.
Lots of deadlinks and farming alliances with mission statements.
Not a lot of links to buy food from farmers.
Yeah, this isn’t being maintained. All the ones near me are dead websites.
Removed by mod
Why are Americans so obsessed with skin colour
It’s a nation founded on racism and the back of race based slavery. That shit doesn’t disappear overnight, unfortunately.
Buying something because it goes to a certain skin colour promotes racism CMV
Don’t cut yourself on all that edge before you graduate highschool kid.
The most impactful racism, that is also the hardest to fix, is systemic racism. I think the idea behind buying from black owned businesses is the individuals attempt to offset the systemic racism that they, individually, can do very little about.
it is still much more difficult for people of color to become professionally successful than it is for white people. That’s a fact. There are still laws in place (and not nearly enough protections), which disproportionately harm POC.
Do they not deserve to be just as successful? To follow their dreams? To be able to support themselves and their families?
Knowing this, why wouldn’t you seek out black-owned business to help counter systemic racism? Those in power in the US, at least, aren’t going to do it. This is by their design.
I care about the well-being of everyone (well, minus the 1% and Nazis), but those who continue to be harmed by a system—that I directly benefit from as a white person—simply require more attention if we’re ever going to have an equitable society.
Yeah that’s not how it works.
CMV
Nah I’m good.
Which is a downstream effect of the racism the nation was founded on? Crazy right?
Sadly and unsurprisingly, nothing near me. On the bright side, we do have a farmer’s market so I’ll just continue to patron that and say that if you have one near you, definitely check them out!
Removed by mod
Problem with farmers market is it costs farmers to have the stall there (rent the space), to move all their produce and they even need to man it. Which is bassically what a supermarket does, but in bulk so it’s cheaper. In theory you would have to go directly to the farms for a discount.
Removed by mod
Honestly a shame with those farmers. Unfortunately why I had to include “in theory”
Removed by mod
I’ve gone to farmer’s markets and although the stuff is good, some of it is pricey. There are stuff like lettuce and stuff that are cheaper but most of stuff like berries and fruits are more expensive.
deleted by creator
But on the bright side, that money (usually) goes right back into your local economy, instead of lining the pockets of some rich asshole from five states away who has a chain of grocery stores.
It does, as long as those farmers are giving back and trickling it down, sort to speak. It isn’t the case for everyone, try not to buy from assholes if you can.
It’s more expensive indeed, but I’ve found the quality is much better.
Definitely. 100% would rather buy from a farmer’s market than a big name store. Also, around my area, the big farmer’s markets are located in affluent areas
The market in my town delivers to my workplace every week. I order from them first, then supplement everything else from the grocery store.
To everybody saying “reverse racism” or whatever your wording is to imply that buying specifically from black people is problematic, why? Do you think that you would have a hard time finding a white run CSA to buy? This is just a resource for people interested in supporting the black community and frankly I see any form of opposition to it as pretty blatant racism itself. I’ll return from a Google search with what I find for other race specified CSA indexes in a bit.
I’m back,
https://www.queerfarmernetwork.org/
Here’s an LGBTQ farm share directory. Is it reverse bigotry to purchase from them? I had to play with search terms a bit but a combination of CSA, farm share, agriculture share, and your chosen identifier should produce you results.
I am genuinely looking for an answer because I’m fucking baffled by this thread.
Some sort of brigading going on here, lots of comments with almost identical wording.
buying specifically from black people is problematic, why?
The problem isn’t that buying from black people is a problem, the problem is that it’s trying to be a selling argument, and that’s just stupid. Are the vegetables of a black farmer better than of a white farmer? Do queer farmers make better cheese than straight farmers? I somehow doubt it. In the end, it’s a matter of skill and you can have that regardless of your sexuality or skin color.
I’m seriously wondering how you ever expect something like “inclusion” to happen when you’re the ones that keep treating the groups you’re trying to include differently.
It’s about supporting marginalized people if one chooses to. If one chooses not to, they can just move one without comment. I’m just confused because it seems so simple and the only answer to me is deep seated, potentially non intentional racism.
The problem is that it’s a fundamentally good idea to support your local farmers and businesses, but you’re artificially injecting the race card yet again instead of just ignoring the skin color for once. It’s someone who sells you carrots and potatoes, why care about the race? Why support especially a black farmer? There’s no reason for it tbh - support your local business.
the only answer to me is deep seated, potentially non intentional racism.
Must be tough to try your hardest to see racism everywhere you go.
Not even an attempt to self reflect.
Nothing to self-reflect on since you and your american mindset are hellbent on seeing a race issue here. No reason to try and talk you out of it.
To flip this argument… Are the vegetables from a black farmer worse than a white farmer? Do queer farmers make worse cheese than a straight farmer? I somehow doubt it. Therefore, if output is equal, maybe it’s time to spread the love to these black and queer farmers.
You say, “in the end, it’s a matter of skill and you can have that regardless of your sexuality or skin color”… and that sounds great, on it’s face, but using that as your argument now, when, statistically, it’s shown over and over again that skill is rarely the factor that matters, is disingenuous. When we, as a society, can get to a point where we can regularly show that, statistically, race and sexuality (or any other reason humanity chooses to use to make “others” out of our fellows) truly do not effect ones prosperity, then, and only then, would your statement hold any meaning.
if output is equal, maybe it’s time to spread the love to these black and queer farmers
Okay but why? What’s the point exactly? Why discriminate against white farmers purely based on the color of their skin? Especially in the farming industry, both are doing an insanely tough job and they need people to buy their products. I think it’s wrong to not buy from a local farmer because he’s white and instead go to a black farmer that’s 30 minutes away, for example.
If I’m living in a village and we have a white farmer, I buy there. If it’s a black farmer, I buy there. And hell, I might buy from both if they have different products. Win-Win Situation.
This focus on skin color in literally every aspect of life is just getting really annoying.
You don’t live in a village. You live in a nation with easy access to products and produce from boarder to boarder (until someone decides to mess that up). You’re “local” farmer is easily both that white and that black farmer.
And if you’re tired of the focus of things being on skin color or sexual orientation, even more of a reason to level out those statistics because, while those statistics continue to show a disparity of opportunity between White and POC/Queer individuals, you’re damn right the focus should and will remain with the latter.
You don’t live in a village.
The 350 people in the austrian village I live in 80% of the time would disagree.
You’re “local” farmer is easily both that white and that black farmer
No. It’s a white farmer. I meet him like 5 times a week.
you’re damn right the focus should and will remain with the latter.
Sad tbh, but you do you. I will continue to support my local community, because strong communities strive together, regardless of arbitrary properties that they can’t influence.
In deed, man… If you fail to get it, that’s you then.
I rather not give people money by merit of the colour of their skin, though. Fuck me, right?
The fact that it’s cheaper for you and they get paid more than the middle man would pay should be enough for you.
Yeah, that’s not what’s happening.
But keep playing the victim.
No one said fuck you lol
Well, only 2 within reasonable distance. One only sells microgreen kits. The other appears to be a supplier for restaurants, etc.
I zipped them an email to ask about private sales. But, definitely nothing on their website about sales and shipping to the public.
Thank you! I did not know that. Last news that I heard about black farmers was about then getting screwed by massive ag conglomerates.
