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Family Farm In Wimauma Gets Boost From Internet Sales

Tribune photo by LOIS KINDLE

Kathy Oliver, co-owner of My Mother’s Garden, an organic herb and produce farm in Wimauma, reviews product listings on the family’s new Web site, which brings local growers and customers together for online commerce. Overall sales at the farm have increased 20 percent in less than a year with the addition of the site.

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By LOIS KINDLE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 24, 2008

WIMAUMA - Until February, sisters Susan Bishop and Kathy Oliver sold their organic herbs and produce the old-fashioned way — person-to-person. But thanks to a conference workshop they attended in Kentucky, their sales efforts now include the Internet.

In less than a year, their overall sales are up 20 percent.

"The Internet is the way the world is going," said Bishop, 49. "Any business today needs an online presence to survive. We get new customers every month now."

Bishop said she and Oliver, 48, came home from the conference pumped about creating an online farmers market similar to that of Eric Wagoner of Athens, Ga., who spoke at the workshop.

Wagoner's concept was that producers and growers, even craftsmen, could sell products online from one Web site and then bring them to a central location where customers could pick up the items.

"The idea is to keep things local by replicating a farmers market," Bishop said.

She and Oliver agreed to pay Wagoner 3 percent of their sales to use his software, which they customized to make their own site: www.mymothersgarden.locallygrown.net.

Here's how it works:

By Monday night of each week, the sisters and several other area growers describe what's available, how much they have to sell and how much they want for it. They generally supply photos of each item.

Registered customers order Tuesday through Thursday. The system calculates their total and provides a confirmation number via e-mail. Then the growers get an e-mail so they know how much to harvest.

On Friday morning, the products are brought to Bishop at the farm, where she assembles customer baskets and delivers them to Sun City Center Homes for pickup from 1 to 5 p.m.

"It works out great for everyone," Bishop said. "The growers are happy because I pay them when they drop off their products. I'm happy because the customers pay me when they pick up the baskets. And the customers are happy because they get farm-fresh produce, herbs and other items at a greatly reduced price."

My Mother's Garden online market offers organic farm produce, fresh herbs and nonorganic produce from the Tampa Wholesale Market, naturally and humanely raised Murray Grey grass-fed beef cattle and Tamworth hogs, and homemade sauces and jellies.

"We're still looking for small producers and backyard growers to join our organization," Bishop said. "And, of course, we want to keep adding customers."

For information, call (813) 642-0191 or visit www.mymothersgarden.locallygrown.net.

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553.

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