Imagine purchasing directly from local farmers fresh organic produce, meats, dairy products like milk, eggs and cheeses right from the comfort of your own home? Well now you can through an online farmers’ market that connects people in homes, workplaces, schools, apartment complexes and community centers directly to local farms and brings the food right here to a convenient Port Washington location.
People have been logging onto www.farmigo.com since late summer, when the company found Port Washington resident and nutritionist for working mothers, Janet Mermel, and offered her the role as “champion” for the Port area.
The company began a couple years ago in San Francisco by a software engineer who wanted to make the lives and businesses of farmers easier and more productive. Now that business model has been introduced to consumers right here on Long Island. Word is spreading fast.
“Farmigo connects people to farm-fresh harvested food, with no cost to join and flexibility in what they choose to order weekly, monthly or whenever they choose,” explained Jessica Malcolm, regional manager for Farmigo.com.
Local champion Mermel said: “I really believe in this business and the food sells itself because its fresh, delicious and picked straight off the vine.”
This is how it works. Consumers register in minutes by getting a username and password and voila, they’re a member. Orders are placed by Sunday night, food is harvested on Tuesday and delivered to the Farmigo packing facility by 5 a.m. every Wednesday.
From there, drivers of refrigerated trucks get the groceries to a main location in town. Mermel has it delivered straight to the office building at 151 Haven Ave. where she and her husband work and pickups are made from 1:30 p.m. to about 3:00 p.m.
“I have been using Farmigo.com since its location opened in Port Washington,” said Sands Point resident Jessica Miller. “It’s so convenient and everything tastes better. It makes me feel better knowing the fruits and veggies are locally grown,”
There’s organic meat, ground beef, sausage, and chicken, and they are hoping to offer fish soon.
Choose from eight cheeses, all kinds of organic milks, greek yogurts, and pastured eggs at a higher quality than what’s sold by Whole Foods. They sell cage-free eggs too, but pastured means the chickens are allowed to roam and be free in the sun, according to Mermel.
“I like the convenience of getting fresh, local, and in-season produce. Farmigo adds more and more products and organic produce weekly,” said another Flower Hill customer Melissa Halpern, Certified Holistic Wellness Coach. “Every piece of produce looks like it was hand-picked. They offer unique vegetables that can’t be bought at Whole Foods or other markets.”
Right now, Farmigo.com has 60 members and is growing. As far as pricing goes, it’s considered equivalent to farmers market prices but more of your dollar goes directly to the farmer.
Mermel explained: “In a farmers market, about 16 cents goes to the farmer, but with Farmigo, 85 cents goes to the farmer.” Because the farmers are making a lot more money, it allows them to run a much better operation, and hopefully get organic certification, which is very costly to the average farmer.
Farmigo customers know exactly where their food is coming from as it is all listed on the website. Farms are in Long Island, New Jersey, and all the new citrus fruits come straight out of Florida.
“Janet is so helpful and amazing at sending out reminders for ordering and picking up food,” said Macha Einbender, a customer who lives in Flower Hill. “It’s wonderful to have this service right here in the community. She helps the service work incredibly well. I also love the ability to buy fresh local produce, dairy and baked goods online. I can carefully choose what I need in the comfort of my own home without dealing with supermarkets and crowded aisles.”
For more info please visit www.Farmigo.com/janetmermel
