Food used to enter the city on its own feet. Farmers took
their livestock from the countryside to central markets and sold them dead or
alive. When more people founded a job in other places than at their own house, farmers
or their representatives came along the doors to sell milk, potatoes and other
stuff. At that time it was convenient because the people didn’t have time to
visit all those producers themselves and indispensable because stocking food
wasn’t easy without fridges.
After the industrial revolution, when even more people spent
time working away from their homes, grocery stores opened. All kinds of fresh
and lasting products were on offer for everyone. The success of these shops was encouraged by
the ability of ‘inventing and creating’ food in factories. Fresh products had a
hard time competing with ready-to-eat-meals and deep frozen products.
Internet gave people the opportunity to stay at home and
still enjoy the fun of shopping. Supermarkets saw that books sold well online
and started to offer their products in a digital environment as well. Especially
two income families profited of this services which left them some more time to
spend together.
But all these developments caused the consumer to move
further and further away from the producers of their daily nutrients. Since the
beginning of this century people started to notice that kids do not realize
that milk comes from a cow, not from of a factory. Farmers started to organize
events which enabled consumers to visit the farm. But apparently this is not
enough yet.
Farmers in Holland –organized in a big cooperation – decided
to go around the doors again. Almost like they used to do years and years ago. Only
the reason they do it for has changed. This time it is meant to explain the
quality of the locally produced milk which is given by cows which spent most of
the year grazing outdoors.
It seems this is yet another action which is needed to bring
the consumer closer to the origin of its food. And they could be as lazy as
they used to be. They even don’t have to initiate something themselves. It will
come at their doorstep spontaneously without asking for it. No dirty feed, no
bad smells, not influenced by the weather. I wonder whether it really
communicates what is wants too.
