Soil Mate, a social networking internet service, is
connecting people who want to know where their food and drink are coming from
with farmers, farmers markets and wineries.
The service that launched this spring is available across
Canada and in 40 states in the United States.
Canadian Press features Matt Gomez who “found the need for
such a site when he ‘couldn't find local produce in a way that was convenient
for me, not necessarily trudging into the farmers market by a certain time
every Saturday to get what I needed. I was looking online to try and find real
simple information, basically what was available in the area, how it was grown,
where I could buy it and when I could get it and that was really all I needed.
My impetus was that I had little kids’.”
He grew up in Luton, England, and in 2008 moved with his
wife to Kelowna, B.C., where they became concerned about their food as they
started raising two children, now one and three years old.
"I became more aware once I was here because it's more
of an agricultural region and started to see that connection and over time
start to learn about some of the more fashionable issues like GMO (genetically
modified) crops and any pesticide use to some of the more political pieces like
the distance travelled and treatment of migrant workers, all of the different
pieces that go into the food security.
"I became aware of all that sort of stuff and made some
changes and tried to find stuff online to buy local produce and then I had kids
and I couldn't be so blasé
about it," he is quoted.
With his background in online marketing, he decided to quit
his job, seek investment and found Soil Mate.
Consumers logging on to the site find farms and markets
within a 160-kilometre radius, directions and hours.
People can sort by crop, organic or non-GMO, and in some
cases can order directly from the farm.
"The whole crux of it is to be non-political,
non-judgment based, not pushing any agenda, just presenting all the information
and you make your own decisions," the says.
"If organic is something that's important to you, then
you can find organic. If you don't really care, you just care more about the
farmer's story, then read their profile."
"What we're finding is a massive adoption rate when
farmers find us ... we actually have a 95 per cent signup rate.
“The issue is just actually getting the system in front of
them. I wouldn't say it's a no-brainer.
“Farmers have options, right? Directories have been shoved
down their throats for years. It's just no one's really created a good
directory. They can be a little bit jaded on it. ...
"Once you start to explain the concept of Soil Mate and
how it's different from literally every other system out there and how it's
helpful and how it doesn't have much of an impact on them from a time
perspective. We did focus groups as well so we actually had farmers help us
develop it, so we knew they'd actually use it and update it and all that sort
of stuff."
