The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-06
SUGGESTS AUTOMOBILE
ROADSIDE MARKETS
mia, Looking to Waysidc Sales
of Farm Products.
SPECIFIED TIMES AND PLACES
Attractivcly Packed Baskets of Prod
ucts Arc Put Up and offered In
Some Shady Spot by Farmers
Families.

brand new means Of helping to
win the war through food conserva-
ton is being considered by the coun-
ell of defense. The idea was born in
Pennsylvania, where it has been ef-
fectively used in some sections. The
plan now is for every state to adopt
something like It.
1t is what might be called IAN au-
tomobile roadside market" A num-
Der OF farmers in Virginia are regu-
larly selling fruit. butter, eggs, poul-
try and vegetables to automobiles
who pass their farms, and 1t has been
found to be good business for the
farmer. This traffic, however is at
present too casual to be of much i'm
portance considered from the point
of view of the whole state and the
food supply.
1t is proposed that If the farmers
of particular districts, and their wives
md children, were to agree to hold
regular roadside markets at given
hours on given days, this business
would be sure to attract city folks
10 the advantage of both the farmer
and the city buyer.
Under present labor conditions II
is impossible for the farmer, whose
surplus of fruit and vegetables is
small, to take them any considerable
distance for sale. More and more
the business of hawking and ped
ding farm products is becoming dis
tasteful to the farmer Under pres
ent conditions not only will quanti-
ties of fruit and vegetables go to
waste. but even the butter and eggs
from the farm will reach the con-
sumer in more or less forlorn condi-
tion because of delay in collecting
and marketing.
tables which can be brought by any
means to the city table will relieve
more, staples for starving Europe,
awhile benef1tine- Amer lea. %l
Suggestions for the new marketing
scheme are offered as follows:
Such a market should be held at
a specific place on specified days OF
the week. IT should begin about 4
+. NJ, but earlier on Saturdays.
The place selected should be- pref
erably, a shaded spot on a well trav-
efed road which is comparatively free
from dust. The material for sale can
| he placed on a large, clean wagon
or portable tables, or attractively ar
ranged on the grass a little back from
the roadside.
Special baskets may be made up
etbtSAAiiiiS variety VI
baskets to sell for rs cents, so cents
rs cents and Sim which case tags
should show plainly the name and
postoffice address of the producer and
! the quantity, variety and price OF
everything in the basket Thus the
buyer would know from whom TO du-
/ plicate orders and could even orde,
In advance by mail
Local newspapers and the nearby
city paper would give such a marke,
its first publicity; its conduct. fairness
continuity and so forth. would give
IT the final publicity on which it mus
stand or fall Fancy packing Away.
pays when one has an autoist for &
prospective customer. Eggs should bt
separated by color; dirty eggs never
sold. Fruit should be perfect; vege
tables clean and fresh; and where pa
per is used it pays to use good paper
/ II community intelligence is exhibited
/ In such a marketing operation. i
promises good prices, economies fol
the producer and an outlet for hi.
products that he otherwise could no.
afford to market"