Kyle and Katelyn Stenersen, owners of Humble Roots Farm in Scotts Hill, are embarking on a new way of marketing their products to area consumers.
 
Under the tutelage of fellow diversified farmer and mentor Joel Salitin, the Stenersens have developed a buying club to help get their products into the hands of local buyers more efficiently.
 
Traditionally, most small farms have relied on farmers markets to sell their products. The Stenersens said they have found, however, that there is limited viability once labor and fees are subtracted from the overall profit. And as farmers with three small children, they said 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays isn’t the best fit for their family.
 
The idea behind a buyers club is to allow customers to select products online for biweekly distribution at set locations. They can view the available products and pricing and make their selections from the comfort of home, then travel to their selected pick-up location and pay by cash or check for their products.
 
There are no minimum orders and the delivery fee is 25 cents per pound. In order to buy, however, customers must register to receive the biweekly email, which contains a link to the Humble Roots shopping page. Each time the email is sent out, customers will have approximately three days to submit their orders for the next pick-up date.
 
“We really feel that this will be the most efficient way to get our food into people’s kitchens,” Kyle Stenersen said.
 
The buying club will begin the first week in April, and Stenersen said customers can expect to find pastured chicken, pork and lamb and eggs, and a variety of produce.

Humble Roots has partnered with several area farms and artisanal food producers with similar production practices and principles to offer an expanded selection of goods.
 
Humble Roots also operates a Saturday market at the farm, and summer hours, 9 a.m. to noon, begin April 1.
 
Humble Roots Farm is located at 1247 Scotts Hill Loop Road in Wilmington.
 
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