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The owner runs a self-serve stand with her family in front of their Hancock County home, and payment is through an honor system. Customers are expected to leave cash inside a money bin in the family’s mailbox, according to the television station.
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You can talk a lot of shit about Californians, but when I was living back there I knew some folks that had a small truck farm. Their stand was manned during the day, but at 5 PM they went to an honor system like the one described in the story.
Manny told me the honor system was much more profitable for them. Folks would pick up 15 bucks worth of vegetables and leave a 20 dollar bill and they never once got ripped off, neither the vegetables nor the cash box that was bolted to the counter of their stand.
Those stands were pretty common back there, but I rarely see one here.
We had a couple of em selling sweet corn here in SEO. Incidentally, it wasn't a good year for sweet corn here. Too wet, I think.
ReplyDeleteOG
My non-Amish kin used to have farms in Amish country back when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteWe used to help each other bale hay. The Amish bought a lot of the land and some of them sell produce on the honor system. Salt of the earth those folks, and of course the outrage of being stolen from begets a strong desire for revenge/justice. But WOW 18 felony counts!
That bitch is going to have some time in jail to regret screwing the wrong people.
There's not a lot of mercy for her is there. Good I guess.
Thats no shit, dude... growing up in WNY was the same way. Mom would drive out these couple roads into the country, stop at a half-dozen tables setup in front of farm houses... you could see the dust from the tractor off in the field. There was a coffee can with a slot cut into the plastic lid left on the table.... you never even thought of stealing, lest The Lord strike you dead on the spot.
ReplyDeleteDamn good maters. Those early potatoes always tasted better, too.
Years ago we visited the Dutch Amish farm area in Pennsylvania and we’re pleasantly surprised to see the same honor system in place.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's still there. Wife and I go out to Good's Store and Shady Maple on a regular basis, and the stands by the highway are rarely manned.
DeleteJust another thief.
ReplyDeleteThe produce stand I frequent in NC often is run on the honor system. I've gotten to know Jim and Jenny that run it, and they are some of the best people you'll meet.
ReplyDeleteIn Bavaria there were fields of flowers that had shears and a cashbox. They stayed busy.
ReplyDeleteWe have quite a few honor farm stands around here. Not all Amish, but mostly
ReplyDeleteI stop at a little stand that
ReplyDeletesells plants in the spring. started tomato, pepper, herbs plants and frequently leave more $than I've taken in plants, plus bring the plastic pots back for them to reuse.
I call it incentive for them to keep doing what they're doing.
I'd rather pay the little guy than the big box stores.
until I get my own greenhouse.
We still have a few in Alabama that sell roadside on the honor system. Not as many as it used to be but not because of thievery. Seems to me most of the younger family's who took over advertise on local Facebook pages and post what they have for sale each day.
ReplyDeleteI think it's probably the same here too as far as advertising on FB Marketplace.
DeleteThey have roadside stands on the honor system in Hawaii too. Here in the pacific NW - not so much.
ReplyDeleteThe key, from one of the Anonz: "you never even thought of stealing, lest The Lord strike you dead on the spot."
ReplyDeleteSame thing here in Michigan, honor system. There are a few store front farm markets now, but still have the honor system in at least half a dozen places within 10 minutes of my place, here in town.
ReplyDeleteIt would never have even crossed the mind of anyone to steal from any roadside stand, back in the day. Now, with drugs so rampant, you almost have to lock everything up and have an armed guard 24/7.
We also have a lot of self serve farm stands around here. Several good sized ones that sell hay, straw, corn and other types of feed. They say they hardly ever have an issue with theft. No democrats around here,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, we never locked our doors or rolled up the car windows. I remember the car windows part because it was my job to get my ass out of bed and go roll them up when it started to rain. The only time we locked our doors was when we went on our annual 2 week vacation.
ReplyDeleteThem days are gone forever.
The last 10 years I lived in California (2010-2020) we didn't even have a key to the front door.
DeleteWe still have some in Robertson, including at least one honor-based one I know of. They have free stuff, but also some for purchase; you take what you want, & leave what you think is fair. Knowing folks around here, they probably make more than they would if they priced things.
ReplyDelete--Tennessee Budd