Brandon Leuallen, The Business Times

What began as a simple idea during a drive through Loma has grown into an online directory connecting thousands of Western Slope residents with local farm stands, farmers markets and food trucks.

Matt Wharton, owner of Western Slope Digital, launched an interactive farmstand map on www.westernslope.digital/farmstands earlier this year after realizing many small food producers are difficult to find unless customers already know where to look.

“About a year ago now, my wife and I were driving around Loma and saw a farm stand on the side of the road, and I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a map of all these?’” Wharton said.

The idea sat on the shelf for several months before Wharton decided to put his web development skills to work. While browsing a local Facebook discussion about finding homemade sourdough bread, he realized the same problem applied to many small-scale food producers.

“I saw a thread on a local Facebook page about sourdough bread sellers and just thought it would be a good time to put my skills to use and whip something up,” Wharton said.

He initially added four farm stands mentioned in the discussion, contacted the owners and shared the map online. Interest grew quickly. 

Building directory for local producers

Since launching March 24, the website has expanded to include 74 farm stands and 31 farmers markets across the Western Slope. According to Wharton, approximately 95 percent of the farm-stand listings have been verified by their owners.

During the first two-and-a-half months, the farm-stand map received approximately 6,400 views, including about 5,000 unique visitors.

The website allows users to search for products such as eggs, honey, baked goods and produce while providing locations and schedules for participating farm stands and farmers markets. Owners can claim and manage their listings, while community members can submit locations that may not yet appear on the map.

Highlighting small businesses

Among the farm stands featured on the website is Blessed Harvest Homestead, operated by Lori Ybarra. What started as a few backyard hens and a love of baking has grown into a small homestead offering fresh eggs, baked goods and other locally produced items.

Another listing, Lyon Den Homestead on L 1/2 Road, offers fresh eggs and canned goods daily, fresh baked bread and treats on weekends, seasonal vegetables and flowers, and even handmade earrings, bows and bracelets created by the family’s children.

Wharton said businesses like these are exactly the type of small producers he hopes to help connect with customers.

Expanding into food trucks

The project has continued to expand. In May, Wharton launched a companion food-truck map designed to solve a similar challenge.

“It’s tough to know where food trucks are,” Wharton said. “One day you see one, and the next day they’re gone. Then you’ve got to try to track down their socials.”

Since launching May 7, the food-truck map has attracted approximately 3,200 views from 2,500 unique visitors and includes 36 participating food trucks.

The platform functions as more than a simple directory. Participating vendors can upload photos, provide catering information, post schedules and update their locations in real time.

Examples on the site range from Armando Tacos, which regularly serves at Gemini Beer Company on North Seventh Street in Grand Junction and specializes in authentic street tacos, mesquite-grilled meats and catering services for weddings, parties and corporate events, to Hawaii Street Food, located at 310 N. Seventh St. in Grand Junction, which serves Hawaiian-inspired cuisine and publishes a weekly operating schedule showing customers exactly when and where the truck will be serving.

Designed for owners and customers

Wharton said the goal is to give independent food vendors a simple way to connect with customers without requiring them to constantly update multiple social-media platforms.

Food-truck operators can create accounts and manage recurring schedules, add special events or use a live check-in feature that instantly updates their location on the map. Users also can report outdated listings, which automatically notifies the business owner.

In addition to individual listings, the website includes a comprehensive farmers-market schedule that covers communities throughout the Western Slope. Market managers can claim listings, and vendors can request to be added to specific market pages.

Even with the platform’s growth, participation remains free for farm-stand owners, farmers-market organizers and food-truck operators. Wharton said he has no plans to charge businesses for listings and instead accepts voluntary donations from users who want to support the service.

“People always think there’s some kind of catch,” Wharton said, “but I’m trying to keep everything 100 percent free for farm-stand owners and food-truck owners.”