10 Years Ago, I Had No Idea What I Was Doing
This year marks 10 years since we launched The Farmers' Truck. It feels wild to even say that.
Back in 2015, we had this idea: “What if we turned a truck into a mobile farmers' market?”
No guidebook. No blueprint. No real roadmap. Just a belief that people everywhere deserve access to fresh, nourishing food — and maybe, just maybe, we could bring that to them.
So we built our first prototype with a $25,000 loan and a lot of duct tape energy.
And I’ll be honest, it was hard. So much harder than I expected. Running a mobile market meant solving all the problems of a grocery store plus a food truck plus a social enterprise model… with a tiny team and barely any budget.
I remember days sitting alone in the truck after market. Tired. Unsure. Wondering if this was ever going to work.
But something kept me going: every time we pulled into a community, people showed up. They wanted all of the fresh things. They brought their kids. They asked when we’d be back. Some just needed someone to talk to.
That’s when it clicked. This wasn’t just about food. It was about connection.
We Had No Map. Just a Mission.
Over the past decade, I’ve met so many of you; mobile market operators running programs out of food banks, health departments, schools, churches, cities, and grassroots nonprofits. Each of you doing what you can to bring fresh food where it’s needed most.
Most of you, like I was, figuring it out along the way. That’s part of why we stopped running markets ourselves and focus on building what you need to succeed: trucks, tools, training, and a community that has your back.
We’re building something bigger, a movement grounded in purpose and powered by people. And here’s the truth: Alone, it’s hard. But together, we can go so much further.
Mobile markets work; when they’re done with heart, community input, and a sustainable plan. The magic isn’t in the truck; it’s in the people who show up to run it.
Looking Ahead
Over the next five years, we’re aiming to launch 2,000 mobile market programs. Our BHAG (big hairy audacious goal); Serve 1 million families a week by 2030.
But even with big goals, we’re staying rooted in the same mission: Fresh, accessible food in every community.
To every operator, partner, and dreamer who believed in this work for the past 10 years, thank you.
You’re why we’re still rolling.
Here’s to the next 10. #GoodFoodGoodMood
Fred