Everyone loves a good origin story, so here is Farmscape's:

The Official Version:

Farmscape was conceived by a group of friends, mostly from the Midwest, who collected in Claremont, California in 2008. Their mission was to build a sustainable agriculture venture that would reshape the way urban and suburban residents source their food and landscape their yards. The idea was born out of our belief that what Donna Smith was doing in Portland with Your Backyard Farmer was really exciting. We believed that if businesses offering urban farmers-for-hire were replicated again and again, it could have a huge positive influence on the American diet and it might reduce many of the environmental and social harms caused by our food system. We aim to be a socially responsible and environmentally friendly business. We care strongly about delivering excellent customer service and a garden thriving with uncommonly delicious and healthy produce.

My Version:

Scene I: Road Trip To Visit Friend and Interested Investor In His College Dorm

Interested Investor: Don't you think growing food for people in their own yard is a really great idea?

Me: It's a fantastic idea. People would really love it, I imagine interest in backyard food is on the rise for years to come. Is that what you're going to do next?

Interested Investor: Well, I was thinking.... [pregnant pause] maybe you'd be excited about it. I mean, you love food, right? You've worked in the restaurant industry! Plus you cook so well and all.

Me: [pregnant pause] Er, I'm an aspiring screenwriter.

Interested Investor: Yeah, do that at night.

Scene II: Relocated to California. Credit Card Maxed. Business Plan and Market Research Nearly Done. Winter.

Sean: Hey, Obama is our president!

Me: Yep. Welcome to Farmscape. Let's grown some food together.

Sean: We should build a garden. I like to research.

Me: We should. More so, we should find someone who knows a lot about farming. Let's look around town.

<Enter Todd>

Todd: What's up guys? I just filed for my business license to grow food for people in their yards. I think you did too, that's what the woman at city hall said.

Me: Whoa, no way. Have you ever grown food before?

Todd: Yeah, for decades. I run this community group called Food Not Lawns, the Claremont Chapter. I'm totally stoked about urban agriculture.

Sean: What does stoked mean?

Me: Sean is from Iowa.

Todd: Right on. Well anyway, let's start building some gardens. You guys don't have a truck do you?

Me: No, but I bet there's a fire sale on trucks right now. Have you checked the S&P lately? Let's go bargain hunting...

 

Testing soil mixtures in early prototype beds.  PVC trellises: shameful.

 

Early Marketing Materials. Microsoft Word Art: Shameful.

All photos courtesy of Weston Westenborg, Farmscape's Company Historian.