This is not your typical story about eggs before Easter.

This is a story about a young farmer, Doug Groenendijk, who got cracking on a unique idea to deliver his product to consumers with an egg vending machine that doesnsa国际传媒檛 pose the same problems as regular roadside stands. The part about getting cracking, though, has nothing to do with the state of the eggs when they come out of the vending machine sa国际传媒� theysa国际传媒檙e all in one piece.

Anyone whosa国际传媒檚 recently driven between Crofton and Chemainus on rural Vancouver Island would have noticed the vending machine and probably been surprised to find it contains eggs. Groenendijk sells farm fresh eggs from the machine on the farm hesa国际传媒檚 renting.

He also has plans in the works to get more chickens and set up a website for the vending machine.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 actually hoping to sell these machines,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk added.

Itsa国际传媒檚 certainly turned into a novel idea and captured plenty of attention since he installed the machine in early January.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 spacey,sa国际传媒� said one patron from Esquimalt, who stopped to buy eggs. sa国际传媒淚 havensa国际传媒檛 seen anything like that.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a different kind of vending machine,sa国际传媒� added Groenendijk. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 the only one in North Cowichan.

sa国际传媒淟ots of people are quite amazed by it. I get lots of comments, people saying this is a great idea.sa国际传媒�

He knows of only one other vending machine for eggs on the Island in Cobble Hill and itsa国际传媒檚 a slightly different model.

Groenendijk grew up on the family Greendyke Farm operation on Mount Sicker Road before recently starting up his own mainly dairy farming operation that hesa国际传媒檚 calling Legend Dairy Farms.

He figures itsa国际传媒檚 the perfect epic name for the site hesa国际传媒檚 renting from a guy who used to dairy farm there.

Since setting up the egg vending machine, sa国际传媒渋tsa国际传媒檚 been working out really well for me so far,sa国际传媒� said Groenendijk.

Hesa国际传媒檚 grateful to all the people who are supporting him as a young local farmer.

sa国际传媒淚 go every day and I put fresh eggs in every day,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk explained. sa国际传媒淭hey cansa国际传媒檛 be any more fresh.

sa国际传媒淪o far all my eggs are selling. Theresa国际传媒檚 never really any inventory left from the day before. Theysa国际传媒檙e usually sold out.sa国际传媒�

The machine can hold up to 50 cartons depending how itsa国际传媒檚 configured. Groenendijk has the normal dozen egg cartons, but also has 18s.

sa国际传媒淚 only have two rows dedicated toward 18s,sa国际传媒� he indicated.

All are brown eggs that currently sell for $6 a dozen and $9 for 18s.

sa国际传媒淚 just say all my eggs are ungraded,sa国际传媒� said Groenendijk. sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e any size, shape.sa国际传媒�

Figuring out how to operate the machine is a bit perplexing at first, especially for older people who arensa国际传媒檛 tech savvy, but itsa国际传媒檚 actually quite simple.

Itsa国际传媒檚 all operated by a bank card. By not using cash, it deters thieves.

The card must be tapped first for a pre-authorization, then you look in the vending machine for the product you want and type in the number of the selection. You tap your card again at the end to finalize the transaction.

The machine works with a little elevator to safely bring the eggs down to the pick-up spot in a gentle process that ensures none get cracked.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 nice, it keeps the eggs refrigerated as well,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk added.

He actually did considerable research before settling on this particular type of machine.

sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 a good option,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk said.

sa国际传媒淎s long as I donsa国际传媒檛 sell out, theresa国际传媒檚 eggs available 24/7 for the consumer. Itsa国际传媒檚 not sun up and sun down.sa国际传媒�

Egg vending machines that he discovered on the Lower Mainland are a different style with a locker system.

sa国际传媒淚 would say theysa国际传媒檙e in their infancy,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk observed. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 not too many of these egg vending machines yet, but I do think itsa国际传媒檚 going to be catching on.sa国际传媒�

Itsa国际传媒檚 all very exciting for him as he branches into his other new endeavours as well.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 about to start production on my dairy April 5,sa国际传媒� Groenendijk said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l be milking my own cows soon.sa国际传媒�

You can also expect to see him in the near future as part of the CTV series Farming For Love. Itsa国际传媒檚 a reality series based on finding love matches for farmers and Groenendijk was selected for the show.

Filming has already been done at the Greendyke farm and details about broadcast dates in the late spring should be released soon.

don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
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