It has been a roller-coaster ride for Share Farm, the young farm-to-door company founded and owned by local entrepreneurs Eric Kobe and Vincent Peak and James Beard Award-nominated chef and restaurateur Adam Hegsted.

Kobe and Peak created the Share Farm app in fall 2018 and soft launched it, then the trio officially launched Share Farm at share.farm last July, offering home delivery of local produce and other local products in less than 24 hours every day of the week except Sundays.

Since then, Share Farm has cut back its home delivery in Spokane to one day a week and, in February, expanded to Seattle and Portland, a growth that has proven successful with corporate dining clients in both Pacific Northwest cities.

Back home in Spokane, Share Farm has seen a recent uptick in business with the novel coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-home order, and Peak attributes it to Share Farm’s efforts to curb exposure by sourcing directly from farms and warehouses, which limits the touch points and exposure to the virus.

“That has always been our main focus at Share Farm – reducing touch points compared to the alternatives – and it’s not necessary hands but carbon emissions,” Peak said over the phone Sunday evening while baking bread and feeding his baby boy, North.

“It’s less people, and it’s more direct from farm to door. We can show the path of food from farm to distributor to customer. Everything is transparent, and customers really appreciate that, especially during this pandemic.”

Peak said the use of Share Farm has seen a huge increase since the pandemic because people want food they can trust.

“We cut back home delivery in Spokane to one day a week to focus on our corporate dining clients in Seattle and Portland, where we launched in February,” Peak said. “Since mid-February, we’ve added another delivery day in Spokane because demand has been so strong.”

The current delivery days are Tuesday and Wednesday, but those days are sometimes changed based on what products can be acquired and delivered.

“Corn is difficult for us to come by right now,” Peak said. “Everyone is buying our local items, especially meats. Sockeye salmon, too, that is sustainably caught. Ground beef. Hyper-local items.”

Has Share Farm run out of anything? “No, because we’ve brought on more vendors. We just brought on three new vendors (Saturday) to meet the demand,” Peak said. “Two new beef suppliers in Spangle and Chewelah. We’re bringing on flour and dairy. I try to find artisan products that can meet demand.”

Despite the adjustments during the coronavirus, Share Farm’s business model has remained the same, Peak said. That includes being transparent about the origins of products and limiting road miles, their carbon footprint and touch points. Those things help with social distancing efforts, he said.

“Our vendors practice good handling practices, and there is strict care when it comes to safety,” Peak said. “We’re very much aware of what’s going on.”

Peak’s typical day at Share Farm, pre-pandemic, was focused on trying to find new products in the community by going to farmers markets and meeting new vendors. He still handles delivery orders a few times a month and makes it a point to talk in person with the people in the warehouse and meet with the farmers and vendors who are clients.

For his own pantry and refrigerator, Peak stocks up on carbs.

“Right now, I’m really hooked on sourdough bread after a friend gave me a sourdough starter,” Peak said. “It’s a lot of fun – it’s an artsy and crafty process. I’m getting better every loaf. At my house, you’ll also find a lot of salmon, potatoes, other fish, lentils and homemade sauces.”

Peak is excited to see how people in the Spokane area are taking action and supporting one another during the pandemic.

“I love that the community is getting behind local businesses and local farms and is continuing to do so,” Peak said. “The extra effort is very much appreciated.”