Some roadside stands are built purely out of a desire to share a garden surplus. Others grow directly out of a long-held family dream - taking raw land and turning it into something that feeds both the neighborhood and the next generation.
If you're ever driving Route 98 through Alexander, you know that quiet stretch of Genesee County where open farm fields meet the road. Right along the shoulder sits a little white shed with a burlap-draped table, mason jars of fresh blooms, chilled eggs, and a handwritten whiteboard welcoming you in.
For this spotlight, we caught up with Brittany Lochren behind Lochren Acres. Her story is a wonderful reminder of why taking that first step to set up a driveway stand brings so much joy to a family and a community.
What’s the story behind your stand, and what inspired you to start it?
My husband and I bought our property 5 years ago and dreamt of living off the land and sharing produce with others. We weren’t sure what exactly that was going to look like but this year we finally got the stand up and running. We’ve been selling honey, eggs and small flower bouquets. The money we make from the flowers goes to our kids, they helped us plant and water the seeds this spring. So we are teaching them that hard work earns money. They try to help us cut the flowers now too but that will come easier as they get older! The rest of the profits are going back into the farm for future beehives.
What’s the one item on your table that brings people back week after week - or sells out the fastest?
It’s still pretty new but the flower bouquets have been going over well, we have a lot of dahlias, sunflowers and zinnias that are beautiful!
How do you handle the logistics? (e.g., cash box/honor system, Venmo/card readers, cool storage, solar lighting, or physical stand design).
So far we’ve done cash only with the honor system. We have a notebook down there to ask people to write a note so we can thank them, I am hoping that helps with being honest!
What’s your favorite thing about your local community, or a nearby local spot people should check out when they visit your stand?
We love living in our small town, the community is very kind and giving. Right now we are getting into youth sports with our son and that have been fun to meet other families in the area.
What’s one tip or lesson learned you’d pass along to someone thinking about setting up their own roadside stand?
Just start it!! We were unsure where to start and when but we finally just took the little stand to the bottom of the driveway one day and it has brought our family so much joy.
Almanac Note of the Week:
Brittany’s advice - "Just start it!!" - cuts right to the heart of what roadside stands are all about. It’s so easy to get caught up in waiting for the perfect timing, an elaborate build, or a flawless setup. But sometimes the best thing you can do is just roll a little stand down to the bottom of the driveway and see what happens.
What makes Lochren Acres especially meaningful is how the stand has become a family classroom. Having the kids plant seeds, water sprouts, and earn money from the blooms teaches values a textbook never could. And keeping a notebook down at the stand so neighbors can write notes isn't just a clever honor-system safeguard - it turns a simple driveway stop into an ongoing conversation between a family and their community. If you find yourself traveling through Genesee County along Route 98, be sure to pull over, grab a bouquet, and leave a note in the book.
Catch you on the back roads,
- Derrick
Know a stand we should spotlight next?
Whether it’s your own driveway table, a neighbor’s honey box, or a hidden cooler down an unpaved road, we’d love to feature it. You can add a stand directly to roadside.market or email us at hello@roadside.market with a spot you think belongs on the map.
