What was identified as the earliest, non-digital form of 'platform' used to facilitate direct farm-to-table ordering?

Answer

A direct phone call or a handwritten order slip delivered to the farm gate

Before modern digital tools were developed to manage the complexities of hyper-local sourcing, the initial means of communication and ordering between chefs and farmers were rudimentary and direct. The absolute earliest form of a 'platform' for this system involved straightforward, person-to-person communication methods. This included making a direct phone call to the producer or physically delivering a handwritten order slip to the farm gate, representing the most basic logistical bridge needed to connect the producer and the consumer.

What was identified as the earliest, non-digital form of 'platform' used to facilitate direct farm-to-table ordering?
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