NOBLESVILLE — NOBLESVILLE — Some buses are for travel.
Big yellow ones haul kids to and from school.
The gray bus you see around Noblesville makes frequent stops around the area, yet shoppers typically hop on and off before the wheels on the bus go round and round.
The bus is named Bruno. It is a farm market on wheels.
Suzanne Flanders, her husband, and her family operate a farm called Simply From Scratch. It is their company that encourages people to hop on the bus.
"My husband will open the doors, like getting on the school bus," Flanders said. "He kind of invites them in. And one gentleman drove around twice in our Cicero neighborhood and came onto the bus because he saw the doors open."
Simply From Scratch is actually a local farm in Noblesville. Bruno the bus allows the Flanders to take the farm off the farm.
"On the bus, it’s warm. So our customers can now come into the warmth," Flanders said. "Obviously, year-round you still need the groceries."
While the farm has been producing since the 1800s, the bus started making its rounds last month. You may have seen the farm selling previously at Farmers Markets and other outdoor locations without the bus.
Customers like Kathy Peoples say they are very happy to see Bruno.
"I think it’s important to support our local businesses," Peoples said. "You add to that that you have fresh produce, and fresh milk, and fresh eggs, and you know where they’re coming from."
Like many farms these days, the demand for eggs is high.
Flanders estimates the demand for eggs has nearly doubled at Simply from Scratch.
"It keeps rising," she said. "I got a phone call earlier today on our phone line, and the first question she asked was 'One, where would we be, Two, do we still have eggs?'"
It's more than having a supply of high-demand products. Shoppers say it is nice that you don't have to search long rows of supermarket shelves to find the items you need to put food on the table.
"I love the bus, love the people," Peoples said. "They’re just wonderful, and it’s nice to see a family working together."
So the next time you are out and about, be on the lookout for Bruno, the big gray grocery bus.
You can find a list of where Bruno will be parked each week on their social media accounts.
