A great article in Sunday’s New York Times highlighted some group activity not too far from the W5 offices. Crop Mobs have sprung up where people are going to small, organic and sustainable farms and helping out with big tasks. Essentially a group of 20 or more people helps these small farmers tackle big projects like building greenhouses, harvesting and sorting crops, etc. What’s the motivation?  A chance to be social, a chance to learn, a little bit of community building. The groups are organized by word of mouth and inspire enthusiasm from their volunteers.

In the rush to go to market with new line extensions and ads and products, there are a few lessons that companies could learn from the idea of Crop Mobs: simplicity, social interaction, providing value, etc. Offer your consumers value and give them a seat at the table.

Check out a Flickr gallery of the Crob Mob here.

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