But now hedge veg stalls have started to move into the 21st century and are joining the cashless revolution.
An increasing number of the stands, which sell a variety of farm goods – including Jersey Royals, flowers and strawberries – are now accepting digital payments made through the Revolut phone app.
The move came after one Islander, Dan Caunce, asked on a Facebook page dedicated to the stalls if vendors would be keen on making the change.
The Jersey Potato Shack at Woodlands Farm in St Helier, Cluckingham Palace eggs in St Saviour and Master Farms, which have stands in St Brelade, Trinity and Grouville, are among those which have begun accepting Revolut as a payment method.
Mr Caunce said: ‘There have not been as many as I had hoped for but the ones that have taken it up seem to have done really well. Babs, who sells Jersey wonders from her stall in Grouville, said that she has been chuffed with it and that it had been a big hit,’ Mr Caunce said. ‘There seem to only be a few farmers doing it at the moment but I am planning to message a few more of them to ask them if they would consider it.
‘People are now starting to run out of cash that they took out before the outbreak now, so this makes it a bit easier.’
The 35-year-old added that the usefulness of honesty boxes had been brought to the fore during the current crisis, as they allowed people to minimise their contact with others.
And he said he thought the introduction of Revolut by some vendors might help them to minimise their losses.
‘Hopefully it will discourage dishonesty because I think some people who might not have the right money might short-change the vendor and other times I think people genuinely forget to pay and only realise when they get home. If they have Revolut they can just pay that way.
‘Also, in the current crisis, honesty boxes save people from queueing and they do not have to go into building like they would with a supermarket.’
