Urban Roots: The Farming System

Kieran stood in his kitchen, staring at the boxes of lettuce and tomatoes that were now neatly packed in crates. It was the moment of truth—the first delivery of his farm-to-table career. As he loaded the crates into his battered old car, he couldn't help but think that he might be one step closer to becoming the next big thing in the urban farming world. Maybe he'd even get a self-sustaining farm, complete with a farm-to-fork restaurant, a book deal, and an all-organic food truck. A man could dream.

He buckled up, checked his phone for the address, and started the engine. The hum of the car was oddly comforting. It wasn't just the sound of wheels on asphalt—no, it was the sound of potential. The sound of cash. The sound of… well, okay, it was mostly just the sound of a car that might break down any day now, but hey, that was the romantic part of the journey.

The traffic was predictably awful, and Kieran found himself contemplating the mysteries of life, like why the traffic lights always turned red the second you reached them. Maybe that was the universe's way of telling him to slow down, to savor the moment. Or maybe it was the universe telling him that he was a broke college graduate trying to make it as an urban farmer in a city that had no idea where the local farms were. Either way, he wasn't complaining. He had lettuce to deliver.

When he finally reached Fresh Greens Café, he parked in front of the little building with a sense of mild triumph. He was here. He was delivering. He was… kind of doing something. Maybe not much, but it was something. He grabbed the crates and made his way to the entrance, where Emily, the owner, was standing with a smile that somehow looked both welcoming and skeptical at the same time.

"Hey, Kieran!" she called out, waving him over. "I'm excited to see what you've got."

Kieran flashed a grin. "I hope you're ready for the freshest lettuce this side of the city! I practically grew it in my living room."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Living room lettuce? I'm intrigued."

"Not in the living room, exactly," Kieran explained. "But it's right next to the window. I mean, I could have put it in the living room, but I figured a little sunlight and fresh air never hurt anyone."

Emily chuckled. "Well, let's see what you've got."

Kieran placed the crates on the counter with a dramatic flourish. "Behold, my finest work. Grown with care, watered with love, and harvested with a dash of nervous energy."

Emily opened the first crate and examined the lettuce. It was crisp, green, and looked nearly perfect. She picked up a head, sniffed it, and took a small bite.

"Not bad," she said, nodding. "You've got yourself a deal, Kieran. This is great stuff."

Kieran's heart did a little celebratory dance. He'd done it! He was officially a real urban farmer. People were eating his food, and they weren't immediately regretting it.

"Great!" Kieran said, trying to act cool. "I'm glad you think so. I mean, it's the least I could do after all that research I did on how to grow lettuce. And by research, I mean watching a lot of YouTube videos on how to grow it in pots."

Emily laughed. "Hey, whatever works. If you can make it grow, I'm happy to buy it."

They finalized the deal: £2.50 per head of lettuce, £3 per kilogram of tomatoes, and a promise that Kieran would be back the following week with more. Emily even tossed in a complimentary cup of coffee for his trouble. It was a simple transaction, but to Kieran, it felt like he'd just signed a multi-million-pound contract.

"Perfect," Kieran said, taking a sip of the coffee. "I'll be back next week. Just, uh, don't expect me to bring anything too fancy. Like, no heirloom tomatoes or anything. I'm still working on getting my tomatoes to look like actual tomatoes."

Emily grinned. "No worries. I'm happy to work with what you've got. We'll start small and see where it goes."

Kieran walked out of the café feeling like he was on top of the world. His first delivery had gone off without a hitch. He was officially in business. The money, the points, the recognition—it was all coming together.

Then, as he drove home, reality hit him. He still had a long way to go. He needed more customers, a better car, maybe a new set of pots that didn't look like they were on the verge of falling apart, and most importantly, he needed to figure out how to get more system points.

He pulled into his parking spot and opened the system panel. Sure enough, there was a new notification.

New System Notification:

Earnings from Fresh Greens Café:

Lettuce: 20 heads @ £4.50 each = £90.00

Tomatoes: 15 lbs @ £4.00 each = £60.00

Total Earnings: £150.00

System Points Earned: 20

Not bad, all things considered. Kieran grinned to himself. Sure, he'd only made £150.00, but he had earned 20 system points for his troubles. And that was just the beginning. He was on the right path. Maybe next week, he could double that. Or maybe he could figure out how to sell to more cafés, or even a grocery store. The possibilities were endless.

As he sat down to count his money—and by count his money, he meant check his bank account and sigh—he noticed something else: a message from a local restaurant called The Green Spoon, another potential buyer.

He tapped on the message with excitement:

Message from The Green Spoon:

Hi Kieran, we heard about your lettuce from Fresh Greens Café. We're interested in a regular supply of lettuce and tomatoes for our restaurant. Can you meet us tomorrow at 9 AM to discuss pricing?

Kieran's heart did a little leap. It was happening! He was getting repeat customers! This was it—this was how he was going to build his farm empire, one delivery at a time.

He quickly typed a response.

Message to The Green Spoon:

Hi there! I'd be happy to meet you tomorrow at 9 AM. I'll bring some fresh samples as well. Looking forward to working with you!

Kieran sat back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face. It had been a great day. He had delivered his first batch of produce, earned some cash, gotten system points, and even made a new contact. It felt like the start of something big. Something really big.

And as he looked over at the vertical planter in the corner, filled with rows of lettuce and tomatoes, he knew one thing for sure: he was going to need a bigger car.