The boy in the green apron at the Loomis Farmers Market isn't there for the buzz. Richard Andino, 9, stands behind his crates of ripe vegetables, checking weights and shaking hands with regulars. Three years ago, this operation was two plastic planter boxes on a driveway in Placer County, California. Today, it is a registered limited liability company.
The jump from backyard hobby to county-approved vendor required paperwork. His family incorporated the business to meet the legal requirements for selling at the market, a step that transformed a casual school project into a structured enterprise. The garden itself has nearly tripled in size over the last three summers.
But the screen-free routine drives the revenue. Richard’s mother, Kabryna Andino, started the planting initiative after he suffered severe migraines in kindergarten, a condition she linked to excessive indoor screen time. Now, he prefers the soil to the smartphone. The money he makes pays for his summer activities at Sky Zone and Sunsplash.
Amanda Mitchell, a pediatrician at Kaiser Roseville, notes that heavy screen use disrupts sleep and alters mood in children. She emphasizes that technology is just a tool and doesn't define a generation. For Richard, the tool is a trowel.
He keeps it simple. "Anyone who wants to run a business must expect challenges," he told CBS News Sacramento. "Keep going through each one, and success will follow." When his savings goals are met, he donates the remaining produce to neighbors. The next harvest is already in the ground.