Are you looking for seasonal, local, organic produce such as swiss chard, kale and broccoli? How about crisp, sweet apples, sweet potatoes or crunchy carrots? Does your mouth water at the thought of juicy organic oranges and fragrant pears?
All this and more is available through Purple Dragon Co-op, a produce and food co-op based in Glen Ridge, NJ. Purple Dragon was started in 1987 by singer-songwriter Janit London as a way to access high quality organic produce for a small group of young mothers and their families. By forming a strong rapport with local and regional farmers over the past 26 years, Janit London is able to provide more than 1000 co-op member families with very fresh, and sometimes delicate or unusual produce not available in area supermarkets or farmer’s markets. The co-op, which organizes neighborhood groups or “pods” in towns all over New Jersey and New York, has grown to over seventy groups of families.
Every other week, pod members receive a market variety of about 10-12 different organic and sustainable fruits and vegetables, approximately 15-25 pounds, from small regional farms and other sources at prices close to wholesale. The colorful and fragrant boxes brimming with a cornucopia of produce, are offered in two sizes: "Full Shares" and “Half Shares”. The “full share” size is suitable for families with at least two adults, and for families with children, or those who consume a lot of produce. The “half share” size is suitable for couples or for families with young children. These shares were divided earlier that day by members of the pod, who earn a $15 credit towards their next order.
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In addition to receiving a “share”, members can also order grocery and household items ranging from local, organic, free-range eggs and grass-fed meats to grains, pastas, cheeses and other produce, as well as personal care products. With no membership fees, this is truly a co-op dedicated to providing members with high quality organic and sustainable food sourced as locally as possible.
More information is available at www.PurpleDragon.com or on the Purple Dragon Co-op facebook page. Purple Dragon invites anyone interested to call or email for information about joining a neighborhood “pod”. Call the Purple Dragon office at (973) 429-0391 for a free information packet. (email: janit@verizon.net) or contact the local Westfield host, Charlotte Lee at (908) 232-8554 or by email at cflee4@verizon.net to set up a trial share.
