As interest in organic produce continues to grow, Organic Buyers Group Hub in Lane Cove is bringing a different way to access fresh food close to home.
Volunteers enter one by one, conversations flow through the room as the fresh fruits and vegetables are divided into baskets, ready to make their way home.
According to Lin, the general coordinator of the Lane Cove Organic Hub, the experience is more than simply sorting and packing produce, but also the sense of community.
“You get to see, it’s such a good vibe. Everyone is coming in, everyone is helping,”.
The Organic Buyers Group Hub in Lane Cove is a volunteer-run brand that helps local communities buy 100% certified organic fruit and vegetables at wholesale prices. Each week, produce is ordered in bulk from an organic wholesaler and delivered straight from the market to ensure freshness.
Instead of coming to the location to only collect the produce, the process encourages members to be involved as they help distribute the food equally.
“I think that’s really [what] Organic Buyers Group Hub is about,” Lin said. “It’s really like bringing the community together”
Compared to organic produce at supermarkets, Lin says that the Hub aims to reduce its environmental impact by limiting the use of plastic packaging.
“When we divvy, everyone brings their own bag. It’s basically package free,” she said.
For those interested in ordering, a trial box is $52 and for members, it is $46. Membership is $45 per year and it is discounted to $10 per year for low-income families to ensure everyone has access to organic produce.
Collection day is on Mondays at 5 pm and the process to sort and pack the organic produce into the boxes takes less than 20 minutes, including a discussion about recipes while connecting with other members.
No week is the same, as the produce depends on what is in season and offers good value.
For Lin who was involved in the process of creating the Lane Cove Hub that officially opened in August, this initiative has helped her build a connection with other residents.
“After the launch meeting, I already started running into people on the bus…It’s just very nice. Like people running into each other in the same community all the time,” Lin said.
Besides the social connection, the Hub ensures members have fresh produce waiting for them each week.
“You don’t have to worry about shopping and then you know on Monday you will have amazing fresh fruit and veggies,” Lin said.
For more information, check out the Lane Cove Organic Buyers Group Hub website.
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