Food Network

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Affordable organic food

PEG’s Food Network is a non-profit, member-run group. Join to get:

  • fortnightly fresh organic fruit and veg from LOCAL farmers;
  • top up of organic fruit and veg from wholesaler (Sydney)
  • organic dry food at near-wholesale prices: 3-4 bulk orders a year.
Why?
1. Fresher: fresh local produce is picked a day or so, not weeks, before delivery.
2. Local organic food: less chemicals, less food miles; supporting local farmers
3. Collective bulk buying reduces food miles and packaging waste.
4. Building our local community and economy.
Fortnightly fresh food orders – how it works
Our aim is to support local farmers and reduce food miles. Our fresh food comes from 5 or so organic or biodynamic farms on Mangrove Mountain.

Most produce is seasonal. Members select exactly what they want. Depending on the season, there may be salad greens, Asian greens, avocados, eggs, citrus, herbs, zucchinis, broccoli, cauliflower, spuds, stone fruit, mushrooms and seedlings for gardeners. Bulk ‘seconds’ are seasonally available at great prices, terrific for preserving and bottling.

Prices are just over wholesale price. We do get produce from further afield if no extra ‘food miles’ are involved. Some produce is not certified organic, but still chemically free.

Members receive an email every second Thursday listing what’s available. You then order via email by Friday night. You pay online when you order.

Produce is delivered the following Monday to the Woy Woy Environment Centre (WWEC) on Blackwall Rd and sorted by members on a roster system. You must collect your order between 5.45-6.30pm using your own box or bag (or you can arrange for someone else to collect for you).

If the food delivered varies from what you ordered, any credits or debits are carried over to your next order. Sometimes farmers have additional items, which members can buy on the Monday.

Dry food ordering
PEG Food Network orders organic/biodynamic/whole food at wholesale prices from Honest to Goodness in Sydney every 3 or 4 months. Ordering is done online, and we work together during the week or two prior to an order to team up with food ‘buddies’ within the network to share bulk quantities of items. An instruction sheet will be emailed to you at the time of ordering. Payment must be made before goods are ordered – you will be sent an email with the cost of your order. Pickup is from Woy Woy Environment Centre on Blackwall Road, Woy Woy.

Membership information
The group depends on members to contribute in some way to the ordering and distribution process, though participation is not compulsory (see fee information). Roles are rotated during the year. Training and support is given to new members on joining. 2010 membership fees are to be paid prior to ordering. The fee structure is:

  • Annual fees: $25 (active/volunteering members), or $100 (non-volunteering members)
  • Deposit: $50 (fresh food ordering only; refundable if/when you leave the group)

Payment can be made online with your first order. After June annual fees are $15 active / $50 non-active). Membership fees are non-refundable. We can consider flexible payment arrangements if you have difficulty paying the fees upfront.

Contact: Ellise Barkley
If you wish, you can arrange a one month trial for the fresh food orders before you join.

Please email your name; the email address you wish information to be sent to; your most reliable contact phone number; and whether you are interested in fresh or dry ordering, or both.

Other local organic retailers

Gnostic Organics
8/23-27 Chambers Place Woy Woy.
http://www.gnosticforest.com.au/organics.htm

(If you are a local organic retailer and wish to be listed here, please contact us.)

You can also trade home-grown fruit and home-made food using the LETS network.