no plastic bags. eat off the tree.
The Hillside Produce Cooperative would like to eliminate:
- Waste
- Over-ripe fruit rotting and rolling down the hill
- Gas used to go to and from the market
- Diesel fuel used to truck and fly in produce from other countries
- Plastic bags used to carry produce home
- Pesticides and preservatives
- Money spent for food unnecessarily
The Hillside Produce Cooperative would like to promote:
- Neighborhood cohesion
- Sharing
- Cooking delicious dishes using the freshest and most local food
- Spending time outside
- Walking
- Getting to know each other a little
- Generosity
- A moneyless, dibs-less system. Free means free.
anyone can organize a neighborhood
If you don’t happen to reside in Northeast Los Angeles, Glassell Park, Mt. Washington, Eagle Rock, Silver Lake, Los Feliz area you can start a chapter where you live and use this website to keep in touch. Cross-neighborhood exchanges are great! Maybe we have some exotic fruits in Glassell Park that you might not have in Santa Monica? Maybe the Toluca Lake neighborhood would like to introduce fresh eggs to the cooperative? Maybe you live in Missouri and we can just keep each other informed of what’s going on cross-country. The possibilities for sharing are limitless.
For tips on how to start a chapter of the Hillside Produce Cooperative in your neighborhood, email me at hillsideproducecooperative@yahoo.com or just check out this article I wrote for Gardens to Tables on HOW TO START A PRODUCE COOPERATIVE or Let’s Eat Our Way to a New Social Paradigm: http://hillsideproducecooperative.org/a-chapter-near-you/
what if nothing grows in your yard?
Or you don’t have a yard? You can still participate. Donate what you have. If you have time, you can help deliver. If you’re very tall or dexterous, you can help by harvesting. If you have computer skills, you can help by working on the website. If you know about growing things, you can help by planning or planting a garden. If you’re a great cook, you can help by canning or sauce making. If you have ties to the city, you can help by appropriating unused land for growing. If you’re a journalist, you can help by spreading the word.
Natalie said,
April 11, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Great idea—–I’m in South Pasadena and have lots of lemons, limes, nasturtiums, a few kumquats and grapefruit but am planning much more once I get rid of my lawn! We need to get a South Pasadena/Pasadena chapter going!!
Scott Rubel said,
May 14, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
I’ve got too many grapefruits in Montecito Heights.
Milli said,
June 9, 2009 @ 6:04 am
This is definitely collective conscious manifestation!!! Hubby and I grow 65% of what we eat daily
We always tend to grow too much from seed (organically) and at times it breaks our hearts to put our surplus back into the compost 
Now we’ll be able to share our surplus with everyone and get a sample of our neighbor’s homegrown goodies as well!
We are Greatful
Thanks 
Andrea said,
June 15, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
Thank you for all of this! I heard you on KCRW’s Good Food awhile back.
I’ve been organizing lectures by my dear friend Eugene Cooke (gebsite.com) about Edible and Urban Gardening.
We are including information about how to start your own chapter of the food cooperative in our materials that go out to participants.
Thanks again.
Andrea
Rick Mosbaugh said,
July 17, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
Great idea—Wish I had enough space to grow in abundance. I’m a landscape designer/builder with lots of experience in creating edible gardens in the LA area.
(See my website http://www.rlmosbaugh.com) Maybe swap edible garden expertise and construction design and techniques for produce….What do you think?
Thank you
Rick Mosbaugh
Luisa said,
September 14, 2009 @ 3:39 am
Love it! Let me know if you make it to Sherman Oaks, I would be happy to volunteer, etc.
Rick Mosbaugh said,
September 14, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
I’d love to participate in a WLA co-op. Is somebody organizing a chapter out here?
Let me know…
Thank you
Rick Mosbaugh
Tammy Elwell said,
November 7, 2009 @ 3:57 am
This is awesome!
I heard about this collective on KPFK. Y’all rock!
Larraine said,
November 7, 2009 @ 7:16 am
I just heard about this coop. You rock! I moved back here to So.Cal a few years ago and I kept saying to all my friends and family, ” People should be eating this fruit or give it away rather than waste it”. Now I know I am not the only one. Keep on Keepin’ on!
Leonardo said,
March 15, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
LOVE what you are doing and would like to be part of it. I just signed up and look forward for the next exchange.