About Purps Produce

Purps Produce is an urban farming project based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded in 2016.

It started as a way to explore better ways of producing food — making use of unused space, reducing reliance on harmful conventional systems, and learning how to grow and source food more intentionally.

Where It Started

The original focus was simple: Instead of relying on chemical doused foods being shipped from thousands of miles away, lets turn underused lawn space into something productive —  With the right methods we can grow a massive amount of produce in a small space.

• Front yard gardens with irrigation and rainwater collection

• Composting systems

• Indoor growing spaces for mushrooms, microgreens, and plant starts
  
   

The Shift Toward Mushrooms

Through the process, of learning self sufficiency, foraging  became a focus and which lead me into mushrooms.
They were so mysterious and facinating, and what started as a bit of foraging fun turned into mushrooms becoming a front and center point of the business, for reasons such as- high culinary/medicinal values, scarcity, and they are just amazing!
 

But as that knowledge grew, so did an awareness of how mushroom products are actually made and sold.

What I Discovered

A large portion of mushroom products on the market aren’t made from the mushroom itself in the way most people assume.

Instead, many are produced using mycelium grown on grain — where the entire grain substrate ends up being processed into the final product, which is than often sold as pure, superior or other branding terms such as full spectrum.

In many cases, this isn’t clearly understood — even by the companies selling it.
I have had first hand conversations with other company owners and the level of deceit and ignorance is shocking to say the least.

Why That Matters

If you don’t understand how a product is made, it becomes difficult to truly know what you’re buying or taking.

That realization became a turning point.

Why Purps Produce Exists

Purps Produce was built as an alternative to that.

Not just another brand selling mushroom powders — but something grounded in actually growing, working with, and understanding the product from the ground up.

What That Means in Practice

• Using real mushroom (fruiting body)

• Avoiding grain-based fillers

• Understanding the full process behind the product

• Sourcing with intention, not assumption

Local + Direct

Everything is sold directly at local Winnipeg markets whenever possible — giving people the chance to ask questions, see the products firsthand, and understand what they’re buying.

Closing

This isn’t just about mushrooms.

It’s about approaching food, health, and supplements with more awareness, more honesty, and a better understanding of what is actually going into your body  and what types of businesses you are supporting.

Giving Back

The front yard garden had produced far more than I could use, and was more focused on selling mushroom.
Excess produce has been donated to local organizations, with over 500 pounds worth in 2024.

Also Available

In addition to mushrooms, Purps Produce has explored vegetables, teas, and home cultivation tools such as garden boxes and custom-built dehydrators.

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