By Barbara A. Preston | October 30, 2025
Ashwin Jaju, a textile engineer and owner of a company that specializes in high-performance athletic wear for companies such as Patagonia, Nike, and RipCurl to name a few, has created a hobby farm on a small plot of land outside of his Skillman office.
Ashwin Jaju with his chorus of crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron crocus or autumn crocus. While Iran grows 90% of the world’s saffron, Jaju says the bulbs can be planted successfully in New Jersey and harvested in November. Each crocus has three red stigmas that must be carefully removed by hand from the flower.
Photo by Barbara A. Preston
Jaju describes himself as an entrepreneur engineer with a green thumb. His farm, which he named Princeton Blooms, is about the size of a tennis court, surrounded by anti-deer fencing. He has offered flowers for sale in the past. Now he is experimenting with saffron crocus.
“It’s a labor of love where science meets the artistry of nature,” he says.
This autumn, he sold saffron bulbs via his farm website. Now he offers a “U-Pick Saffron Experience.” For $49/person, subscribers will get chance to hand-pick vibrant saffron threads straight from Jaju’s garden.
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Each participant will take home about 120 crocus flowers. Jaju expects that each batch will result in one gram of pure, high-quality saffron.
“It’s an unforgettable experience, full of color and tranquility,” Jaju says. It should take about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace that combines learning, fun, and serenity.
“It’s the perfect way to connect with the beauty of nature,” he says. “This is our first time with saffron. We planted about 4,000 bulbs. I was expecting one flower per crocus, but I’m getting about three flowers per bulb.
Saffron flowers bloom for only a short season, from late October through early November. Due to the limited availability of saffron crocus, there are only 40 spots for this experience. Reservations are essential. Payments will be accepted via Zelle and Venmo only.
>> Sign up for a spot at princetonblooms.com/saffron-picking.
Jaju lives in East Brunswick with his wife and two children. He grew up in Maharashtra, India, close to Mumbai, but he says he is a Rajasthani, same as his parents who are from Rajasthan. He is fluent in Hindi, English, Marathi, and Marwari.
Jaju earned his bachelor’s degree from DKTE’s Textile & Engineering in Maharashtra, India. He also earned a master’s degree from Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University).
His textile technologies businesses include OPTIMER® and drirelease®, based on Skillman Road in Montgomery Township. Brands that use his moisture-wicking, performance materials include: Sherpa, Burton, Marmot, Prana, and even the U.S. Air Force (to name a few).
Honey Bees: Jaju just completed a course in honey bee management. He plans to raise bees on this hobby farm, and hopes to make and sell fermented honey garlic.
Tea Garden: He also as tea plants, that, when mature, he will offer green and black tea for sale. Many have heard of Darjeeling tea. His will be branded, "Skillman Tea." Stay tuned.
Visit princetonblooms.com regularly to learn about his recent projects.
