Fancy a fig, but can only grow Silverbeet?

When a friend of mine, Glenda, told me about food swaps, I thought that as I grew half my fruit and vegetables, and already swapped my produce with family, friends and neighbours, that it wouldn’t be worth my while to go. The idea of meeting up with strangers in a park for an hour or so didn’t appeal.

However, Glenda is a persuasive woman, and in October a couple of years ago I went to the ‘Yarra Neighbourhood Orchard’, held in Smith Reserve, next to Fitzroy Pool, with some baby fig trees to offer up.

I was really impressed. Glenda and Peta had persuaded many others like me and here they were, proudly emerging from their back gardens with their favourite and excess produce.

The atmosphere was festive, with home-made goodies to snack on and a lively group gathered under a little marquee. There was produce from the beginning to the end of the food cycle, with seeds, seedlings, vegetables, fruits and home-made jams covering the table.

All produce was weighed, so that the good this swap does for the local community (and even blow-ins from the Northern Suburbs!) can be quantified. (The swap in December 2008 yielded more than 90kg of produce to be shared amongst the grateful participants.)

People came and went during the two hours, bringing and taking. I was there at the end, and produce of all types was pressed upon me, as others hadn’t taken ‘enough’!

I now suggest my class participants and clients go to food swaps, to help them on their path to growing their own food. One of them recently asked me how the distribution of produce is controlled; perhaps in this day and age, we are unaccustomed to strangers sharing politely at a table covered in food, but that’s exactly how it is!

Reasons to go to a food swap:

1. You’re not an accomplished gardener - you can only grow Silverbeet but hanker for more
2. You have hardly any garden – but you grow lovely herbs in pots
3. You have no room for a fig tree, but love figs and have lots of Pepinos
4. To meet other local food gardeners and swap seeds, cuttings and recipes
5. To feel inspired by seeing strangers sharing! (After a few swaps they won’t be strangers)
6. You have a shady garden and grow leafy veggies and herbs, but can’t grow Eggplants
7. Your neighbour’s tree has fruit falling to the ground, and they’re happy for you to take it
8. You realise that growing and sharing food close to home saves (a lot of) transport fuel
9. You’d rather get some extra veggies from a park close to home than a supermarket…
10. You're practising Permaculture - sharing your excess...

My local food swap:

Last year, I made my first visit to a new food swap close to my home, at McCleery Reserve, Coburg, at the Inner Northern Urban Harvest, organised by the charming Alicia and Emma. They offered home-made cake and bread to visitors, and pressed produce onto too polite participants (all of us!)

There were eggs, 3 types of figs (!), cucumbers, chillies, carrots, garlic, herbs, lemongrass plants, Pepinos, grapes, not to mention homemade plum jam and delicious spicy tomato chutney (I am half way through my jar already!)

We sat around on rugs and chairs, and chatted about produce, plumbing, recipes and how to grow carrots and lemongrass.

Finding your local food swap:

Inner Northern Urban Harvest – 10.00am – 11.30am 3^rd Saturday every month, McCleery Reserve, Corner of Munro & Vincent Sts, Mel 29F1. This is a vibrant food swap with a friendly atmosphere. Contact:  Alicia -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or Emma –  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sustainable Gardening Australia - holds a food swap at Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers St, 4th Saturday of the month, 10-11am

This is a well-established and well-attended food swap with BBQ afterwards. Contact: Peta -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   0411 899 618 Or Glenda 0149 375 161 

Bulleen Art & Garden Centre, 6 Manningham Road West, Bulleen, is holding food swaps on the 3rd Saturday of the month, 10-11am 

Ceres Urban Harvest – at Ceres Community Farm, Lee Street, East Brunswick. Each Saturday at Ceres market, there is a volunteer at a table for dropping off and picking up produce.

READ MORE: Sue Jackson has written a delightful article about the phenomenon of food swaps - I'll Raise You Six Granny Smiths