Fruit and Veg Swaps – Sustainable Food for the Future?

By EB.

Local, sustainable and fresh. That’s how I would describe the food at our local fruit and veg swap. Swaps are springing up all over Melbourne and beyond. They are usually held once a month at an accessible community location and the idea is that people bring along their excess produce from their veggie patch/fruit trees/herb garden, and swap it for fruit and veggies from other people’s gardens. 

The whole thing is very casual, people come along and put what they have brought on the table, and select from what is on offer. No money changes hands, and it is not a direct ‘I’ll swap you this for that’ kind of affair. Often someone brings along a cake, some muffins or biscuits, or freshly baked bread with homemade jam for everyone to snack on while they chat about all things gardening. It isn’t only about fruit and veg, either, so you don't even have to have a veggie patch to join in. Some of the other things folks bring along are seeds and seedlings, cooking/gardening mags, homemade jams and preserves, egg cartons and glass jars, even homemade liquid fertiliser! 

Courtesy Wyndham Fruit and Vegetable Swap Facebook Page

The swap I attend also has a very active Facebook page, where members post photos, let the group know about events or gardening necessities going free or cheaply, or ask advice of others. Some of the members are very knowledgeable about keeping and breeding chooks, beekeeping and aquaponics, just to mention a few. If someone needs something, they can post it on the page and more often than not, another member is able to help out. Because we are all locals, it isn’t far to travel to drop something off or pick something up. 

I think it is a great idea, as it means that you can swap the excess produce you can’t use for different fruit and veg to widen the variety of locally grown fresh food that you can include in your diet. You get to met some great people at the swap, and learn new and useful things. I often look at my garden on the morning of the swap and wonder what I have to take, but I find that once I start harvesting, the basket always ends up filling up fast! 

My basket ready for the swap 19-10-2013

If you are interested in finding out where your closest swap is, I would suggest checking your local council's web page, the local paper, or the Local Harvest page.