Produce sharing among friends is not a new thing (remember those giant zucchinis your neighbor would try to pawn off on your mom?) With the advent of the new sharing culture (think Freecycle, Craigslist, etc.), folks are taking this a step further. A bevy of crop swaps are sprouting up all over the U.S., including many in the Bay Area.
How exactly does a crop swap work? Think farmers market without the financial element. Every crop swap is unique but the basic idea is, you show up with something you have too much of, other attendees do the same, you swap all those goodies, and leave with a basketful of delicious, free produce.
At a recent crop swap I attended, I showed up with a bucket of navel oranges. Blessed with a prolific tree, I always have more than I can eat. My oranges were a hit and I left the swap with kale, collards, fresh dill, lemons, some plant starts, and three apricots. I feel like I got the best end of that deal, yet I think the folks I traded with felt the same.
Where are crop swaps held? Many informal swaps are held in the driveway or yard of a willing host. Churches and other organizations will often hold them in their parking lot. Community groups, particularly those with a gardening or environmental bent, will hold them at their facilities. There are a few nascent websites popping up, attempting to provide publicity for crop swaps, however I am not aware of any significant clearinghouse of crop swap information. If you know of one, please let us know!
To find a crop swap near you:
- Ask a friend or neighbor if they know of one (word of mouth works great!)
- Contact a local gardening group
- Contact an organization (such as Transition Berkeley) involved in food justice, sustainability, or environmental initiatives
- Review the calendar section of your local paper
- Ask your local library
- Check with your city or county representative or your local cooperative extension office
- Check with local email newsletters and event listing groups, such as nextdoor.com, and eventful.com
Or, start a crop swap of your own! Shareable.net has a great article on How to Start a Crop Swap, with practical steps for getting your event off the ground.
Do you already participate in a crop swap? Tell us what you think. We'd love to hear from you.