AMY RUSS
A new monthly Crop Swap is coming to Richmond, bringing backyard gardeners, home bakers and food foragers together to share their surplus, knowledge and enthusiasm.
Organisers Sandra and Angus Johnson were inspired to start one in Tasman after seeing how much their daughter enjoys attending a Crop Swap in Kapiti.
“I love how she’s met such a beautiful variety of people who share her gardening passion. She inspired us.
“Our desire is to build an inter-generational community of backyard gardeners, home bakers and food foragers to exchange nutritious food, supplies, knowledge and inspiration," says Sandra.
The idea is simple: people bring along what they have in abundance and exchange it with others, with no money changing hands and no expectation of a direct one-for-one trade. From the garden, that could mean fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers, cuttings, potted plants or eggs. Garden-related supplies such as seeds, seedlings, worm juice, tools, pots, coffee grounds and gardening magazines are also welcome.
The kitchen is included too, with baking, preserves, sauces, jams, pickles and relishes among the things people can share. Those with spare jars, cookbooks, sourdough or yoghurt starters, or a kombucha SCOBY, can bring those along too.
Even knowledge and practical help can be exchanged, with Sandra suggesting people could offer a voucher for garden advice or labour.
“The ethos is to 'give generously and take mindfully', so everyone can experience the abundance. It’s not a give-away. It’s not a one-for-one trade. It’s an exchange of garden and kitchen surplus.”
People are encouraged to bring what they have spare and take what they need, in roughly the same proportions. Children are especially welcome, although adults will need to be the ones removing produce from the tables.
Sandra is also keen to see experienced gardeners come along, particularly seniors who have years of gardening knowledge to share.
Each gathering will run for about an hour. Participants are asked to stay until the end, take home anything they brought that has not been taken, and help with the clean-up. The hope is that the monthly gathering will grow into something that benefits people well beyond the produce on the tables.
“When we all share, we all thrive.”
Richmond Crop Swap: 2pm, third Saturday of the month (except December), Headingly Centre. The event is free to attend, with tables and coffee provided, and support from Grace Church, which is providing the venue, tables and parking.
