We will meet again the 21st of January, same time same place. Our meeting times will now always be the 1st Sunday and 3rd Sunday of the month to make it easy to remember.

Last meeting, on the 7th, we had a lovely turnout of 3 repeat crop-swappers and a few new faces. There was so much on offer that we had two tables for the first time! Please tell your friends about the swap, it is such a good event for the community. I came home with heaps of lettuce, 2 courgettes (yellow and green), a cucumber, pickled beetroot, parsley, spring onions, and seedlings. We ate a salad the next day with all crop swap goodies, so wonderful!

Bring something from your garden and/or kitchen and take home things from other people kitchens and gardens! Crop Swap is a cash free, community sharing event.

I've repeated the below from my last update-- good information to let anyone new know what to expect.

How it all works:

• 2-2:30pm time to set up and check out everyone's offerings and catch up.

  • Everyone displays what they brought to share on the table for admiring.
  • A good time to ask others about their gardens and meet your neighbours

• 2:30 pm we welcome you all and then we pick out new goodies to take home!

  • We'll go around and introduce ourselves and what we brought.
  • It is not direct swapping, potentially everyone can get a little bit of everything.
  • If you can, bring large things like pumpkins or bread cut up to share.

• Usually all is done by 3pm.

Ideas for what to bring:

• FROM THE GARDEN:

  • Whatever you have heaps of!
  • Little plants that have come up from seed. Bung them in some damp newspaper and bring them along!
  • Seeds, cuttings, cut flowers, excess plants.
  • Be creative-- others may not have little things you take for granted like: lemons, little bunches of herbs, bay leaves, etc.

• FROM THE KITCHEN:

  • Preserves, pickles, chutney, sourdough starter, kombucha, sauerkraut, cordials.
  • Baking! Muffins, crackers, bread, cake (everyone loves cake) cookies.
  • Sprouted seeds.

Get picking and come to share, love to see you there.

(See Crop Swap Aotearoa for more about the values of crop swaps meeting all around New Zealand.)