Mark your calendars for our next meeting, Sunday 7th April, 2pm set up, 2:30pm we swap! Bring anything related to the kitchen or garden to share. (see ideas below-- you have more than you think). Keep telling your friends about it, what a great way for the community to share our abundance.

On the 27th of March issue of the Chatter Community Newspaper we were featured in a full page article! You can read it online until the 10th of April. Check it out.

We had yet another profitable meeting last time, the 17th of March. Seems like at least one new person turns up each time, plus plenty of familiar faces. Some of the things we shared were late tomatoes and lemons, cucumbers, 3 types of green beans, eggs, seedlings, feijoas, apples, basil, spring onions, parsley, and a new herb to most of us-- perilla aka shiso.

If you have been thinking of checking it out, we look forward to seeing you soon. Please come along, whether you have an abundance to share, or just at little at the moment. It is about the joy of sharing rather than a one-for-one swap.

Here is a rundown of how a typical meeting works, so you 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 announcements, 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, bulbs, cuttings, cut flowers, excess plants.
  • Compost, manure, worm castings, comfrey leaves, etc.
  • 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, cookies.
  • Sprouted seeds.
  • A box of tea that looked good, but you weren't keen on.
  • Extra empty jars, empty egg cartons...

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.)