Have you ever thought about swapping the bounty from your garden with fellow green thumbs? Food swaps are a great way to deal with a glut from your own garden, discover what grows well in your area, and access more locally grown, zero food miles food.

Food swapping has been on the rise for over a decade, and it’s a fantastic way to connect with your community while making the most of your harvest. The Food Swap Network in North America describes it perfectly: “A food swap is a recurring event where members of a community share homemade, homegrown, or foraged foods with each other.”

So, why should you consider joining a food swap? Here are some great things that food swaps do:

  • Put excess garden produce and plants to good use instead of letting them go to waste
  • Source delicious food that’s largely grown without chemicals
  • Minimise food miles by growing and swapping locally
  • Access a wider variety of foods you might not grow yourself
  • Find seeds and seedlings to expand your gardening adventures
  • Learn valuable tips and tricks from other gardeners
  • Sample new and exciting produce
  • Network and make friendships with like-minded folks
  • Enjoy insightful talks from guest speakers in some communities.

Not into growing your own food but still like the idea? Many food swaps welcome gardeners with saved seeds, worm wee, backyard honey or eggs or home made preserves as well as those with fruit and veggies to swap.

 

A table full of homegrown produce, plants and gardening supplies at a food or harvest swap

 

Finding a Food Swap Near You

While many food swaps have their own websites or Facebook pages, there are simply too many to list them all here. Instead, we’ll point you to some handy websites that compile lists of these swaps, often featuring searchable maps. Keep in mind that some of these sites also include local food sources like farmers’ markets, pick-your-own farms, and even restaurants, with varying criteria for what qualifies as ethical or sustainable production. So get ready to dig in and connect with your gardening community.

If you’re food-swap curious but can’t find one near you, do your local community a favour and start one! Local Food Connect has a step-by-step guide to starting a swap.

National

Local Harvest

Local Harvest was based on a similar organisation in the USA and was initiated by the Ethical Consumer Group to enable you to have a closer connection with food and to find local and more sustainable food sources.

It has a national directory and maps all types of ethical food sources apart from supermarkets or the industrial food system i.e. food swaps and shares, community gardens, restaurants and cafes, farmers’ markets, ‘pick your own’ farms, products sold at farm gates, organic retailers, bulk buying opportunities. It also provides information on producing and storing your own produce and sustainable living. To find resources near you, just search their website using your postcode.

Crop Swap Australia

Crop Swap Australia facilitates the swapping of homegrown produce, seeds and edible plants through local, cashless markets. The national association has a Facebook page, with active state or regional Facebook groups too.

Area-based

Victoria

Local Food Connect – around 30 swaps in the North East of Melbourne.

The Crop Swap Melbourne Facebook page.

Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group – this includes the Kyneton Backyard Growers Weekly Fruit and Veg Share.

South Australia

Adelaide Sustainability Centre lists food swaps available in Adelaide.

NSW

The Crop Swap Sydney Facebook page.

Food Fairness Illawarra lists community gardens (some with food swaps) in the Illawarra area, around Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama.

Queensland

Brisbane Kids and Families Magazine list a number of swaps including those run by community gardens.

Tasmania

The Crop Swap Hobart Facebook page.

The Crop Swap Cygnet and Surrounds Facebook page.

The Crop Swap Mountain River and Surrounds Facebook page.