Waitoriki & Inglewood Crop Swap 7 Years Strong
Crop Swap brings together backyard gardeners for swapping and sharing high quality, local food on a regular basis.
Waitoriki & Inglewood Crop Swap continues to put a smile on everyone’s faces, as a strong wave of community aroha is felt by regulars and visitors alike who attend to swap their backyard produce, seedlings and excess household products. One of the first Crops Swaps to be established in Zealand, it is still as popular as when it began.
Read their Crop Swap story, learn how they’ve stayed the course, and find out how to get involved this spring.
Waitoriki & Inglewood Crop Swap is now in its 7th year, and it draws a crowd of regulars as well as new comers to the Waitoriki Hall on the last Saturday morning of each month. Participants gather early to have a cuppa and to welcome one another, as they carry with them the surplus and prized items to share from their own backyards, with the humble hope of making a valuable exchange.
"If you love to grow things, want to learn how to do it better, and would like to share your produce and knowledge, Crop Swap Waitoriki and Inglewood is the place to go." - Mick and Anne
Lemons in return for mandarins, lettuce seedlings, and sweet pea seeds for a slice of homemade cake and some beeswax wraps? Sounds like a fabulous trade that saves both parties money, time, and reduces household waste. Not to mention, everyone always leaves the swap with a big smile. It’s a community atmosphere where everyone brings what they have to share in order to support their own needs as well as to help others. To walk away with more than you came is typical, but not the main objective.
The variety of what is brought to the Crop Swap is outstanding - seasonal garden produce, fresh baking, preserves, seedlings, seeds, pots, house plants, and dependent on the time of year, there is sometimes kindling on the table. The creativity of what is brought is wonderful, and only limited to the imagination - Jayne Bright, Crop Swap Facilitator
With Waitoriki Crop Swap being the cornerstone, the 92-year old hall has blossomed. The koha that people donate each month helps the community-owned hall to stay open, and it breathes new life into an otherwise underused historic building. Also, there are other swaps that people recommend when they come such as Book Swaps, Buttons & Bow Swap - for all those crafty people who love buttons, cottons, & materials. There is a Clothes Swap too, with the first one being a huge success this year.
When we asked Jayne why it has been so successful each month for the last seven years, she replied that she emails everyone and keeps in touch readily. There are also a few people who support her and they work as a team to lead the group.
Mother Nature is abundant and when we share her gifts we all thrive. Crop Swap Aotearoa brings together backyard gardeners, home bakers and food foragers for swapping and sharing high quality local food on a regular basis. - Franziska von Hunerbein, Crop Swap Aotearoa Founder
Not to mention, the Hall hosts a couple of movie nights with a pot luck tea, which has been introduced by regular Crop Swappers. John “the movie man” has an old style projector and shows 8mm films which fascinates the children!
To go even further, a local farmer who is a regular Crop Swapper, auctions a twin trailer load of firewood each year to raise funds for the hall at Crop Swap.
Crop Swapper Quotes:
I came along to crop swap because I abhor waste and had a lot of excess in my garden. It's been wonderful to share in the abundance grown locally but even better to get to know my local community and make new friends. - Crop Swapper
Someone said there's more joy in giving than in receiving - Bob
Don't get crook the nite before a swap - Jayne Bright
Learn more about crop swap, how to start one by visiting Crop Swap Aotearoa or email info@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz and we will help you get started.
