Harvest swapping is a new trend growing in popularity around Johannesburg and Cape Town. Home grown produce is taken to a harvest swap event and exchanged for vegetables and other products.
Urban Farming has become a trend because of the rise in prices and decline is quality of fresh fruit and veg. Many people that partake in urban farming also do so to control what they put into their bodies, they prefer an organic diet. The Garden Harvest Swap group of South Africa offers the opportunity for urban farmers to swap produce and creates a variety in ones refrigerator.
“This group is for those who grow their own food in the city and suburbs, and would like to trade with neighbours within their region to make sure everybody has a varied crop and no food goes to waste.”
The group also allows free range local meat and eggs. The group shares tips on growing various crops and provides a seed exchange program to ensure crop diversity.
Each month an event is created to host a harvest swap. Here are the events for March 2017 in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The Ikhaya Kulture Garden Harvest Swap in Cape Town will be hosting its first ever swap. They ask for,
“Bring along what you’ve been growing (or anything home made), along with a chair & table, to trade!
Whether its plant shoots, herbs, fruits, and veggies or soil, fertilizer tea or spare pots for beginner growers… the aim to get a diverse crop and start the conversation for next months harvest.”
The groups mission is to grow the Urban Farming community in South Africa and start sharing resources. To join the group click here. The crops are swapped or bartered, they encourage non-profit transactions so leave your cash at home.
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