Coachella Valley Handmade: Coachella Valley Food Swap

Last night I attended a food swap hosted by a new group called the Coachella Valley Food Swap that started earlier this year. I loved meeting new people that have a shared passion for gardening and making homemade creations from their gardens.

So what is a food swap??? Here's a little info about a growing movement that is bringing communities closer through homemade and homegrown food...

What

A food swap is part silent auction/part village marketplace/part fun-loving open house where your homemade, homegrown, and foraged creations become your own personal currency for use in swapping with other participants. Diversify your pantry while meeting your friends and neighbors!

Who

We welcome everyone, as long as you bring something you made, grew, or foraged yourself!

What to bring

All swap items must be homemade, homegrown, or foraged by you. Think baked goods, jam, pickles, spreads, honey, vinegar, granola, pasta, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, homemade sausages, backyard eggs … you name it! Bring as little or as much as you like. You can bring a bunch of one thing or multiples of a few different things. The possibilities are endless!

Keep in mind that swappers will be examining and picking up your goods, so be sure to package them in a way that protects the food and makes it clear the amounts you want to swap. We encourage reusable, earth-friendly packaging whenever possible.

If possible, you should also bring samples for others to try.

Learn more

Coachella Valley Food Swap was formed out of the popularity of Food Swaps nation wide, to learn more about how it all started, and how it works, watch this video http://lafoodswap.com/

Here are a few photos from last night's food swap. Items swapped included peanut brittle, arugula vinaigrette, heirloom tomato seeds, chocolate-cherry sherbet, lemon curd, walnut cookies, cherry-almond focaccia bread and lemongrass tea.