April 12th, 2025Clunes starts new monthly produce swap event
More than just a smart way to ensure surplus garden produce does not go to waste, the newly launched Clunes Produce Swap is also aimed at strengthening community.
The first in what will now be an ongoing series of monthly produce swaps took place on Saturday March 29.
It’s the brainchild of Transition Clunes which is auspiced by the Clunes Neighbourhood House, that also provided a barbecue brunch for the debut swap.
The resourceful event took place from 10am-12noon at the front of the Attitude Clunes building with local gardeners invited to bring along any excess fruit, veg or herbs to swap.
People could also bring along seedlings, bunches of flowers and homemade goods made using garden produce – things like preserves, jams, sauces, relishes or pickles to exchange for like-valued items.
Other useful backyard produce like eggs or honey were also welcome to swap, as were handicraft goods such as useful knitted or crocheted items.
Terms like “re-localising” and “circular economy” do apply here, says organiser and Transition Clunes member Sandra Nichols who moved to Clunes some years back from the Blue Mountains where she ran a permaculture group.
“It’s about bartering or swapping goods, so no money exchanges hands. People don’t get stuff for free, they exchange items. But if we do have any produce left over we’ll take it up to Food Is Free (which operates from the back of the old Clunes Bottle Museum),” Sandra said.
“We’re also offering tea and coffee and the idea is that people hang about and talk and share knowledge.
“This is about building community. It’s an opportunity for people to talk to each other about what they’re growing, so you’re sharing knowledge about things like what type of plants grow well here.”
Sandra herself had some prized goodies from her own garden to exchange after the summer season left her with “a massive crop of almonds, my first crop ever”.
The keen local gardener also brought along bunches of sage, rosemary, mint and tomatoes while others had plenty of cucumber, zucchini and rhubarb to exchange for this first swap.
The next swap, set for Saturday April 26, is expected to feature quite a few quinces among all manner of other fresh produce.
“It is also all about building community resilience for an uncertain future. Supermarkets only have two weeks of fresh food in stock”.
From here on the produce swaps are planned to take place on the fourth Saturday of each month for the rest of the year with people keen to swap produce welcome to simple roll up with their goods.
Words & Image: Eve Lamb
