When visiting my daughter Alisa and her husband Sean in LA this March, I noticed a lot of unpicked citrus in many neighborhoods. It was heartening to learn there are food swaps in LA attempting to solve the “problem” of this abundance.
Alisa and Sean benefit from a highly productive avocado tree next-door; avocados rain down on their roof and they collect them in buckets.
On Saturday, they took their avocado bucket to the neighborhood produce swap. In exchange for avocados, they brought home grapefruits, lemons, limes, loquats, eggs, fennel, herbs, and marmalade.
Citrus and Fennel
Loquats
Herbs
There was once an Upper Valley Home Gardeners Facebook page through which local gardeners could swap or sell their produce . . . but it seems to have disappeared. If anyone is aware of such a web site or an organized Upper Valley swap, please let us know. I do find a Pioneer Valley Food Swap – but I’m hoping there is something more local! Or maybe you’ll want to organize one?!
This is a great idea.