When Tamara Barton learned about food miles and how far supermarket produce travels to reach her table, she decided to do something – forming the Tallangatta Food Swap.
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That was a year ago now, and the group is growing in popularity.
“There’s so many fruit trees out here that are loaded with fruit and half the time they just fall on the ground, so I thought why not get everyone together to share what there’s an abundance of,” she said.
“We also share what’s happening in our community, gardening ideas, recipes, baked goods, plants and seedlings.
“People have come out from the Wodonga and Kiewa areas.
“You can bring jars, eggs, newspapers to compost – you don’t have to have a veggie garden to be involved and it’s not tit-for-tat – we put everything out on the table and bring a basket or bag to fill.
“What we have in leftovers we give to our local op-shop and it goes into food hampers.”
Food Swaps are sprouting up all over the region.
Ms Barton said the last meeting at Tallangatta attracted 30 people.
“I get excited every month about what I come home with and I know other people do as well,” she said.
“I’ve been living in the area for six years and I only knew people through school; this is also about getting like-minded people together and meeting others in the community.”
- The next Tallangatta Food Swap will meet on Sunday at 10am at the Tallangatta Triangles barbecue area in the centre of town. Meets are held on the first Sunday of every month at the same time and location.