What if the things you have too much of could be exactly what someone else is looking for?
That is the idea behind Grow Make Bake’s Swap Meet, a monthly Deception Bay gathering where locals bring surplus produce, baked goods, handmade creations and plants to exchange.
The idea behind the gatherings began with Gemma Johnson more than a decade ago, bringing people together around growing, making and baking, and sharing what they had in abundance.
Sarah Heath, the Grow Make Bake group’s facilitator and a culinary herb educator with Basilea Living Herbs, said the events have always been about more than swapping items.
“It’s not just, ‘I’ve got stuff that I want to get rid of’,” Sarah said. “It’s finding those people and saying, ‘Hey, would you like my eggs for your oranges?’ and getting that conversation happening.”
Sarah said the opportunity to learn from people with practical experience in a world where we are disconnected was particularly valuable.
“You’re asking questions rather than ordering online,” she said. “This is real.”
The Deception Bay Swap Meet came about when Leesa Cornford and Sharon Buchan-Hepburn realised their local area did not have a swapping initiative. The pair approached Sarah to bring Grow Make Bake’s Swap Meet to their community, and the monthly event began.
What to Expect at a Grow Make Bake Swap Meet
Leesa, a nurse, permaculture educator and owner of Leesa’s Little Farm in Deception Bay, said the appeal was in both what people took home and what they gained along the way.
“Bringing surplus produce, baked goods or craft creations and leaving with completely different items generates an excitement that typical shopping can’t provide,” Leesa said.
Swaps can range from fruit, vegetables and plants to preserves, cakes, handmade crafts and products made by local beekeepers.
Sarah said the gatherings bring together people with a wide range of interests and skills, including gardeners, bakers, farmers and crafters, with people across the community helping to make the events happen.
There is no set limit on what people can bring or swap. Rather than putting a price on everything, participants talk to each other, make offers and work out an exchange. A swap might be as straightforward as a jar of jam for a cake, or lead to a new recipe, growing tip or friendship.
Leesa said the connections made through the Swap Meet were as important as the items exchanged.
“People enjoy connecting with like-minded people, building friendships and learning from each other,” Leesa said.
For more information, find Grow, Make and Bake Community Swap/Share on Facebook. Grow Make Bake also welcomes people interested in starting a Swap Meet in their own area.
Deception Bay Swap Meet
- Last Sunday of each month, 9am
- Deception Bay Neighbourhood Centre
- 24 Endeavour Street, Deception Bay.
Burpengary Swap Meet
- First Sunday of each month, 9am
- Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre (CREEC)
- 150 Rowley Road, Burpengary
Read more stories from The North Lakes Guide print magazine here:
- In the North Lakes Loop: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- A Brief Affair
- The Magic of Jim Henson Comes to Brisbane
- Organic Gardening in September
- Fresh Start: The Budget-Friendly Way to Spring Clean
- Queensland’s Biggest Bromeliad Show Heads to North Lakes
- Crystal and Jewellery Show Debuts at Pine Rivers Showgrounds
- Spring Carnival Celebrates Community, Culture and Connection
- Where to Find Local Gluten-Free Dining
- Horticultural Experiments at Lawnton
- Junior Volunteers Take Over at Capestone Lake parkrun
- A Garden of Endless Discovery
