Westside Produce Exchange – A Ten Mile Meal

On Saturday I attended my first produce exchange at the Venice Learning Garden. Twelve local gardeners and cooks brought vegetables, fruits, herbs, eggs and baked goods from their gardens, chicken coops and kitchens. Mounds of swiss chard and kale appeared as did a grocery bag full of tree-ripened peaches, a collection of beautiful dragon tongue bush beans and every herb imaginable. Potatoes, beets, citrus, fennel and sorrel also made appearances.

Once the bounty of produce had arrived, volunteers helped to divvy up the produce and goodies into 12 equal bags. The bags, bursting at the seams with fruits and veggies, would rival any CSA. Through participating I was able to meet more of my neighbors, share gardening tips and recipes and enjoy home grown produce – all for free! That night I made myself a meal with produce grown within ten miles of my house. Now that is local…

Sound interesting? There is most likely an exchange near you. If you live on the Westside, contact Naomi Curland at westsideproduce@gmail.com or check out the group’s Facebook page. Not on the Westside? For a chapter near you check out this link.

More photos from the day are below…