The Country Homemaker Hop #23

Welcome to my country homestead. 

 This week I'd like to share with you about my first food swap experience. I have been reading about food swaps for over a year now, but until recently had not heard of one in my area. If you're not familiar with the term food swap you're not alone.

You can learn more about food swaps HERE at The Food Swap Network website.  The website defines a food swap as follows: 

"A food swap is a recurring event where members of a community share homemade, homegrown, or foraged foods with each other. Swaps allow direct trades to take place between attendees, e.g., a loaf of bread for a jar of pickles or a half-dozen backyard eggs. Swap events also include a potluck as an immediate food-sharing (and sometimes item-sampling) component. These events are a delicious way to diversify the homemade foods in your own pantry while getting to know members of your local food community (http://www.foodswapnetwork.com/what-is-a-food-swap/)." 

There are websites and blogs dedicated to helping homemakers plan and create treasures to swap at these events and the movement is sweeping the country.  I've read about food swaps, seen them profiled on television news programs, and I've even liked a few food swap pages on Facebook.  

I am happy to report that my local homesteading group celebrated our first food swap this week and it was a big success and SO MUCH FUN!

 

 The table above was mine and Michelle's.  We tried to have a good variety of items for trading.  I brought a few plants, sriracha hot chili salt, and green and red enchilada sauces.

 Michelle made some of her yummy reese's peanut butter cakes, lovely hand decorated kitchen towels, her candy apple jelly, and homemade dish soap.

 Our friend "M" made these beautiful washcloths and dried these small jars full of fresh culinary herbs like chives, rosemary and bay leaves.  

 Our friend "G" organized this event and she somehow found the time to bring these beautiful Meyer lemons

 She also shared these fragrant mint bunches, lemon balm plants and tomatillo plants.  

She also brought these wonderful canned peaches, you know I walked out with a jar... Yippee!

 This table was decorated with goodies by our hostess "V".  It was my first time meeting many of the ladies in our group, since I am new.  They were all such nice ladies and "V" was such a gracious hostess.  Thanks "V"!

 My friend "D" made this delicious green tomato relish and she even had samples for us to try out before we bid.  My hubby LOVES it.  I predict the jar will be all gone before the end of next week...

 Miss D also made these beautiful wash cloths.  I had to get one of those too.

 Miss P brought these wonderful comfrey roots, catnip plants, and giant mammoth sunflower seeds to share.  I was a little slow to get around to the tables to trade so I missed out on the comfrey roots.  I'll be sure to head for the things at the top of my list first next time, so I don't miss out on anything wonderful.

 My friend G is amazing.  She's the lady that showed me how to milk dairy goats a while back.  She put together these bags of organic alphabet soup mixes.  I know my grandson will love this next time he's here.

 She has become adept at making many wonderful dairy products as you can see in the picture above.  The jars are full of her homemade feta cheese brined in organic olive oil and various herbal concoctions like sun dried tomato and basil, or calamata olives and black peppercorns.  Yum!

 My friend "M" shared these wonderful farmgrown eggs from her free ranging hens, that 6 pack of heirloom tomato plants which I got (WooHoo!) and chamomile.  

 Our hostess set up a lovely watering station for us gals and we each brought a potluck dish to share with the group.  After we ate, we started our bidding.

Miss L brought these awesome kefir grains and I got some to use.  I am really excited about this.  I've never made milk kefir products before so I am anxious to try it.  My grains are marinating in some organic dairy now...

 Here's a group shot taken before our swap began.  

This event was so much fun and we all went home with a bunch of new treasures.  I am looking forward to the next swap, and I have a few ideas juggling around inside my brain for something new to take next time.  Well, that's my story this week. 

What have YOU been working on???