Rain Gutter Gardens

I received an article of which I think is a great concept for those that have limited space; or just want more consolidation of their greens. I imagine this could assist in controlling a rodent problem as well. 

p.s. Some smaller versions of these will be raffled off by Cropswapper at the San Diego Natural History Museum event - "Ecology of Soil: A Public Health Concern" this January 12th.
 

Hey There CropSwappers,

It's been a while since we have posted, so we wanted to give a quick update on what we are doing. We have been attending the San Diego Natural History Museum events on local food. There has been a great turn out and lots of people are signing up to be a CropSwapper. So far we have been adding about 40 members per event, so we are hoping to have lots of participation for the next season of crops (we will do a crop organization in Jan/Feb). We are also doing a swap at the table during the beginning of the events from 6-6:30pm. Feel free to bring in items for a swap and hope to see you there!

Here is a list of the upcoming SDNHM events we will be attending.

Sustainable Agriculture: A Necessary Transition

Tuesday, December 1; 6:30–8 PM

Ecology of Soil: A Public Health Concern

Tuesday, January 12, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

Eating Greener: The Ecology of Food

Tuesday, February 2, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

Victory Gardens: Join the Garden Revolution

Tuesday, March 2, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

Developing Sustainable Foodsheds: The Next Steps in Eating Local

Tuesday, May 4, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

CropSwapper Continues @ SDNHM

Once again, CropSwapper will have a swap at the San Diego Natural History Museum on October 6 from 6:30-8PM. We had such an interest in our organization, we thought we should be there again. We will be doing our swap there instead of our normal Monday swaps in Del Cerro. Please join us and enjoy the lecture "Growing a Social Movement to Change the Food System". Thank you SDNHM for your support!

CropSwapper News!

Swapper Charlene's Salsa Verde Recipe

This recipe used Tyler's Tomatillos from the swap & made with love by Charlene.

30 min / makes 2 cups 

1 1/2 lb Tomatillos - husked, washed and cut into pieces.

1-2 fresh green serrano or jalapeno chilies, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 large garlic clove chopped

1/4 teaspoon Cumin

1/4 teaspoon Oregano

1/2 cup chicken broth (or non-tomato based vegetable broth)

2-3 fresh large chilies (such as Poblano, Ancho, Anaheim or Hatch) roasted and skins removed

1/2 cup packed cilantro

1/4 cup Lime Juice

Optional: 1 tablespoon yogurt (greek yogurt or heavy cream)

- Briefly saute onion, spices, garlic and jalapeño in oil. Add tomatillos and broth. Bring to a boil and cook on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until soft. Simmer to thicken sauce. Let cool and transfer to a blender.

- Add the chopped roasted chilies and part of the cilantro and optional cream or yogurt. 

- Cool in fridge to allow flavors to meld. Serve warm or cold on tacos, enchiladas and fish. 

Enjoy!

Nature Connections: Fall Programs 2009

Great events and seminars are always happening in and around San Diego. The San Diego Natural History Museum is hosting a whole lecture series in helping us develop more sustainable local foods. The lectures are only $5.00 each and I think that we should all support these types of events. The lectures begin October 6th and run monthly to May 2010. Check their calendar. Slow Food SD is giving some of the lectures. 

If you look on our right nav bar you will notice we added these organizations to our favorites. Plus, Victory Gardens SD, SD Food not lawns and SD Master Gardeners Association. These are all really great local organizations that need our support. Those listed are but a few in San Diego (and there are many more) so get involved. 

If you don't live in San Diego, look around your local area for similar organizations that you can participate in (or start one if none exists). It's a lot of work, but it's worth it. 

-Tyler

Beneficial Wildlife

I was out gathering some tomatoes when I discovered this little guy. He was just watching me and staying real still trying not to be discovered. Some other helpful insects and animals are bats, bees (pollination), centipedes (eat soil pests), chickens (eat insects and slugs and fertilize soil), birds (depends on crop), ground beetles (eats cutworms, slugs, snails), ladybugs (eats aphids, mealybug and scale), frogs and spiders to name a few. Ants are considered beneficial as well, but I don't like them when they try moving in the house and eat my cupcakes.

Todd

Currant Tomatoes

I was scrolling through the seed section from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange today and I think I found out why the tomatoes that Naomi has been growing are so small. It seems like they are a type of Currant Tomato. From what I remember of what I ate and saw; the descriptions sound right on. 

I googled around a bit and I read that the currant tomato (South America) is an indeterminate plant, and all of the sites I found seemed to echo the same: "a tiny tomato with huge flavor". It cross-pollenates easily with other tomatoes, so make sure not to plant it close to other varieties if you are a seedsaver. 

Sorry for the lack of pictures on these from the swap. I'll do better next time. 

-Tyler

CropSwapper Combines Forces

Well...we tried. However, due to lack of Swappers at the Rancho
Penasquitos CropSwapper, we have decided to join forces in Del
Cerro...at least until we get more people who want to meet there. We
are trying to best meet the needs of all interested groups so let us
know what you think in the comments section below. Thanks in advance
for your understanding and support. See you in Del Cerro!

Sincerely,

Todd

Tomato Time!

Just came back from a quick summer trip and I now have more tomatoes
than I know what to do with. Kaelyn had fun picking them with me and
she kept saying, "whoa!" as she spotted them. I'll bring a bunch to the next swap!

Todd

Mary's mystery fruit...

Brought from Swapper Mary to Canyonside Park for trading... but what is it? 

Interesting looking fruit, tastes sweet with an almost crunchy skin.

Turns out it's from a tree called Arbutus, aka Strawberry Tree.

Why Organic?

Upon reading recent articles from the Organic Consumers Association, I felt it necessary to express my opinion on the meaning of organics and the importance of CropSwapper.

I learned in a health class that it is best to grow your own foods organically, and that even a little bit is better than nothing. I know we are all busy with our family, work and other events that make it hard to tend to gardens. I don't even have that much space to support my family, only supplement a little bit. But I still believe in it. I look at my kids and the common sense kicks in regarding these "perfect" foods we get at the grocery store. Common sense like, "Why would I want to eat broccoli that a bug won't even eat?".  That makes no sense to me.

I knew ten years ago that the organic movement would create greed in the corporate world and effect the quality of organic foods. I didn't mind paying the high price if it was quality food. However, the government keeps approving things that make it easier for companies to make money, yet compromise the quality of food we are eating. For example, GMO's, new "organic" pesticides, and very minimal visits to organic farms to verify they are truly practicing organic farming techniques.   

My point is that we cannot truly know what is put into our foods unless we do it ourselves. However, our societies norms keep us very busy, which makes it seem impossible to produce your own food, or at least a good quantity of it. This is one of the reasons we created CropSwapper. The only way to make a stand is to get involved and do it yourself. I'm not saying to pick up a picket sign and go to the streets, just be part of the quiet revolution and go to your backyard. Start with one tomato plant in a pot for Pete's sake.

I am not an activist, just a normal guy who demands the best for his family. I simply do what I can and try to teach my kids the best. That is what is happening at the CropSwapper meetings, as we are learning best practices in the garden as we go and doing our best. Come and get educated about organics, and teach me something too.

Anyway, enough ranting; that's just how I feel. I am trying to engage you in a conversation. Leave me a comment so I know what you think. See you at the next CropSwapper. 

 

Todd

CropSwapper

Dinner on the table from the swaps...

Bruschetta : Yellow Pear + Red Heirloom Tomatoes + Fresh Mint + Basil

Grilled Multiplier Onions + Scallions

Lemonade : Large Lemons and Fresh Mint

Grilled Veggies : Texas Gourd Seed Corn + Heirloom Red Carrots + Yellow Squash

Plant your Pumpkins

 With 109 days left until Halloween and 134 days until Thanksgiving, It's not too late to plant your pumpkins. Average time to harvest is 100-120 days depending on the variety. 

Limited Space?

I was flipping through one of my favorite books "Back to Basics" from Readers Digest. Here are some

 simple inexpensive ideas that can be used when space is limited. Using empty household containers is a great way to recycle and save money. I recommend the cardboard egg containers because you can cut up the container and plant the entire cup, which reduces damage to the roots. The cardboard will dissolve in the soil.  

Get creative with the unused "junk" that is just taking up space in your garage or attic. You can also go to your neighbors yard sale, a thrift store or even find some old pallets to reuse.

First meeting success...

A great time was had by all at our first Crop Swapper meetings. We traded some quality fruits, veggies, plants and exchanged ideas for better harvests. Besides bringing home a bounty to supplement our dinners for the week, the best part was getting to know our fellow gardeners. Talk about doing something for the environment and your family at the same time. You can't go any greener than fruits and veggies grown locally. It's fun and simple.  

We'll see you next week. Your goal is to recruit 1 new neighbor to the next meetings. Thanks for supporting! Come and learn something new, we did.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Hello Everyone,

Just kicking back and enjoying a cold glass of lemonade made from some lemons I got at Monday's Crop Swapper! Here is a recipe from Grandma M. :

1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice

Add 1/3 cup of mix to 8-12 oz. of water per glass (to taste)
Enjoy!

See You @ the First Crop Swap!

Tonight and tomorrow will be the very first Crop Swap for both the Del Cerro and Rancho Penasquitos locations! We are very excited and hope that you show up to see who we are and what we are all about! Don't worry if you have a little or nothing, just come check us out!! We are counting on you to spread the word in your neighborhoods by picking up some flyers and sharing them with people you think would be interested.

Some Trouble

It appears that we won't be having homemade wine this year. All of my research tells me that the "Black Rot" has infested my grapes. Hopefully I'll be catching it soon enough and I can save the vines. I think so.  It appears that I might be able to treat the vines with pruning and the use of certain fungicides. This would have been the first year with enough grapes to make a little.... You know, you go through all that time and effort in propagating a small vineyard and for what? I am depressed. 

On a good note,

I planted some Texas Gourdseed corn in late February in anticipation of July 4th. Success!!

I gotta say that I figured my math to the tee(for once). These'll definitely be going on the BBQ. Maybe with some kind of spicy butter sauce or something.  I haven't decided on a recipe yet.... but it'll be good. 

Hey, if you know something good for grilled corn on the cob I'd love to hear it. 

Crop Swapper is Here!!

We feel the buzz!! It's exciting to have such a great response after our launch. Continue joining our interest list. You might think that you don't have enough to trade. Maybe all that you have available right now are a peck of pickles and peppers, or your tomatoes are the only thing that is ready to harvest. Well that sounds just fine to me because I've got corn a plenty (and well.... pickles too).

2011 Calendar - Time to Meet!

Events : T.B.D.

Events : T.B.D.

Events: T.B.D.

Getting Ready for First Swap!

Hi Everyone-We are working hard to get ready for our first swap! We are very excited and think this will be a great benefit to everyone! Just finishing the final details and will make our announcement soon!

Our Story

Crop Swapper was developed by two brothers who immensely enjoy gardening and often trade with each other during the growing season. We are two creative guys that have a lot of great ideas, and this one we thought would benefit everyone. We organize our crops to complement each other so that we have a variety of homegrown produce to supplement our families dinner tables. We figured if we could do it on a small level, why not try and expand with our neighbors?

Cropswapping is picking up in regions across the US and we feel this will be a big hit in our town. Try it out once or twice and see the possibilities that we can do together!

Continue to check back on our blogspot, as we will keep updating with new information and ideas.

How The Swap Works

Please join our interest list. Soon we will inform you of the two locations in San Diego where the swaps will be held. Bring your fresh excess homegrown veggies, fruits, herbs and flowers for swapping.

We will tally up all the goods for our records of what flourished this season. Then display all of the harvest and you can begin collecting what you'd like to take home for the week! Visit the calender for location dates and meeting times. Each location meets once a week. We're always on time and the swap is quick!

Crop Swapper believes in sustainable gardening practices and to use organic methods on our crops.

Homegrown Revolution : A film by Path to Freedom

A little gardening inspiration.