Organised food swaps are becoming popular across the country as a way of beating the credit crunch

Several good ideas to increase the amount of locally grown fruit and veg available to the public have emerged recently.

Last year the award winning deli in West Street Wilton started offering to buy surplus vegetables from gardens and allotments, which are then either used in their own brand of home made foods or sold directly to deli customers. This offer had a very good response and it allows a daily supply of fresh locally grown veg for sale.

Salisbury LETS (Local Exchange and Trade Scheme) also deals in fresh produce and several offers have appeared recently on Freecycle.

It would be great to expand on these schemes. Perhaps someone would like to start a legal scrumping scheme – an ideal summer project for a group of students. The idea is to harvest produce, usually from fruit trees, which owners do not require or are unable to pick themselves. The fruit is then either given away to those who need it or sold to benefit a local charity. Another idea would be to start a register of people with unused space in their garden and others who would welcome extra space to grow fruit and vegetables. A cut could go to the garden owner.

Organised food swaps are becoming popular across the country as a way of beating the credit crunch – what a great idea for a local social event.

Ruth Popplestone