Ever trade baseball cards as a kid or exchange clothing at a thrift shop as an adult? That kind of trading is the premise behind the Philadelphia Seed Exchange, an organization that offers a variety of produce seeds for people to exchange with each other.
The exchange is a collection of gardeners and farmers from around the Delaware River Valley. Recently, this seed exchange stopped by the Hunting Park Community Orchard planting event to educate local plant-lovers about raising seeds into healthy, bountiful fruits and vegetables.
The group set up a table in the community garden with envelopes and jars of seeds – pumpkin, squash and spinach. The seeds were mostly donated by residents.
During the free seed swap, people would grab an empty envelope, pack the envelope with whatever seed they wanted and share gardening tips about their seeds.
“Generally, the idea is to get people to take home seeds, plant their own vegetables, start to collect seeds and bring them back,” Kate Farquhar, a seed exchange volunteer, said.
Sharon Whaley, a Hunting Park resident and member of the community garden club, shares a plot of land with neighbors. There, they all grow produce such as onions, carrots and strawberries.
Whaley said her favorite meal to make with her vegetables is a salad.
“This is so much better because I know I grew it and it’s fresh,” Whaley said. She added that she’s very proud of her tomatoes, which she said her husband eats like they are apples.
For more information about the organization or growing seeds, check out the exchange’s website.
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