Cinnamon Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I have been pondering a little idea for a few months now & would love your opinions as to if it would work. Its along the same lines as Freecycle, but with a home produce theme. The idea is to swap or sell any surplas stock you have of your home growns & home mades. For instance, I am swamped with lovely Pink Fir Apple spuds at the moment, & would love to swap some for a cauli or something........ Same with Crabapples in a month or so, & home made jams & so forth in the Autumn. What do you think - could this work? Any ideas how I could go about setting it up? Obviously I am not going to make any money out of this,but it just seems like a sensible thing to do now that so many people are being more self sufficient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 fantastic idea, Cinnamon! could you ask your local freecycle admin if they'd consider a 'sub board'? After all, it's still free Are there any other fora that use this concept? (I keep hearing about 'T' swaps on the Archers and didn't realise that transition villages were real Maybe you could look into setting something in motion along those lines? (that may be a bit sledgehammery for your walnuts tho ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Great idea I'm sure Poet has set up something similar in her area. Might be worth asking her for advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Great idea.....you'd have to watch out for people only 'wanting' and not 'offering' though. Have just googled 'bartering schemes' and found **this form**. Might be useful as a template. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Great idea.....you'd have to watch out for people only 'wanting' and not 'offering' though. Great Idea ! you'd need a way of accumulating and spending points to stop that. By the end of this week I should have masses of cherry plum jam to swap. Setting up a web site is easy, I don't know how to do the registration & points but I'm sure there are standard ways of doing that - I'll have a look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Great ideas everyone,thanks I am looking at setting up a Yahoo group, as that is how Freecycle work........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Yes Poet has set one up in the wirral it covers equipment too eg you can use my Rotavator for your surplus carrots and eggs etc. she has been in the press with it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Thats interesting Krysia,thanks. I will look into it & send her pm edit - looks like her keyboard is broken, so I will wait until its fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I like the sound of it Sarah! Bit like a Veg co-operative swap thingy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Sounds like a good idea - I've just swapped some eggs for cooking apples with my neighbour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 We swap eggs for the vegetables we don't grow. Anyone tried LETS, 'Local Exchange Trading Systems'. Great idea when it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffordmum Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 We regularly trade eggs over the back fence with our neighbours for vegetables/plants, etc. We also use eggs to pay them for the occasional loan of their ladders. Good luck with your proposals! Keep us posted ... Rgds, Pat & Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I have to type with an on screen keyboard at the mo via a mouse! Molly threw up on the sofa the other day, I jumped up, knocked coffee all over keyboard, it's not worked since!!! Painfully slow link to my group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/widnesproduceswap/ link to article http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2711683&l=0eee4aee3f&id=568396756 had virtually no response so good luck with yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 ... looks like her keyboard is broken, so I will wait until its fixed why is that " and "? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Just meant that even though I was dying to pm you, there was no point until you were sorted! I am not best known for my patience!!! Thanks for that info - I set up a Yahoo group yesterday, but am still tinkering with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 All set up & ready to go http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/home-produce-swap/ Not sure how a lot of the group features work really, so it will be a bit of a learning process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffordmum Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Congratulations and good luck with this! Rgds, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 looks good, think i might allow home produced goods and payment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Good luck and I hope it works out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I thought last night, what about a version of Pay It Forward, then there wouldn't be an issue of some people always taking without giving? Only the very first person to donate doesn't get something, but everyone else gets something and donates something. The first person offers 6 eggs ... You see 6 eggs you'd like, you post to accept them and that you offer potatoes ... another different person may take those and offer peas ... etc Good luck which ever way you do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 What about asking local allotment holders if they would be interested or local garden clubs?? I am sure they would take some eggs too...we just swapped manure for cucumber & tomatoes runner beans(Plus then I threw in a dozen eggs) to my neighbours. Good idea indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
