Food swaps and farmers markets

Person holding a handful of olives

There is growing interest in creating local food systems which respect the limits of natural resources and improve the health and wellbeing of communities. Local food systems can also help to improve food security by increasing the availability of and access to diverse food options.

What are food swaps & farmers markets?

A food swap is a recurring event where members of a local community share excess homemade and homegrown foods and gardening items, with each other. Usually, no money exchanges hands and it relies on the honesty of the swappers, making exchanges which fairly reflect the inherent value of the items. 

Farmers markets enable producers to sell directly to their customers and give customers the opportunity to talk to famers, about where their food has come from and the conditions under which it has been raised or grown. 

Food swaps and farmers markets enable food to be consumed locally when it is at its freshest and can be a trigger for creating social connections between producers and consumers, fostering friendships and building stronger communities.

Food swaps

Come along and share fresh produce from your garden or something freshly made from your kitchen. You can bring along leafy greens and parsley when they are in season, silver beet seedlings, seeds, worm juice, loquats, hot chillies, and lots of other fruits and vegetables that they have grown themselves. Alternatively, you can bring chutneys, jams, preserves, baking and sour dough starters. So, if your garden is looking tired, or you don’t have a garden but like to talk about food, bring something you have made as it will most likely get eaten as we are chatting. 

There are 4 food swaps in the City of Darebin: 

Name Where When 
 Regent  4 Robinson Road, Reservoir  1st Sunday of every month, 2 – 3 pm
 Reservoir  In front Reservoir Library, 23 Edwardes Street  3rd Saturday of every month, 10 – 11 am
 Fairfield  St. Andrew’s Church, Cnr Gillies St & Duncan St  3rd Saturday of every month, 11 am – 12 noon
 Preston / Thornbury  Cnr of Penders and High St, Thornbury (in front of Thornbury Picture Theatre)  4th Saturday of every month, 11 am – 12 noon

Farmers markets 

Farmers markets certified by the Victorian Farmers Markets Association must meet certain environmental and social criteria, such as only selling produce that is GM free, certified organic or produced with minimal chemicals; as well as minimising waste, packaging and/or eliminating plastic bags.

Alphington Farmers Market – accredited by Melbourne Farmers Markets and sells seasonal fruit & vegetables, free range pork, beef, lamb, goat, chooks & eggs, milk straight from the dairy, seedlings, olives & olive oil and nuts. 

  • Where: Melbourne Innovation Centre, 2 Wingrove St, Alphington 
  • When: Every Sunday from 6 May 2018, 9am – 1pm 
  • Cost: Gold coin donation 

Bundoora Park Farmers Market – fresh fruit and vegetables 

  • Where: Bundoora – Plenty Road 
  • When: 1st Saturday of every month, 8am – 1pm 

Preston Market – fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and deli 

  • Where: Preston – Cramer Street and Murray Road 
  • When: Wednesday 8am – 3pm, Thursday 8am – 6pm, Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 8am – 3 pm 

CERES Organic Market – local organic fruit and vegetables 

  • Where: Brunswick East – Corner Robert and Stewart Streets 
  • When: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9am – 2pm 

Sustainable food map

Explore the diversity of local community food and gardening initiatives in the City of Darebin, including community gardens, seed libraries, compost hubs, food swaps and farmers markets, which promote local food production, distribution, and consumption.

Darebin sustainable food map 2023(PDF, 7MB)

 

 

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