So, you’ve spent time the last several weeks busily harvesting all the yummy fruits and vegetables from your garden. Maybe you’ve even done some canning or freezing, and possibly donated some of your extra produce to a local food pantry as we’ve discussed in the past. But what if you still have more than you and your family can eat?
In workplaces across the country, employees passionate about gardening are setting up their very own farmers’ markets or “food swaps” at work. Why not give it a try? Every Friday you could have the opportunity to share goodies from your garden with co-workers and give them a chance to bring in their extras. It’s also a great opportunity to share some of your favorite recipes and add some new ones to your own recipe book as well.
Here are a few tips on getting started:
- Create a space or a sign up sheet for employees to post items they're bringing to the swap and things they're looking for from others.
- Leverage your company's Intranet if you have one; it’s a great place to post updates about the swap and share recipes.
- Work with teams that might already exist at your company. If you have a group in charge of health and wellness initiatives, or a group that plans company events, see if they'll include market day announcements with other companywide announcements they may be planning.
- Time your harvest events when gardens are booming in your area.