What is Crop Swap Matamata?

Crop Swaps are groups of amateur gardeners who meet regularly to share anything related to productive gardening. That can be fruit and veg (obviously) but also magazines, jams, chutneys, seeds, plants, seedlings, egg boxes, jam jars, etc.

Our local swappers meet on the covered court at Matamata Primary School, Broadway, at 2pm on the first and third Sundays of every month, only cancelling an event in extreme weather or for Christmas. We are gardeners, after all, not to be deterred by the fickle climate!

Crop Swap Matamata was started by Anna Kurth, who came across Crop Swap when visiting the fabulous Taranaki Garden Festival, held in November each year.

Anna brought the idea back to Matamata and through a Facebook page generated local interest. Gatherings began in 2020 at Firth Tower but we decided to move into town (reducing a little those carbon emissions), to a garden centre in Tainui Street. When that closed, we moved to our current home, Matamata Primary School.

Hats off to Anna and those early members for their perseverance. It took maybe two to three years to gather momentum, during which time there may have been only two or three people there some Sundays. Today, however, you will see between 12 and 25 people at most meetings.

Crop Swap Matamata members with a typical array of plants, flowers, fruit and vegetable

The Crop Swap routine

What happens at a Crop Swap? As we arrive, we empty our trugs, bags or buckets onto the court. Someone will kick off the swap about 2pm just reminding everyone to take mindfully. Then we go quickly around the circle, everyone saying their name and describing what they have brought.

The circle completed, we then ‘go for it’, milling around picking up items to take home. A few people will check for leftover items and pick them up, someone may cut a cabbage to share or divide a clump of rooted mint, and gardening tips may be shared. Participants take unwanted items home with them or drop them off at the Food Bank or other community outlet.

As the group has grown, friendships have been made and people take the opportunity to catch up afterwards. 

Most members belong to our WhatsApp group. Here recipes and tips are swapped, garden rambles organised, reminders posted and questions asked. And, of course, we have a Facebook page.

Interested? Feel free to pop along, you will be warmly welcomed. And don’t worry about bringing anything the first time if you just want to see how it works.

Any questions, just message us through our Facebook page. See you soon!