Home Harvest Exchange

Are you growing more fruit and vegetables in your garden than you can eat? You’re not the only one! Bring your excess produce to a home harvest exchange and swap with other hobby-gardeners. No coins needed – fresh produce is all the currency you’ll need at the harvest exchange.

Growing fruit and vegetables at home and sharing them with our community means we can ensure food isn’t wasted and increase the diversity of freshly-grown food. It minimises food miles, contributing to a more sustainable peninsula. You can learn from other local gardeners, expand your local network and make friends with like-minded people.

How does the Home Harvest Exchange work?

You simply turn up at the organised time, donate your excess fresh fruit and vegetables and help yourself to what other produce you need. No money changes hands and there is usually no measurement of produce. Many people also exchange growing tips and recipes. Harvest exchanges are generally organised and hosted by volunteers.  

What the law says

Provided all food at a Home Harvest Exchange is donated for free and is not offered to promote a food business, there is no need for food permits or food registration.

Keeping the food safe

When handling food, it is important to follow these few basic steps:

• Clean and wash food before donating and before preparing food from the exchange
• Maintain good hygiene when handling food
• Store foods safely when transporting them to and from the exchange

To find out more about good food hygiene, contact the Department of Health, Food Safety Unit on 1300 364 352 or visit the Victorian Government Food Safety website.

Where are the Home Harvest Exchanges on the Peninsula?

Mt Martha House Community Garden
Mt Martha Community House has a ‘Share Shelf’ where you can share produce from your garden or from your pantry - all new & in-date of course.

Harvest Exchange at the Eco Living Display Centre, The Briars Mt Martha

First Saturday of the month 11-12pm
Eco Living Display Centre, The Briars 450 Nepean Hwy Mt Martha (next to the Briars Nursery)