Swap It!

Swap It!

You’re itching to do something constructive, something to make you feel a little brighter as you slog through these dog days of winter. But do what exactly? The garden is frozen solid and having a yard sale when it’s 18 degrees out doesn’t seem like such a brilliant idea. How about hosting a swap?

A swap is a simple but satisfying event where people gather to exchange goods (or even services). Swaps of all shapes and sizes and in a variety of venues have been increasing the past few years as people become excited about recyling but also face tougher economies. Appreciating found treasures has breathed new life into things once called ‘hand me downs’. In addition, sharing things with others and getting something in return is just good, green fun. At the inaugural swap organized by Score! in New York, over 1,300 people attended to "score" new items while DJs spun thumping tunes.

Your swap probably won’t be that big but you can have fun in the planning and execution. It can be themed, such as a clothing swap, a home accessory swap, a gardening goods swap (books, tools, seeds, magazines, etc.) or an exchange of children’s toys and books. Or it could just be a hodge-podge swap of stuff and people bring whatever they want to get rid of. (If it’s larger than a bike, you might want to encourage that people bring of photo of the item because it might be tricky getting your friend Joe’s snow mobile into your living room.) Whatever shape your swap takes, it’s sure to be a win-win for all involved as people get rid of things they don’t need or use and at the same time get to go home with a few things that didn’t have before. All for free and probably with some laughter and good cheer thrown in as well. And not only will your cluttered garage or laundry room thank you, Mama Earth and the overloaded landfills will appreciate it as well.

Here are a few tips as you plan and host your swap:

:: Make sure you consider the space where you’ll be hosting the swap and that it has enough room for the people you’ll be inviting.

:: If you’re daunted organizing it alone, ask a friend, neighbor or family member to be your partner in clutter reduction.

:: Consider inviting neighbors that you don’t know well but would like to get to know better. Sharing is inherently a social act and helps to build a stronger sense of community.

:: Putting out a few snacks and beverages can certainly keep the energy and good moods going. A little music is nice too (you make the call on the DJ), but keep it at a level that allows for lively banter amongst the swapping.

:: The old adage of “one person’s trash is another’s treasure” is completely legit so don’t edit your stuff as you gather it up. You might think that bucket of keys is junk but your artist neighbor might delight in turning them into funky mobiles or jewelry.

:: Have old bags and boxes on hand so folks can easily haul away their cache.

:: Have a plan of what to do with whatever stuff doesn’t get snatched up. Choose a thrift shop or other organization that would be thrilled with the leftovers. Many will even come and pick the items up. If they don’t, ask people at the swap to help you haul it away.

Even if you cannot host a swap in your own home, there are many free on-line swapping services. We’re big fans of Freecycle and SwapMamas. Keep an eye out in your own community for seasonal swaps at churches, community centers and even empty storefronts. For a little swapping inspiration, check out this delightful story over at Yes! magazine. Finally, if you do host a swap, we would love to hear about it!

Time to Dream & Plan

It’s a new year and the dead of winter so that can only mean one thing for gardeners: we have the green light to delight in dreaming and planning for our garden. In fact, we Prairie Godmothers like to think of winter as a gift (and a perfect excuse) that gives us extra time to cozy up with our favorite catalogs, gardening books and all those magazine and newspaper clippings we so dutifully snipped and saved in 2010. We thought we’d provide some tips to help you get the most out of your dreaming and planning.

• First, grab your favorite hot beverage and get comfortable. That might be sitting on the carpet, curled up on the couch or at your favorite neighborhood café.
• Get all the ideas in one place. A notebook, journal, file, or even an old shoe box will keep things organized and accessible. We like to re-claim paper by using the “other side” to jot down ideas and sketch garden spaces. We drop drawings, pictures and articles in 8.5” plastic sleeve pages and put them in a three ring binder.
• Dreaming big is fun but starting small has its merits too. Make a list of 10 plants (try native varieties this year) and then do the research to see if they’re really right for your garden. What kind of soil do they like, how much sun do they need and are they a complement to what you’ve got? Knowing the profile of the plant makes the right plant selection much easier.
• A little budget tip: if you check out most of your gardening books from the local library or borrow them from friends, that means ever more spending money for new plants, shrubs and trees. A bigger tip: Allocate 80% of your budget for native and perennial plants, the remainder on annuals. Plants that return every year will cut your costs over time and you can still have the splash of color that comes with annuals.
• Gather with fellow gardeners to swap not only books and catalogs but also ideas and tales of victory and woe from last season. You might find that someone needs to divide a plant you’d love to have and you might find another willing to take that zizea that’s grown too big for its space.
• Consider starting a Garden Journal. This can be as simple as a spiral-bound notebook where you make a monthly entry or it can be an on-line record, like the free service offered over at www.greenthumbjournal.com. We like this article which explores all the options and articulates why journaling is good for you and your garden.
• Put on your coat and hat and go visit your garden. Even if it’s buried under snow, just walk about, stay as long as the cold will allow. And go ahead and dream some more.

We hope these tips will help and inspire you. Currently we’re smitten with natives like anise hyssop and bottle gentian. We always enjoy the “High Country Gardens” catalog for its botanical eye candy. Tessa Evelegh’s book “The Perfect Garden” provides creative ideas and inspiration to transform garden spaces. We’ll keep you posted on where we land between dream and reality. And we’d love to hear how you dream and plan for your garden!