Another fab exchange!

Tomatoes, spaghetti squash, figs, carrots, serranos, chard, zinnias, zucchini, asian pears, bell peppers, and more! Thanks everyone!

Share with Merced Shares!

Tell us what you like to make with your summer vegetables and fruits! Here's what we like to do with almost any vegetable-greens, zucchini, carrots, you name it! Slice 'em or chop 'em and stir fry in olive oil with minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce, Braggs Aminos or a little hoisin sauce. Yum!

Check out this NYT Article!

Here 'tis! The article that mentions the Hillside Produce Cooperative, the organization that inspired us to get started! Go to nytimes.com for Wednesday, June 10, 2009 and check out the dining and wine section. The article is titled, "Neighbor, Can You Spare a Plum?"

Hooray for Hillside Produce Cooperative!

Hey Everyone! I found out that Hynden Walch, founder of Hillside Produce Cooperative, our "mother" organization, was interviewed by the New York Times and her interview will be published on Wednesday, June 10 in the dining section! Congratulations HPC!

Our First Exchange showed promise!

Can't wait to see what kind of yummy things we have next month. Today we had chard, beets, cherries, zucchini, cucumbers, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme.

Who's in for next month?

Our First Exchange Date!

We are planning to hold our first produce exchange on Saturday, June 6, 2009! We've already gotten emails from those who'd like to participate and are very excited about all the yummy items we'll be sharing/receiving that day. Stay tuned for more details and please send an email to mercedshares@yahoo.com if you would like to join us!

How did this all get started?

First, we would like to acknowledge where the idea for this produce exchange came from. We heard about the HillsideProduceCooperative.org through the Good Food Radio Show on KCRW.com in Los Angeles. Hillside Produce Cooperative was started by Hynden Walch, an actor, and we thought it was a great idea! Hey, who says you have to be the first to think of everything!

We would like to follow the example of the HPC by helping to eliminate or reduce waste, overripe, rotting fruit, gas used for trips to the grocery store, bags used for carrying food home, and fuel used to truck in or fly in produce.

We will increase opportunities to know our neighbors, cook with and eat fresh local produce, get outside and walk around, share and practice generosity. Free means free.