Neighbors Share Bounty from Home Yards and Swap Kitchen Know-How
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| Neighbors celebrate the second year of Mesa Exchange at the home of Mark and DInorah Philips, Mesa School Lane., (extreme left and third from right). |
A delightful Mesa neighborhood project for all members of the family has been going on for almost a year now. It is called the Mesa Exchange.
Couples with their young children on carts, on tricycles; others on foot, on skateboard or just driving in, come to a host neighbor - with flowers, fruits, seedlings, preserves, eggs, compost, worms, etc. in hand - for sharing with everyone.
The young children have a great time looking over baskets and boxes of produce, enjoying fruits, lemonades and digging into pies and cookies. They see a variety of garden vegetables, fruits and flowers. They are exposed with other household pets and get to hold backyard farm animals like chickens. The adults sip herbal tea (bring your own cup!) as they talk garden, catch up with old friends and meet new ones.
Passersby are curious. Kalyn and boyfriend Richard from over the hill, were taking their usual walk with their dog, Oso, from the bridge of La Mesa Park through Camino de La Luz, when they caught sight of the crowd on the front lawn of this “house with many colors.” The eye-catching porch art work, the pebble-and-stone garden lots, and the pumpkins rolling out in vibrant orange hues make the strollers stop and ask. They join the chats about finds from the last exchanges. They have regular First and Third Sunday Exchanges.
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| Lynn Seigel-Boettner (center), ME coordinator and webmaster, with Mesa neighbors by the Philips' compost bin in their backyard. |
Susan’s delicious no-bake cookies disappear fast and people want the recipe. Dee arrives with her popular apricot jam. Steve and Liliana and daughters Aleshandra, 5 months and Danielle, 2 years, from down the corner on Oliver Road just love to watch the exchanges. Another Susan, also from downtown, comes with brother Richard, a Mesa resident. This is her fourth time with the Exchange. Doug and Julie and their adorable curly blond little girls, one on her tricycle and another in tow on a cart, arrive arms full with their garden bounty.
So far, the project which began in February last year has gained membership simply by word-of-mouth. Now it has its website which chronicles the Exchanges and side projects, such as the Free Box Sundays. If you are interested in joining the fun activities of the Exchange go to www.mesaexchange.org for details.
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