Why We Love to Live in Tucson

November 25, 2013 — Dunbar Spring, food swap, hippies, mesquite, Tucson

Yesterday, 24 November, was Porch Fest in the Dunbar Spring neighborhood of Tucson. This local party includes musical entertainment scattered throughout the hood, food trucks, mesquite bean grinding, and more.  I went to attend a food swap with a theme of local food.   I went to my garden and harvested herbs, calamondins,  and Jerusalem artichokes to make trade baskets.  Since this was my first time to attend the food swap I was not sure what to expect..but it was better than I might have expected if I had had expectations.  We set out our trade items and used a paper bidding system to indicate interest in swapping.  I scored some spicy dill pickles, jalapeño prickly pear jelly, cranberry curd, rosemary focaccia, and delicious chive dip that was perfect on the focaccia. Best of all I am now an official swapper, with the chance to join in future swaps with my new friends.  Everyone was super helpful and informative.  I learned about new products and tasted some great items.  I packed up my excellent swap and partied with friends for a while before sunset.  Please note if you live somewhere else, it is sunny, and although for us it was a bit chilly in the shade, we are able to go outside and celebrate our neighbors, our talents, and our supreme good fortune almost all year.  We have a diverse culture and a growing interest in sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting and eating local.  Our local music scene is diverse and sustainable too because our citizens come out to support local artists and musicians in an effort to make this a more artful place to live.

pomegranate swapper

as in, NOT Phoenix

my fellow swappers

good times

squash

bread swapper

food hippies

good friends

my trade basket

swap table

swap explained

painting mural

out to celebrate