October Chicago Food Swap at Sugar Beet Food Co-op

Emily Paster

Celebrate the harvest season with friends at the Chicago Food Swap's October swap. This is the time to show off your fall garden harvest and best autumnal creations - from pumpkins to apples to soups and beyond! 
As usual, the Chicago Food Swap will be partnering with <A HREF="http://sugarbeetcoop.squarespace.com" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sugar Beet Food Co-op</A>, a full-service, co-op grocery store that provides a neighborhood source for local, sustainable, healthy foods and a way of connecting farmers and producers to their customers. 
<A HREF="http://sugarbeetcoop.squarespace.com" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sugar Beet Food Co-op</A> will host the swap in a community space adjacent to the store and it will be free to register. In addition, Sugar Beet Food Co-op is offering special discounts for swappers incuding $1 off any coffee, juice or smoothie and $2 off any prepared food item in their coffee bar. Need groceries? Sugar Beet Food Co-op is also offering 10% your in-store purchase (excuding alcohol.) So be sure to stop in for local, organic groceries when you are finished swapping! 
Sugar Beet Food Co-op is located in Oak Park, which is easily accessible by car or public transportation via the Green or Blue Line. From the train station, you can take a short Uber ride or the 311 bus. Street parking is readily available. 
For newcomers, here are some FAQ about the Chicago Food Swap:
What's a food swap?
Food swaps bring together passionate home cooks, bakers, canners, gardeners and foragers to trade their homemade and homegrown edible goods. Show off your toothsome creations, stock your pantry, and get some inspiration all while meeting other like-minded individuals.
Who can participate?
This is not a forum for commercial sellers and growers. All the participants must be individuals trading goods that they made or grew themselves. Some examples of popular food swap items include jams, pickles, salsa or relishes, baked goods, granola, spice mixes, pasta, vegetables or herbs. Feel free to bring samples for tasting.
How does it work?
Items are swapped one for one, so please keep that mind when making and packaging your goods. Bring as many or as few items as you would like.
First, swappers set up with their wares -- please keep in mind that people will want to examine your goods, so package them accordingly.  Swappers should bring a swap card for each different item that they intend to swap.  So for example, if you bring five jars of strawberry jam and 3 jars of dilly beans, you would fill out two swap cards: one for the jam and one for beans. The swap card lists what the item is, the ingredients it contains (being mindful of food allergies) and suggested uses, if applicable. Download a copy of the swap card (courtesy of the East Bay CA Food Swaps) <A HREF="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h4zXkiZEXBboseZMCzbG1DX5NbQWIkF5RRy5xhTsiJE/edit?hl=en&authkey=CKqly4MI&pli=1" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">here</A>.
After the items are set up, everybody circulates around the room.  Interested parties offer bids on the swap cards for each item, but these are just a way to open discussion.  The first 45 minutes or so is spent circulating and making offers on swap cards and then the actual swapping begins.
You are not obligated to swap with anyone, even if you bid on his/her item or he/she bids on yours.  Actual swapping takes place through discussion and agreement.  Remember, no money is changing hands. All swaps are by barter only.
To Learn More:
To stay abreast of all the latest Chicago Food Swap news, you can find us on <A HREF="http://www.facebook.com/chicagofoodswap" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Facebook</A> or subscribe to our <A HREF="http://www.twitter.com/chicagofoodswap" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Twitter feed</A>. For questions, contact Emily Paster at westoftheloop@gmail.com. You can also read about food swaps in other cities such as <A HREF="http://www.lafoodswap.com" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Los Angeles,</A> <A HREF="http://hipgirlshome.com/foodswaps/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Austin</A> or <A HREF="http://www.foodinjars.com/2011/09/the-first-philly-food-swap/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Philadelphia</A> to get a better sense of the mission.
Disclaimers:
Please be aware that all goods are made in home kitchens by private individuals, not professionals. We expect all swappers to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and food safety in the preparation of their items. Nevertheless, by participating in the swap you acknowledge that the items available are not made in licensed kitchens or inspected by any government agency. The Chicago Food Swap does not provide any guarantees or assurances about the safety of the swap items.

October Chicago Food Swap at Sugar Beet Food Co-op

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October Chicago Food Swap at Sugar Beet Food Co-op

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