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Recyling at new level with upcoming seed, fruit, veggie exchange

Did you harvest too much fruit this season, or perhaps grow too many potatoes?5

Did you harvest too much fruit this season, or perhaps grow too many potatoes? Excess tomatoes or buckets or bags of seed going to be tossed? Think again – recycle!

The Heartland Beautification Committee is launching a new recycling endeavour this weekend with its inaugural dual events at the P&H elevator. The Seed Exchange and Fruit/Vegetable Exchange are two simultaneously running events designed to avoid having perfectly good food and seed tossed into the waste bin or compost heap.

“If residents are looking for new flower or vegetable seeds to add variety to their gardens, or could use fresh, local garden produce, come help yourself,” Grace Fix, one of the organizers, said.

The event operates on a bring some, leave some philosophy, and is part of the community’s “Plant it forward...Get, Grow, Give” program. The program was designed by the Committee’s Rob Spencer.

Seeds were given out during the trade fair earlier in the year as part of the “Get” stage of the program, and over the summer they weren’t “Grown.” Now, they can “Give” seeds by bringing them in and trading with others, picking up something new for next season while giving someone else the chance to do the same.

People with excess seeds can bring them in a labeled envelope. Envelopes are available at the town office, the Stettler Recreation Centre, and the library – or just use an envelope from home.

The Fruit/Vegetable Exchange is being led by Fix with an eye to decreasing the amount of local food waste.

“Many residents may have extra produce but not enough for the Farmers’ Market, so this event offers an alternative to share,” she said. “(It’s) also a great opportunity for others to have fresh garden food.”

The committee hopes this event will become an annual fall fixture in the community. This year’s inaugural events run from 10 a.m. until noon.