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Inaugural Halton Food Swap set for May 15 By Brice Roy SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Attention all preservers, amateur chefs and backyard farmers, the time has come to show off your talents. The inaugural Halton Food Swap will be taking place Tuesday May 15, at 7 p.m. at the Some Like it Hot yoga studios at 131 Kerr St. The event is an opportunity for people to exchange foodstuffs they have grown, baked, or cooked for someone else's tasty treats. "Basically, what happens is that everyone brings a minimum amount of food, which they use as currency," said Tahlia Dyer, 23, event organizer. "For the first hour you go and set up and then everybody walks around and examines what others brought. Then there is almost like a silent auction sheet, you write your name and what you propose to swap." Dyer was inspired by a similar event she attended in Guelph, Ontario. "Their organization is called 23 · Thursday, May 10, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com "I started to research the food swapping network and organizations. That's where this event stemmed from." Tahlia Dyer, Halton Food Swap organizer NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog ready to swap: The inaugural Halton Food Swap will take place Tuesday, May 15. It's an opportunity for people to exchange foodstuffs they have grown, baked, or cooked for someone else's tasty treats, as shown here by event organizer Tahlia Dyer. GO Food Swap. When I went there I really got a feel for it. I started to research the food swapping network and organizations. That's where this event stemmed from," said Dyer. At the November 2011 Guelph food swap, Dyer was impressed by the variety of items to trade and sometimes sample, to which she decided to add. "I knew it was coming up so I was prepared. I swapped spiced apple butter that I preserved. The items people brought ranged from produce from their garden, raw deserts, vegan food, spices and dried herbs, soups and different preserves," she said. After witnessing the successful swap first hand, Dyer believed it would be a great fit in Halton Region. She set about arranging a location and creating awareness on various social media. Dyer is hoping that the event will be successful enough to have similar swaps throughout the year. "I would hope this could grow into something that happens every three-to-four months, kind of with each season. So this will be the spring event and then maybe another in the late summer after another harvest." Space is limited at the event, so interested swappers should register while there is room. To register to attend the swap, visit www.firsthaltonfoodswap.eventbrite.com. "I think it's a great community based event. You can meet likeminded people and diversify. Plus, it's healthy and homemade. What's better than that?" said Dyer.