Simply, Backyard Barter is a community where neighbors barter locally produced food, related skills and items like seedlings, eggs, extra produce, canned goods, the use of garden tools, expertise in garden construction and design, and a helping hand with food-related projects.

Backyard Barter began when Creagh Miller moved to Seattle (Ballard) and wanted to transform her new backyard into a beautiful garden complete with a chicken coop. A bit unsure of the steps she needed to take to get started, and interested in connecting with others like her, she looked around at established resources, and talked with local residents and relevant organizations. What she found was that others were also interested in creating connections between neighbors to barter and to learn. Creagh brought together a steering committee committed to making this vision a reality, and Backyard Barter was born!

The steering committee brings their individual passions together along with many excited volunteers, to help foster a community of people of varying interests along the spectrum of local food production. Home gardeners may not be the same individuals who are really adept at canning fresh produce, or individuals who raise chickens may not be the same individuals who have a flourishing herb garden. Backyard Barter will help them connect and grow.

Backyard Barter will host two complementary activities, a website and monthly in-person events. The website is designed so that individuals can connect with each other to share information or their backyard bounty. The site allows individuals to describe what they produce and have to share, learn from each other and arrange bartering relationships with their neighbors. The monthly events will be gatherings of learning and sharing, and will include information sessions, or collaborative events with other local organizations focused on locallygrown food. The idea is to encourage individuals to connect and to help to build a sense of community.

Sharing Food, Growing Community.

This project is funded in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund award of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Backyard Barter is a project of Seattle Tilth.