The Valley has been a place for meeting and trading for millennia, with First Nations peoples gathering long before European settlement. This modern iteration of sharing emerged as a response to community needs following the devastating bushfires, floods and COVID-19 pandemic that impacted the region. Administered by master cheesemaker Pam Swinfield, FIG Community Garden and Farmers Market linchpin Lyn Rutherford, and Winderong Farm’s JJ, the group gathers on the third Saturday of each month at different members’ gardens, upholding timeless principles of sharing and connection.
These monthly gatherings have evolved beyond mere produce exchanges into comprehensive learning experiences, with host gardeners often demonstrating techniques and systems unique to their properties. The meetings conclude with a shared meal where recipe sharing is often a demand alongside their harvests, creating a full circle of food appreciation from soil to plate.
For the first month of autumn 2025, the group ventured beyond the Valley to the Berry property of Barb and Omar Khalifa. Located off Beach Road, their five-acre permaculture paradise represents nearly 15 years of thoughtful transformation into a model of sustainable living.
On this day when the mercury was in the mid 30s, visitors were particularly captivated by the Khalifa’s swimming pool, and not for the obvious reason. Every winter, this ordinary backyard feature becomes a productive trout farm. Throughout the growing process and after harvesting and preserving the fish, the nutrient-rich water is reticulated throughout the garden beds – exemplifying permaculture’s core principle of creating closed-loop systems where ‘waste’ becomes a resource.
Despite being connected to town utilities, the Khalifas have incorporated solar panels and battery storage to reduce their environmental footprint. Their property demonstrates how permaculture design principles can create abundant food production while working harmoniously with natural systems.
Along with absorbing the wealth of knowledge the Khalifas have accumulated through their permaculture journey, including exchanging apple tree scion wood for grafting (coinciding fortuitously with the waning gibbous moon phase, one member noted) the day’s highlight always includes members sharing a meal and this month’s winners were a zucchini spiral salad and a passionfruit slice recipe. (The recipes are shared here.)
Beyond the monthly visits, there is a wonderful WhatsApp community where you will always find answers to your garden, wildlife and landcare questions, and there is often an ongoing swap on offer when someone seeks something they don’t have in exchange for a plentiful supply.
And even when you can’t make the monthly visits (as I couldn’t) the warmth of the post WhatsApp messages makes you feel like you were there. Here are a few.
“A great big thanks to Barb and Omar. Such a great afternoon. I came home so inspired I then potted around my garden for a couple of hours. Thanks for the swim as well 🪴🦋🌷” – Lyn Rutherford
“Thanks so much for organising, Pam, and for having us, Barb and Omar. Such a lovely day. Delicious food and inspiring garden. Great to catch up with everyone. Seriously thinking about a trout pool… 😁🐟” – Miki Kovari
“Such a wonderful garden! Another example of a hidden gem that you never knew about before. 😍😍 Thanks Barb for the apple tree scion wood 🙏🙏” – James Robertson
As the Kangaroo Valley Crop & Swap group continues to flourish, it stands as a testament to the power of community connection through shared interests in sustainable gardening, seasonal eating and the joy of learning from one another’s experiences.
Julie Ward
* If you’d like to hear about Barb and Omar’s journey – city corporate life to rural permaculture sustainability – listen to their interview on this month’s Valley Voices. [Add QR code]
Ella’s Spiralised Zucchini Salad
Ingredients
- 2–3 medium zucchini, spiralised
- 2–3 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Small handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Method
- Spiralise the zucchini and place in a large bowl.
- Add the sliced spring onions and chopped mint.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar and tamari.
- Pour the dressing over the zucchini mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavour.
Italian variation
Replace the Asian-inspired dressing with:
- Fresh basil instead of mint.
- Lemon juice instead of lime.
- Olive oil instead of sesame oil.
- Red wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar.
- Salt to taste instead of tamari/soy.
- Pine nuts instead of sesame seeds.
- Add shaved parmesan or crumbled goat feta.
No cooking required – enjoy this fresh, raw salad!
Lee’s Passionfruit Slice
Ingredients
- Melted butter, for greasing
- 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
- 85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
- 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 100g butter, melted
- 1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
- 125mL (1/2 cup) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp passionfruit pulp
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a 16 x 26cm (approx. 6 x 10 inch) slab pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and 2 long sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing the sides to overhang.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut, sugar, vanilla and melted butter using a wooden spoon. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Transfer to the prepared pan and press firmly over the base with a metal spoon. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden. Set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 150°C (300°F). In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, lemon juice and passionfruit pulp until smooth. Pour over the cooled base and spread evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting into slices to serve.
Julie Ward
