Plant Swap

Plant Swap 2025

Where? Dancing Bear Farm

379 Jarvis Hill Road, Claremont NH

Email: [email protected]

www.dancingbearfarmnh.com

When?

May through September, first Tuesday each month

2025 Swap Dates: May 6th, June 3rd, July 1st, August 5th, September 2nd

6:00pm sign-in, 6:15 plant swapping begins.

What to Bring?

• Perennials, annuals, vegetables, herbs, house plants, trees, cuttings, fresh-cut flowers, bulbs, seeds, etc.
• $1.00 donation to cover costs - including a drawing for a plant.
• A box or bucket to carry your plants home.
• You may want to bring a chair or stool to sit in, though we will have some available.

Notes:

You can bring as many or as few plants as you like! Some gardeners are just starting out and may not have anything to swap. That is ok! Seasoned gardeners have more than enough to share and would rather give them away than throw them in the compost. There are many plants that do poorly unless they are divided regularly (irises, daisies, phlox, etc.) This is a great way to trade them for plants you may not have. Each pick is a plant, not a full container.

There is some risk to sharing plants as it could spread disease or pests. We believe that the benefits outweigh the risks, though encourage you to check your plants for signs of disease or pests before bringing them to the swap. Please do not bring any plants listed on the NH Prohibited Plants list.

All ages are welcome!

The swap is held outdoors rain or shine but will be cancelled if we have thunderstorms. Dress for the weather and bring sunscreen/bug spray as needed.

How does it work?

A week prior to each swap visit the Dancing Bear Farm Facebook page for the official wish list post. If you plan to attend the upcoming swap, you can comment on the post with one plant name that you are wishing for. And if you bring a plant from the wish list, you will be in the group that gets first pick at the swap!

Join the Facebook event to view and add to the wish list

Day of the Swap

• 5:45-6:00 pm Check In. You may donate a dollar at check-in and get a ticket for the drawing for a plant purchased at a local nursery or grown at Dancing Bear Farm.
• 6:00 pm Place your items near the alphabetized signs. It is very helpful if the items are labeled. Many bring bags or buckets with freshly dug plants labeled with the plant name. It’s not necessary to pot the plants you’ll bring- but try to keep the roots from drying out.
• 6:15 pm the swap begins! The first pick has three parts: 1. If you added a plant to the wish list and someone brought that plant to the swap, you get that plant. 2. If you brought someone’s wish list plant and didn’t receive a wish list plant, you will be next to pick from all of the plants. We will read through the names of everyone who brought a wish list plant to come take a pick 3. Everyone else, who has not yet picked up a plant, gets to come up to pick up their first plant. If we have a large group we will divide into alphabetical groups. That’s the end of the first round/first pick! Everyone should have ONE plant/item at that point. People will be asked to step back and then the second round will begin.
• Second Pick: everyone is included in this round and all of the rest of the picks. This will be repeated as long as there are items left. If we have a large group, we will divide each pick into alphabetical groups to come up to pick.

At the end of the swap, It doesn’t matter how many plants you brought. Everyone will have the same number of “picks.” You may leave with just a couple plants or many, depending on the contributions that week. We encourage you to make connections with other gardeners - if someone brought dahlia tubers but you didn’t have a chance to get one, maybe you could connect with that person directly to ask for some tubers or offer a trade!

This plant swap is inspired by Elaine’s plant swap in Belchertown MA. Elaine’s Plant swaps started in 2003 and ran for 22 seasons! We were inspired by the concept and the way the swaps brought gardeners of all ages together, and are excited to start our own plant swap here at Dancing Bear Farm in New Hampshire.

Host or Publisher Dancing Bear Farm