A small painted cart has popped up in Springwood, laden with free homegrown fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs.
It’s part of the Grow Free movement which is taking off around Australia, where people share excess produce from their gardens.
The movement was started in Adelaide by Andrew Barker as a way of building community and promoting a sustainable culture of growing and sharing healthy food.
Paul Karlik from Springwood saw a story about the Grow Free movement while watching ABC’s Gardening Australia recently. Then when he was driving around in the Lower Mountains and noticed an old barbecue discarded by the side of the road, he decided to give it a makeover and create a Grow Free cart for Springwood.
“You can share some stuff, donate some stuff or just pick up,” Mr Karlik said.
“It’s encouraging people to be connected in the community.”
Mr Karlik is an assistant to Rod Thompson, the minister at Springwood Presbyterian Church, who was only too happy to embrace the idea.
“It creates community,” Reverend Thompson said.
“This is a peaceful place by a beautiful tree. Grab a piece of fruit and you’re welcome in for a cup of tea.”
The cart, in the church grounds on Macquarie Road, is only the second in NSW – the other is also in the Blue Mountains, in front of Blaxland East Public School of a Friday.
There are a handful of carts in Western Australia and Victoria, one in Queensland and Tasmania, and the majority are in South Australia.
The cart will be in front of the church in Springwood for a few hours every day in good weather.
In just a few hours of setting up on June 12, fresh eggs had gone and oranges had arrived.
“It’s a nice idea of sharing,” Mr Karlik said, adding that it was completely free, and no money is exchanged.
“People can give and take, just give or just take.”
