As winter brings her brisk cold to an end each spring, local gardeners often get the urge to plant new seeds and begin digging into the earth in hopes of a wonderful harvest of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. In each of our local neighborhoods dozens of fellow neighbors plant squash and tomatoes and cucumbers and corn every year, supporting a local food economy. The Zawadi Exchange has found that many of our neighbors care about gardens, local food, and sharing their knowledge with others. These local neighbors are beginning to gather together around dinner tables, hoping and dreaming of not only supporting each other’s own gardens, but exploring ways that their food can feed more than just their families, but offer opportunities for local restaurants and groceries to invest in their harvest as well. Together, these neighbors can design ways of not only using their collaborating gardening talents towards economic development, but also find themselves building strong friendships and relationship of love and support. The neighborly exchange of our fruits and vegetables is the exchange of friendship.