Twenty-five people, each with their own instrument, crammed into the cafe ready to learn how to play like an Appalachian String Band.

“Everyone had a blast,” said Callie North.

The music class was hosted by KnowledgeShare, an organization that aims to cultivate and support the exchange of community wisdom on Lopez Island.

North and Milla Prince started KnowledgeShare in February. After that first session, people started coming to the two women with subjects they wanted to teach. North said it was just that simple.

“As young homesteaders we recognize that there is no need for us to ‘re-invent the wheel’ because the community is full of folks who have walked this path before,” North said.

In the last eight months, KnowledgeShare has held 14 classes that have focused on a range of topics such as native ecology, lacto-fermentation, tanning hides, knot-tying, plant genetics and composting. The age of students range from as young as eight to 70 years old.

Prince said teachers have been anyone from renowned experts to skilled craft people and passionate laymen.

KnowledgeShare is a not-for-profit group and anyone can join as a teacher, student or organizer.

“We are having a lot of fun and would love to have even more input and assistance from our community,” Prince said.

Class tuition ranges from free to $60 for a series. Financial support and childcare is available.

Their goals are to share local knowledge, nurture community connections and promote healthy living and learning.

In line with that philosophy, North and Prince are organizing a swap called “Preserve and Fall Bounty Exchange” as a fundraiser for Initiative 2012-4, GMO Free San Juans on Sunday, Sept. 30, 12 – 4 p.m., at Vortex Juice Bar and Cafe.

GMO-Free San Juans is a group that has placed Initiative 2012-4 on the November ballot. The initiative will make it unlawful to propagate, cultivate, raise or grow plants, animals and other organisms that have been genetically modified. It does not affect growing of hybrid plants or limit what is available in stores, according to GMO-Free San Juans organizers.

“This [GMO-free San Juans] is one the most important issues our world is facing today. It is important because the production and proliferation of GMO seed could mean irreversible damage to the ecosystem, human health and the future of our planet,” said North. “We are at critical point in human history and the scales could be tipped in either direction. If this initiative passes it could be the start of real food security in the San Juan Islands.”

The upcoming “preserve swap” follows a trend that is growing popular across the country. But North said they are taking it to the next level by including everything from winter storage crops like potatoes, onions, garlic and squash to fermented foods.

They will be raffling off a 50-pound sack of Lopez-grown potatoes as well as a basket of locally made and grown goodies including jams, Chicaoji hot sauce, bread, Greenheart Gardens’ seeds, veggies and a gift certificate to Vortex Juice Bar and Cafe.

There will be informational booths on Knowledgeshare and GMO-Free San Juans. Prince will make crepes from Lopez wheat and there will be a variety of preserves and fresh Lopez apple cider for tasting. North will be presenting  “how to make a kimchi” demonstration after the swap.

This is a great opportunity for people to connect and share tips, recipes and stories about preserving their fall bounty, North said.

Here’s how the swap works:

There is no limit on what you bring, but if you bring one jar you get to trade for one jar. Tables will be laid out by category and the items are placed accordingly. For two hours you can trade, share and take home whatever suites your fancy, said North.

“We wanted to hold a preserve swap because it is a fun old time-y tradition in need of reviving,” Prince said. “This time of year people are inundated with fresh produce and preserving it for the coming months is an incredibly important skill to cultivate. It is a great way to get ideas on fermenting and preserving, connect with fellow islanders and raise awareness about an issue that affects us all.”

The funds will be put toward community outreach before the November election. For more info about MO-Free San Juans, visit www.gmofreesjc.org/donate/.

For more about KnowledgeShare, visit www.lopezknowledgeshare.org.