These home grown avocados were a gift from gardening friends from northeastern California. Here close to the border, reciprocal food sharing across state lines encounters an obstacle, that of the agricultural inspection stations Nevada gardeners encounter at nearly every entrance into California. But gifts and trades move east to west in other ways, especially during canning season.

There is something fascinating about food sharing amongst the humans. Of course, it's an ancient practice, described in detail by the cultural anthropologists. Humans share food in times of plenty, but also in times of extreme scarcity. The trick seems to be the great art of social cohesiveness and commutual respect, even across deep cultural divides. There are descriptions and studies, too, of the many ways in which cultural stability is achieved as well as lost. Much about cultural preservation, of course, centers around agriculture.

But food sharing is a good sign when it comes to prospects of peace amongst the factions. Grapes for avocados Tomatoes for honey. Philosophers bring up questions of balance and reciprocity. It becomes an ethical debate about the dynamics of material exchange and the age old question of payment. Who does the work? Who gets paid? Who gets fed? What is fair?

Guacamole anyone?

• At least two large ripe avocados or several small ones, remove seeds and scoop out flesh.
• One small Walawala onion
• 1/4 sweet red onion
• 1 freshly picked jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup freshly picked cilantro, finely chopped
• a little salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• outer flesh of 1 freshly picked medium sized tomato, cut in small chunks
• 1 freshly picked cucumber, peeled and sliced into rounds

Mix together everything but the cucumber. Serve immediately with chips. Serve the cucumber rounds as an alternative to chips.