Pantries and Preparedness 2020. Bartering and encouragement.

I am finally able to post the next in our pantry and preparedness series.  It has been hard to keep up with everything going on around me, family, gardening and all that needs doing.  In a week so much more has happened.  This would be the same for you all.

Last week I still went to town one time and I had a couple of my homemade face masks with me.

I also had my sanitiser sprays and wipes.   I quickly found out that if I had a hundred of these I could have sold or bartered all day long.    I had made a deal with a lady to make her two masks in exchange for a pile of cotton sheeting she said she will send me.   And she did!  It is many meters of plain solid colour sheeting which she washed and ironed.   I made her two masks and some sanitiser.    And then she discovered I have eggs so I can sent her eggs too.   And this is how I find myself constantly bartering!   

Vicky has written how bartering helps her family so much.  And boy I have know her to do some good deals over the years!  

Over to Vicky!

Right now with so many things going on all over the world we need to think about all of our resources and what we can do with them. There are so many things we can do to keep our households going and bartering is one of them. 

Bartering was a way of life for many at one time and we can draw upon that, it is a way of helping each other and obtaining things we need or use without cash. My great grandma and some of her friends and family did a lot of bartering during the Depression from fabric scraps so they could have something different, fruits and vegetables from their gardens or foraging like blackberries and wild plums. 

We barter a lot and it is amazing the trades that can be made! 

Take a good look at all that you have, do you have a lot extra of some things, but need others or if your offered something even if you may not need it at the moment would you be willing to trade for it? I have accepted barters for things I may not need myself, but have been able to gift to someone else that had the need and then was gifted with something I did need so the saying what goes around comes around is very much true. 

And it can be hard to ask for a trade, but I have found that people actually love to trade and find it a small excitement so if you need to don't be afraid to ask. All it takes is to say I have this etc. and would you be willing to trade for this,etc.? 

What do you have plenty of that you could barter? Do you have plenty of flour it only takes a cup or two to produce a small baked good. Maybe you would like to trade with a gardener? Do you have chickens who lay eggs and can trade for something to add to your pantry? Or maybe something isn't available at the store and you know someone who has plenty and fuel prices are cheaper consider taking a can and getting a few extra gallons to barter with. I've bartered with lots of my canned goods and the hubby too. He was asked if he would take a hay elevator for some of my canned pickles and he did then bartered it for something else. 

Bartering can include labor too. My husband has cut down trees for the wood or more recently bartered 6 dozen eggs for a truck load of wood. It doesn't have to be even, Steven as long as both parties are happy. We can even coordinate with family or friends like great grandma did and see who has an abundance of what and divide it up and trade so everyone has a little variety. There are many, many ways to work things out and with a lack of resources we need to consider all possibilities at our disposal. 

We can be each others eyes and help each other, buy a pack of toilet paper and someone else can get something else if their store has it and then trade off half of each. Some is better than none. 

What do you have that you could barter? What do you need that you would like to get? Since we don't know the extent of damage this virus is going to do it is a good time to consider all of the ways we can get along and make do. making our own, stretching things, making sure we have no waste, helping others and also bartering and we are off to a good start! 

XOXO

Vicky

Thank you Vicky.  Here a load of wood is worth several hundred dollars.  That is a wonderful trade! 

I have had a lot of reasons to be grateful and amazed this week.   I built up my chicken numbers and set up.  Now it is hard to buy a chicken and eggs are in demand and a great bartering item.

We bought an extra large freezer as we just felt the need.  Then it became hard to buy a freezer as everyone had the same idea at the same time when the virus first broke out.

We planted a fruit orchard and veggie garden.  And now it is hard to get seedlings and even seeds.   But we are already established.   I read ages ago that the time to do these things is before you need them.  These things were things we worked on as soon as we arrived here.

This is not to say it is too late to get going.   I have always said the same... take every opportunity!   Do what you can and make the most of everything.  

Bartering is natural to Vicky and to me.   I think now is the time to help others and a great time to barter.   Thing of your resources and what you could be producing.   To get by in hard times we need to be producing things and not just consuming them.   This helps you supply your own needs and gives you things to sell or trade.   So I have a list of things that I can barter that I have... fresh herbs, Bay Leaves,  eggs, sheep manure, jam, baking, wood... things I can produce.... face masks, hand wipes, soft fabric tissues (kleenex) and essential oil rollers.   I am making producing things each day part of the day.  If you have a skill put it to good use.  Learn a skill too!   Your abundance of one thing is something you can swap with others!  

See if your elders neighbours need anything.  There are very lonely people just now.  We can still phone and write!

Now I need your help.   I am struggling with my work, family needs and blog but I want to keep going.  You can help me by sharing any good trading ideas and ways to help others at this time.   Last week I mentioned our family shopping co op.   We all let each other know what we are looking for and add these things to our lists.  I was able to get Mum some Gluten Free Flour.  Mum was able to give me venison!   (Trade!)  Chloe needed sugar.  She was able to give me figs (another trade!)  Her friend was desperate for flour and Chloe sent her some.  Her friend sent back apples and tomatoes!     

This is where a network comes in!   Some of my network is a family.   But also I have a wider network.  I have always highly valued the Pharmacist.  The one we went to in the city was a discount chemist.   We got to know them and they got to know us.  We also have an excellent chemist in our local town.   I am always asking him questions so he knows me too.   The city pharmacist I follow on Facebook.  I think I am probably their number one liker and commenter!!   They posted they had an arrival of face masks.   The next day they posted they had an arrival of hand sanitiser!    I rang up... they immediately knew me on the phone and said "hello! How is Andy going?"  and I said I realised they must be incredibly busy at this time but would they possibly have time to do a phone order and post things out?   Yes!!  And within minutes I had a list of items that are very hard to get on their way.   Networking and being nice to people, getting to know them...  doing things to help and encourage them and then when you need help they are there for you too.

Next week Rachel is adding to this subject of bartering.  She is also a natural at it!! And we can learn from her!

The other way you can help me keep going is to help me with replies.   I have always felt it is important to reply to everyone and answer all questions.   Lately I have missed some replies which I feel bad about... I am still going though!   If someone asks a question and you can answer it please do!   If you see someone needs encouragement or a few words of kindness reply to them.  It can turn this way into a giant discussion and it will help me to manage.   I do feel at this time our friendship is needed more than ever.  Instead of trading goods we are trading ideas and knowledge and helping each other get through this time!  

Locally the shortages and rationing are worse... in Mum's town even the Post Office is closed.  I became aware a couple of weeks ago that while the stores were low we might become reliant on mail order/online shopping  but that soon these might be suspended too.   Coming into cool weather we acted fast to make sure the girls would have warm winter clothing.   So if you have children and needs like this think of them now. 

There is more to the picture than the illness.   Our own Government and mainstream media now talk openly about some countries collapsing.  Concepts such as a cashless society and One World Government are also getting pretty regular mentions.  The collapse of whole countries would make the Lehman Brothers look minor!   

The financial brains that I speak to are sure this will be no recession, it will be a depression. I guess we will soon know.   So we have a lot to do and need to be our very best and most prudent and watchful. xxx