Bartering...

[Mike Quinn]

For those of you who are growing your own produce, how about taking your surplus to a local fair or market and barter it against something you need.

 

[DannyboyDS]

Do you mean now or post SHTF?

In either case that's probably not a bad idea, what do you grow?

 

[old_anorak]

We kind of already do that. We do the farmer's markets around here and there's been quite a few times we've bartered for items or services instead of cash.

 

[Dani]

So I'm reviving an old thread. . . Since we have a surplus of pork right now, we ended up giving son 3 some in exchange of some Ling and Reds. . . . From hoof to fin. Thought it was a pretty good trade off since we haven't been fishing in a few years now. I have been able to barter for services too. Hunny and I both help out our neighbor by doing odd jobs. . . lifting, helping with projects, proof reading school papers, keeping him supplied with jelly and spaghetti sauce, etc and we often use him too. He is an excellent welder, fabricator, and mechanic, at least in the small ones and tractors.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I like the idea of bartering too. Its espicilly good for people that have the skills, surpluss products and or equipment that other people need. Eariler this spring I used my tractor to help the neighbor butcher 12 hogs. In exchange his wife gave us some fresh baked bread and pork. I gave my old barn to a young man who is starting his own cow/calf operation. He'll dismantle the barn and relocate it to a section of land his dad gave him. In exchange he's going to use his rock drill to drill some post holes in a rocky section of fence line for me. Last Fall I gave another guy a couple truck loads of gravel out of our pit. Haven't received anything in trade for the gravel yet. We've also traded eggs for baked goods.

 

[lonewolf]

just done a bit of bartering, swapped an old metal watering can for 2 bags of sunflower seeds(baking quality).
I wont be doing it post SHTF though, too dangerous.

 

[SheilaT.]

Another barter fan here, When I had the allotment other plot holders and myself would have a box that we all put our excess and not wanted fruit and veg in and take out anything that took our fancy, I also swap baked goods for eggs and such. I've also helped people pick fruit inreturn for taking some home, simple bartering, but it's nice to do a good turn for someone and get something in return.

 

[Silent Earth]

Took the wife to a Barter meet once............................................got a lawnmower for her, fair swap i thought

 

[Dani]

Another barter fan here, When I had the allotment other plot holders and myself would have a box that we all put our excess and not wanted fruit and veg in and take out anything that took our fancy, I also swap baked goods for eggs and such. I've also helped people pick fruit inreturn for taking some home, simple bartering, but it's nice to do a good turn for someone and get something in return.

I like the idea of being able to swap out excess produce for some that you were not able to grow in your own allotment. That just make sense to do. . . Lord knows you can only eat and want to preserve so much of one particular item. Sometimes 'room', (be it freezer. buckets or shelves) and supplies are an issue. And yes, I would definitely help out picking for a little rewarded bounty. I could only wish I knew someone who needed that kind of help. . . you are blessed there.

 

[Dani]

just done a bit of bartering, swapped an old metal watering can for 2 bags of sunflower seeds(baking quality).
I wont be doing it post SHTF though, too dangerous.

Are you going to be planting any? Sweet Pea loves the big Mammoth Sunflowers so I always plant a few for her. They are also good to give to the goats for skin issues and their coats. Besides. we like to salt them to eat for a snack.

 

[Dani]

I like the idea of bartering too. Its espicilly good for people that have the skills, surpluss products and or equipment that other people need. Eariler this spring I used my tractor to help the neighbor butcher 12 hogs. In exchange his wife gave us some fresh baked bread and pork. I gave my old barn to a young man who is starting his own cow/calf operation. He'll dismantle the barn and relocate it to a section of land his dad gave him. In exchange he's going to use his rock drill to drill some post holes in a rocky section of fence line for me. Last Fall I gave another guy a couple truck loads of gravel out of our pit. Haven't received anything in trade for the gravel yet. We've also traded eggs for baked goods.

Artic, hunny and I would love to have you as a neighbor. . . but you cant take the heat and neither hunny or I can take the cold. Its always a good thing to barter for services. My sweet hunny does so much with his equipment too, ta help out others and I am very thankful a jack of all trades, master of none as the saying goes. I'm more limited in my talents. . . I help out in women's work so to speak and labor. Hunny says I'm a great helper but he is partial.

 

[SheilaT.]

It's a shame we all live so far apart. By the sounds of it we'd have a thriving money free, mini economy going in no time.

 

[Doreena]

It's a shame we all live so far apart. By the sounds of it we'd have a thriving money free, mini economy going in no time.

It’s people like you guys who will keep things going if times get tough. One year my plum tree decided to have gallons of plums...canned maybe 25 or so half pints of plum butter. Would have loved to exchange them for something I don’t grow!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Silent Earth]

Just need a slave market to go with the barterhouse

 

[Psalm7]

Post SHTF I would barter / trade but for now I want the $cash . Actually I give all My extra to Family and Friends .

 

[SheilaT.]

I like the idea of being able to swap out excess produce for some that you were not able to grow in your own allotment. That just make sense to do. . . Lord knows you can only eat and want to preserve so much of one particular item. Sometimes 'room', (be it freezer. buckets or shelves) and supplies are an issue. And yes, I would definitely help out picking for a little rewarded bounty. I could only wish I knew someone who needed that kind of help. . . you are blessed there.

Believe it or not, I put a wanted/offer on Freecycle! I said something along the lines wanted tree fruit, willing to come and pick/help with harvest.
I had a lovely lady contact me and we turned it into an annual thing. I would go help her pick the fruit trees in her garden, in return she gave me enough of the harvest to see me and the family through to the following year. Sometimes it doesn't hurt being a bit forward. Maybe put a notice in your feed store too, it can't hurt.

 

[Dani]

Believe it or not, I put a wanted/offer on Freecycle! I said something along the lines wanted tree fruit, willing to come and pick/help with harvest.
I had a lovely lady contact me and we turned it into an annual thing. I would go help her pick the fruit trees in her garden, in return she gave me enough of the harvest to see me and the family through to the following year. Sometimes it doesn't hurt being a bit forward. Maybe put a notice in your feed store too, it can't hurt.

I may just have to do this. . . . at least till the fruit trees we planted recently start producing. Thank you for the suggestion!

We did go see a friend up north to go pick up some hay on Sun. The wife and I went around exploring since they are only able to go once every couple weeks. She has blackberries, dewberries, peaches and pears. She says they always have more produce than what they use. . . said anytime I want I can go up to pick whatever. They never lock their gates. I just need to share what I preserve, she'll provide the jars. I've known the wife for years now and she is the biggest sweetheart. The husband and my hunny were also talking about how hard it has been to find hay down where we are at. Husband told hunny that he can get all the hay he needed to get him thru the winter on first cutting and that hunny can go up to do a second cutting and get all he needs. It frees the husband up to do other things on the ranch that he needs to get done. Especially since they go so infrequently. Sounds like it is going to be another win, win for us all.

 

[SheilaT.]

That's the way to do it! A mutual exchange of goods and labour and no money changes hands. How cool is that?

 

[brandx]

It’s people like you guys who will keep things going if times get tough. One year my plum tree decided to have gallons of plums...canned maybe 25 or so half pints of plum butter. Would have loved to exchange them for something I don’t grow!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Start a local network.

 

[brandx]

I have a trade in the works, coffee for a wash tub on a stand. We haven't met yet but I wanted to give something for the tub and they didn't have any coffee. I hit the bonanza at the grocery and bought 22 cans last Saturday.

 

[brandx]

Have a question. I read that disposable razors are a good bartering item. But for home use, wouldn't an old fashioned straight razor and strop be the way to go? What do you all think?

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

I use old school safety razors to shave mostly, but have a replaceable blade straight, and a straight and strop. I feel like I was lied to on the disposables I used them into my mid thirties. Then discovered that the old safety razors are cheaper, and work really well.

I would think that razor blades for safety razors would be a great barter item. Disposables? Maybe.

I actually did some bartering recently. A workshop where I can work on the travel trailer here in Madison runs 600 bucks. I traded some medicinal plants and some cleanup labor to get 2 years rent. That includes power and water hookups. So it cost me, well, almost nothing but a few days work and almost no risk. Lifelong friends and fellow preppers, though.
The hard part of bartering for me is storage. Once we move into the trailer, it's gonna be pretty tight.

 

[Kevin L]

Have a question. I read that disposable razors are a good bartering item. But for home use, wouldn't an old fashioned straight razor and strop be the way to go? What do you all think?

I will never shave with a straight razor.

I did see (in Boyscouts, when I was kid) a gentleman give himself a very good shave with a piece of flint that was heated in a fire before it was chipped. He did it on a bet.

And collected.

 

[DrHenley]

I will never shave with a straight razor.

LOL! I tried one time. I have a couple of straight razors handed down from great great granddads. I don't think I got them sharp enough or something because it was like pulling the whiskers out of my face. And yes I did have a proper razor strop and razor hones (lost the strop somewhere along the way though)

 

[Proud Prepper]

If you clean and dry a safety razor after every use it will last you many months of daily use, even up to a year. Even the cheapest ones have lasted me. Its definatly one prepp I keep stocked up on for bartering.

 

[brandx]

LOL! I tried one time. I have a couple of straight razors handed down from great great granddads. I don't think I got them sharp enough or something because it was like pulling the whiskers out of my face. And yes I did have a proper razor strop and razor hones (lost the strop somewhere along the way though)

I had a son in law once that always used one. He also participated in many civil war reenactments. said he wouldn't use anything else and nothing works as good. It would be a painful learning curve. LOL

 

[brandx]

If you clean and dry a safety razor after every use it will last you many months of daily use, even up to a year. Even the cheapest ones have lasted me. Its definatly one prepp I keep stocked up on for bartering.

Do you mean rinse it with clear water and pat it down with a towel, or?

 

[Proud Prepper]

Yes pat it dry after shaking excess water.

 

[Maverick]

I use a straight razor, been using them for 40 years, I got more nicks with the safety razor than a straight razor.

 

[Kevin L]

I'm never going to use a straight razor because I have motor co-ordination issues because I have Asperger's, and tend to be clumsy.