The Road Home

The Road Home
There is no place like home.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Good Trade

Remember this?


Now fast forward to sometime in the not too distant future. Yes, fast forward. Remember when you could do that with a VHS tape? Most young people have never had the pleasure. Anyway, the not too distant future. What will buying and selling be like? How will we get the things we need? Like the things in all of our preparations we overlooked or outright forgot to get? What about all of the physical labor that will be necessary to live a collapse, survival life style day in and day out? Can you do that? 

Good trade. Bartering. I think this will become, and already is becoming, the new way of commerce. Commerce won't end with an economic or societal collapse. Person A will always need something that Person B can provide. When there is no longer a monetary basis upon which to make that transaction, bartering or trading will be the manner in which commerce will survive.

There was a young man in Frank's Survival Radio class that has begun developing his homestead. Not only is he interested in survival radio communications, he is starting a flock of chickens for his young family. Since we use pseudonyms here, we will call him Emmet, which is a German name meaning strong worker. The reason his name is associated with work is because that is what he did here in exchange for a flock of young chickens. We struck a deal of chickens for labor, and while he was here found out that Emmet works two jobs so his young wife can homeschool their children, making it an even better deal.

We have more than enough young hens to replace our current laying flock. From the two batches of eggs we incubated, we have already butchered the older set of roosters, still leaving about 40 or so young birds. From that 40 we kept about 8 hens. That still left many birds to choose from. When Emmet arrived, we first picked out 10 hens and 2 roosters for his new flock. Then the work really began.


It has been too long since our chicken house has been cleaned out. We planned to clean it out long before now, but my sinus issues have kept me out of the chicken house except during feeding time, and on a few occasions Frank was left to do everything on his own. When Frank came up with the idea of trading chickens for a clean chicken house, I thought it was a great idea. He contacted Emmet and the deal was struck.

 


It made pretty quick work for the three of us to get the house cleaned up. Frank brought down the tractor to haul the trashcans full of manure to the garden. We have several empty areas in the garden that received this wonderful fertilizer. The parts that suffered the most when the heavy, spring rains really washed away the topsoil now have a good start at renewing the nutrients for next year.

 










As we left the chicken house I looked at Emmet and said, "Good trade. Have you ever seen that movie? Dances With Wolves?" He had and agreed it was a very good trade. You see there comes a time when you have to ask for help to accomplish some tasks that you used to do with ease. Frank and I are no longer young whipper snappers like Emmet and it was a blessing to have his help. For us this was a very good trade, and it also helped Emmet start a larger flock of chickens for his growing family.


Once the chicken house clean up was complete, it was time for water, coffee and more radio conversation. Frank is a natural teacher and enjoys sharing information about setting up a shack, wiring antennas, or general knowledge about increasing the effectiveness of existing radio communications equipment or techniques. While they talked radio, I got the sourdough rolls ready to bake. I had mixed up the dough earlier in the morning so it would have time to ferment and predigest those carbs for us. After I went to the barn and finished up the chores of milking, feeding and watering the animals, it was time to bake and sample the bread.


There are so many different things we can barter or share, whether it is a tangible, albeit live commodity, or knowledge. The last article we wrote about books is another example of learning information and skills that can be 'traded' or bartered. As the time draws nearer to a total change in the way business is conducted around the globe, but more importantly in your neighborhood close to home, having tangible goods, skills or knowledge that can be traded for something you need or want, will not be a convenience, but a necessity. So how are your bartering skills coming along? 

Sharpen up your skills and senses. Keep a keen eye on what is in your midst and fast approaching over the horizon. Time keeps ticking along, sometimes almost imperceptibly, bringing us closer and closer to the inevitable. Don't get caught in a stream of regret where you would 'trade' it all for one more day to prepare.

Until next time - Fern

17 comments:

  1. What a great article today about bartering. We do it too, butchered someone's rabbits for them, and got some wonderful beef for it. Surplus vegetables turned into halibut (yuumy!)

    We usually get some meat from one of my cousins in the fall, they get garden stuff from me throughout the summer. This year, they got lots of plums when my brother brought me too much to handle. So my brother will be getting meat too, which is nice, because just the other day his wife said that beef sure has gotten expensive. And he will get a chicken and sauerkraut as well from us.

    Thanksgiving really means something, doesn't it, when you have made an effort producing the food?

    My 37 chickens running around the front yard have drawn attention from the pedestrians and cyclers, ha ha. A stranger stopped in today to pick an apple from our tree and take a closer look at the birds. So my husband went out and they had a nice chat and got to know each other a bit better.

    The weather is getting cooler now and there is fresh snow on the mountains. Soon most of those chickens will be in the freezer and jars, and the rest should be laying enough eggs that I will have some to sell. Lots of people keep asking for eggs.

    Oh, I just about forgot to tell you. I believe in signs, and when an All-American canner showed up in the local ads for only $250, my husband had no hesitation about getting it. It normally would have cost over $600. Sure, it is an older model 930, but it looks good. Now we have 2 of them. The first one is new, but didn't cost much, because he sort of dragged his feet when I asked (told) him to go and get it. Instead he got as far as the local casino and won $400, then happily got the new canner, ha ha.

    As for the signs...well, I got two excellent canners for very little money. God is taking care of me and my friends (who will be borrowing them). Why else would I have this blessing if it wasn't needed?

    Wishing you all the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blessings do come in all different forms and packages. We thank the Big Guy daily for all that we have, because we know where it truly comes from. That 1/10th that we give back is really nothing considering that 100% comes from Him. We're all blessed one way or another, I just don't think everybody knows that. Take care.

      Frank

      Delete
  2. I think barter is wonderful. We've bartered a full bed (head & footboards, rails, mattress & boxspring) for 8 hours work by a skilled carpenter, auto repairs for electrical work, firewood for meat, vegetables that we grew for those we didn't, bread making lessons for plant seedlings, and so on.

    Recently a licensed electrician told us that bartered goods are to be declared on your tax return (http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420.html) - we were shocked! I think, & hope, it refers more to businesses, but will not pursue clarification.

    Anyway, neither he nor we were going to declare the barter. I'd just be careful with whom you barter and how much you say about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bellen, good advice. We don't barter a lot, but we do on occasion. There are some weird tax laws out there, because you are supposed to declare all forms of income. As the government gets more and more desperate for other people's money, you're right, be careful who you discuss it with. There are some federal agencies I try to avoid at all costs, legally.

      Frank

      Delete
  3. I enjoy reading your blog and learned so much. My husband and I have been thinking about skills for bartering. He built our house entirely on his own, so he has bartering skills. I have learned to cut hair, have years of experience homeschooling and tutoring, can cook from scratch (if shtf there will be a lot of people who don't know how to cook basic foods) and can knit and sew. Can you think of some other areas we could work on?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Cindy. Medical training. Start with a local CPR class, expand to First Aid. You can take the free medical training just about as far as you choose to pursue. Yes, I'd recommend all types of medical training for all people. You never know when the medical provider might be in need of medical attention. Thank you for your comment.

      Frank

      Delete
  4. Dear Frank and Fern, My wife discovered your blog some months ago and we both love it. Thank you for the time you take from your busy life to share your thoughts with us, it is like visiting with old friends around the fire. My wife and I have been gathering for years and prepping hard for the last few. We have much in place but so much more to do, like many others. When the Crunch comes what we have stored will be just what the Lord wanted us to have. We were thin on comm gear so I just ordered 2 Baofeng UV-5R V2+ radios with 3800mAh Li-ion batteries, spare 1800 mAh Li-ion batteries, battery eliminators, car chargers, data cable and software, etc (to add to the GTX 1050 GMRS HTs and base station purchased last year), as well as Nagoya antennas, whip and mag base for both, and a selection of connectors: SMA to PL, SMA to BNC, etc. plus a Uniden BC355N scanner and cables. As a retired Marine Corps SIGINTer I have a pretty good grip on field expedient antennas if I need them, and have a Codan C463 wide band dipole for my base; also a 9350 auto tuning whip for HF if I go that route. (The Codans were a gift. I wouldn't have them otherwise. Way to $$$). Anyhow, thanks again for the sanity check on what God has been tell us to do. Sometimes we feel like a lone voice for prepping. Looking forward to meeting you and Fran in the air! 73, 1NCCCH AR..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1NCCCH, there are lots of us that feel alone, and I mean truly alone. We meet folks on occasion that share some of the same basic ideas, but Fern and I seem to take the situation quite a bit more seriously. I wish others could truly see, but they just can't.

      On your comm gear. I'm not familiar with the two antennas you mentioned, but I will do a search to see what I can find out. As you probably are aware, we have some seriously bad times coming. I am thankful everyday that the grocery stores are still open, because I know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that one day the trucks are going to cease to roll, the stores will empty, and there will be chaos and crime that has never been seen in our society. I don't know if a person can prepare for that. We'll see, I guess.

      Thank you for reading, I'm glad you enjoy the blog, and please comment anytime you feel comfortable.

      Frank

      Delete
  5. Great post Fern. There is no greater feeling than helping someone else, especially in their own quest for self-sufficiency.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Leigh. Most of my professional teaching career has been teaching high school males. Lots of these kids seemed to lack direction. Now I am not a stellar model by any means, but some of these kids would gravitate towards a decent, honest, adult, male, authority figure. I always tried to share what I could. It has been my honor to have been given this job and to serve a group of fine young men. For that, I am truly thankful.

      Frank

      Delete
  6. Fern,

    Were constantly thinking of ways to barter services, or items we store on the homestead. Our bartering skills (welding, mechanical, maintenance, baking, canning, leather, and gunsmith) has worked for us these past several months.

    I have to admit our son, Tank took it upon himself to barter(without our help) with the manager at a local garage. He welds for the shop, and in turn they work on his 1 ton flatbed truck when he has maintenance issues.

    I have a stash of medical supplies, alcohol, along with a few other resources to use as bartering tools when needed. Granted we would rather barter our services, than actual products.

    Hugs,
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy, bartering isn't one of our strong points, but it does happen on occasion. It usually involves a combination of work and tangibles. It's hard for me to see past the collapse and how bartering will work it's way into the 'new' system, but I do know it will be there. We'll just have to wait and see how it works out.

      Fern

      Delete
  7. Dear Frank and Fern,
    I have a friend who has been troubled by all of the recent events happening in the world. She feels that some very terrible things are going to happen in our country, and we must be prepared for what will occur. I wholeheartedly agree. Here is where we differ. I am actually doing something to prepare, while she is not. We have had lengthy discussions about how to prepare for the uncertain times that are ahead. She says she doesn’t know what to do. I have told her that the first step is to pray for guidance. She agrees. After that, she is lost. I have sent her links to your blog and related links. She reads them, and we discuss the relevance to our lives and preps.
    She says that she has read that everyone needs a year’s supply of food. Her reply to that is that she doesn’t have the room for that. (She does, and I have given her information on how to store food cheaply.) She says that even if she did have that much food, what would she do when it runs out? I told her to have heirloom seeds, canning jars and lids, supplies to preserve food, et cetera stored before something happens. She just stares at me. (She knows how to garden, can, and preserve.) She wants to know what will happen if we are in a grid down situation, we can’t use credit or debit cards, and no supplies are available in stores. She wants to know how she will buy things when cash has no value. She says that she doesn’t have any extra cash, and buying silver is not the answer. I have told her about sales on items that would be good to have on hand for TEOTWAWKI. (Gallon jugs of shampoo concentrate on sale for $7.99. They dilute to make 8 gallons.)
    She wants to get a group of Christian people together to discuss TEOTWAWKI. It was four months ago that she was going to do this. She has done nothing. She just keeps talking and worrying. What happened today has sealed the deal that I will think long and hard before joining any group that she is a part of, even though she is a friend and I care for her.
    I always can applesauce, apple butter, and apple pie filling from the apples on my tree. I only got seven apples this year, due to a storm destroying all of the blossoms. I put the word out that I would like any extra apples that any of my friends had. She offered to let me pick apples from the tree in her yard. I really appreciated this. She only wanted enough apples to make a few pies. After work, I picked 10 five-gallon buckets full of apples, and finally had to go home to get some work done. These apples would have been an easy way to store some much-needed food for TEOTWAWKI. She isn’t taking advantage of the food that she has. That is a person who will take from others instead of providing for her own needs. I am continuing to pray for her and her family.
    How do we know whom to trust as part of our group? (I have a husband, three adult children, their spouses, and grandchildren.) How do we balance benevolence and providing for our own needs? How do we help those who refuse to help themselves, or can we?
    Thank you for indulging me in this long letter.
    Sincerely,
    Prepared Grammy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Grammy, a very simple response is, you've tried, given it your best shot, and then tried again. There is nothing else you can do. Take care of yours and those that you are responsible for, the rest, unfortunately, are on their own. Be concerned, but don't worry yourself about things you have no control over.

      In response to your group question, I don't know if there is anyone that you can totally trust. The reason being, when things turn sour your neighbors and friends will change. When they become hungry or desperate, then you will see a different person standing at your door. Many people will do whatever is necessary to provide for their own. Those folks will change. Be very cautious who you share with. Today it may be one person, tomorrow ten, the next day 100. Be very careful. The more people that know, puts your family in danger, because everybody has cousins and those cousins have other cousins. You can't help them all.

      Take care, and the best to you and yours.

      Frank

      Delete
    2. I agree on being secretive. My response is that I always can some of my garden vegetables, but I don't have much since it was a bad year for everyone. Everything other than my home-canned food is hidden. I don't even know if my kids know where it is, but they could find it in an emergency.

      Delete
  8. Bartering is great. I come from a big family, and we have discussed each of us focusing on a different aspect and trading meat/produce/other items with each other. And Dances with Wolves is one of my favorite movies ever!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Jamie. Big families can certainly be a tremendous asset when the time comes. Try to use everyone strengths and accept their weaknesses. Thank you for your comment.

      Frank

      Delete