Friday, October 03, 2008

what skills do you have to barter with?

Currently the web and the lists I am on are full of worry and fears over the financial market here and abroad.
The news daily has word of the bail out
People are either for or against it
Some people are worried that “The End Of The World As We Know It” (TEOTWAWKI) has arrived

I don’t think so
However, as part of Bernie (although reluctantly on his part) and my ongoing quest for more self sufficiency, I was thinking of what barter-able skills we both have.

Here is a partial list of mine
Cooking from scratch
Canning
Gardening
Some animal husbandry and I can milk but it’s been ages
Butter churning
Sewing ( and pattern/clothes making)
Knitting
Crocheting
Spinning
I also tell a good story and am a born teacher
Dog training
Herbal medicines
Soapmaking
Baking ( including bread)
Dehydrating
Wood stacking
Keeping a woodstove going

What I would still like to learn
Shoe making!
Leather tanning
Bee keeping
Horse breaking
dry curing meat
brine curing meat
how to build an underground root cellar


and what other things would we have to barter with?

maple syrup from my sugar maples
eggs from the ducks..... and some duck meat (done for this year......)

i need to refresh my chicken layers so no chicken eggs right now....soon though

i do have two ewes ......tunis ewes
i would need a ram but each one of my ewes should twin........although i wouldn't count on that
and they can be kept on pasture, as they are thrifty

my wethers would have to go
and my goat......well......she's going to be three now....and not bred yet
so i imagine that she will be dinner unfortunately

what would i barter for?

a broke to pulling draft oxen or draft cow
and grazing land

fruit bushes and trees

and a non electric well pump

wood for the stove

salt

sugar


it's interesting to think about this
what would you do?

i do NOT believe that the end of the world is coming.....nor total economic collapse
i do think some rough times are coming
if they aren't here already
and i also think that we collectively need to start paying more attention to the basics..... food shelter energy
but on a very personal and local scale
a return to victory gardens
putting by food during the growing season OURSELVES
being more responsible for our selves

so again i ask you

what would you do?
what skills do you have
what would you like to learn?

No comments:

Post a Comment

thank you for your comment- it will take a while to appear on the site, as it does get moderated (to cut down on spammers- i also don't allow backlinks)
i do so appreciate your taking time to write to me
vi