Barter Days

We have recently joined some old friends and new friends in learning how to barter and trade in a cash less society.  This past weekend was our second month participating.  It is pretty fun :) It is about 1 1/2 hour away from home, and takes some preparation to figure out what your specialty actually is, and what is a a popular trade. PS#2 painted rocks and traded for soap, a plastic axe and a box of pencils.  Everyone's kids seem to love getting in on the action. It is really cute! A great social studies and economics lesson in living color.

We took dried herbs (culinary and medicinal).  I was able to actually wild craft horse mint, which I dehydrated, then placed in jelly jars.  I also made cheese, cookies, rosemary infused olive oil and rosemary infused organic apple Cider vinegar (for a marinade).  I had two dozen eggs, 5. lbs of wheat, bread, 2 lbs of ground meat that we harvested and packaged this past November.  I was able to trade for some really cool items, such as:  home made vanilla extract, 3 bars of soap, oolong loose tea, dried licorice root, two mint plants, one aloe, one spilanthes, and two lamb's quarters plants, goat milk, a Californian bunny 8 weeks old, chile pequin jelly, an antique bellows (for the fire), organic smoked paprika, an herbal extract book, one large soy candle, two smaller soy candles, a dozen pint sized canning jars,a wild crafted tincture made with Echinacea, bonset, and a few other herbs I can't remember.  I traded for some Swiss chard, fresh dill, and fresh mint too.  We are already planning what we will take next month.  (Here is a link to 27 useful medicinal plants http://odyb.net/discoveries/27-medicinal-plants-worth-your-garden-space/ )

I am planning to make marinated feta, more medicinal herbs, lemon-honey cough syrup, and apple mint starts.  Probably more items, but they will come to me :)

We are in the process of selling some of our doelings.  Too many to feed, and not enough grass.  So about six will be finding new homes soon, for either breeding or butchering.  We have made arrangements to trade 1-2 goats for chickens and ducks.

Fern, our sow, will be delivering soon.  Her due date was yesterday, but nothing, though her teats are almost dragging the ground and she is HUGE.  Very excited!

Harvested our first green beans the other day, which we had for dinner.  They were really good, though not enough for every one to have any, but the kids seemed okay with that :)

Yesterday, I worked in the garden for three hours (I am feeling it this morning, let me tell you).  I didn't finish weeding, too much to do, but I did get the tomatoes staked up, a few more seeds planted (more green beans and okra).  Watered everything well, this heat is hard on the plants.  We were having such cool temps, then BAM! the past week 100 degrees.

The nights are pretty cool, though a tad humid.  I wake up to the bed covers feeling damp, and even the couch feels damp.  We did end up putting the small AC in our bedroom.  It is a cool respite during the day, so if anyone gets too hot, they go rest in the bedroom.  We are keeping the bunny in there, to help keep it alive.  We lost all our rabbits several years ago to the heat.

We are expecting severe storms, and after that F5 in Oklahoma, I am very nervous about it.  I asked PH to rent a back hoe this coming weekend and get the hole dug for our storm shelter.  I hope he will do so soon.

Well, off to pick up around the place before the storm hits, and to head to work at the library.  Keep your eyes open everyone, keep safe and be prepared!