Successful Swaps: Barter Instead of Buy

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ILLUSTRATION: FOTOLIA/PATRIMONIO DESIGNS
MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers share their most successful swaps.

In a past issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of mankind’s better ideas – barter-and offered up an interesting suggestion: “I’d like to see a continuing feature on barter and skill-and-labor exchanges,” said Bill.

Meals for Handy Men

We have quite a swap going here every Sunday (and holidays too).

I’m considered a good cook . . . and with our garden, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and so forth we usually have plenty of food. On Sundays I prepare a meal large enough for 20 to 25 people and invite a regular group of relatives and friends-most of whom are our children’s age-with huge appetites, strong muscles, and plenty of energy. In return for a few hours of work (tilling the garden, working on the cars, repairing the roof, mowing the yard, helping kill and dress the birds and rabbits . . . the list is endless) these wonderful people get all the food they can eat plus the enjoyment from a few games of croquet, volleyball, badminton, or baseball in our big yard.

My husband and I are semi-disabled and don’t know how we’d get the work done without the generous help of these young people. Sometimes my husband does the cooking on the charcoal grill and I take the day off just to visit with our many guests . . . but either way we know that through these get-togethers we receive much more pleasure-and help – than our cooking warrants. What’s more, we think the young folks enjoy themselves, too.

  • Published on Nov 1, 1976
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