A trade and barter network

I've been reading up on some of the new FDA procedures coming into the US which includes irradiating food and ultrapasteurization of everything that is/was once living, and I'm bothered by this. Quite frankly, whatever the US does, Canada follows suit/ends up with product treated that way.

I'm considering starting a trade and barter network across Canada, linking people who have skills or goods with people who need them, without trade for money, only work or goods. Confidentiality among members would be required, I'm sure, when it comes to certain goods some people will be willing to trade. Everything from canning to mechanic work and so on.

For example, such and such a person knows how to can fruits and make jams, but the person who grows them does not have the skills/time to do so. The trade would be goods for work, with an agreement on produce and canned good exchange.

Would anyone be interested in something like this?

I love the idea, but in the case of foods there may be laws within the provinces that will prevent exchange within or across borders. Eg: meat processed in one province may not be legal in another province without certain paperwork in place. If you stay away from meat, eggs and of course milk, this could be good!

Schipperkesue wrote:I love the idea, but in the case of foods there may be laws within the provinces that will prevent exchange within or across borders. Eg: meat processed in one province may not be legal in another province without certain paperwork in place. If you stay away from meat, eggs and of course milk, this could be good!

Right. *Whistles and hides her anonimity sign*

I would sure do that. Wish we could buy shares in a goat or cow and lots of other things. Count me in.

I have always thought money should have never been invented, but instead, the barter system.

It is not for everyone. If you ask my wife she wants nothing to do with it and more importantly she wants me to have nothing more to do with it. I am a sucker and keep trying it. I have traded my tree moving services to a person. I did over $2000.00 worth of work for him and then he was supposed to do plumbing for me, he kept putting off coming to work for me until he was less busy and then after a year or so he took sick and died. The next person I moved trees for him and did a lot of work on numerous days for him and he did a little work for me and then abruptly moved away from my area and went to live and work up in Fort Mac. The next was a neighbour who I have moved trees for and he also is a plumber and the one time that I asked him to come over when he had a chance to do plumbing for me he just did nothing and yet asked me to come over to move more trees for him. DO I HAVE A GIANT "M" ON MY FOREHEAD ? 'MARK'

Maybe it is not the other people that are the problem. A wise person once told me that if you have an A hole for a neighbor and so you move and again you still have an A hole for a neighbor and once agian you move and still end up with an A hole for a neighbor then just maybe it's not the neighbor that is the problem.

You are a sweetheart, Dan. I am sure many times your bartering did work out for you. Unfortunately not all people in this works are as honest as you. If Sweetened creates a system there would need to be some checks and balances for this kind of thing.

You know, next time, I would come back and remove the trees- I know, probably get you in trouble, but it is fun to think of the look on the guy's face when he sees you drive away leaving a giant hole!

I belonged to a group when I lived in Nelson that was called something like "Kootenay Barter Bucks" or some such thing. Big no-brainer that the Kootenays would already have something exactly like what you're talking about. The system was quite sophisticated (and I talk about it as "was" because I don't live there or interact with it anymore - I don't know if it is but I hope it's still in action) and solved the problem of Joe Blow providing services to Jer Bear, then Jer Bear dies before he can repay Joe. Every service went into a "bank" and a person could contribute their service, then "withdraw" whichever service they needed. No need to search out a direct trade.

It was a great system.

It was so well-received in the city that some businesses even started taking "Barter Bucks" as currency.

Anyway, you might be able to search this out and save yourself some legwork. This is nothing new, and there are many people ready and already participating.

farmchiq wrote:I belonged to a group when I lived in Nelson that was called something like "Kootenay Barter Bucks" or some such thing. Big no-brainer that the Kootenays would already have something exactly like what you're talking about. The system was quite sophisticated (and I talk about it as "was" because I don't live there or interact with it anymore - I don't know if it is but I hope it's still in action) and solved the problem of Joe Blow providing services to Jer Bear, then Jer Bear dies before he can repay Joe. Every service went into a "bank" and a person could contribute their service, then "withdraw" whichever service they needed. No need to search out a direct trade.

It was a great system.

It was so well-received in the city that some businesses even started taking "Barter Bucks" as currency.

Anyway, you might be able to search this out and save yourself some legwork. This is nothing new, and there are many people ready and already participating.

The advantage here is that you probably had to contribute BEFORE you could take. That would solve Dan's issues entirely.

Here's the kootenay site, Let me know what you think, I'll write more here later today about my ideas

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Well just last week I sold 5 chicken's and got 15 rolls of weaving thread in trade with one friend.
I also had the vet out and she looked at my horse, plus my goat that the horse had stood on.
The goat had been on stall rest for 3 months and had been getting better. The vet told me she had an infection in her leg and so we sorted out what to do.
She is now walking and doing fine thanks to the vet.
Any way I went in to pay my bill and the goat was not on the bill. She wants me to put a new zipper in her jacket instead of billing me for the goat.

I love the barter system, but feel most of the time it has to be people that you know very well or someone you are doing a value for value exchange straight away for.

Reminds me, I had a plumber friend come out and look at my furnace. He drove out, looked at it, discovered a piece of Christmas wrapping paper that had been sucked in the air return duct, and cleaned a couple cobwebs out. When he refused payment I offered him a frankenchicken I had raised. He was thrilled! So off he went with his frozen bird and a smile. That was a most awesome transaction.

I too do a bit of bartering. My neighbor stores my potatoes in his root cellar for me, I in turn give him some chickens. I also trade live animals to live animals when I can as I hate trying to deal with cash! I would love to be in in this deal if possible!!

I too would be interested.

Oh good, LOL, alberta is covered

I just remembered another one.
My youngest 2 boys were raising rabbits, someone traded potatoes for 3 rabbits , then I paid the kids for the potatoes. A win win for everyone

I like to bater and trade as well.

Depends on whats up for barter or trade mind you.

Hillbilly wrote:I have always thought money should have never been invented, but instead, the barter system.

My grandmother used to be a banker. Growing up, she tried very hard to help me understand money, how it works, how to spend it and so on. I always, always kept saying "But it's paper, can't I draw my own?"

Completely with you. If the economy crashes, guess what's worth anything? Goods. Simple.

So I had a chance to review the Kootenay barter system and I'm trying to figure out what I like/don't like about it.

I like the written currency and the fact that some places of business, like Canadian tire money, will take the money as funds they can use, however the $10 an hour thing is very.. I unno. A license to print money isn't what I'm after. However, I was considering something like a ratings system, akin to ebay. Barterers are rated on performance and quality and so on and earn rankings. Rankings which, where possible, could earn some kind of ;local' buck that would be redeemable like a gift certificate at participating businesses or whatever.

I'm interested as to how you'd like things like this ran. I'm thinking a central hub with 'divisions' that watch regions persay.

I have done the barter system on many many items and services and it has always worked out for me, I do like to trade for things I need and want.

The last big barter deal we did, we traded our old diesel pickup for a whole lot of hay.

The biggest barter we did was 4 dozen eggs for 20 squares of straw

I have the best neighbour on earth! She comes and gets grain, often stuff we have spilled or sweeps bin bottoms and I have not purchased meat in years. She is thrilled and thinks she is getting a good deal, I know I am getting the best deal! Lamb, beef, chicken....best barter ever! I love to barter. Makes me silly happy!

I barter my eggs for a lot of things. I seldom sell them for cash. I think the best barter I do is with the neighbour down the road. I give her 2 dozen eggs for a bale of shavings (she only wanted 1 but I didn't think it was enough). They buy it by the pallet at about $4.50 a bale and then bring it home, over an hour drive. I only have to go a little down the road for it and if I had to go to Buckerfields in Kelowna it would cost me over $11 I think. Works for both of us!

This all sounds interesting Sweetened. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Sweetend, the only problem I can see with the rating system is if someone gets their nose out of joint and tries to "sabotage" someones ratings.