Thursday, January 17, 2008

I LOVE bartering...

Friday is Chia's big day. We will make the trip down to the breeders where she will meet her Beau, William, once again. Hopefully she cooperates this time around. She will be staying until it is obvious she has been bred.
It is an almost 2 hour trip, so the first half of the day will be spent on that. Then in the afternoon, we will be meeting up with a local who is searching for a bantam cochin to accommodate their ladies.We have no purpose for ours and a barter was quickly made. She gets the cochin from the hatchery order we received, and we get some Triple Crown (thornless) blackberry plants.
I LOVE bartering for goods. I had no use for the rooster and contemplated taking him to auction so we could keep the rooster population down. I am much happier with Triple Crown Blackberries. Much happier.
So that brings me to a change in my Stark Bros. order. We enjoy picking blueberries from the Blueberry shack each year, plus the cost is very reasonable. So we decided to change them out for something that is not easily found local and when found can be a bit pricey. The change in the order was removing the blueberries and one peach tree. In their place we added 2 pear trees (a bosc and a bartlett) plus a nectarine tree. What an orchard it will be!
So now on just over 1 acre, we are able to produce 5 different tree fruits, 2 different grapes, some blackberries, and grand ( 30 ftX45 ft) vegetable plot. Plus raise our own meat chickens, egg layers, and hopefully soon goats milk for yogurt and cheese. Our farmer friend will be taking the pig to butcher in a few weeks so the freezer will be filled with all natural, chemical free, pasture pork! Plus we may be receiving some beef from a steer he is taking down in a month or two. That should make the Captain happy- that beef lover.
Of course there will be plenty to barter with which has been produced by us. We have even discussed a possibility for a small market stand next to the driveway with any extra fruits or such, next year. I bring this up since The Captain asked "What are we going to do with all those pears and plums from 2 trees?. Of course I reply "Have I ever failed to amaze you with my resourcefulness? Of course not. Just wait and see. When the time comes, they will not go to waste".
6 years ago, I would have not imagined what we have made possible with this small plot of land. Nor would I have thought I would be successful at it, which has come with many trial and errors. Many have shaken their heads and doubted me. Or even thought it was out of place here in the suburbs. But look at us now. We've come a long way, baby.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie

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