we need to bring bartering back
the playful art of garden bartering
we need to bring bartering back.
i just returned from visiting my friend’s garden—the same friend who helped me start mine. his trellis is overflowing with loofah vines, and the rows go on and on: basil, marigolds, zinnias, butternut squash, cherry tomatoes. the reason i was there? it was my turn to scavenge through the garden and harvest whatever i wanted.
that’s the beauty of having garden friends—you trade produce, swap advice (like why my pumpkin stems are turning yellow… i’m guessing the heat, but if anyone knows for sure, please share!), and sometimes even walk away with a homemade gift. this time, it was a bottle of cayenne hot sauce my friend made from peppers out of my own garden that i’d given him a few weeks back.
this is exactly why we need to bring bartering back, or trade, or whatever you want to call it. groceries shouldn’t be expensive. produce shouldn’t be expensive. food is a human right, and i’ll always stand by that.
with that said, enjoy a few photos from my visit: his garden and my very full harvest basket, including three types of basil (my favorite being tulsi), which i’ll be drying soon to make tea later this season. oh, and of course, that bottle of cayenne sauce i mentioned.
