Items to stock up on for bartering ?

[Suzu]

Vaseline is pretty good, cheap and lasting , effective way to treat dry,chapped, windburned, minor burns , abrasions etc etc

It's also toxic.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Rice and Beans -- by the tonnage if you were able -- first and foremost as a foundation that precedes absolutely everything else, including PM's and weaponry. That includes a place to store it, and the means to keep the knowledge of its existence hidden. Because force, public and private, will take it from you.

There is a normalcy bias, especially in developed countries, that causes that transient, perishable commodity called food to be the most undervalued commodity on Earth. The faith that food will always be made available as supply is right on par with the majority's faith that fiat currency will always have at least some value in exchange. Of all the market manipulations and distortions that have taken place over the past hundred years, no supply has been made more dangerously dependent on fuel+debt-currency, than food. Food value is in a reverse bubble. Agriculture has been manipulated, consolidated and concentrated to the point where starvation will be the ultimate genesis of most bloodshed. Not "jobs". Not "money supply", and certainly not best items to barter in voluntary exchange with others, as even that "market" won't exist as anyone imagines it will. FOOD.

In the aftermath of a major catastrophic financial implosion (the magnitude of which has NEVER occurred on Earth before) there will be absolutely nothing more important, more skyrocketed in value, than food. That includes gold and silver combined, and SOLELY due to food's real scarcity relative to the size of the population that will be chasing and competing for those goods. And if you have only enough to feed yourself and your family, and even then only for a short time, that food will be priceless. Literally, it will not be part of "supply", as it will not be for sale at any price. There will be no amount of gold, silver or anything else that will tempt you in the slightest to part with it. And guns to take it from you? Those with guns would have to first know that the food even exists to be taken.

Not too many people think this through: Where is food coming from now, and how did it get there? How centralized are the market controls on that supply, as many eggs in relatively few consolidated baskets, and how volatile is that supply should one or more of its fundamental market dependencies be destroyed? If you're worried about what to barter with your neighbors, how much bigger a problem is that for a massive farm with enormous mega-dependencies on our Monetary Ponzi Schemes?

Family farms are a thing of history (but I also predict a solid thing of the future as well). Food really is no longer local. Not even close to being indirectly local, as it once was as a rule. And even though everyone knows, logically and consciously, that food does not originate in grocery stores and local farmers markets, our ingrained, deep-seated conditioned belief is exactly the opposite. A normalcy bias exists now in almost everyone alive in our country today, such that grocery stores and local farmers markets really are "the sources" of that continuously replenished supply food that has always been so commonplace. How it gets there has never been our concern, any more than the average person with a car knows how the engine works -- so that part of it is never examined.

On the whole, our core faith that food will somehow continue to find its way to us as supply is taken completely for granted - even with people who really should know better. So food ends up being just one more thing on a bucket list of "possible barter choices". There may be shortages, the reasoning goes, but hopefully those will be short-lived (they have in the past, right?). So, the reasoning continues, perhaps it might be A Good Idea to fill up a few five gallon buckets with something or another. You know, just in case. Otherwise, food may be expensive to obtain (relative to the value of the constantly eroded, ever-failing fiat currency), but at least, somehow, the supply will be there - "if the price is right". That's fine. As long as you have a store of Something Truly Valuable, you can always get food, right?

I think of gold, silver, and other goods in exchange as potentially worthless if I don't have at least a personal store of food to back it up. But if you have enough food, it is potentially enough to get every other commodity in exchange at will - because it truly will be the most scarce, as well as the most required by everyone.

My kingdom for a bowl of rice.

Recommended Reading: The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck.

You raise some interesting points.Valid too. I find them interesting because I grew up on a couple hundred acres of prime forest and mountains with a natural spring feeding a river full of trout in the Blue Ridge mountains. The family garden was/is over an acre itself with room to add and plenty of hunting and fishing. Had chickens. No worries where having clean water was concerned. Acres of wild berries. Strawberries, black berries, raspberries, Black walnut trees, peaches, apples...on and on....caves. I do plan on returning to the old home place just because there simply is nobody around to be bothered with if for no other reason.

We lived many a years there with no reason whatsoever to go into town for anything at all save for the mail.

There is much to be said about learning the realities of surviving but for those whose way of life was/is premised upon the little things in life I think things will be just fine for them if it ever does hit the fan. Even a solar flare phenomenon. Can you believe that I learned how to can when I was like 3? True story. Was riding horses early too just to get up and around the holler. Horses are good...

Nowadays everbody feeds junior xbox without a care in the world. Burger king for dinner. Never even heard of how to snare a rabbit or whatever. Just fill up at the pump and off you go until it's time to fill up again.

You're right in scope though. I kind of feel sorry for the city folks. If it ever does hit the fan and folks must survive they probably won't. Doesn't matter how one "prepares". If surviving hasn't ever been the standard way of living at some point in their lives in the true sense of the word and for an extended period of time...like years...then they'll only be able to wing it for so long among themselves.

Oh and watch out for the bears if'n yer heading down to the spring. Another true story.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Forgot to add to the list which is why I read this thread to begin with before i stumbled upon the other posters scribbles.

Consider investing in a small quantity of those solar powered usb thingamabobs for ones own use. They're small. About the size of a key chain. They come with a variety of plugs on the opposite end. They work on laptops, phones, gps and a host of other devices that need only to be powered up to retrieve stored data that you may have decided needed storing for whatever reason.

 

[Steven Douglas]

We lived many a years there with no reason whatsoever to go into town for anything at all save for the mail.

I have lived that. It is an amazing feeling most cannot relate to. But it's how much of this country began, and was the norm for much of the population once upon a time.

There is much to be said about learning the realities of surviving but for those whose way of life was premised upon the little things in life I think things will be just fine if it ever does hit the fan. Can you believe that I learned how to can when I was like 3? True story.

I was helping at 5 or 6, but actually made three cases of pickles by myself at 10. That was a great feeling, and I'm a still a canning freak after all these years. Just gets in your blood, I guess. See an orchard at picking season with rotting fruit on he ground, make a quick deal with the owner, and all the fruit on the ground, as many lugs as you can stock, is free. See dillweed growing tall and gorgeous on the side of the road and snag it!

You're right in scope though. I kind of feel sorry for the city folks. If it ever does hit the fan and folks must survive they probably won't. Doesn't matter how one "prepares". If surviving hasn't ever been the standard way of living at some point in their lives in the true sense of the word and for an extended peiod...like years...then they'll only be able to wing it for so long.

That is the truth, and that sits hard with me. It's my whole reason for saying beans and rice, as much as they can store. At least they won't starve to death while they're learning to survive by the bootstraps they really don't have.

 

[opal]

vaseline is also a good carrier for medicinal herbs - some of them anyway. Smush up some thyme in it and apply for a darn fine disinfecting paste.. sticks really well to skin too.

 

[Carlybee]

Decent article on growing plants in small and urban spaces http://www.naturalnews.com/037137_gardening_apartments_yards.html#ixzz264mpqrsL

 

[smithtg]

learn how to brew beer and acquire grains needed to make such

 

[amy31416]

What good is vaseline? And who wears nylon stockings anymore? Would I wear them while gardening, or chopping firewood, or fetching water from the spring? Maybe while riding my bike??

I've been stockpiling shoes and clothes from garage sales. Every year I spend about $50 on clothes and I've got enough to fill seven or eight walk-in closets and chests of drawers.

One more thing I think would serve well as a barter item that I haven't seen mentioned so far here is 99.9% copper one-ounce rounds. For most small purchases, there won't be a small enough silver coin.

Vaseline can be used for many, many things--lubricant (no, not that pervs), to start a fire, what oyarde said, etc. Nylons can be used as a filter (my grandma used to use them as a filter for the water that drained out of the washing machine), in place of bungee cords, to hold a bandage in place, here's an interesting list: http://www.rd.com/home/23-bizarre-uses-for-pantyhose/

Clothes, unless stored properly, will degrade pretty easily over time. Most homes don't have climate-controlled closets. They'll also attract certain types of pests.

 

[amy31416]

vaseline is also a good carrier for medicinal herbs - some of them anyway. Smush up some thyme in it and apply for a darn fine disinfecting paste.. sticks really well to skin too.

That reminds me--DMSO is also a good carrier for topical medicines.

 

[amy31416]

I have lived that. It is an amazing feeling most cannot relate to. But it's how much of this country began, and was the norm for much of the population once upon a time.



I was helping at 5 or 6, but actually made three cases of pickles by myself at 10. That was a great feeling, and I'm a still a canning freak after all these years. Just gets in your blood, I guess. See an orchard at picking season with rotting fruit on he ground, make a quick deal with the owner, and all the fruit on the ground, as many lugs as you can stock, is free. See dillweed growing tall and gorgeous on the side of the road and snag it!



That is the truth, and that sits hard with me. It's my whole reason for saying beans and rice, as much as they can store. At least they won't starve to death while they're learning to survive by the bootstraps they really don't have.

I'm going to start canning next summer--and after an incident at work with a giant pressure cooker blowing out on me I'm a little gun shy. Any advice on equipment/methods? I canned with my grandma when I was little, but haven't done it since.

 

[erowe1]

It's also toxic.

I don't think oyarde meant for it to be used as salad dressing.

 

[oyarde]

It's also toxic.

Whenever I get off te Malboro red , I will be concerned with my health , figure I am already way ahead of the game .

 

[tod evans]

I'm going to start canning next summer--and after an incident at work with a giant pressure cooker blowing out on me I'm a little gun shy. Any advice on equipment/methods? I canned with my grandma when I was little, but haven't done it since.

What are you canning?

Hot water bath is good for most some veggies and lots of fruits..

 

[amy31416]

What are you canning?

Hot water bath is good for most some veggies and lots of fruits..

Tomatoes, broths/soups, beans, applesauce, pears, and when the trees mature--peaches, plums, apples, cherries. Whatever else I decide to plant. I have both a traditional pressure cooker and a steam canner.

 

[oyarde]

I'm going to start canning next summer--and after an incident at work with a giant pressure cooker blowing out on me I'm a little gun shy. Any advice on equipment/methods? I canned with my grandma when I was little, but haven't done it since.

When you get ready to get started , let me know , I can get you my Mother or the Mrs on the phone. Probably , over a 100 years of experience combined

 

[oyarde]

That reminds me , I need to pick up a stash of lids and rings .....

 

[amy31416]

When you get ready to get started , let me know , I can get you my Mother or the Mrs on the phone. Probably , over a 100 years of experience combined

Home canned stuff tastes so much better. Can't wait to grow some really good roma tomatoes for some kick-ass sauce. And there's no comparison of commercial canned fruit to home canned--especially peaches.

Just finished painting what will be the pantry, now to set up the shelves. Also have a place walled off in the basement for the root cellar.

 

[opal]

*snip*

Just finished painting what will be the pantry, now to set up the shelves. Also have a place walled off in the basement for the root cellar.

say.. when you're done.. pictures please? I need ideas for mine. sadly.. no basement here - water table too high

 

[tod evans]

Traditional "Sunday Sauce" is my most favorite home canning...

 

[oyarde]

Home canned stuff tastes so much better. Can't wait to grow some really good roma tomatoes for some kick-ass sauce. And there's no comparison of commercial canned fruit to home canned--especially peaches.

Just finished painting what will be the pantry, now to set up the shelves. Also have a place walled off in the basement for the root cellar.

It is the green beans that I love the most