WOW! – This swap thing can be sort of addicting. I spent time over the past 3 weeks thinking and planning what to take for the June Swap. I knew I will take soap, people really seem to enjoy trading for the soap, and since I love to make it, that is great. In May the whole grain mustard was a big hit, so I made more to take this month. There are a lot of people that bring different types of bread, so I don’t make/take bread, but I did make granola bars and those were a big hit too! The ginger beer I took was also a big hit, and a few people missed trading for it so have put in a request for me to bring some next month.
things I brought home with me (June)
I am already looking forward to seeing certain people for specific things…. like goats milk, veggies, jams, and unique preserved things.
Pretty
What did I bring home this month:
- 3 beautiful cabbage heads (destined for sauerkraut)
- 2 eggplant
- 2 Tatume squash
- 1 large zucchini
- pint of pasta sauce
- kiwi-strawberry jam
- strawberry jam
- plum jam
- hot pepper jam
- bourbon cherries
- vodka cherries
- dehydrated apple
- canned spiced pears
- Fire starts (made from toilet paper rolls, lint & scrap cotton fabric)
- Thieves essential oil
- An absolutely stunning hand forged knife!!
Amazing hand-forged knife
It is hard to pick a highlight, but I am thrilled withe hand forged knife. It is stunning and amazing and I am honored that I had things that he wanted to trade for. I am also thrilled to have some more goats milk to stash in the freezer in preparation for making goats milk soap! I could go on and on, because I am VERY pleased with everything that I traded for. I am also excited about getting some seeds out of the tatume squash an planting them this fall.
What did I take:
- Soap – Lots traded (Lavender all traded)
- Whole grain mustard – all traded
- Ginger Beer – all traded
- Granola Bars – all traded
- Plants (mint, rose scented geranium, basil) – all traded
I always take A LOT of soap to trade and the lavender is always gone first. Everything else I brought to trade with was gone. To me, that is great t know I am making and bringing things people want.
For the July Swap I will expand to a few new things, or twists on things I have already taken. I will make more whole grain mustard, but bump it up a notch by adding garlic and maybe some hot peppers. I will defiantly bring more ginger beer. I will possibly bring some rhubarb fizz (or take it in August). I will make Dijon mustard. I will get more herbs started and hope they will be ready to take in July, if not then August. Need to plan ahead on some of these things.
I have time to think about it and come up with some other ideas.
Sincerely, Emily
Sincerely, Emily 
Ours is here again where I live and I should have planned ahead to go in July. Seems I can’t keep up. Ours is just food right now. I wish they would sell soap as would love to trade for that. You do such neat things!!! For someone who has been seriously sick I don’t know how you manage to get it all done! Did you get my note about the dried elderberry flowers and peppermint tea you make? Nancy
Hi Nancy – I definitely have to plan ahead for most of the things I take to the swap. The soap I cure for 6 weeks, so that really needs to be done ahead of time and I continue to make batches so they are ready. The mustard I like to make up at least a few weeks ahead of time so the flavors and mingle. The granola bars I can make and throw in the freezer (that helps)
I have come a long way with my recovery, but I am amazed at how far I still have to go. My big thing it to do a little at a time, then I need to lie down and rest or just sit and rest. I am sure I will notice a huge change when the temps cool down. I know the heat is setting me back a lot and making things very very hard to do.
Love this idea! Do items have values to know what you can trade for, or is it all the option of each barterer to know what they want to trade?
HI Allison, The value of your items is all up to you. I know in the beginning, in the back of my mind, I was thinking in $ (but also time involved in making an item) – like how much would a pint of jam cost in the store? How much would my bar of soap cost in the store? But as I go to these swaps more I realize I think more in each specific item with time involve and also what is my access to the item on my own or would I take the time to make that item. I can make jam, but we don’t use a lot of jam, so it is a great thing to swap for. Then I have a few different varieties and I didn’t have to make them. Things like veggies – I look for things I don’t grow or I can use and enjoy right now, fresh. For me a half-pint of jam is worth a bar of soap to me. A pint might be worth more, it just depend on the the type of jam and who made it… so it is between you and the person you are swapping with. Everyone is different. So you deal with each individual. I am trying each time to bring some new things. My soap is going over well, so is the mustard, so I will keep making those items. I have added ginger beer and granola bars. At some point, I won’t want to swap for any more jam…. we will have enough, so I am always looking for new things and I also want to bring new things myself to keep it fresh. There are times that someone might have something you want to swap for, but you don’t have anything they want or visa versa… then there is no swap. It is a lot of fun and great to meet more like minded people
Thanks, Emily! Our county’s community garden group has talked about doing it in the past, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m hoping that we can get it going next year…and have some extra time to make things, too.
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