I was really lucky when I worked 3800 miles to the north and had to be away from home for long stretches of time... I had a great family who lived near me back home that I bartered with. The Miltons are a Mormon family w/ 11 kids, PLUS an aunt and one set of elderly grandparents in their household (16 total!)! I made decorated birthday cakes for all their family-members throughout the year- large enuf of course to feed their whole gang- plus graduation cakes, Mother's Day cakes, Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies/gingerbread-house/fudge & candy and other desserts to feed their crowd when I was home. And if a birthday or celebration came around while I was away at work, then I made/decorated the cake/dessert ahead of time and gave them access to it in my deep-freezer in the garage. What did I get in return? When I was away from home for 28 days at a time, they not only kept an eye on my place, but they mowed my small yard and kept the shrubs trimmed in the summer- and they raked leaves and shoveled/plowwed my snow in fall/winter, and did lite maintanence projects, including car maintanence, for me either free or at a reduced/cheap rate. The little bartering-system we had worked out was wonderful all the way around, and benefitted all of us tremendously!

Not some much fresh produce, of which I barely grow enough for my own needs.

But I do barter value-added products: Jams, jellies, pickles, that sort of thing.

And, of course, I'm deeply involved with trading seeds, which probably stretches the concept of barter.

Bartering is a growing trend in the U.S., as evidenced by things like Craig's list.

You know, of course, that the IRS hates bartering. Seems to me that would make it good by definition.

I LOVE IT KYH!!!

Mama just gives with all her heart. If i get something in return, ok - if not - ok. I never expect anything in return.

No kidding KYH! If the IRS loves it, I need to figure out a way to like it- or at least fake like I do!