Bartering- On my other farm I used to barter all the time. I raised heritage turkeys and found they were great for bartering to get local beef and pork.
After a day at the farmer's market, we vendors would barter with each other for the items we wanted or needed, and sometimes neighboring farms would barter with me for services. Delivering babies was my specialty and I'd often get 2:00 am calls for help. Once on the
other side of a difficult delivery with healthy babies, the owners would offer me a nice array of farm help or work as payment.
My current farm is much smaller and I don't have nearly as much to barter with, but my neighbors and I do it a little bit.
Thieves- I've shut the gate to my farm but haven't locked it just yet. Might or might not, but I have deliveries coming and my delivery guys know that it is ok to open the gate to come up the driveway if it isn't locked. I'm more worried about a few of the families that live close enough to hear my rooster crowing and know that I have birds. Several of those families have questionable family members who have been know to do stupid things. Like invading a neighbor's land for stuff. Other neighbors have turned their noses up at "farm" eggs too so I don't think I need to worry about them. Not yet anyway.
My place is fenced all around, but it's easy to climb or snip the fence. I really miss my guard dog right now but old age got him a few years back.
Thankfully I have cattle and sheep farms all around me and plenty of other chicken keepers in the area. I'm hoping most will seek out chicks or bunnies and if someone is desperate enough to steal....they go after the oodles of sheep instead.
Maybe not nice for the sheep farms, but this mom needs her chickens.
Kettle corn lovers of the world unite!!
