Moral Conundrum -- The "Bartering Eggs For Coffee" WILL HAPPEN!

[DuckyBoys]

Hey that is awesome!

I think it is great what you're doing.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Oh, that's fantastic--AND a fair trade coffee! Hooray!

Belinda

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Quote:
I agree. Now if I could only barter my horse for some sheep. I'd be set.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Thanks! I am really sorry that guy lost his flock, but I am excited to trade him my fresh eggs in exchange for his good coffee. I think I'm going to go down there again later (afternoon iced coffee break

) and give him some information on better predator protection, raising other types of poultry/rabbits, etc. He was really interested in doing meat birds, turkeys, and rabbits in the future. I am trying to start a homegrown food revolution around here

 

[patandchickens]

Can I ask a stupid question? (It may sound like a stealth 'point being made' and I suppose it partly is, but it really is at least largely a question...)

If the whole point of eating local is to 1) reduce one's energy footprint by not eatin' things that have had to be shipped thousands of miles, and 2) eat fresher better quality food, then how does BARTERING for something that was grown halfway around the world actually count in any way shape or form as 'local'? The coffee came just as far.

When it gets down to bartering for coffee, it starts sounding to me like more of a game or status symbol, or put more seriously I suppose maybe a 'temporary educational challenge'.

I don't see any "moral" in the original "dilemma" at all -- the choice is simply "do I crave coffee, lemons, tea, cane sugar, etc enough to be willing to break my general rule of eating only local products, or am I willing to go without 'em for the sake of not shipping things From Afar?"

So, seriously, what am I missing here?


Pat

 

[d.k]

* Sounds like you guys are doing a great job. I got excited last night cuz DH saw a tidbit on the tube about nubian goats for milk and such and he thought it was cool. (Just the day before he said "We are NOT gonna be starting a farm!!!" )

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I think that was pretty much the point of her original post--to decide how "strict" to be in forming the parameters of the challenge, and how to deal with things that just aren't available locally. For me, coffee wouldn't even be an issue, as no one here drinks it (except occasionally after really good restaurant meals), but olive oil WOULD. So my solution there would probably be to find a domestic olive oil, as opposed to one that's shipped across the globe, because if it's something that I AM going to buy, then every little bit helps in decreasing the fuel burden.

Likewise, it's doubtful that I'm going to give up citrus, but I can at the very least make sure that my citrus comes from Florida instead of California, since Florida is much closer to me (though still a good ways away).

As far as the bartering, I'm not speaking for dangerouschicken, but in my view, to barter goods and services among your neighbors is a WONDERFUL thing, that takes local trade to an even higher level, economically and socially. I LOVE it!

Belinda

 

[dangerouschicken]

Pat? Have you been reading this thread?

Status? Hardly. We just enjoy coffee and wanted to keep drinking it. Since some things are not available locally, we wanted suggestions on how to approach those items. It was argued, then decided that if my husband and I still wanted to drink coffee, we needed to find a reasonable way to attain it. Bartering sounded like something fun to try. We are not going to be as militant as originally intending to be, but we still wanted Fair Trade coffee, if that was possible.

Maybe the term "moral conundrum" is a bit far fetched, but this is a message board, and not reality anyway

 

[Alaska animal lover]

So, I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I have been a little irritated at some of the post I have read today, so just an advance warning.

It seems like a lot of people are questioning DC's choices to live a local lifestyle. If she can't live it to the letter of some un-written law then why do it at all?
My answer to that is educate yourselves on where your food comes from. If DC can grow/raise some of her own goods, and then support a few local farmers by buying their products, she knows what is being fed to her food. She is also supporting the people that live in her community. If you pay a little more money for produce at your local farmers market, you know that your dollar is going right back to your community. If you pay for the produce at the grocery store, who benefits from your dollars? A big 'ol rich coorperation.
I think that DC is going to be much better off in the long run by starting this now. When/if we hit a depression like before, her land will have an established food supply.
This is what I am trying to accomplish as well. Besides, what does it hurt?
Okay, rant over.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I'm getting to this post late in the game and haven't read all (27!!!!) pages, but has anyone suggested coffee substitutes? There are several plants that have been used as coffee substitutes by pioneers, etc. The "coffee" you would brew wouldn't taste the same or give you the same caffeinated feeling, but it might be fun to experiment with.

I'm with the switch-to-tea crowd. Tea is better for your health anyway.