Using Your Network

We all have different talents, skills, and knowledge or put another way we all have something to offer others. Put that together with a network of family, friends, co-workers, fellow preppers, and acquaintances and we got the potential to barter or trade for a lot of different goods and services. A lot of times we just have to be a little bold and approach people with an offer for trade that is fair to both parties.


Preppers out of necessity need to develop these relationships now while we have the time and freedom to do so. When push comes to shove we won't have to start from scratch as we will have a working network to draw from.


I happen to have a dump trailer and pickup truck. I know a guy that has a large track backhoe and makes his living tearing out trees, knocking down buildings and digging holes. I have done some favors for him so when he had a grove of trees to take out he told me to come out and get all I wanted. I have another friend who has chain saws and a saw mill. Putting that all together we got about 100 cords of firewood in two days. Plus the bigger logs will be made into lumber on the mill. Cost to us was our time and fuel for the equipment.


Getting logs helps if you have a pickup truck and a dump trailer. Get em home and then take your time to cut and split. It is a very good feeling to know that you have enough firewood to get you through five winters or more. Plus around here it is easy to sell firewood. I am betting it might be a good barter item when things get tight.







It would be very costly to hire this kind of work out but by putting your network together you can get a lot of things done by barter. Now there are a lot of things that I can not get done outside of the construction industry because I don't have the outside connections so it will be different according to your situation. For barter to work for you it takes you to make it happen. I tried once to get my dentist to trade dental work for some home improvement work but he did not go for it, but a photographer traded some portrait work for a remodeling project. You won't know unless you try.

Almost Garden Time in Central Nebraska

Some frost dates for Central Nebraska.

The 50/50 chance of last frost is April 28th. The 90% safe date for
last frost is May 8





I started my heirloom tomato plants Feb 24 in this photo to the right






Photo on the left
This is under the grow light April 19th. The five varieties of 72 tomato plants are about 8" tall now. Two hundred of two varieties of heirloom onions are about 4 to 6" tall




I plan on setting them outside for a week to harden about April 28th and then will transplant them to the garden minus the ones I will give to other gardeners.

I have noticed a greater increase in people who are going to garden this year. Good Choice!