We Bought a Farm: Bartering in Action!

Meet our neighbor Lloyd. I use the word neighbor loosely because around here, if you are within about two miles, you are considered a neighbor. 

He isn't next door. 

But he's our neighbor.

Lloyd attends church with Dad and Mom. It is a tiny little Presbyterian church down the street from our house. It is attended by under two dozen individuals all of whom are older than Dad and Mom. These are people who have attended this church since they were children. This church is their family. 

JB and I feel a part of that family even though we don't attend church there regularly. These are great country folks!

Okay so back to Lloyd. Lloyd has never been married, has a girlfriend, and also has an infectious laugh. He also doesn't eat eggs. (I know this because I've tried to pay him for his help on our lawnmower with eggs, but it isn't a good commodity for him.)

Like most people around here, they do not complain. They don't go to the doctor unless they are really sick. And they don't ask for favors without a great need. So when Lloyd came over and told JB he was worried about his blood pressure, we knew it was serious.

He hadn't been able to reach his own doctor so JB did a little investigation, called in a medicine for him, and spent some time talking to him. He also checked in on him later that day to see that, yes, his blood pressure had gone down after adding the medication.

As Lloyd was leaving our house he turned to JB and said, "What do I owe you?" 

JB laughed. 

Nothing of course. 

But Lloyd loves to fish, and he fishes in our pond regularly. Occasionally he has brought us some of his catch as he can't eat as much as he catches. So I jokingly said, "You can pay us in fish Lloyd."

I should have known better than to joke like that.

Less than twenty-four hours later Lloyd was back at our house with his fresh fish. (You can see them in the water on the table.) Cleaned and ready-to-cook bass! I'm not a huge fish person but these fish are good. (I think a huge part is how well Mom cooks them.) And of course I love that our farm provides us with our food for free!

So now we have dinner tomorrow night.

I've been struggling this last week. Feeling quite overwhelmed and doubting whether this life is one I can find my groove in. And then JB helps Lloyd. And Lloyd brings us fish.

And I think, "This is a pretty good life for me."