Your Opinions, Please

**Milly** · 01-11-2009, 10:58 AM

I was at a get-together of some old high school friends yesterday (old in both senses of the word) and, as usual, the topic came around to the economy and the looming economic depression.

All of us are in our 60s and were raised by parents who grew up during the Great Depression, so we spent some time swapping stories about how our folks survived in the thirties.

It occured to me afterward (I'm a little slow, sometimes) how many of their stories involved the community as a whole, not just one's own nuclear or extended family.

Out here in rural Indiana, the Great Depression was not nearly as severe as it was in the cities, since people largely grew or raised their own food. But also, people knew and helped their neighbors and were helped by them in turn. (I know, from listening to my husband, that this was also true in Chicago, as it was a city made up of small communities who banded together to help each other.)

Anyway, this got me to thinking that NOW would be a good time to establish a network within our communities of people with different skill sets, so we'd be prepared when it all goes to pot.

So, here's the list of questions:

1. Does your emergency preparedness involve anyone other than people related to you (e.g., provision for an elderly neighbor)?

2. Do you have any barter-worthy skills?

3. What help would you accept in return?

4. What would be a good way to begin such a network if one does not now exist?

I know from my short experience on this board that the FV community boasts some of the most intelligent, creative people available on line, so I look forward to your responses.

**writtenonmybody** · 01-11-2009, 11:24 AM

Good questions! Something I'm going to have to think about and come back to. I also look forward to the responses to this.

**prftstrngr** · 01-11-2009, 12:01 PM

In our case we moved to the town we are in 3 years ago. We have become close to some of our neighbours and we already help each other out. There is one lady across the street that we all help out alot as she is on a very limited income and also her health is not the best.

Bart worthy skills...I think this is a good question and one everyone can answer. there is always SOMETHING you can do. I could bake or clean. I sew some and I grow a garden so I could use that. My husband does computer work and often helps people with that now. He builds websites as well and hosts them. This past summer us and two neighbours all ordered our wood for winter together. the men got together and cut and split it. The women fed them. We have great neighbours. they also helped us replace our back porch and and another time 4 of the men got together to do the roof on ones house. I think we are in good shape this way!

I think we should all know our neighbours and hopefully we can get along with them. Its going to help in times like this.Also maybe get involved in the community. Fire dept. if its volunteer or your church is a good place to be involved and help out. Just a few ideas I can think of right now!

**Ali Lee** · 01-11-2009, 12:18 PM

I tell ya what...I've lived in the same place now for 14 years. I've never bartered with any neighbors or anyone else for that matter. My emergency preparedness at this time, is with my family. I've given bags of groceries, babysitting, etc & $ to my family, not asking for anything in return. I would definitely lend a hand to my neighbor, but, I guess I'm snug in my own little world. If I had to barter, I make very good bread. My husband barters all the time. Right now a man is helping to restore our RV and hubby will put in a curb for him. This post made me think!