Baking Business Bigger!

This week I am having two high production days, Thursday and Saturday.
Products will be sprouted multi-grain sourdough, Potato sourdough, Ciabatta and baguettes. Sweets are still going strong and there will be big seductive chocolate chunk cookies and French apple tarts. Anyone interested in Handmade ice creams, call me at 09 812 8719 the new ice cream maker is a dream machine. I may have to have ice cream be an item that folks collect from me here at the green house (138 Lone Kauri Rd)

The school barter-local business study is wrapping up soon and there are evaluations being written. If you have any feedback, it is welcome and would be useful. The project has been a lot of fun and work- quite multifaceted with the baking, communications, wood acquisition, trade promotion and negotiation, not to mention raining eucalyptus branches on the green house and two catering jobs springing forth.

The academic study related to the project has opened my eyes to the challenges of bartering systems. A lot of the complications sited in the articles I read arose for me, too. It's difficult (and yet exciting) to try something as big as changing the way people pay for things and think about money, time and worth. Prices in dollars are simpler, that is for sure. One benefit to the trading is that folks can start up businesses without having to go into debt that grows with interest, for example: I need a slab poured for a storage area and some shelving, I can owe the cooperative building person down the road bread catering, special baking for a period of time or a dollar amout. The job which could have cost hundreds or thousands now is paid for over time with my own value added product. No bank or company sent statements and locally produced food paid the bill over time. The extra bonus is the relationship and sense of caring for the community around myself. The challenge is to honor the old trades as the demand for products grows and the accounting for the accumulation of credit.

Some interesting trades this week have been Tea tree oil, homemade beer, grocery delivery, Wood cutting, hot chilies and herbs. Love it!