Seedling/Garden Space

Hi,

Gardening season is fast approaching and i would like to start seedlings... but i don't have a good window in my place :(

If anyone has a south facing window they would be able to donate for seedlings, i would ensure that they get a share of the bounty and any canned goods. Can also trade for spring clean up labour, or whatever you might need.

Also, am trying to locate a garden plot in the city... if any of you have a backyard or know of a place - will trade much to acquire a plot!

Please let me know if you can help at all - i would greatly appreciate it!

Dave

Open Everything & Hello

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking here for too long so now it's time to post something.
For those of you who don't know me I'm Chiara, I'm in MES and I am interested in Creative Communities/Social Innovation for sustainability and gift economies (for more info, I recommend these awesome books: Collaborative Services and Creative Communities.)

I didn't get a chance to reply to the original Needs and Offers post, so I'm going to mention a couple of needs and offers here before moving on to Open Everything talk!

My greatest need right now is some moving help/storage space for the end of May. I am moving out of my apartment and because I will be spending a couple of months in Europe (if my field experience proposal is approved, that is) I will not have a place in Toronto until mid-August, so if any of you have some storage space and wouldn't mind rescuing a couple of boxes let me know!

In terms of offers... well, food is definitely one of them! I can cook anything vegetarian/vegan (cupcakes in particular), sugar-free/gluten-free as well. If you want to learn French or Italian, I'm here. I also enjoy making greeting cards and designing fonts, as well as making crafts of various kinds, so if you ever need a handmade gift feel free to talk to me (I'm always looking for excuses to use my time creatively.) If you like indie music or would like to discover more awesome bands, I'm totally there for you! What else... If you want to know more about "social networking for social change", learn more about experimental/ethical travel or talk about cool places to visit in Europe and beyond you know where to find me! That's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure I'll have more to add as I go along (particularly closer to May, as I'm sure I'll be getting rid of a lot of gently used stuff.)

Moving on... I found out about this cool event going on in New York. It's a bit short notice, but if there are enough people interested I might consider dropping everything and going myself.

Open Everything "is a global conversation about the art, science and spirit of 'open'. It gathers people using openness to create and improve software, education, media, philanthropy, architecture, neighbourhoods, workplaces and the society we live in: everything. It's about thinking, doing and being open."

About the event:

Open Everything NYC will take place on Saturday 18 April 2009 at the UNICEF headquarters in the United Nations Plaza, NYC. The event will run the full day, registration will open at 8:00AM and things will be in full swing by 9:00AM.

The event will be 100% free and open to the public on a first come first serve basis, online pre-registration is required. The main hall can hold up to 250 guests.

The event will consist of two keynote presentations (one opening & one closing) each of about 1 hour in duration. In the time between the two keynotes attendees will be in control of the program (Barcamp style). There will be a number of conference rooms available for individuals to hold talks & discussions on topics they see fit. Past events have included topics such as Open Publishing, Open Education, Government Transparency, Open Access, Open Research Data, Creative Commons, Open Hardware, and more."

Is anyone interested?

community orchard idea

not far from the tree

Community Orchard Proposal
Public Meeting: Wednesday March 25 (7-9pm) at Cedarvale Scool (145 Ava Rd.)

On Wednesday March 25 from 7-9pm, a community meeting will be held in Ward 21 to discuss the development of 3 parks in the neighbourhood, including Ben Nobleman Park. Not Far From The Tree, along with Growing For Green, landscape architect Jane Hutton, and Parks, Forestry, and Recreation staff, are proposing the creation of Toronto's very first community orchard. We envision a park that is alive with trees that produce fresh fruit to eat, an informal outdoor classroom where community members can reconnect with how their food is grown, and a healthy public space where people are attracted to gather and work together. Community support is integral to seeing this proposal through, and so we welcome your participation in Wednesday's meeting. This project is important for the residents around Ben Nobleman Park, but it may very well set a precedent for other community orchards across the city and so all are encouraged to attend.

To join the mailing list to learn more about the Ben Nobleman Community Orchard, send a blank email to communityorchard@mylists.ca and you’ll be updated with orchard meetings, events and volunteer opportunities.

Cork

I'm trying to collect cork from wine bottles but I can only drink so much. If anyone happens to be a wino and needs to hide the evidence, I'm your girl! I'm only collecting the actual cork corks, not that plastic crap.

Sticks and Spokes

I'm not too sure about bamboo posts (do they have to be bamboo? Cause if not, there are plenty of wooden branches in High Park that are ripe for the taking) As for bike wheels, I know the Bike Pirates are always willing to do a trade, or at least they have really cheap used parts. Bikepirates.com

NEEDED ASAP: 8 large sized bamboo poles, 2 large sized bike wheels

I'm building a bike trailer. Does anyone have large sized bamboo poles and 2 large bike wheels? ALso, if you have a spare bike rack and a hitch lying around, please let me know. my offers are listed to the left. contact me at cloud.mountainbird@gmail.com
thanks, leeshia

Anarchist U

Hey all,
I just found out about this course that is being offered through Anarchist U and wanted to share. I'll be at the class on Monday if others are interested.

Swap - Don't Shop! Event-- facebook forward.

Craft Swap Party!
Sunday, March 15 at Freedom Clothing (939 Bloor St. West, just west of Ossington) , from 4pm-8pm. Admission is free!

All craft-related stuff is welcome - fabrics, craft supplies, completed crafts, even half finished crafts!

There will also be a few crafty workshops happening including a knitting demo and magnet-making workshop. And if you have any crafty skills you would like to share, feel free to either contact me in advance, or just show up to the swap with your knowledge and supplies!

Everything left at the end of the swap will be donated to the Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre, for their children and seniors' programs.

Check out the event page for more info, and to RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=51680098195

Toronto Really Really Free Market

Toronto Really Really Free Market

March 21 @ the Toronto Free Gallery
1277 Bloor St. W.
Free Market: 12-8pm
Free Hot dinner: 6-8pm
Social with live music: 9p-2a

Click on link for more details.

Logistics Trailmix

Evening Folks,

Firstly, thanks for making explicit, Leeshia, what your wants for the barter/trade/ share community economy. I too envisioned equal membership, but I can't pinpoint exactly what genuine involved direct democracy means beyond that. Can you elaborate? Also, if there are other ideas on involvement and administration, it would be great to hear them!

Secondly, if we do decide to go this route, Leeshia is right, make this space work for you, invite friends that might be ideal barter buddies and then click on customize and permissions to make them administrators who can likewise add to the barter potential.

The way we have it set up right now, Amanda (mender) can't click on James'(in need of mending) profile and know how to contact him individually. They would have to go to the permissions section to look for their email address. Ideas? Ok, I just added a list and I guess one option is to list our emails directly on the site.

Amanda, I have access to a bike trailer if we need from meals on wheels, but I have to know ahead of time. PS. If anyone is interested in doing volunteer bike deliveries around bloor west for meals on wheels, let me know, and I'll send you some info.

Cory, if you are reading this, I suckered you into a 'take my dog out for a walk' barter on Thursday, you just don't know that you are bartering, or what you are bartering for... is there such thing as surprise bartering?? I hope so, it's kinda fun!

I had a laugh at the 'monetize' option on blogger, where you can ad advertising to your blog.

That's all for now, well, almost, I have one small request. As we start bartering, swap, sharing and gifting, let's hear a few stories of the exchanges to help us collectively introduce bartering and the like as practical day-to-day interactions.

Jana

Jana! You are awesome for getting the ball rolling on this! I have a no-limits dream of having a house in the city where people can come and exchange ideas, skills, information and words of wisdom, and this sounds very much like a precursor to that community.

I`m sure I have a lot to offer... listening is a skill I`ve been known for, and people seem to appreciate my somewhat slanted perspective on things. I can tune up your bike or make cookies. I could mend your pants or teach you how to turn a old t-shirt into something entirely new.

I just moved to a new space with tons of room and I`d love to start an art project night. And if anyone can find a bike trailer, treasure hunts through the city on a warm summer garbage night is just about my favorite thing.

members are administrators

Hi All,

The way I've been setting up the blog, all members so far have been granted administration abilities. This means we can all go into the "customise" link and from there we can invite other people to join, change the settings, add gadgets etc. It also means that we can each make a "list" that tells other members about what skills/abilities we have to offer. Probably a list is probably better than just a description on our profiles, but that might work too. Or we could just post up wishes as need be. Ahhh, the beauty of experiments is the mystery of seeing what will happen.

One of the limitations of the "blog" format is that there is a limit of 100 members. So if it seems that we are approaching that limit, we might at that time want to discuss how to proceed forward. 

I realise there is a bit of an ironic non-sequitor here. I felt so strongly about genuine involved direct democracy that I didn't bother to ask everyone if that was what they wanted. I just don't think it is something that people should be able to pick and choose about. All members have equal power, but they also have the choice of how to use that power. 

I know that there are some minor risks with this approach. Sabotage to the blog is one thing, and more importantly, all our email address are available for other member-administrators to see. But I think these risks are worth taking because they get to the heart of what this experiment is all about: trust, community, friendship, and good vibes. 

Don't forget: setting it up this way also means that we each have the power to leave at anytime. So if anyone out there feels really strongly against this approach, you can do a number of things: leave (which means a spot is opened up for someone else), raise it as a discussion point (again I'd like to point out the poll at the bottom of the page as a useful medium), or if you really think it sucks and I made a terrible transgression of trust in doing this, any one of you is free to boot me off the site. 

We're all equal beings, and here at least, we all have equal power. 

Great ideas you crazy libertarians!

Hello All. I don't know any of you except for Jana but after reading all of your thoughts and ideas and getting a sense of where you're coming from I feel like gathering you all up, taking a trip up somewhere middle distance Ontario, buying some land and settling in with you all!!! It's great to see folks thinking along the same lines I didn't know too many people thought along... music to my ears!
I would love to be a part of this thought/action experiment in barter and community. I think all of your ideas are great. Right off the bat, I need some pants mended and Karen I believe said she could barter for her mending skills. And what can I offer all you people? Off the top of my head I can go jogging with you, help you in your garden, share life drawing skills, share yoga experience, offer my music collection for perusal, paint your house (that's my day job, although I'm moving away from that), show you how to use a knife in the kitchen, play music with you (including beginners lessons on the didgeridoo if you like), and a bunch more things I'm sure that just don't come to mind right now.
Dumpster diving sounds like fun simply as an activity (I used to do that years ago with friends) but I don't really want any more 'things' although the company and adventure would be neat.
A yoga sharing evening would be fun. I'd be happy to lead a routine or two if anyone's interested.
And soon my garden might need some helping hands... although I generally like to garden alone... we'll see.
Anyway, great to 'meet' you all! Great work Jana and keep on posting!
James.
oh, just another thought. 1. I don't think using facebook as a source to post our ideas is that great... facebook 'owns' all material posted on it and frankly, I don't trust facebook at all... just my opinion.

KashKlash

Check out the link for a treasure trove of quirky/intelligent musings on barter and new currencies. The best information of the site has been compiled in a copyright-free pdf handbook aptly named kashklash.

sending thought-spores sailing

Thoughts for Barter Saturday, February 21, 2009 (On Facebook)

Jana: Last year, on a train ride back to Toon Town I started reading 'Your Money or Your Life?' by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin. Did you ever notice how train cars make such humble thought-spaces to bathe yourself in ideas? The title for the book came from the hypothetical confrontation: If someone held you at gun-point and asked for your money or your life, which would you give them? Your response would hopefully rhyme with 'schmife.' The text is about how we allow our experiences to be measured monetarily instead of with life energy.

I can remember, I think it was in '98, I was just back from Germany and in the akward space of reverse culture shock, and of scheming up global plans to avoid going to university or moving to the big city of Saskatoon. Well, at my house, there was no such thing as 'not being productive', so I ended up working at Blockbuster, Tim Hortons and Pizza Hut simultaneously to save up for another travel adventure. I hated the time spent at work, especially all the franchise rules like 'no singing', and considered them 'stolen hours'. Whenever I had to buy something, I'd calculate how many hours of work it would equal. The thought process kinda went like this: "hmn, 3 hrs at 6 bucks an hour at pizza hut for that CD -- uh, nope." And on my calculations went-- my dad's old sweaters were free and already broken in, what more could I ask for? I did end up with a few crappy self-hair cuts though.

Fast forward 10 years of life, wherein I'd lost much of this creative thrift in various dabbles with professionalism, gear-head-ism, and just trying to at least half-ways 'fit-in'. It was on this train ride, I decided "I'm going to work less and play more, dammit. I'm going to write for the local newspaper and crosscountry ski to work and trade my granola for darcy's moose meat. And, I'm going to ditch beer and wings thursdays, buying new books and ordering from MEC online...." After 2 years of finding teaching tiring, it was time to embrace the word 'freelance'!! It worked well for the first few months-- I made money subbing and writing and sought out free forms of entertainment... not hard in La Ronge, with a forest in our backyard and the lakeshore a short dogwalk away. So, I actually left all this. I know. : (I think for 1 part money security, 1 part build my resume, and 2 parts I still had it engrained in me that I needed to 'have a real job'. I also think my efforts could've been more sustainable if the people I interacted with had a similar game-plan of trying to de-monetize their interactions. When I moved to Grande Prairie, land of the hummer limo, and started full-time teaching again, these thoughts started to collect dust.

This note is thanks to conversations with Amanda and Dave and my pop ed class, who have helped me to dust them off again.So, dear collection of people I care about in Toronto and area, I'm hoping to barter my thoughts for yours, and someday soon transfer these into actions to effectively bypass currency- or at least our dependancy on it. What are your thoughts, and what's on your 'want' and 'would do' list? Jana

Dave Vasey: I'd barter (for): Supper, fix your flat bike tire, editing, moving help, music lesson, dog sitting/ therapy, electrical work, mending, tree pruning, painting.

i think i would barter for your words right now... carrying the writers block and it feels like two tonnes. hmmmm... i would barter for gardening tips any day - both to give and receive. it is that time of year for planning and i am excited to try some new seeds, as well as learn about some that i should try. i would barter for music lessons... i have played the guitar 18 years and am still not a confident player - but i love learning bits and pieces and playing them at home... get me around a campfire and i might play them for you if i am feeling up for it.i too would like to get into that module economy... do a bit here, a bit there and have enough to get to the next thing. reminds me of what my grandpa used to do... he would work in the bush logging, then work on the roads for the municipality. On Saturday's, he would sling beer at the bar and was always helping neighbours with renovations so that they could help him in his. anway, count me in. i am multi-talented - just ask

Dave Welwood: Having just stepped in the door from a soul-sucking shift at Chapters where checking the time on a muted cell phone in a corner is considered "against dress code", and not being able to respond with "your pay should be against the criminal code you cheap corporate whores", I totally concur with what you wrote about calculating retail items in hours rather than dollars. My thoughts are that there are many bad and good things that I could not have foreseen happening in the past year. I'm looking forward to the rest of this program, so I can get closer to my goal, which is to be living in Northern Ontario in or near a small town, learning how to garden, learning how to install solar panels and build a greenhouse. I often dream of the day I pack the moving truck and drive North up the 400, into the shield country to my new home. I would barter for food, books, and a guided canoe trip, and I second on the guitar lessons at a campfire, although all I know is Neil Young son

Leeshia: great idea! have i already told you how happy i am to have made your acquaintance? and it feels good to know that my trade/barter/share network is growing. there is/used to be something called 'Toronto dollars', but i prefer the notion of friendship as the end of the of exchange rather than mutual but anonymous benefit.i can cook/cater/cook-along-side, or just lend a hand, for few or many; lately i am obsessed with pies, dumplings, and vegetarian cabbage rolls but am friendly with recipes.i would garden/landscape work any season. no tips to share, just labour to lend. and always willing to start pots of tomatoes, herbs, and lettuce for gardens or decks.i have an abundance of cds for share/trade.i'd like to learn how to graft trees organically. i'm looking for farmland that needs a farmer.i'm fond of food, music, stories and poetry.and if anyone knows how to teach a rambunctious year-old pup to walk at a heel w/o treats or restraints, boy-oh-boy could I use your help!

Dave Vasey: i thought of something for sure i would love to barter for.... a yoga/stretching class. i have been going to a gym, but it is really impersonal and i would like to be able to do some of the moves, but am not completely sure how to. if anyone could give a group tutorial, i would be willing to exchange for food, housework, writing lessons, beginners guitar lessons or garden planning help. anyway, i am pretty serious about this one... so if anyone can help or knows someone who could, that would be fan-friggin-tastic.


Paul: when the fit hits the shan, i think tools like facebook (and lamp posts) will be needed for connecting people on THIS level -- building community based not just on 'intention' but on 'currency' ...... labour.....skills.....resources......perhaps all our of our profiles could have a 'barter' section? hmmm, and how to make this searchable? i know -- i'll trade half-baked ideas and gratitude -- thanks for sparking it jana.

Pascal: I would barter almost anything if somebody were to make my Major Research Paper go away :0 - just kidding!I love the idea of bartering, but I also wanted to add the idea of group dumpster diving. There are all kinds of wonderful things that people throw away and it would be fun to have a group to explore together. I once heard about a group of people in Food Not Bombs Calgary that had an Iron Chef dumpster diving competition. I would love to do something like this if anyone else would like to join! It is not quite bartering, but it is communal, avoids the money economy and could be a total blast!Thanks for starting this Jana!Peace, pascal

Dave Welwood: That does sound like fun. Dave, I'd like to barter something with you for some gardening lessons, as I'd like to work towards my goal of self sufficiency. I have guitar lessons, neighbourhood walking tours, books and food to barter for, oh, and guided canoe trips also.

Karen: hmm, right now, at the end of this long weekend of reading, i feel like all i have to offer are vague, inarticulate (mis)understandings of artifactual constructivism, and i would like to trade them for some good definitions of epistemological and ontologically...political ecology anyone?but Dave, i bet i could lead a session or two of yoga - if someone has space, and what else can i do? well food, meals, catered dinners, pies, bread...up to 50 I can feed...cooking lessons - canadiana international cuisine, i think i'll call it. i make pottery, so cups and bowls are now part of my repertoire, i can do some mending, editing, minor massage, and have stellar organizational skills that i rarely put to use in my own life! I've also been a part of training a couple of dogs,and I own a car that i rarely drive...What i need fluctuates, but one foreseeable requirement right now is storage space for some boxes this summer. and a ride to the airport next saturday:)


Leeshia: reading these, it strikes me that we have similar skills and interests. dave w, i'm starting the self-sufficiency road this summer.this suggestion isn't so much for a barter as much as it is for a pot-luck.dave v, I'd really like a yoga class too, maybe karen would lead a group yoga session in exchange for the rest of us bringing food/music/theory? karen (is that karen woodswoman and mutual fan of gail f?) if you want to ramble and vocally knead your semi-articulations, i'll happily listen and quiry and prod till you've thought your way thru it. if those aren't of interest to anyone, i'd like to take up karen and jana on their dog skills (pup's just found the incredible self-will and determination of 15 months, his loyalty and friendship means little against the temptations of distant yards, out of reach trees, and bolting squirrels). send any suggestions of things you need, i'll think thru my repertoire.

Dave Vasey: okay, so it seems we are coming together over a yoga potluck... i am pretty into that idea and will bring food/guitar to barter with... this weekend is totally out for me, but perhaps the next one? like sunday? i like doing yoga on sundays... appeals to my inner catholic. i am willing to forward my place, but be warned, it is kinda small. looking forward to a potential yoga-luck and meeting some of you fine folks!

Jana: I scroll down all these entries and realize we have barter thought bounty-- and this makes me smile. The early options we've suggested (I think testing these ideas will spark new ones) are tantalizing... yoga/food/music/gardening/Dave-fest-- yeehaw! Paul, I liked your idea of our fb profiles having a barter section on them. It would be cool to simply scan people's status updates and read that, hey, dave has surplus relish stock but would gladly trade for some granola. Do we want to continue this dialogue and potential 'table of interests' on fb, or can someone recommend a better online space?

Karen, do you have a weekly time available that you could lead a yoga class? Our dining room might have enough space w/ the table pushed aside. Dave, how bout you with the guitar lessons? These events could function (as well as potlucks) as potential swap times. Other convenient places to swap goods or meet for assistance or projects are @ OISE/St. George Stn., York for us yorkies, perhaps the Linnux Cafe on thursday nights -- it's jam night and a friend is playing. Other centralized, inexpensive ideas?

One thing I would also like to do (and maybe it's not bartering) is go on a Toronto field trip... an idea sparked at an Otesha potluck. Paul, if you are reading this, remember how Jenna was involved in that bike project, where the seniors home is run off of bike power and people volunteer time chunks of human power to help it run? Well, I figure we could string together a few TO experiences, maybe a rooftop forest, and an intro to dumpster diving, but only if we get to wear dumpster diver super hero costumes! Ok, so I am bartering for ideas on this one. One more thing I'd like to do is explore southern ontario a bit. I have backcountry map books, that I drool over from time to time, but I'm thought-bartering on this one.

So, this was news to me, but Patrick informed me today that bartering without claiming it on your taxes is illegal. The govies would much prefer it if we calculated the financial worth of our hours worked and submit to Revenue Canada for taxation....hmn, I don't think they really 'get it'. So I thought on this a wee bit, and, if we are doing the work for ourselves, no tax, but if we are exchanging fruits of labour with someone else, even if the same amount of time energy was put in, presto, it's taxation time.

Karen: Hi,Sunday evenings would generally work well for me. And i love sunday night potlucks!I just want to make a little disclaimer here though, that i am not a certified instructor, nor have i ever really taught a yoga class before. the experience i bring is 15 years of sporadic attendance at various types of yoga classes, and an understanding of ... Read Morewhat works for me. so, yeah. factor that into your expectations :)and Jana, maybe a good place to organize is actually a f/b group - discussion topics being grouped by themes of whats offered or needed...ie) labour, food, gardening, music...etc.and does anyone know how to play the banjo?kp.s. i totally want to visit the bike powered seniors home as that fits right in with my plan that office buildings should be run off gyms in the basement, and it should be part of every employee's workday to go and pedal or run for an hour! good for the building, good for the body, good for all!

Leeshia: Ok, so I started a blog, and I think it might work as a barter-site forum. We could also add a "list-gadget" that would let people list their offerings. Any thoughts or comments? I'd really like to set it up so that all members are administrators. I also thought (but feel free to disagree), that the more people involved, the richer the shared knowledge/skills wealth of the community. Anyhoo, happy 2009 Jana!http://bartertbounty.blogspot.com/

Joanna: this is funtabulous, leeshia! just to add to the mix: a group of us people are working on holding a free market (skill sharing, stuff sharing, ideas sharing) at the toronto free gallery (bloor and lansdowne) sometime in March,either 21st or 28th. so that might be something to check out.i will post what i know of it thus far:Toronto Really Really Free Market

What: A community-space for sharing – where people bring what they

have togive, take what they need, and leave the rest. It’s kind of like a potluck,but for goods and services!

Why: Because we all deserve to have the things we need.Because we all probably have some stuff we don’t use and could give away.Because sharing brings us closer.Because it’s responsible to our environment: our community and our planet.Because it’s a viable alternative.

How: You can drop stuff off, pick something up, or stick around! This couldinclude both items and services, such as:-clothes, books, music, furniture, household and kitchen wares, pet supplies-homemade goods, such as crafts, art, artisan goods, and baked goods (don’tforget to list the ingredients!)services, such as haircuts, yoga classes, music/dance lessons, massage, orgardening help.All unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the day.We need to work together to maintain a family/community-oriented space

Location: Toronto Free Gallery 1277 Bloor St. WTime: Free Market 12-8pm Social 9pm-2am

barter trade and share

Wanted: People interested in being part of a barter/trade/share 

community based economy.

Offering: A barter/trade/share economy. 

Description: I guess you could think of this blog as an experimental present for my new friend Jana, who was musing using about the possibility of a non-currency based community economy. 

I don't know how this site is going to work, or even who all will be involved (and to what degree). Ideally any limitations will be determined and chosen by the people involved. I'm putting this out there/ in here as a starting point, preparing the fields so to speak for something wonderful to grow. 

Interested? Send me a message and I'll sign you up as a member so you can start posting your best/worst barter-worthy intentions. Feel free to play around with the colour settings, gadgets etc. And if you love the idea but hate the name, why not make a poll for other suggestions?

best wishes,

Leeshia