Girly Girl promised me a 25 pound sack of sugar if I would clean up her garden boxes and get her spring vegetables planted for her. Last year we bartered my garden skills for a 25 pound sack of sugar and a giant case of Costco toilet paper.
So last night I went over to see exactly what needed to be done. And why on earth the toilet paper was taken off the table this year. I was hoping she had kept up with her garden all winter and it would only take me an hour or so to earn that sack of sugar.
Can you say OH MY FREAKIN’ WORD?
What a mess! She wants me to clean all this up for a 25 pound sack for sugar that runs about $15 at Costco? Is she on soccer mom crack? This is going to take some time.
She has four raised garden beds that all look about like this. Plus, I’m suppose to pull the weeds in the surrounding mulch.
What do you think is a fair trade for all this work? I’m estimating it should take me about 3 hours to pull all the weeds and get her boxes planted for spring.
A 25 pound bag of sugar is just not going to cut it. I’m thinking I might need one of those giant bags of jasmine rice too.
What do you think I should ask Girly Girl for {food wise}? Keep in mind she pretty much only shops at Costco these days.
~Mavis
Madam Chow says
Plus 16 bricks of butter, they come eight to a pack.
Mavis says
I never thought about butter. Hmmmmm.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I agree! My first thought was, Mavis is always needing butter for her baking. Skip the rice- go for the sugar and butter!!
Helen in Meridian says
I agree, 20# of butter, or a gallon of milk each week. Don’t you give her free veggies each week forher chickens too? She is always screwing you. You are not assertive enough when you pick thru her larder for a trade.
Angela says
Agreed! Girly Girl needs a lesson on how bartering works and you need to stand up for yourself, especially after the blackberry incident!
Erica / Northwest Edible Life says
For that, it had better be Kerrygold. Costco has it now.
Tali says
3 hours of gardening would equal close to $60……minimum…so I would say at the least it should be: the sugar, rice and either the toilet paper or 4 gallons of milk….otherwise tell her to freeze her own tush! 🙂
Evonne says
I agree – go for 16 lb butter.
Heather says
milk, the peanut butter sandwich thingies the kids love in lunches… some lunch meat…. definitely a case of toilet paper. I believe $60 worth sounds good… which can go quickly at costco. Get the ingredients you can’t go and dont usually get for free or super cheap otherwise…
Lacey says
Mavis! You are a good friend!!!! I just want some of your energy!!! What’s your secret to getting it all done!?!?!? 🙂
Mavis says
20 cups of tea a day! 😉
Bren says
Too funny! yeah definitely more food. This post totally cracks me up!
Bren says
Your dog looks so cute and teeny tiny peeking over the border. Ask for a lot more food, a job like that might take me days to do. Ask for sugar, rice, butter, coconut oil, toilet paper and quinoa or brats for the HH.
Zoe Dawn says
I need to rent out my skills! Too bad everyone I know either wants to do their own gardens or doesn’t want a garden at all 🙂
Yeah, I’d want a bit more than $15 worth of sugar. But $60 sounds a little high to me. I like to stay on people’s good sides by giving them a good deal since I already do have enough myself. Maybe another $15 dollars would be good?
Laura ewton says
That is a ton of work she is going to be doing! Her friend needs to be staying on Mavis’s good side and be generous with the offer of more food. The work Mavis puts in will reap big rewards for Girly Girl. Don’t settle for only another $15. Girly Girl needs to be generous because Mavis you are being generous with your time from your family and offering your expertise.
Zoe Dawn says
If Mavis and her family were starving, then go for it and try to get whatever the job is “worth” on the market so that she can feed the kids.
I think it’s best to be kind and generous. Usually people will do the same in return and even if they don’t, at least I can live with myself knowing that I treated them very well.
Sorry, not trying to be snarky or anything here. Just saying how I would handle the situation since that is what Mavis asked for 🙂
Robin says
She should drive you to Costco for your own choice of at least $100 bucks of food. I don’t think $20 x 3 to equal $60 is all that fair. If that isn’t going to happen then go for some Nutella, butter, cheeses (the blocks of sharp, monterey jack, or swiss) along with the sugar, how about a bag of choc chips, or almonds? Good luck what a mess…….
Nicola says
Yes she is on soccer mum crack lol. Sugar, Tp, and something else, I love the dog in your second pic so cute.
Nicola says
Maybe you should just do the work and time yourself on how long it takes then barter your time spent for food of equal amount?
Carol says
Yep, you need about $60 of food in return for your work!
Leanna says
She is not a good barterer. Remember the chocolate? I think you need to see what she wants/offers before you agree to any more trades with her. Unless she helps you in other ways like carting your kids around but I think one of yours might be old enough to drive now.
Susie says
Yep, I remember that. You totally got ripped off with that chocolate trade. Mrs. Hillbilly needs to learn what fair barter is all about! Maybe she needs to consider what would be fair if the roles were reversed. Would SHE do all that work for a $15 bag of sugar? Yes, you’re talented, but not a superhero! Well, maybe close.
crlzmmr says
Poor Mrs. Hillbilly
(I think you have her confused with Girly Girl.)
Mrs. Hillbilly is the one who barters buffalo or elk meat.
Girly Girl is the one who takes Mavis’ unwanted/troublesome chickens
and barters sugar/chocolate.
(Unless Mavis is calling the same person two different names)
Susie says
Oops! I meant “Girly Girl”! Such cute nicknames, I get them confused!
Jennifer says
I agree- $60 worth of food sounds fair or she could do her own gardening “evil look” haha! Get things you can’t coupon for and your family needs! Myself- I would ask for meat or milk types of products just because it is not something that can be couponed for very well. PS…. sugar is .67 a pound I believe at Winco if you buy in bulk. Honestly I probably would not do it but you are much nicer than I am Marvis!
suzanne says
Skilled garden labor gets about @25 an hour on my side of the sound. It’s hard to get teenagers to do it for any price anymore. Your time could be put to much better use at home. If she were incapacitated/elderly with a limited income, that would be different. Are you bartering labor for anything else? Cute garden shed perhaps?
Carol Ann says
Butter, I would definitely go for butter. It freezes well.
Mary Ann says
Are you kidding? It’s ridiculous to even entertain the idea of someone doing that much garden work for a 25 pound bag of sugar!
I know it’s expensive to live here in Southern California, but I paid one of my employees who was looking to make a little extra money on a day off $120 for the day to clean mine up and it’s not even that big! And then I paid my adult nephew $200 for an afternoons work of trimming the bottom branches of our trees and spreading out new bark under them!
Mavis, you’re getting ripped off! You need to ask for at least $75 value.
Mamalala says
I totally agree. She needs to offer more on the table…the woman is cheap.
Grandma PattyB says
MULCH!
Mindy says
Holy crap! Yeah, that’s worth way more than sugar. Maybe a months supply of coffee added to sweet the deal. 🙂
Mindy says
Sweeten, not sweet. :O)
Jennifer T says
I say the 25# sugar, 16 blocks of butter and two costco size boxes of tea.
Michelle says
Not sure where your friend lives, but a job like that here in Ohio would be at the very least $150.00 to $200.00 plus a nice lunch for the laborer. Your friend is either hoping you will do it for nothing “just because” you’re friends or she is just oblivious to the rather large task she is asking you to do.
I agree with the poster who said pay you in cash or take you shopping so YOU can get what YOU want, and not what she wants to get rid of out of her pantry.
Kaia says
Maple syrup and toilet paper! Or maybe just maple syrup since it’s quite spendy. (Any hints on what we missed at Costco this week?)
Patti says
Oh my word . What a mess . We are getting a community garden plot this year. We live in a condo. It cost $30.00 dollars for each small garden plot that does not have its weeds pulled.
They are tiny like one of her boxes.and I do not think that is enough. The gardeners here
charge about $35.00 an hour and up. I wonder how long it will take ? I love that you are optomistic and think 3 hours. Maybe go by the hour or just say no thank you. I think
she is crazy for that price. I think she has taken a secret master barter class that she did not tell you about.
Patti
Melody says
Yea, this looks like it wasn’t put to bed for the winter at all so in reality you are doing THREE jobs. Putting it to bed ,Spring prep, and Spring planting… I’d renegotiate or stipulate that she needs to be out there beside you pulling weeds and turning soil over! At best you should look at this in a business fashion. Estimate hours of work required and set yourself a reasonable wage then estimate from there what’s fair in barter.
Michelle Wright says
Holy crap, that’s sugar, butter, rice AND toilet paper. Or at least 3 out of the 4.
Chris B says
Organic butter, organic chicken and more rice. Although, a couple of giant bags of M&Ms never hurt anyone!
Wendy says
I agree with Lorri, that is a lot of work, surely that is’nt just from last season. If she got a contractor in it would cost a lot more than a bag of sugar
darlene says
Geesh, you are a better friend than I am! I would HELP her do her garden beds for the sugar, but if YOU end up doing them by yourself, I definately agree with asking for the butter (and maybe some of that yummy Irish cheese at Costco and a pizza for your dinner-since you aren’t going to have time to cook after working on that all day!)
Diane Murray says
Girly Girl is out of her ever-lovin’ mind — or thinks you are. So, what do YOU need in your pantry? Go make a list and then tick off whatever adds up to about $100 to clean up four raised beds plus garden paths. That’s a lot of work. This year maybe GG should hire you in the fall to put the garden to bed — clean up and cover things with mulch so these blinkin’ weeds don’t fill up the boxes next spring.
Sheena says
I don’t think that is very fair. Maybe you should ask her why she thinks a 15.00 bag of sugar is worth several hours of work. I’d ask for butter or more goods that you need. I would think your time would be worth more in your own garden.
Bren says
I showed someone this and he said that he is thinking that a gently used bmw would be in order.
Mandy P says
That’s not even close to an even trade. Tell her you would require that bag of sugar for an hour of work and figure that it would take you 3-4 hours of work to do the job. Have 2-4 other things to add to that list. Or have her come out and help. Maybe after 2o minutes she will see how much work it is and give you a big costco gift card!
Diane says
I totally agree with the comments estimating the work at $100 minimum. That’s a LOT of cleanup. Something no one has mentioned here is the strain on one’s body from doing all that work. You’re still young, Mavis, but I’ve been gardening for a long time and just had back surgery last December, which I’m still working on recovering from. If you want your back to last for your OWN garden, tell your neighbor she can darn well put in some “sweat equity” alongside you in her yard, or no deal (unless, of course, she has a disability that prevents it). A broken-down back is no joke, and you already work HARD.
Lorri says
Not to be snarky. But if she doesn’t want to do fall cleanup, spring clean up or the planting of the garden…uh…why does she want a garden? Maybe she should look into a CSA where she can pay in the spring and pick up produce at a farm weekly. Why have a garden if you obviously don’t like to garden?
As far as what she should pay you. I my opinion at least one hundred dollars worth of meat or things that will help you in your 100 dollar a month quest.
mary says
Holy Cow. Three hours, that would take me three days! 25# sugar, butter, how about rice and maybe a sack of beans. Or maybe just a costco gift card in the amount of at least $100.00. Honestly, I would never cheap out on a friend..
Lauren Weiss says
Yikes! Make her throw in some rice, flour, and cheese too! This looks like a full day’s work!
saralie says
AT LEAST a $75gift certificate to Costco…you are worth more that $25 an hour girlfriend 🙂 🙂 🙂
Rebecca says
I agree with PP, I’d trade for equal hours of housework. That looks like a really big job and 1 sack of sugar is not enough to even consider being fair. That would be a $75.00 barter in my estimation, only if it takes 3 hours.
Not sure what age group your neighbor is in but she needs to update her idea of what things cost, not a mean thing, just something we all have to do from time to time.
Alicia says
I would say at the very minimum $15-$25 PER box in goods. That’s A LOT of work!! We let our yard/garden go for a couple of years due to no time while the kiddos were little and had a guy come and get it back in order this time last year. Our guy got paid well because we were so grateful to have it put beautiful so that we could maintain it from here on out. I didn’t have the time, energy or know-how to do it right at that point. Money well spent. I’d also mention how much you were willing to take if she better maintains them next year. 🙂
vicki says
I think pet food for Lucy, maybe some sugar and tea.
CathyB says
I agree with the others. Negotiate for a Costco gift card at a per hour rate. If she wants you to work fewer hours then she will be willing to come out and help. If not, then she will have to pay for more hours. I know you want to help her, but if you are doing it all for her then you have to account for your own “opportunity costs”.
Helen in Meridian says
And don’t take the hh or boy with you when you go spend it. Spend it on YOURSELF and your food needs, not the kids.
Julie's Rants says
I think it would be a good trade if all she wanted you to do was burn that mess to the ground.
Linda says
They have some great lobster claws ( frozen ) yummy!!! Had them tonight. P. S. About
$ 20.00
Angela says
hum………..girly girl is cheap cheap! I recommend you do the work first, and track your labor hours. meanwhile, call a local landscape service provider and ask what is standard rate for garden cleanup/prep. then decide from that figure to give her the ” friend” rate for how ever many hours you labored. Your time is worth way more then a big bag of sugar.
Peggy says
People are cranky and angry…eat some cake or watch an Andy Griffith Show marathon or something! Yikes.
Lynne says
I don’t think readers are cranky and angry, as much as everyone is insulted on behalf of Mavis that Girly Girl is seriously undervaluing the work she is asking Mavis to do.
Mavis, I hope you are going to share the outcome of this transaction with us!
Mavis says
🙂 I will.
Jennifer says
All I have to say is… Mavis you are an amazing friend and person in general! Girly Girl better thank her lucky stars she has you…
Christie S says
Didn’t you mention in a recent post that you were getting a Zaycon order soon? Since meat is tricky to fit into your budget have her double your order if it isn’t already sold out.
amy says
sheesh- i confess i just wouldn’t do it! i would spend the time concentrating on my own garden and the money i could save doing that, than worrying about earning a crazy cheap bag of sugar… friend or not, that is crazy to do all that work for basically nothing… if she can’t do the gardens herself, or afford help to get them done, she might need to reconsider whether she should be keeping the garden… i would be telling her, “one word girlfriend- MULCH!”
Sandra Smith says
This hits to the core of why I’m scared to try bartering. I think it requires a willingness to be totally honest with whomever your bartering with, otherwise you risk resentment being built up. I’m scared of two things: being offensive in what I offer for trade and having the other party be po’d at me, and getting offended and not being willing to be honest about what I really want/expect. I think bartering would be awesome if I could just get past this concern. I’m eager to know how you handle it. Thanks for a great blog!