A Memorable Trade

Jason Lazarus (http://www.jasonlazarus.com) brought in a photograph for trade. As both an artist and plant lover, he understood what we are trying to do immediately. He brought in a photograph he shot in January of Eric Becklin, first human to see the center of our galaxy.

Before trading, he stated that he had also brought cash. Marie responded that she had cash also. After some discussion on values and honor, we all chose to avoid currency if possible. There was an exchange of knowledge about plant care, appreciation of different plants, tasting the nasturtium flowers and a final trade with mutual respect and joy. To be quite honest, the exchange had a tribal feel to it as Marcel Mauss and Georges Bataille write of.

Jason left with a ladder to store and display plants, the nasturtium, a scented geranium, a clipping of another scented geranium, a begonia, a black cherry tomato seedling and a fig tree.

Marie showed Jason how to select the healthiest seedling by the leaves, height and stem girth. Then she explained how to transplant the tomato.

It was a sugar fig tree which produces small, edible fruit.

The nasturtium is an edible plant that tracks the sunlight. The flowers have a fresh flavor with a radish-like aftertaste. Marie enthusiastically ate the first flower then Jason tried one.