Relishments

Savoring life in the Berkshires

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Start Here
    • Relishments Around the Web
  • Flexitarianism
    • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Reviews
  • The Berkshires
    • Boothbay, Midcoast Maine and More
    • Adventures in Other Places
  • Technology
    • My Favorite Technology Tools
  • Contact
    • Sponsor

Berkshire Barter Preserve Swap at the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market

Published on September 16, 2014 By Emily. Updated on October 20, 2015

I love hanging out at farmer’s markets, though I don’t often make the time.  Unfortunately, this past Saturday was not a nice day for hanging out at the farmer’s market.  The Pittsfield Farmers Market was cold and cloudy and looked like it was going to rain at any moment.  The vendors wore pea coats and heavy sweatshirts and grasped cups of coffee in their hands.  But it was alright, because it was also the day of the long awaited (for me) preserve swap hosted by Berkshire Barter.

pickles for swapping

This wasn’t a banner year for me in terms of canning.  I made pickles and I made dilly beans.  I have good intentions to maybe, if I’m super lucky, still do something with tomatoes and, hopefully, put up some apples.  But when it came time to choose what to bring to the event, I didn’t have a lot of options.  I also had no idea how many people would be coming.  30 had replied positively on Facebook, but we all know that Facebook RSVPs are notoriously unreliable.  I settled on bringing 6 jars of cucumber pickles and 3 jars of dilly beans.

preserve swap barter market

Also in the “things Emily was indecisive” category on Saturday was what time I should leave for the event.  According to Facebook (what did we do before Facebook?), the table would be set up around 9 and the swap would happen around 11.  I ended up arriving at the market around 9:30, so early that the table was just being set up.  I met Michael, a Berkshire Barter member who was more or less running the swap, added my pickles to the table and wandered the market.

Photos

As the morning progressed, the swap table became filled with more and more awesome looking goods.  It was really great to meet all the contributors and chat with them.  By the time Michael told us we could begin there were various pickled and lacto-fermented items, vanilla extract, chicken and duck eggs, wine from Graham Farmhouse, hot sauce, kombucha, mustard, barbecue sauce,  pesto, jam, and coffee beans from Assembly Coffee Roasters.  It was quite a spread and it was fun to see market shoppers stop by to see what the event was all about.

Around 11, we were given the okay by Michael and began swapping goods.  The instructions were pretty casual;  we were to trade things at a ratio that made sense to us.  I’m pretty sure everyone did 1 for 1, but there was the option to do otherwise.  I always worry that my goods will be the last ones picked and I was pleased to find that some people actually wanted my pickles.   In the end, I took home a jar of blackberry/blueberry jam, barbecue sauce, rum vanilla extract, picked radishes, pear sauce, mustard and coffee beans…and 3 jars of my pickled goods, but I’m okay with that.  I had such a good time meeting everyone and spending my morning at the market.  There’s the promise of another swap later this fall and I’m definitely following the Berkshire Barter Facebook posts for upcoming events.

swapped goods

Related Posts

5 Things I Learned at the Garlic Festival
#98: Participate in Pimp My Preserve
Maybe Winter Won’t Be Completely Miserable
When in Doubt, Make Pickles
Did you enjoy this post? Share it!

Filed Under: events Tagged With: Berkshires, canning, Pittsfield

« On Lacking Time (CSA Menu Plan #11)
Taking the Night Off »

Comments

  1. Julie says

    September 17, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    This sounds like so much fun! Kind of wish we had something like this near me!

    • Emily says

      September 17, 2014 at 4:49 pm

      I’m surprised you don’t! I’m jealous of your ability to bulk buy fruit, so I guess we’re even. And it didn’t seem like much organization was required…people just showed up and swapped. You should start one!

  2. mlkj21 says

    October 28, 2015 at 12:13 pm

    Just noticed this post! This totally inspires me to organize a barter market in the near future. We were doing them once a month at different locations in Berkshire county and I plan to start that again.
    Will be in touch soon with details
    In community,
    Michelle

Trackbacks

  1. Vote and Help the Pittsfield Farmer’s Market Win $20K! | Relishments says:
    March 31, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    […] 2014, I wrote about attending an awesome preserve swap at the market.  A day at the market plus trading pickles for vanilla extract and mustard? Yes, […]

Welcome!

Welcome to Relishments! Follow along with my adventures in flexitarian eating and cooking in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

The Berkshires
Recipe Index
CSA Menu Plan
First Time?
 

Support Relishments on Patreon

Just so you know…

I’m just a girl who loves to cook and eat. This site is not a source for nutritional information.

Relishments is affiliated with various sponsors. Some product links on this site are affiliates; I may get portion of the sale. All opinions on this site are honest, regardless of revenue opportunities. Find out more about my policies here

Relishments is affiliated with…

View my food journey on Zomato!

  
Ahalogy Badge

relishments

Emily
It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it t It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it to our second annual strawberry picking at @mountainviewfarm413, which included E's first tractor ride (she was very excited). We picked about 9 pounds of strawberries and I'm looking forward to eating them! 🍓
.
.
.
#igers413_food #strawberries #LocallyGrowjln #PickYourOwn #LanesboroughMA
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires

#NorthAdams #NAmazing
Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shir Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shiredonuts, Poseidon Coffee, the Ashwillticook Rail Trail, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams Free Library and beautiful flowers.
.
.
.
#AdamsMA #igers413_food
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires
I don't have clear words to express my feelings ab I don't have clear words to express my feelings about the state of the world lately. As a teacher and a mother, it has been extra difficult this week to be fully present in my roles without thinking about innocent lives that should have had longer on Earth. How what has happened in each of the many mass shootings this year can happen anywhere. If you are feeling sad and frustrated too, you are not alone.

I don't have answers, but I'm trying to take care of myself and my biological and school families. I'm saying "I love you" a lot to my children and my students. I'm closely following and sharing the work of @everytown while contacting my state and federal representatives and the president. I'm going for walks and getting fresh air and trying not to overload on news. I'm sharing good resources in my stories as I see them.
UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @aloh UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @alohr3!

 @thelazygenius' second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, is finally here and I'm so excited! I don't purchase many books, but I pre-ordered this last July because I knew it would be right up my alley and then I pre-ordered a second copy because I knew that I'd want to give one away.

Author Kendra Adachi has been one of my favorite voices in recent years. Her principles (shared through her first book, The Lazy Genius Podcast and her Instagram) have helped me focus my priorities and give myself more grace. 

This book is NOT a cookbook (it has just 2 recipes), it is a kitchen guide - to help you "have what you need, use what you have, and enjoy it like never before". It is beautiful (full color!) and thoughtful.

I'm very excited to send this book to one of you.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below with one of your greatest kitchen struggles. 
I'll draw a winner at 8 pm on Friday, May 6.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi.
.
.
.
#LazyGenius #KendraAdachi #NameWhatMatters #TheLazyGeniusKitchen #TheLazyGeniusWay #BookGiveaway
This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berk This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berkshire Teacher and Social Worker Appreciation Day free admission. After enjoying the student Art Invitational exhibit, the 4 of us took in several of the other galleries. Mass MoCA always impresses and it was delightful to be able to be out in the world with my kids.
.
.
.
#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #MassMoCA #ArtMuseum
Today I finally found my way into @plantconnector, Today I finally found my way into @plantconnector, in its new location on Main Street in North Adams. The shop is incredible - the displays are great and the plants are delightful. There's a refill station with bottles and jars for soaps, detergents and other products, a terrarium bar, and an abundance of sustainable and beautiful products. I'm now in the process of pondering who I can purchase Plant Connector gifts for in the coming months.
.
.
.
#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #ShopLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #PlantConnector
This is your periodic reminder that @berkshiremuse This is your periodic reminder that @berkshiremuseum is a great visit for all ages. The current Voyage to the Deep exhibit, which involves an interactive Nautilus submarine that my 5 year old spent literally hours in.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the Aquarium and Berkshire Backyard. Highly recommended - we'll be back soon!
.
.
.
#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #BerkshireMuseum #PittsfieldMA
My January and early February menu plans for my @m My January and early February menu plans for my @mightyfoodfarm vegetables are finally up on the blog. See how we're making use of these beautiful items, as well as the items from the other pick up we made in the past month. 
Link in profile.
.
.
.
#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare  #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
One of my favorite things to do is bake from scrat One of my favorite things to do is bake from scratch.
But, in the interest of full transparency, this pie was made with Pillsbury pie crusts and a $5 bag of Walmart Granny Smiths. I used the recipe on the pie crust box.
I am very excited to eat it.
.
.
.
#RelishmentsBakes #BakingFromScratch #baking #igers413_food #semihomemade #pie #ApplePie
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in