Support Small Business with Pork

November 22, 2007 at 6:12 pm

Every angler who likes to eat fish understands the importance of a sharp filleting knife.  I usually maintain the knife myself during the year but let a professional give it a good working over during the off season.  I bring my filleting knives to a small sharpening business in town.  I really like the guy running the business and his work is always great. I am not a knife snob by any means but when you get this thing back you have to remind yourself of how sharp it is.  His place is professional and it has a great deal of character.  He always has a couple of minutes to chat about your knife, your ice skates, chainsaw or whatever you have had him sharpen.  The other day I went to pick up my knives and I forgot to bring enough cash.  I was about a dollar short.  He smiled and told me to forget about it.  Not wanting to short change him, I went to the car to dig up a loonie that may have fallen out of my pocket. With not a loonie to be found I was about to sheepishly return to his shop.  Glancing into the back seat I remembered I had some pork chops.  I don’t usually carry pork chops around, but we had butchered a pig this summer and I was transporting some around for a friend. I quickly grabbed a couple of pork chops and returned to the front desk.  He did not want to accept it at first suggesting it far outweighed the value of a dollar.  I told him it was a gift and enjoy the pork.  Now would I have given it to him if I had just purchased it at Superstore...no.  There seemed to an acceptance and value associated with my home-wrapped, locally raised and butchered pork.  It got me thinking about carry around a little fish or wild meat in my car over the winter.  After all its not going to thaw.  I am not suggesting using it as currency but you never know when that fillet might come in handy.  I have a hatch back, but if you have a truck without a hard top you might want to think twice.  Those ravens can smell and are resourceful getting into your goods. 

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