A Note from Driftwood Island
Dear Jo, I live on Driftwood Island. Two villages help one another, but their work is different. At Palm Bay, Suri catches fish. Her uncle makes wooden drying racks. At Hill Garden, Mateo grows yams, and Lani weaves baskets. These workers are producers because they gather or make goods.
People are consumers when they use goods. Families in Palm Bay eat yams, and families in Hill Garden eat fish. People can trade with shell coins, which are used as money. They can also barter. In barter, people exchange goods without money. Suri needs a basket to carry fish, and Lani needs fish for dinner. Suri gives fish to Lani, and Lani gives a basket to Suri. Each person gets something needed.