Just wondering what everyone's expectations are, if any, when they give a fig cutting, tree, etc. I've learned that some people give unconditionally and are happy/detached with whatever the recipient does with it. Thanks for those kind of people! Others, however, give with conditions which are often, unspoken conditions, and the recipient is somehow just supposed to 'know' what they can/should and cannot/shouldn't do. I honestly give without conditions and if one gives, shouldn't it be without conditions? Otherwise, don't bother giving. It's like handing $100 dollars to the birthday boy or girl and telling him/her what they can and cannot spend it on.

I guess this will easily bring up the whole right vs wrong subject. But, right vs wrong are nothing but cultural and conditioned ways of beliefs. If I were in Asia and I was offered food, it would be considered 'wrong' if I left any food on my plate. Now, if I were in Brazil and I ate all the food on my plate, that would be considered wrong. So, these little wrongs that we have created are nothing but artificial belief systems with no backbone to support them. So, while the big obvious wrongs (taking another's life, stealing figs, etc.) are a given, I just feel that the little wrongs that we've established have no real basis, much like one eating with much gusto and slurping in the process would be considered wrong. Who is really getting hurt?

So, while I am very interested to know what everyone's take on this subject is, I also want to suggest that you give unconditionally. If you are going to give, give it away freely with no attachments. Otherwise, you are just setting yourself up for disappointment.

hmm.. you opened up a can of worm. lol "ethics and fig trading".. we can write a book on it. i would suggest that you know who you are giving the cuttings to. 

When I give a cutting or plant, I agree, I don't expect anything unless it was a trade from the beginning or I wanted the reciever to pay shipping which would again be made known from the beginning.

 Here is the flip side though. When someone freely gives me a cutting or plant(with or without paying shipping) and if down the road something tragic should happen to their mother tree. I would gladly give them cuttings or an extra start to replace theirs. It's the least I can do! Furthermore, if they are looking for cuttings from a variety that I have, I would be happy to get them some cuttings when they are available. The only caveat to this is sometimes certain cuttings aren't availble now and there may already be a waiting list for that variety. Let's be real, plant material from rare varieties is great for aquiring other varieties, so in the first handful of years I'm not going to have alot of extra rare plant material hanging around.

I apologize for not being clearer, but what I was referring to was what the recipient ends up doing with what he receives. If he or she ends up starting a u-pick farm with the cuttings or plants that I gave them and it becomes a source of income for them then I would be completely happy for them. If they end up selling cuttings and plants that originated from whatever I gave them, I would also be happy for them. I sense that some will give but they somehow don't want you to make any money off of it. I don't get it. Maybe, it's because of a less than ideal view or belief regarding money?

If the purpose of giving is so that the recipient receives benefit from it in any way, shape, or form and the giver is, at best, happy for them and, at the least, detached, then some of us have forgotten the true spirit of giving.

I think most forum members feel that if you give someone 4 cuttings of a highly desirable variety, and the recipient keeps two cuttings for propagation and then sells two on ebay, that this is unethical.  I think where there are more differences of opinion is an example where the recipient roots all four cuttings, to end up with four young plants, and then keeps one and sells three on ebay. In the latter example there is a value added on the part of a recipient (i.e. the effort involved in propagation); however, the recipient is not really following the spirit of the person who gave him the plant material for free.  When money is made off of figs things often get complicated.

once they grow the tree and then sell cuttings and air layers, i wouldn't mind it at all. if they make good money off that tree, i would even feel proud. but if someone sells the cuttings as soon as they get them, yeah, i won't like it. but, helping others by freely sharing them as soon as they get the cuttings, i would be very happy with it. 

i mean, it was a gift. play with it for awhile before recycling it. 

@IamKriya, where do you collect this unusual information from? Has something like that happen to you?
When someone gives a cutting (which is a dear thing to do BTW) the giver might assume the receiver is going to do their best to make it grow. Now anything beyond that is out of the giver's powers.
I, for one, wouldn't care what anyone does after receiving my cuttings... but after reading your post , I am assuming there are some who have hard separation time, LOL
One thing I really would hate to see is for someone getting precious cuttings from people who think they did a good dead and turn around and sell them for misly profit.
That would be so wrong! and once the word is out no one would EVER trust them.
What concerns to turning the cuttings into farm trees and making Gazillions... well, isn't it what we all wish for our cuttings? :) Turn a cutting onto an amazing tree and if you start profiting from it then more power to you...who ever you are.
I for one would love to see my trees being part of a beautiful orchard or a farm.

Ok guys, you are going to have to pretend that I am a 5 year old as I am not understanding it completely. 

I have always felt that when I give I give it away completely with no strings attached. If there are going to be strings attached then why bother giving at all? What the recipient does, in whatever time frame, irregardless of whether they put time and effort or none at all shouldn't matter. If they matter, then are those not strings attached, conditions that must be met in order to not offend the giver? 

Not trying to stir up anything here, FYI. I'm just feeling a little passionate about breaking hardened belief systems that are rooted in air. It's peaceful here all the way :-)

I agree 100% with Steve! I don't have restrictions on the things I give but if I shipped cuttings out of the goodness of my heart and saw them a week later on ebay I would be really mad. I would also let everyone know what happened and that person would probably have a hard time getting anymore.

I have had people give me cuttings and ask me to keep them to myself for a year or two. No problem! If you ask for the conditions before giving them it should be okay but if not, you should have no say in what happens. That doesn't mean it's okay for people to take advantage.

Ryan, if giver and receiver understand what is expected of a transaction, there shouldn't be a problem. Whenever I offer a plant or cutting to someone, I make it clear I want nothing in return if that is what I truly want. The receiver should always ask if he/she can pay for postage and handling, or give something in return. If my answer is no, I want nothing, then it should be of no concern to me what he/she does with the plant material.

On the other hand, I am somewhat uncomfortable receiving anything for free and I always insist on trying to pay it back one way or another. That's just me.

What burns my ass (aside from a flame this high :)) is when someone requests a specific plant/cutting and promises to exchange something but then conveniently forgets. Gentle reminders usually provoke a litany of lame excuses.  Fool me once...

[QUOTE=Rewton]I think most forum members feel that if you give someone 4 cuttings of a highly desirable variety, and the recipient keeps two cuttings for propagation and then sells two on ebay, that this is unethical.  [/QUOTE]

This is exactly my position. If I gave a valuable cutting, it was for them to have, not sell. But if they grew the tree and later sold cuttings when they pruned -- well they did raise the tree.

I look at it this way. I am a published author. I often give books to people. If someone were to turn around and sell that copy, I would honestly be offended. If it inspired them to do the hard work of writing their own book and selling that, I would be thrilled!

The difference is in whether or not they treat what I gave them as the gift it was, not simply an opportunity for profit.

This may be an odd way to look at it, for me it's not unethical that they might sell the gift, it's rude....but it is theirs and if I gave it freely then it is their right to do with it as they please. I would probably make a note to not give them any other...

If I gave someone cuttings and they sold them instead of propagating them it would frost me....   If though I give cuttings and they grow and keep one and sell the other plants no problem.  I agree with Frank that people that don't honor trades annoy me.  Delays happen which is fine but if you owe someone it really is up to the one that owes to keep checking back with the owed party to reassure them they have not forgotten and are working on it, is only polite.  

In my opinion, it would be unethical to ask for cuttings for free or for shipping costs with the intent on selling them for a profit.  That is just preying on others' goodwill.  Also it's hard to see how that would be a very profitable business model. 

There are other situations where there's probably a more diverse set of opinions:  For example:

1.  If you negotiate a price (in excess of shipping costs) for cuttings, and then sell them for more on Ebay, I don't have a huge problem with that.  That's just how business works.  If I found out, I would just probably negotiate a higher price the next time.  Or sell them on Ebay myself.  But I've sold cuttings before, and it's a lot of work and hassle, so if someone wants to be in that business, they should be compensated for their effort.
2.  Anyone who has grown figs knows that it's impossible to predict how many of your cuttings will survive.  So if you start 4 cuttings, they all survive, I see no problem with selling the extras.  Or even all 4 of them.  Like another poster said, you are adding value so you should be compensated for your efforts. 
3.  The keeping 2 and selling 2 example is a little tricky.  Did they specifically ask for 4, with the intent of selling 2?  Or did the not even think about the number they would receive, and then when they got the cuttings they figured they had a good shot at getting the tree with 2 cuttings and decided to sell the extra?  If the latter, I wouldn't have a problem with it.  If the former, then that's a little shady.  But if the cuttings are so valuable or rare or sought after that you can make a substantial amount of money by selling 2 on ebay, then why are you giving 4 away to 1 person in the first place?  I wouldn't do so.  That's not generous, that's just silly.  Why not give 2 each to 2 people?  That would be better. 

I think that it is fair that when giving a gift that there are certain unstated expectations of what happens in the immediate future.  For example, if someone gave someone a pet, I would think it reasonable to expect the receiver to take good care of said pet and not abuse or (heaven forbid) eat it.  Certainly a fig cutting is a much different situation, but you do want that cutting to be used for a certain purpose, namely to start a fig tree.

If you want to state specific conditions when giving cuttings, you are free to do so, but it may be hard to enforce or monitor whether said conditions are met on an ongoing basis, and the only recourse you have if conditions are not met is to not give to the same person again.

I do expect that if I give cuttings to someone for free or shipping, and if my tree dies, that if I ask that person, and the cuttings I provided to them resulted in a tree, and said tree can yield a cutting, that they give me cutting for free or shipping costs if I ask nicely, provided it's legal, etc.  Why wouldn't they?  However, if someone is enough of a jerk to refuse such a request, then they've probably got a lot bigger problems than I have, and I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. 

There are probably a million ways that someone could burn another just by the mere exchange of cuttings, whether shipping was paid, weather the cuttings were paid for, prior deals, etc, etc.  I'm sure everyone can come up with a scenario.  I had given away cuttings and noticed the same cuttings on someones list to trade.  I feel it's that persons business and that's it.  And I would give away to that person again because the cuttings were given away freely and I have no expectations.

I think the crux of @IamKriya's concern is profiting off a gift from another.  My feeling is that most of us are whacked out of our skulls for doing what we do for the hobby and after you figure in what we pay for everything associated with the hobby, there is no profit; only a little fig money which is dangerous in any of our hands.

I guess it all boils down to the recipients culpable mental state.  If a recipient accepts cuttings or trees with the thought "Oh boy, I can't believe this person is giving this to me.  I can't wait to sell it and make a profit!", it is flat out wrong and that person should be pelted with rotten figs.  If a recipient accepts cuttings or trees with the thought "Oh boy, I can't believe this person is giving this to me.  I can't wait to grow them up and eat some delicious figs.", does just that and then sells the tree, then there is nothing wrong with that.

I am of Italian culture. My father to this day grows over 300 tomato plants and god knows how much of everything else in his garden. My parents live by themselves. There is my sister's family and my family. We take what we can but 95% of it we can't even eat because there is just too much. My father loves to garden on a big scale even at 78 years old. The rest gets given away to anybody and everybody they know and some people they don't.  Sometimes people go over and by the time they leave they have 200$-300$ in vegetables packed away in their cars. I was always brought up that if you can give you give. That's what society is supposed to be about and you give freely without concern as to what the people do with it.

With that said when it comes to something rare. I don't know.... but i wouldn't just give it away to any Tom Dick or Harry. I don't know anybody personally here on this forum but at the very least i would check to see if the person participates here. You can pick out the genuine people quite easily. If it was a plant or tree that is common i wouldn't give a second look to who the person was as long as they had a few posts. If it was a rare plant or a tree i would give it away on the condition that i choose who gets it, Not just the first person to P.M.

Right or wrong that's my opinion.

IMHO,

If you are given cuttings as a gift you should not sell them. If they grow then you should pass on some cuttings to someone else at a later date when the plants are stable and mature. I have had several nice people from the forum give me cuttings and this is what I will do when the plants mature.

If you traded or purchased them with people on the forum you can do what you want but for me I treat them like they are a gift and I will trade or sell cuttings from them later

Ebay is just a store so you can do whatever with the cuttings you get from there.

It seems that our reputation is less about our actual actions but more about how others feel about our actions; and fair or not, others will treat us accordingly to our reputation.

Simple communication before asking for or accepting a gift will tell us what others expect and whether we can honor those expectations.  If we can honor those expectations, great, if not, then we deserve the reputation we get (and the rotten fig pelting from nycfig).

Giving is nice, Exchange is even nicer but if someone hit the forums just to get material for the shipping cost or even for free I consider it a fraud or theft, sorry guys.
If someone conns me to giving cuttings and pretend he's a "nice figgie grower with passion" yet his only intention is to get what he wants at no cost that's STEALING!

There was a category, and may still be, with seeds, cuttings, tubers, etc. when sold through Seedsavers that the recipient had to propagate and offer them in the future, when it was an item that was rare, or seldom seen. That categorization was at the discretion of the seller, and for understandable reasons. I don't know that saw things in the category re-offered by the recipient, but there was no enforcement mechanism.

I do give things away, and donate then under certain circumstances. When I do so it is without strings or requirements. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with "strings" if they are clearly stated and understood. People donate to charities all the time, with the understanding that the money will be used for a particular purpose or project.

There are times when I receive, say cuttings, from someone, for free, and if they are successful, I keep two for the Figs 4 Fun collection, and the rest are usually traded for additional varieties, or sold to pay for the maintenance of the collection. Adding new things is a priority.

i would imagine it would be a common courtesy to not sell a gift... but some culture might be different. if i did that in korea, at least when i was growing up there, either they beat the crap out of me, or people will pity me for being extremely poor. i think it's about the same all over... but kriya's culture might be different.

or, some culture might not define fig cuttings or trees as gifts, in which case, i think i can try to understand.

we are all different. i mean, french consider jerry lewis as a comic genius.

My 2 cents - I give, it is no longer mine, it is yours, you may do whatever you want to do with whatever is yours, including killing it.  I personally would not sell cuttings or trees that were given to me, my wish list is for me to have, not to sell, I want those because I do not have them, If I were to sell them I would not have them, which is exactly where I started.

I do not like the attachment of strings on gifts, you may, I don't care what you do with your stuff, if you want control of your stuff, don't give it away, either way does not matter to me.

Just my 2 cents worth, not looking for a debate, just saying.

My grandmother was never happy unless she had something to give away. By the same token, she came from a culture where it was impolite to show up at someone's door empty-handed. I give knowing I cannot control the outcome, but also pay attention to mongering. I receive knowing that my receipt also creates a debt, if only of gratitude, but often to be just as generous to the next person.

To play devils advocate Ryan, what if it was you who gifted the cuttings? The receiver sells some but they are not the correct variety, it could have been that you had the wrong type, or the seller mixed them up, or the seller purposefully misrepresented them to make a little extra. Now what was a gift has become a liability. The seller will no longer be financially responsible by the time the buyer figures it out so all that is left to lose is credibility. 

Reselling or selling gifted cuttings is bad business. A credible seller grows them out and takes pics as evidence. My 2 cents.

Giving without the expectation of anything frees you to experience and receive the pleasure in giving instead of worrying of being wronged in some way. On the other hand, just clearly state what you expect if you do expect something. That way chances are less you will be disappointed, or just call it an exchange. Try it both ways and see which one works for you.

There is another situation.
If I am looking for cuttings of a variety and there is someone who has the cutting and willing to provide me the cuttings on condition that I will not not share the rooted plants or cutting for (say)  2 or 3 years (or whatever) then if I accept the cuttings I accept the condition to follow (whatever the reason for the condition by the donor.
Also, if someone gives me cuttings and some spare cuttings are left after rooting for myself, I prefer to check with the donor if it is OK to share or trade the leftover. It is just my way to feel comfortable.

I think that the problem is that you give a gift to someone you might wish to be a new friend.
If they turn around and sell it then the giver might feel used and disappointed.
After all part of the joy in giving is seeing the joy it brings to the new owner. 
If I gave someone a cuttings and they grew a few trees then sure they could sell the extras and not hurt my feelings.  Maybe they need the money to purchase another cutting which they could then share with me down the road.  LOL

I gave a friend two motorcycles and in less than a week he called to tell me he had them sold and asked if I wanted a cut. No I could have sold them but I gave them to him, I was out of the picture. However it was nice of him to offer. When I give it to you it is yours. Enjoy!

It's kind of neat to see all the points of view. This is an interesting thread. Ryan, I don't know if your question has been answered, but thanks for bringing up this topic. The truth is, the more you give, the more you will have. One unpleasant experience on either end of a trade should not sour us. The fact is, each and every one of us will be perceived a fool, a crook, a hero, an angel, at least once in our lifetime. Just part of being human. And the first line of this paragraph applies again. Be the giver, it's much more rewarding.

I felt very bad if the cuttings given to me did not make it. As if I have failed the donor. But when it grows, I can't wait to share them with others. I believe the more you give the more you get. Thank you very much to my donors. Norhayati.

Aloha, everyone and mahalo, Ryan for this very thought provoking thread.  

It's interesting to hear different points of views on giving and receiving.  I'm a little more simpler in this approach - I just ask the "good book" and go with that.  Hebrews 13:16 (English Standard Version) Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.  If I have something you need or would like, I'll get it to you.

Nate

Hi lamkriya,
A deal is a deal... And giving is a deal as well.
So each one, part in the deal, has to read all the lines carefully sometimes ... not always.
Sometimes it is easier not to ask for the small lines ... until the problem gets back to you .

To be honest, I haven't been giving too much of fig cuttings, as the trees got culled in February 2012, and I do not wish to make
too much advertising at my trees ... Should a neighbor or someone else try to make the harvest without me ...
Here in  the gardens, it seems that almost everyone has a fig tree, so I'd rather go for an exchange. If someone does not want to exchange, then ... they'll have to wait a bit :)
I did a trade with a neighbor - my cutting was better looking than hers, and hers ... I'm not sure if there is life in there ... But time will tell ... It was still pleasant :) to blablabla a bit about figs .

jds, you are lucky you  have people who knows how to care for fig trees. ones that i gave away all died. few that i gave to my in laws, they watered them to death. one that i give to my friend, he didn't water and it died. i'm waiting to hear from my co-works. wonder how long they will keep them going. i'll be happy if they make it to next spring. 

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts! I have truly learned a lot from what was shared on this thread!

One thing that I learned which I will carry with me is to be mindful as much as possible because it is clear to see that our views just on this one subject is so diverse and that there may not be 1 single right answer. Much like giving, being mindful of others goes a long way!

I guess, whenever in doubt, asking never hurts!

it's not a "string". it's one those things that's just understood. if some one gives you beer, you are expected to drink it. if you don't want to drink it, you should let the person know. if some one gives you a cutting, they expect you  to root and grow them. if that is not the intention, you should state it. why would i give some one a fig cuttings to sell? i don't sell cuttings. and i have no intention of being a wholesaler.

[QUOTE=bullet08]it's not a "string". it's one those things that's just understood. if some one gives you beer, you are expected to drink it. if you don't want to drink it, you should let the person know. if some one gives you a cutting, they expect you  to root and grow them. if that is not the intention, you should state it. why would i give some one a fig cuttings to sell? i don't sell cuttings. and i have no intention of being a wholesaler.[/QUOTE]

This is how I feel also.

I've already given my opinion but i would just like to add one more point. I buy cuttings from ebay. I pay lets say 80$ for a rare variety. Some go for 100's of $ as we all know.

I grow the cutting into a tree .... 2-3 years down the road i prune and have cuttings available for other members. Do i want to give those cuttings to someone that will turn around and sell them ? No i am going to give them to someone i know 100% that will appreciate the gift and not have $ in their eyes.

If that person grows the cutting into a tree and then prunes and has some to sell. I have no problem with that. But to just take the cuttings from me, turn around and sell them to make a $ at my expense. Sorry but that to me is not only insulting it's like a slap in the face.

I don't know about you guys but I look at this thread in a totally different way. To me it's about How you are being approached about giving a cutting. I am a very giving person, but don't conn me about how you want to grow figs but you don't have cuttings... so I can share in order for you to take them from me and turn around and sell them, EXCUSE ME! This is unethical, no matter what culture. 
Maybe you can exchange the extras with some one else to PAY FORWARD, but, don't ,... c'mon... Don't sell them. 
It doesn't hurt to give away something you took for free. after all...it must feel good to receive for free, right?
Share...care...pay forward :)
OK, I am calm!

aaron, beer works.. really... lol

no, I'm going to open the other packet of that frozen figs from TJ, I stashed them somewhere in the freezer chest.

Figs anyone...?

I'm 100% with the beer.  Put the shoe on the other foot.  As a gift receiver could I honest tell the person what my plans for their cutting were and still get them.  For example Someone offers me a wonderful fig that is going for hundreds of dollars.  I say that is nice but if you give it to me I'm going to sell it on ebay.  If I still get the cutting then the giver was not offended on the other hand if he says no way then I know he would be unhappy.  If someone is giving cuttings away and I ask for it then I pay shipping and I try and root it then grow it so I can taste it and see how it grows in this area.  At some point I will have cutting of my own to share or trade on the forum and yes at some point there will be fig trees (besides Celest and Brown Turkey) for sale at the nursery.

I buy cuttings and plants and sell cuttings and plants and receive gifts and give gifts.  It's complicated.  Beer sounds good!

Giving to someone for a stated purpose is fine, IMO, but should be made clear up front ("This is my only back-up so let me know before you sell it in case mine has died.")  It does not take away from the gift as long as the person receiving it truly wanted it for their own use to begin with.

So, what about if there was no such thing as money? What about if we were still bartering as the primary means of exchange? Would you still be 'offended' if the receiver traded the cuttings you gave them for, let's say, a basket of fruits, a basket of veggies, or a massage? 

I've always been interested in human psychology so I am excitedly awaiting your response.

And, to be clear, I'm not talking about receivers who deceived you into giving them cuttings.

that's like asking why order milk when you want a pint of beer. we are here because of figs, not bread or othe fruits... tho other fruits come up often.

[QUOTE=IamKriya]So, what about if there was no such thing as money? What about if we were still bartering as the primary means of exchange? Would you still be 'offended' if the receiver traded the cuttings you gave them for, let's say, a basket of fruits, a basket of veggies, or a massage? 

I've always been interested in human psychology so I am excitedly awaiting your response.[/QUOTE]

Check out this one.  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/figs-for-meals-simple-idea-6143267?pid=1276282245#post1276282245

I don't think bartering or selling for an asking price is anything like an auction. How would the grocers and massage therapists outbid one another? 

I think more issues are addressed by sociology because this is dealing with interactions after all. 

Specifically I found something on unequal exchange i thought was intersting:
[QUOTE]The basic principle of unequal exchange can be described simply as "buying cheap and selling dear", in such a way that a commodity or asset is bought either:

• Below its real value, and sold at a higher value, or
• At its real value, but sold above its real value, or
• Above its real value, and sold at a price even higher than its already inflated acquisition cost (e.g., stock market).

This practice was already known and described in medieval times and earlier, and it led to theories of a “just” or “fair” price for products. For example, according to medieval Christian theologians, the profit mark-up should never be more than one-sixth (16-17%) of the value of the traded object (see Paul Bairoch, Victoires et deboires, Vol. 3, Gallimard 1997, p. 699). The idea of unequal exchange surfaces again nowadays in controversies over fair trade. However, in modern neoclassical economics, the notion of a morally justifiable price is regarded as unscientific; at most one can talk about an “equilibrium price” in an open, competitive market. If the value of a good is simply equal to the price someone is prepared to pay for it according to individual choice, no exchange can be unequal.

Anyone can claim to have been "cheated" or shortchanged in exchange, in the sense of receiving an "unfair" price for a commodity, less than it is really worth, or having to pay more than it is really worth. The crucial question which must be answered therefore is what the "real value" of commodities actually is, what their real worth is, and how that could be objectively established. A related question is why the "victim" traded at a lower price, when he could have gotten a higher price elsewhere.

This question preoccupied social philosophers and economic thinkers for many centuries. It contributed to the "moral science" of political economy, which was originally concerned with the problem of what would be a fair and just exchange, and how trading could be regulated in the interests of a more harmonious progress of human society.

In modern thought, however, value in economics is regarded as a purely subjective matter — it can be judged only on the basis of how an individual actually lives his life and how he conducts himself as an individual in the marketplace. The only “objective” aspect that remains is the price at which a commodity sells or is purchased, and this becomes the foundation for modern economic science.

So in modern economics, value is essentially a question of style, moral behaviour and the spirituality of individuals, not an economic issue. If unfair trading practices occur, it must be that there is an impediment to freely competitive markets; and if those markets or market access could be open, all would be fair. Fair competition is said to be guaranteed through:

• Free access for all to the market place, and

• A legal and security framework which protects traders from being cheated and robbed.

In that case, the concept of "unequal exchange" can only refer to unfair trading practices, such as:

• Not getting an equal opportunity of access to the market,

• Illegal trading practices, ranging from plunder, robbery and theft, to extortion or price mark-ups which are against the law.

Normally I just give away, plants or cuttings.  I think it's up to you what you like to do, personally if I lived in CA I would want to trade fig trees for chesnuts with harvey though, fresh chesnuts are delicious, moldy one from china not so much.

Chivas, maybe you can trade with http://www.grimonut.com/

Nice folks, don't know if they sell chestnuts but they sell both chestnut trees and fig trees and might be interested in adding varieties. :)