Winter's Worth of Wheat

A Winter's Worth of Wheat is an antiquated barter system used in some communities that face a long and unprofitable Winter season. At its purest darkness would a family receive enough wheat to last them through the Winter - regardless of household size - in exchange for a newly born infant. The infant was typically fed to abominable supernatural creatures such as vampires or brought up to be a eunuch or slave. Typically, however, was the term used on a more general scale to refer to any sort of illegal business that gave a large commodity in exchange for something irreplaceable and therefore usually of great sentimental value.