THE BARTER system has been favoured by generations of farmers, but even the most avid supporter of swapping the likes of the loan of a grass roller, for a shot of a lawnmower, have been stunned by the shortage of the next 'big currency'.

No, it's not Bitcoin, but rather something that is a bit more fundamental than that, toilet paper. It's become something of a hard currency since they started disappearing off supermarket shelves like snaw aff a dyke.

Chop-chop for charity

THE LATEST craze on facebook appears to be administering home haircuts. While some have opted for the 'safety' of having someone else in the household doing it, there are some crazy mutts out there actually doing it on their own ... and filming it.

The daftest I've seen was Cammy Jackson, from Lanark, who gave himself a pre-calving shortie of hair and beard. Just as well there are no shows for him to be ribbed at. Not much better was Alloa's Dexter Logan.

Both look like refugees from Barlinnie. However, if you really have to do it, then a wee project being organised by Scene and Herd, the team behind the OnFARM podcast and regular supporters of Scottish charities RHET and RSABI, has launched the Shear Isolation Lockdown Haircut Challenge to raise money for both charities as well as the national charity Trussell Trust.

Simply use your scissors, clippers, shears (or whatever you have!) to shave that hair, trim your fringe, tidy up the kids' hair, get rid of that beard or clip your pets – all for charity!

Video the process, post to social media using the hashtag #shearisolation, nominate three friends to do the same and then donate a minimum of £3 to one of the three charities on the Just Giving link https://www.justgiving.com/team/shearisolation2. It’s as simple as that!

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