Henry,
  Forgot to mention that MWSJ's account books provide much evidence of
commodities being purchased from slaves throughout. In at least one
instance the purchases from slaves SEEM to be more frequent during a
time that corresponds with her slow recovery from the birth of their
short-lived son and when there seem to have been fewer large animals
butchered (again just my impressions from her account-book record):

"June and July 1777 the household relied on the purchase of forty-eight
chickens, fourteen ducks, and four geese--and Martha noted that 'all these
were paid for with bacon.' ”

jk

Dr. Jon Kukla, Executive Vice-President
Red Hill - The Patrick Henry National Memorial
1250 Red Hill Road
Brookneal, Virginia 24528
www.redhill.org