The Reality of Our Food Crisis

[crplhood]

Must not be getting too real out there. Just got back from Kroger. Shelves were crappy a week ago, now all back to normal except... pasta.

[Starlady]

I'm getting low on stored pasta.   I need to get out the machine to make some fresh - there's NO brand better than your own, even if you make too much and freeze it.     Sigh..... and I really need to use up those eggs.

[elandil]

Must not be getting too real out there. Just got back from Kroger. Shelves were crappy a week ago, now all back to normal except... pasta.

Cereal is still spotty too. Shelves at Publix today were empty in a lot of spots.

Frozen veggies are becoming hit or miss. I had to rely on canned when I made soup last weekend.

On the positive....Canned meats are becoming plentiful again. I've been able to restock my corned beef hash.

[Surveyor1]

Just when you thought the Biden administration had reached the peak of their insanity, they say, “Hold my beer!”…

Avocados, limes, cilantro, pineapple, broccoli crowns, jalapeño, tomatoes, mango, papaya and many other items in our supermarkets cross the Mexican border every day.  The requirement to have cross border truck drivers to be vaccinated is going to be a huge issue.  These items will still get across but there will be a cost.  The time for these items to get cleared is going to go up significantly.  The wait a driver has to endure was already long and it will now be doubled at least.  The drivers that are eligible to cross will rightfully demand more compensation.  The perishable product will spend twice the time in transit lowering quality and shelf life.  Our “just in time” delivery system will now be filled with holes as we wait for product to cross. 

Expect supermarket shortages and higher cost due to the increase cost of the logistical side of our supply chain.  I focus on the food side of the issues because that is my expertise.  Thousands of other non-food items cross over every single day as well.  I’m curious to see the effect on lumber since we get a lot from Canada?  Aside from food 25% of the imports are machinery and electrical from Mexico and 15% are chemicals and allied products.

I’m not saying this is being purposely done to collapse the system! (Awe who the hell am I kidding, that’s exactly what I am saying😡! ).  One could not “accidentally” do what they are doing without understanding the consequences, they are purposely doing this!!!😡

https://www.truckinginfo.com/10160077/no-cross-border-trucking-for-unvaccinated-drivers

[BennyMG1]

Had to go to the “big town” today, so figured I run as many errands as possible. Went by Wally World hoping to score some sugar. They had a few of the four pound bags at the usual price ($2.00) so I picked up 10. I noticed the canned beans (pinto, black beans etc) that were 50 cents last Sunday were now 68 cents per can. There were plenty. There was still no creamed corn, so I picked up 12 of whole kernel still 50 cents per can and whole new potatoes at 56 cents per can. There was plenty of dry milk at $9.48 for 10qts. That’s the same price that it was pre Covid. Noticed very little rice. Cereal aisle about the same as a week ago. Spam was $3 per can and scarce. I was able to get 3 bacon flavored. There was very little pasta, but got 6 pounds of elbow macaroni at 86 cents per pound and six pounds of Barilla spaghetti at $1.28 per pound. Tang was up from $2.50 a can to $2.82 a can (still cheaper than commissary). Overall, the shelves didn’t look too bad and were at about 75% capacity. Staple items are where the main shortfalls were.

Also hit Lowe’s. The boards that were a little over $10 each on November 1st and then $16.89 last week, are now $18.98. I got what I needed and left.

I overheard two women talking in Walmart saying, “They need to get that stock out of the back and get these shelves stocked”. So even with all the news and talk out there, the general public still seems oblivious. I never heard anyone else complaining about the increased prices or the shelves that were empty. I felt really bad for the little old lady that had enough food in her buggy for about a week and cat food. A week is probably all she keeps at home and the day is coming where she won’t be able to get that same amount of food in one trip. All I can do is pray for the sheeple.

[Starlady]

My local Wally World must have gotten a LOT of trucks in over the past week - they were stocked up on nearly everything although selection on the dry beans was down - not out, they just eliminated the spaces.   Frozen prepared food was still low but as I came from the back of the store near milk, I had to make way for 2 guys with huge pallets of boxed frozen stuff, huuuuge!

They are just getting their seed stock out and I found a few things I normally have to order (my beloved Marconi peppers, for one).   But Home Depot had a very large display of Burpee and Ferry Morse, with almost everything duplicated in Organic displays - if you prefer that.  No bulbs, berries or asparagus yet.  I bought a bunch and saved ordering from the more expensive places - I'm checking and reorganizing my seed and realized most of my stuff is 4 years old or more.  So I added a viability column to my seed spreadsheet and a Yrs column so I could see at a glance what needs planting NOW.  If you are an old timer and attended the seed saving class at campout a few years back, you have a copy of that spreadsheet.....except it's now 13 pages, landscape, lol.   I'm planning on bringing copies of the new one to the Region 1 meet next Saturday in Adairsville for those who show up.    Hope to hit Lowe's tomorrow to fill in more varieties of some things I'm low on.

I broke down and bought 2 seed tray heating mats - after filling in the info on viability from Seed to Seed (our savers' bible), I decided that only 50% viability after 5 years on a lot of things is worth me doing a test - then I'll know I can keep that seed going this year and not buy more than 1 pack of '22 seed just to keep up.   In my zone, we don't even start indoors stuff till Feb so this will give me a jump start.   That garden is driving me nuts - it's all ready, just waiting on me.....and the weather to warm up a bit.

[Surveyor1]

BennyMG finally bought his lumber for the project that he’s working on.  If anyone else is needing lumber rest assured that the price is going to crater now that BennyMG bought his!  That’s how it usually works, right BennyMG?🤦‍♂️🤔🤦‍♂️

[RWS]

BennyMG finally bought his lumber for the project that he’s working on.  If anyone else is needing lumber rest assured that the price is going to crater now that BennyMG bought his!  That’s how it usually works, right BennyMG?🤦‍♂️🤔🤦‍♂️

I am getting ready to frame up and dry in a barn.  Just waiting on the crater to form.   

[Abigayle]

Got our additional solar panels today, ahead of scheduled delivery date.  Everything else has been running behind, or we were shorted.  Now we just have to find someone to mount the new ones on our shed roof!  People say they are coming out and we never hear from them again....Not a novel situation, I understand this..

[Ravenwood1950]

Went shopping today at my local Food Depot. They were pretty well stocked. Lots of fresh salad greens, good supply of meat, bacon a little low (that's why I keep 4-5 packages in the freezer). I did notice the fruit drink or other special drinks were low, I don't buy those anyway. Plenty of baking supplies, sugar, flour. Had restocked the tortillas that they were out of the last time I went. Frozen veggies looked fine. The only thing I couldn't find were Q-tips which my son using in his work shop. I even got some nice boneless ribs for $2.49 pound.
Ravenwood

[elandil]

One thing I'll say, I've became a HUGE fan of the online order/pickup options. Especially at Wally. Not only because it means I don't have to go into that hades-hole, but they have a really good "substitution" policy.

 For example....a few weeks back, I ordered 6 cans of Corned Beef Hash. But when they went to pick my order it was out....so they offered me 6 cans of just Corned Beef at the same price...yeah....I jumped on that like a frog in a fly patch. I've had it happen with OTC meds too, like Mucinex and Chloraseptic. Order store brand, it's out, get the name brand at the same store brand price.

[Surveyor1]

BennyMG finally bought his lumber for the project that he’s working on.  If anyone else is needing lumber rest assured that the price is going to crater now that BennyMG bought his!  That’s how it usually works, right BennyMG?🤦‍♂️🤔🤦‍♂️

I am getting ready to frame up and dry in a barn.  Just waiting on the crater to form.

On the 18th of January the market price of lumber was $1,278.00 per 1000 board ft.  BennyMG1 bought what he needed and the price went down to $979.90 yesterday!  What is that, like a 30% drop???  Hey BennyMG1, RWS wants to know if you are starting anymore projects soon?  Figured he’d wait a week or so after you buy anymore lumber to buy his supplies so he could get a great deal?😳🤔🤦‍♂️🙄…..  Best price since December 8…..

[Abigayle]

Elandil, Kroger offers the same deal as Walmart.  When I was picking up groceries during the first Covid scare, we received lots of good upgrades on out-of-stock goods.  One big disadvantage is not being able to pick out your fresh fruits, vegetables and meats.  I finally broke down and went in very early in the morning, dressed like something from outer space....googles, gloves and the mask that does not work.
Now, with Covid de jour, I am down to an N-95 mask, made in China and hand sanitizer.  Everyone has to find their own comfort zone...
Good selection of goods at Kroger last week, but the bill was about a third higher.  They also have a "buy five, get a dollar off each one".  If you can find good expiration dates on things you actually use, this is a good deal.

[RWS]

I just stopped by the feed & seed store.  Seed potatoes 50 cents a pound, Silver Queen corn $19.00 a pound.

[Surveyor1]

Good News BennyMG1 since I wrote my previous post this morning lumber is down another 4.6% to 935.00!!!  (Can you go stock up on ribeye???  I need to buy some next week!)🤦‍♂️