Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
[Appears the prices are going up even faster than I thought, this link goes to a lot of good information, on all kinds of subjects.
granny]
http://www.survivalblog.com/retreat_logistics/
Monday March 17 2008
Letter Re: Galloping Bulk Food Prices
James,
Just a quick report on what I’ve learned about buying bulk grains and beans.
We have a local bulk food depot. I called to place an order. The guy checked with his wholesaler for prices, then called me back. He was aghast. He said everything was up around 25% since he had placed his last order two weeks ago. And up about 100% since the first of the year. The reason, the wholesaler reported, was demand from folks stocking up. The wholesaler was sold out of many items. Then I called an Amish bulk food store about an hour and a half away. Same story. (Yeah, I wondered about the Amish answering a telephone, too. Apparently the rules are flexible.)
Well, finding the prices a bit high, even for 50-pound bags (like 61 cents a pound for red wheat, 93 cents a pound for black beans, 53 cents a pound for white rice), I decided to check out the local “budget” supermarkets. Surprise, surprise. They were less expensive. Sometimes by a lot. For example, Sav-A-Lot had black beans for 70 cents a pound. ALDI had long grain white rice for 39 cents a pound. A further surprise, even Kroger’s beat the bulk food prices. Of course, these things may change when the supermarket’s wholesalers have to replace their stocks.
I’ sure things vary from region to region, even city to city. But, as always, caveat emptor. One shouldn’t assume that sources that should be cheaper actually are. And prices are unlikely to be any cheaper in our lifetimes than they are this afternoon. Best wishes, - Dr. Jack
ping
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/Appb.php
EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL PLANTS
[Some of these I do not know, most do not grow here]
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/Appc.php
POISONOUS PLANTS
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/Appa.php
SURVIVAL KITS
I could see that happening with a portion of the population. Some will just pay anyway, and those on welfare will demand that they get more money for food stamps.
As so as the ground thaws out, I'm rototilling up about 50% more garden space. We don't have a grocery store within 15 miles of us and I can't afford the gas to run out for any little thing. If we don't have it, we'll have to do without.
Gardening Ping!
I think many of us are familiar with this subject :)]
(Thanks METMOM for the heads up)
We could go a few weeks, no problem. And we have friends who have farms for meat and milk.
Thanks, I missed that link.
I've always done that. I love it when they have to get the manager's key to unlock the register because it took so much money off. It's better than winning the lottery.
Mr. mm is always giving me a (little) hard time about all I have stocked up, but it's there when we need it and when there's a need, I can donate a bag of non-food groceries to help someone out. Food isn't always what's needed by people in financial straits. Toilet paper can be quite appreciated and doesn't spoil.
My pleasure.
ping
We bought one of those fire proof/water tight safes they sell at wally world to keep our cash and change in. Don't forget change. If there is no power or tower a pay phone my be your last option and they don't take paper money.
Just imagine having to live off the grid and prepare accordingly.
“crazy old uncle”<<<
I have not been called that, ‘yet’.
Have been the goat lady and bird lady and a few other titles.
I drive my brother crazy, he refuses to get in the rather large box of nuts and bolts that I have collected, amazing how many are there on the street. He wants to go to the store and get exactly the size, HE thinks will fit.
Farming, yes, I was born on a farm and being 3/4 Cherokee, it comes natural to me.
And it tastes so much better than the store bought foods do.
Please join in on this thread, so we can make it worth the space we are taking up.
You will know many things that I do not and there is an interest in survival, it is up to those who know to share their knowledge.
Please.
or maybe HUNTING meat? It’s been a long time...but not that long.
Thank you for the invitation to hang out and share with y’all — I think it may be strange, for a while at least, to talk of things like this and not get the odd - pitying - looks.... ;~)
” rather large box of nuts and bolts that I have collected, “
If, as is eminently possible, we end up in some form of barter economy, you possess wealth in your boxes of odds ‘n ends.... ;~)
Thanks for your recipe, I will have to try it, should do well in a crockpot and Scott does pick up the chickens that are cooked.
I haven’t been able to go to stores for 3 years, so Scott does all my shopping for me and brings it to me.
The price one sometimes pays for getting on down the old age path.
The soil here does not grow food, only stickers.
I added a solar greenhouse to the mobile, so many years ago, that it has now fallen down.
You can grow an amazing amount of food in one, year around.
Bell Peppers make a small tree, like a tall tree rose.
Tomatoes bear for 2 years and you will cut them out, to keep your path open.
In the past, I found that 2 gallon containers and a sunny window would grow peppers, tomatoes and greens for salads.
The Walmart potting mix is good, the Pro mix from Walmart is extra good. Just fill a pot and drop a seed in it.
I had planned on getting someone to fill a few pots and bring them in, last week, but the snow came and my brother went home early, so I will not plant this year.
It is impossible for me to do it, as I am attached to the oxygen generator and go only as far as the hose goes.
This is the first thread that I have ever started, so the night flew by, as I looked for more things to post, went so fast that I have not been posting on the World Terrorism thread, so will have to get that caught up.
I have always been a night owl, and now, that I am alone, I sleep when I want to and do not watch the clock.
If I have left over rice, I often open a can of chopped stewed tomatoes, throw it in and heat, and it is an instant soup, if you have cornbread or other homemade bread, it is a full meal for lunch.
Bump, for later
Here’s an interesting article, cached by Google. The original link seems broken, but the cached version will do. It concerns heirloom, or legacy, seeds.
Tobacco is a great bartering commodity. Just because you(collective you) don't smoke doesn't mean other people don't. You might be surprised what someone would barter for a cigarette.
1 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Crisco
3/4 cup boiling water
mix all in a bowl and either roll into balls on cookie sheet or spoon into muffin pan. I put a drop of olive oil in muffin pan and smear around to prevent sticking. Bake for 15-20 mins in 400' oven. I use the broiler for the last 3 or 4 mins to brown tops. Goes good with my $.29 cent cabbage i fry in a little bacon grease. Cheap meal. (They can also be fried in grease, but I never have.)
I'm a guy and on my nights to cook, I keep it simple :-)
Another easy one is on sale pork chops or roast, tossed into Crockpot with can of cream of Mushroom soup, one onion, garlic powder and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hrs. mmmmm....(I never thought about it, but may take longer with higher altitude. I live at sea level.)
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