| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 22 2021 : 01:21:50 AM
Hi girls!
A year or so ago, a dear farmgirl sister told me we had noooo idea what was coming with respect to inflation and food and supply shortages in the upcoming year. Now I'm seeing the grocery store prices rising, and some items on the shelves are still missing or show up few and far between. I never thought the day would come when it was cheaper for me to buy fish than red meat, for sure; but there have been several times I have found this to be the case over the past few months. And recently it was WEEKS before I saw a carton of salt on any of the shelves.
About a year or so before my husband got sick, the Lord really put it on my heart to start stocking up. My family thought I was crazy, but when our lives suddenly drastically changed, it made all the difference not to have to go grocery shopping for a few months. As a kid growing up in New England, my older family members always stocked up in anticipation of icy/snowy winters. Part of that stocking up meant spending extra time each week scanning newspaper ads for sales and deals to save money, as well as coupon clipping and trading galore!
Ever since the "big C" hit, I think we all learned the value of keeping an extra package of t.p. on the shelf. The lack of Lysol on the shelves sent chills up the spines of germophobes everywhere. But now the game seems to be changing again. Last week one of our big box stores actually started limiting the purchase of chicken again; and the cost of other meats at the stores and the butcher are unthinkably high (and the buzz is they will get much worse!). It's not just meat. I'm sure we've all seen packages of food getting a little more expensive, but if you look closely at those packages, you'll notice the box is the same size, but the contents are less than they were last year.
I'm not so sure I buy into all the doom and gloom we see out there on the internet. BUT I HAVE watched some videos and documentaries from some of the ranchers out west, and prudence does indicate that we pay attention to what they are experiencing with drought. If they don't have water, they don't have vegetation, and they can't feed and water their livestock. That whole situation will trickle down to our tables, for sure. And when you consider all the things that our produce farmers have experienced, in conjunction with the shortages we experienced last year, we should give that pause as well. I had noticed this past winter that a lot of our fruits and veggies (fresh, frozen AND canned) in the grocery stores were coming from South Africa, China, Spain and other countries. I've never seen this before! I inquired about that and was told that not only were we having shortages due to "the big C" (several reasons), but the California wild fires last year decimated crops AND seeds. That was a little freaky - I hadn't considered that before.
And I have to be honest. When seed companies ran out of seeds last winter, I became nervous and impatient. I went to some of the big box stores and found that some of our favorite seed companies from online were now selling their seeds on the rack. Even though the amount of seeds in the packets were less than what I would get purchasing them from the company's website online, I didn't want to play around waiting, so I bought some. Don't you know - and I kid you NOT when I say this - not one seed from any of the store purchases grew. BIG waste of money. BIG lesson learned. I ordered more online and everything grew just fine, but I couldn't help thinking: (1) What a racket! and (2) How many other people did this happen to, and were they able to get seeds (or food, for that matter) once they realized the ones they bought in store didn't grow?
Every year at this time, I start working on a list of things I want to put up for winter, but now I'm concentrating more on what to buy now with the intent of saving later, or to be sure I HAVE later. I sure am watching the sales, considering which seasonal purchases to concentrate on, etc. I'm finding, tho, that things that we normally buy this time of year are harder to come by. Usually this time of year, I'm buying tart cherries for canning and to put in the freezer. The farms just don't have as much in stock as in the past. Last year, it was terribly hard to find peaches here. The weather harmed the crops, as did some sort of fungus; so, I was really looking forward to putting up a whole bunch this year instead. Nope. No good. So far, indications here are that therw will be little to NO peaches! My girlfriend's husband's farm freezer usually has a list of what fruits will be available and when. This year, however, he has crossed peaches out in red and marked them "discontinued." I am so bummed. I haven't had a chance to call her and see what is going on with that yet, but I can tell you I'm seeing things like this at pretty much all the farms we frequent.
So here we are, almost the end of June, and it's time to get serious. The garden is coming along quite well, thank God, but it's sure not going to be enough to carry me and our loved ones through winter. In light of everything above, I'm seriously rethinking my whole "stock up." I'm beefing up the food preservation, for sure. For example, I've never canned fish before; but this week one of our grocers has a really great sale on tuna (and I LOVE tuna!). Ounce for ounce, it's much less expensive to buy it on sale and can it myself, than it is to buy the canned brands (in all fairness, however, I do buy a more expensive brand of canned tuna for various reasons, but still...). So I will buy fresh tuna and get busy this weekend canning it. And since I'm already seeing limits placed on chicken purchases, I may make a few trips to the grocery store in order to buy a little at a time to put in the freezer. I can pull out the canner to process them for the shelves later in the fall when it's cooler. I did manage to buy a couple of bags of frozen tart cherries to can this fall as well. And I'm watching the availability and price of things like wheat (which is SO versatile!), so I can stock up a little more and save some money when the prices are right, just in case that is affected by shortages again this year, too.
One thing that I think is so important, too, is realizing that a lot of premade prepackaged foods on the shelves are so expensive, not to mention chock FULL of chemicals. They are much more healthy for us, and aren't nearly as expensive, however, if you buy the ingredients and make them yourself. For example, baking powder is simply a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar (and SO much better and more effective than store bought!). I save a lot by buying a big bag of baking soda (which I can use for plenty of other things), and a tall jar of cream of tartar and making my own. I don't buy bisquick or cake mix or bread crumbs - I make my own. It's a lot easier to just store the ingredients for MANY things in my kitchen and make them myself from scratch as needed. And I love having premade jars of cake mix, brownie mix, etc. on my shelves. They look much prettier than store bought boxes, and talk about a gift in a jar! I make my own vanilla and peppermint extracts, among others. I don't buy pancake syrup: I buy REAL maple syrup. Yes, it can be expensive, BUT if I want to save money by "extending" it, I can always add a little water. OR, in a pinch, I can make a simple syrup and then add maple flavoring. You get the idea. If you walk into my pantry, you don't see a lot of boxes and store canned jars and bottles on my shelves. You will, however, see a lot of "ingredients," usually purchased in bulk, as well as home processed and home made foods. This saves me money, uses less shelf space, and ensures that I have plenty of things to pull together to make what I want to make when I want to make it!
Another thing I like to do is allocate about $10-$15 each shopping trip dedicated specifically to purchasing certain items for stocking up. Whenever I go to the grocery store, I make it a point to buy one (1) medical item (band aids or cough syrup, for example), (2) canned veggies or fruit (usually $.49 to $.69 per can, put away for looong term, emergency storage), (1) frozen juice concentrate or can of pineapple juice or V8, etc., and (1) condiment OR baking item OR box of butter for the freezer (or to turn into ghee and can). If it's a good price week, I buy each one of those. On weeks where these items are more expensive, I buy less items. When items go on sale, sometimes I buy more of that particular item - and JUST that particular item - just to stock up on. By doing this, over a short period of time I am able to make a dent in my long term, emergency storage and medical supply cupboard! It's peace of mind knowing I have a little extra on hand no matter what happens - AND by doing it over time, I haven't busted the budget with huge emergency purchases!
Once fall comes, every couple of weeks I start picking up one nice imported bottle of wine to share with family and friends at the holidays, or another type of liquor such as vodka for making vanilla, or a special bottle of liquor like rum for baking. I only buy one of something at a time, and by Thanksgiving, I have plenty for serving to guests, for bringing to holiday hosts, and for using in my recipes!
Whenever I am canning, if I don't have enough to fill the canner, I will add jars of filtered water and can those for not-so-rainy days. I also like to make a couple of smaller jars of good things in every canning batch for gift giving later or sharing with loved ones in an emergency.
There are lots of big AND little ways we can stock up and prepare for whatever the reason. I would love to hear what you are doing to get ahead of things this year! What are some of your tips and tricks when stocking your pantry and freezer? Do you have any special organizing resources you'd like to share? What kinds of things are "musts" when stocking up every year? What are some of the things that are higher in priority on your stock up lists this year, and why? What can't you find in your area that one of us might be able to send to you? And if you come across a really great deal online or have great ideas as to where to find items, it would be a awesome if you would post here and share with all of us, too!
I'd like to share a few of really great books/resources you all might find helpful:
"LDS Preparedness Manual" by Christopher M. Parrett
"Everything Under the Sun" and "Everything Made Simple" by Wendy DeWitt. Both are available as free downloads by visiting: http://everythingunderthesunblog.blogspot.com/ This woman has food storage and preparation down to a science!
"A Year Without The Grocery Store" by Karen Morris
"The Pantry Primer," "Prepper's Pantry," "The Organic Canner," and "Have Yourself A Thrifty Little Christmas" by Daisy Luther
"The Keep It Simple Preparedness Guide" by Valerie Albrechtsen. You can visit https://foodstorageorganizer.com/ for an Etsy link for a $10 download. Her website has all sorts of great ideas and lots of free printables!
"A Cabin Full of Food" by Marie Beausoleil
"Food Storage 101," "Cookin' with Home Storage,"Cookin' with Beans and Rice" and other "Cookin'" books by Peggy Layton. You can visit her site for the titles and best prices at: https://peggylayton.net/Category/books
"The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine Making Guide" by Thomas Easley.
I'm really excited to hear from all of you!!! Let's work on all of this together!
Hugs and love,
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| YellowRose |
Posted - Dec 07 2021 : 09:58:05 AM
Talked with my sister and she said price is still less than $8 and the $32 is the shipping price if shipped to your home. It's all confusing to me. If I do order for home delivery I will have to make sure Walmart won't be shipping it to my house.
Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FGOTM Sept 2015 & Feb 2019
Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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| YellowRose |
Posted - Dec 07 2021 : 08:58:44 AM
Last week my sister who lives in the Dallas area told me about Keystone canned roast beef in 28 oz can for less than $8. It was at Walmart but out of stock. I checked with the Paris Walmart and it was out of stock too. Yesterday I checked on line again and it was in stock for $32. I won't be stocking it in my pantry.
Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FGOTM Sept 2015 & Feb 2019
Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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| windypines |
Posted - Oct 18 2021 : 5:24:48 PM
out local farm store had I think they were american harvest jars. My neighbor got some and turns out the rings are a different size then ball or kerr jars. You have to use those rings for those jars. Last I looked those jars were still sitting on the shelves. I am not even sure of reg jar lids would work on them.
Farming in WI
Michele
FGOTM June2019
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| nndairy |
Posted - Oct 18 2021 : 12:28:49 PM
I haven't ordered any yet, but I found this site:
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency-supplies/food-storage-equipment/mylar-bags-for-food-storage
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| AndreaPA |
Posted - Oct 18 2021 : 10:24:29 AM
Where is everyone getting their mylar bags and oxygen absorbers? I'm trying to avoid Amazon but that is the only place I found them. Hoping someone has ideas.
Andrea
Farmgirl# 8166
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| AndreaPA |
Posted - Aug 15 2021 : 06:42:21 AM
Heather go on pinterest and search vicks shower disks. Not a rub but these things really work. Cleared up my sinuses like magic.
Judith thank you for the recipe, I'm going to try that. I have everything except the aloe vera gel and I know where I can buy that.
My no-name canning lids - 2 out of 24 failed. The 2 came out of the canner looking like domes. When the jars cooled they flattened out but had some puckers I guess I would call them. Those 2 jars went into the fridge. I opened one and it did make that sound like it was sealed. I think in a week or so the other jar won't make that sound.
Andrea
Farmgirl# 8166
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| StitchinWitch |
Posted - Aug 10 2021 : 01:00:02 AM
Hand Sanitizer
glass spray bottle
10 drops Lavender essential oil
10 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
1 ounce (6 teaspoons) Aloe Vera gel •
2 ounces (12 teaspoons) grain alcohol or vodka
Judith
7932 FGOTM 6/21
I'm old and I do wear purple |
| nndairy |
Posted - Aug 09 2021 : 7:16:42 PM
I haven't had time to read everyone's posts on this topic but I'll get to it soon! What a great topic. Here's a simple salve I made this summer (I don't have an aloe plant so I just left it out): http://bhsdev.apronandboots.com/sharing-remedies/simple-green-plantain-salve
I'd love to hear if anyone has any home made recipes for things like vicks vapor rub, cough drops, etc.
I'd also love to hear about home made mixes for things like taco seasoning, jerky seasoning, etc.
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| YellowRose |
Posted - Aug 09 2021 : 08:10:23 AM
I've been keeping up on how all of you are stocking up and must say I am impressed. I do it on a much smaller scale but it seems to suit the way I live. One example is when I wanted popcorn and cold brewed coffee from Aldi. My groceries are delivered so to meet the $35 minimum to receive free delivery I ordered pantry items. Each time I need to meet the free delivery minimum I add to my pantry. Over time I have accumulated at least a month supply or more of the items I use. I order all my paper goods on Amazon so I have a year supply on some items and 3 or 4 months supply on others. My goal is to keep adding to my pantry.
FarmGirl Hugs, Sara
FarmGirl Sister #6034 Aug 2014
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015 & Feb 2019
Lord put your arm around my shoulders & your hand over my mouth.
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| Ninibini |
Posted - Aug 03 2021 : 09:23:53 AM
Hi girls!
I am SO sorry - I have been busy with realtors, estate people, doctors and insurance. My life is just not my own anymore. I am just so glad to see you all have been keeping this going. SO important!
Andrea - SO glad you liked the book! I found it fascinating! You GO girl!
Sheila - OOOOoohhh! Cherries! We aren't finding many here! I am so glad you've been able to process some! I have been freezing blueberries and strawberries like crazy, and am coveting the one bag of frozen cherries I have. LOL. I make "ice cream" in my Ninja every night for my hubby using heavy cream, frozen berries, a little water, a little vanilla or almond extract and a wee bit of honey. I can't freeze them as fast as he consumes them! LOL.
Julie - THANK YOU. I am so sorry you're going through this! Thank you SO much for sharing, though! I think it is SUPER important that people know about what you all are facing because the impact upon the rest of the country will be harsh. People look at me like I have two heads when I try to tell them to start thinking about what is to come. At the very least, I recommend people buy one or two items to put away every time they're at the grocery store. Not many are doing it. Not many CAN do it right now. Horrible!
Denise - Oh my! YES! I've forgotten what I posted! But if you feel it is applicable and helpful, by all means, please do share! Thank you so much for saving that! You're a gem!
Dianna - that's a very good point about can production! I was told at one point during the shutdown that THAT was the reason for many empty shelves at the market. Apparently a lot of raw materials are from overseas... nuff said...
Girls - to address the canning jar lid situation. I just want to let you know I have used Golden Harvest jars AND lids with no problem. They used to be easily found here in the odd lot stores. Ball is reliable, but remember they have made a lot of changes to their lids over the past few years, including the rubber compound on the seals (LESS!). I think that may be why the packages say they will last for two years (or whatever it says). They aren't what they used to be. I don't want you to be afraid of trying other lids. Right now you CAN find Ball canning lids on lehmans.com in the smaller packages. They also have "bulk" regular lids in sets of 60 on sale. I put that in quotes because I have been buying bulk from them for quite a few years, and they used to come in much bigger sets. I love them, though. You can also switch over to reusable Tattler lids (and there is another brand like them that is supposed to be just as good). I do have some but have yet to try them. I have heard that they really are best, though, when pressure canning. You can buy them direct from the manufacturer, and I am pretty sure when I priced them, they are much cheaper that way. They sell them in small quantities as well as all sorts of level of bulk. Very much worth checking out. I also suggest you check out other types of stores for the Ball lids. I've seen the Ball lids in the grocery store, Target, the local farms' on site stores, and odd lot stores, to name a few. We all really need to think out of the box right now. And if you have a group of family and friends who might like to share a bulk purchase, that's definitely a good way to go. Matter of fact, why not split some bulk purchases amongst ourselves, if need be? Finally, we have a local "auction" that is open year round that sells all sizes of Ball jars and lids for a steal. I haven't ventured out since the Big C hit, but a few years back I stocked up on jars big time. I am very grateful I did, although people have joked that I'm the reason there is a shortage! LOL. Not so. I use what I buy. I am a true believer in canning whatever we are able to can. Matter of fact, we are working on downsizing. I have a whole freezer to clean out and jar up before we do. That may cure me of my love of canning, that's for sure!
Some things we should be thinking about this month as far as stocking up:
Water - no explanation needed. I can't remember if I said this before, but whenever I am canning, if there's an empty space in the pot, in goes a jar of water to fill the space and save for storing for emergencies. And beans - they're wonderful. But if they're dry and water is hard to come buy, unless you can grind them into flours, they might not serve you very well. I have a TON of dry beans that were given to me that I am so grateful for. But I worry if I don't get them canned up soon, what benefit will they be to us unless I can grind them into flour.
Which reminds me... I have a Nutrimill electric wheat grinder and a Wondermill hand grinder. The Nutrimill is very loud - mindblowingly, headache-inducingly loud, that is; but does a decent job. I just cannot get wheat ground fine enough to my liking, but I am starting to think that may just be the one woe to grinding your own wheat. Otherwise, I love it. I haven't used the Wondermill yet. I've had it stored for years for a "just in case;" but I've heard nothing but wonderful things about it! When choosing which mill to purchase, keep in mind some can grind certain things that others cannot. I think the beauty of the hand grinders is they can grind just about everything, but don't quote me on that. It's really about doing your homework and double checking to see what other people have to say about theirs, I suppose. I love the Nutrimill, but dang, it's loud. I get a headache every time. EVERY time.
School supplies - even if you don't have children, this is probably an EXCELLENT month to pick up printer paper, ink, highlighters, permanent markers, post-its, etc. And if you have younger children in your life, time to refresh your crayon and magic marker supplies! Also look for deals on mailing supplies like packing tape, or scotch tape for that matter. And if you need a new pair of scissors, this is your month to replace them!
Clothing - Summer clearances abound! School clothes are at good prices, too, but I suspect they will be cheaper later. All the new fashions are adorable, but they are still "new" to the market, and I am sure sellers are ready to scoop up on the benefits of customer adoration. I would stick to buying new underwear and socks in bulk - with the way things are going, you never know if another shut down is coming. Plus I like to have enough of the basics to carry me through til the next sale season, if I can.
Think about things you'll need this winter: coats, scarves, boots, blankets.. Might be a good time to hit resale shops! Take advantage of senior discount days. Watch for special sale days. And truly, if you're in an area like I am where we have numerous places like that to choose from, be very mindful of those in wealthier areas. People who work in offices sure do like to change up their closets with the seasons. You can find AMAZING deals on designer clothes, or better quality clothes, that have hardly been worn or worn for a season or two in these neighborhood shops in particular. Also watch those consignment places. My girlfriend keeps herself and her daughter well dressed for so much less than you would imagine. She has found expensive purses, shoes and jeans for her husband at a fraction of the cost and they are like new!
With many returning to college, bedding is also on sale now, as well as home/apartment decor, laptops and storage containers. Again, I am still leery of "sale" prices during "seasons" anymore, but I do think few people look for dorm-size bedding and accessories. Towels are on sale, bath and body products, starter cookware, gadgets, coffee makers, electric tea kettles... anything a kid would need for their dorm or first apartment is going to be on sale right now. If there are things you might need to replace, it might be a good time to check these sales out.
Personal care items should be at really good prices this month, as well, because college kids need to stock up. Might be time for us to do the same!
Another thing we should be considering: Holidays are coming! That means it's time to replace roasters and serving dishes, table linens, kitchen gadgets, mixers, etc. Sometimes you'll find prices cheaper in stores now than you will a couple months from now. I have noticed for years that summer prices are better, because there is little interest in these items until the holidays. Come September, or October, I see the prices are marked considerably higher, and then "sale priced" for the holiday rush at prices even higher than in summer. Couple that with inflation - yowsa! We should all be taking that into consideration with gift-giving as well. Same thing: better prices off season than "sale" prices during shopping season. Just sayin'.
Coffee lovers alert: We are apparently facing a coffee shortage! According to several resources, Brazil has experienced drought and freezes that have severely affected coffee. Pretty soon your eyes may shoot out of their sockets at the prices we see. If you're able to pick up a little bit more here and there, now is the time. Even Forbes recently addressed this in an article last month. So if your daily lifeline includes an IV drip of caffeine, skeddaddle down to the grocery store now!
Lawnmowers, camping gear, end of season luggage sales... All things to consider purchasing now for later!
Now is a good time to stock up on the following:
- End of season berries like strawberries... cherries... blueberries.. Fruits like peaches, nectarines, grapes, raspberries, melons, plums, mangoes and kiwis. And remember, if you have a dehydrator, these are excellent for drying for storage. There are nothing like homemade raisins and prunes! They take a bit longer, but oh my, you'll never buy from the store again!
- For veggies, we are looking at corn, peppers, beets, cucumbers, lettuces, summer squash, tomatoes, and eggplant. (Remember, also, if you're a gardener, it's still not too late to plant a final crop of some veggies. Just find out the first frost date for your area. Check out the number of days from planting to maturity on your favorite seeds, then count back from the frost date. If there are enough number of days, you should be good to go! Just remember some veggies are cool weather tolerant, while others are not. Do not plant tenders, because you never know what weather is coming! Also, some veggies taste or grow even better after the frost! With a little homework, you could have an amazing fall crop!)
- About corn on the cob...Around here they just planted about a month ago. That which was planted shot up in record time and some fields have been harvested. I have yet to see a farm stand, but they're coming! Last year it was slim pickings for corn on the cob. I hope we will find more this year! Also, you do not have to make yourself crazy when freezing corn. You can freeze it right in the husks without blanching. When ready to use, you just put them in the oven and the kernels steam right on the cob! Then you can remove the kernels to use in dishes or serve off the cob, OR serve right on the cob. Either way the corn will taste fresh as summer!
- Boxed cereal and snack foods. Back to school means quick breakfasts and quick snacks on the go or in the lunchbox. You should already be seeing amazing deals on cereals of all kinds. I used to get the best deals at Costco, and they would let you buy so many boxes at a time. Whenever my family's favorites would go on sale, I'd buy the max amount in one swoop. If the deal was really good, I'd go back and buy more another day. Many people don't realize but their sale items that are limited are only limited for that one stop. You can go back MANY times and purchase these items to the limit. I was once the queen of cereal, making sure we had enough for many months at a time on the shelves. Now not so much. I make homemade granola, which is beloved by family and friends alike. One day I decided to stop buying the other stuff, and my husband and son were thrilled. Plus, it's just better for you, and you can change it up to make different varieties so you don't get bored (not that anyone does! LOL). But, again, oats are a cereal. If you like them or Cream of Wheat or anything like that, now is definitely a time to stock up! Then things like microwave popcorn, granola bars, Goldfish, etc., should all be on sale.
You also might find better deals on cleaning supplies like mops, brooms, and more. Kids going to college aren't famous for being the cleanliest of folks, but stores know mom and dad want their children to move into clean places, live clean lives and leave clean dorms and apartments at the end of the year. I won't go on about the woes of kids dorm rooms or shared suites, but the stores are mindful of what's coming, and they are happy to make purchasing all those supplies a peace-of-mind experience. So if you're in need of stocking up yourself, keep an eye on those sales!
Also, be sure to check the coupons in the Sunday paper (if you still can find them), and at online coupon sites. Bulk stores don't take them, but grocery stores do. I used to do really well with coupons years ago. I just don't buy a lot of coupon-type items anymore. But I did have a neighbor who was even more of a pro than me. By matching coupons with sales and buying the smaller items, she got a lot of groceries for free or for penny's on the dollar! (Remember that tv show where avid coupon clippers would clean house at the grocery store? Yep! She was one of them!)
As I say all of this, I'm thinking how I usually stock up for winter; but right now, we really need to remember that because of a the droughts, we should maybe be concerned about stocking our shelves for a lot longer than winter. Even if you're not worried about lack of food for any reason, you can be sure what you do need to buy will be extremely expensive next year this time!
Also, we recently bought a new clothesline and clothespins. Might not be on sale, exactly, but you never know when you're going to need them! Again, with college students in mind, you will surely be finding sales on laundry supplies like hampers, laundry duffle bags and clothes drying racks! If those are some things on your list, now might be the time!
According to the Julee Ho Media's Food Marketing blog, there is a "food holiday" for every day of every month. Grocers take full advantage of this for promoting sales. You can check out the website on line, but here are a few that are coming up for August:
TODAY is National Watermelon Day!!
August 6th is Root Beer Float Day! (My weakness! UGH!)
August 7th is National Mustard Day
August 10th is National S'mores Day
August 16th is National Bratwurst Day
August 20th is Bacon Lover's Day
August 24th is National Peach Pie Day AND National Waffle Day!
August 29th is More Herbs, Less Salt Day
For a comprehensive 365 day list, you can check out their website. But you can see how these "National Celebration" days can steer grocery sales, and subsequently our purchases!
Finally, I know a lot of places have dropped the mask mandates. But please be vigilant! Masks of ALL sorts are on sale again, and many can be found on Amazon. The N95 Respirator masks from 3M, made in the USA, are my favorite and meet CDC recommendations. I had some prior to the Big C, so was grateful to have them. They can be purchased on Amazon right now for a little over $30 for 10. Steep, yes, but we aired them out and reused them (our choice). I am telling you about this because in just a few weeks time I've seen the price increase by $10. And today they said on the news that the mask mandates are once again in place at the grocery stores and other venues. Those fabric masks were nice, but they did not do the same job as the N95s or KN95s did. Please just be safe. If you're able to swing it, now might be a good time to pick up a package or two. Safety first!
So, I hope this all gives you a little "food for thought," pardon the pun! LOL! There are lots of things to consider. Just remember: a little at a time. The TURTLE is the one who ran the race!
Love and hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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| StitchinWitch |
Posted - Aug 02 2021 : 3:28:18 PM
The shortages are due to drought. We've had several years of low rainfall and the groundwater stores are decreasing. Where I live we had a grand total of 6 inches of rain last year, instead of our normal of about 16 inches. Farmers won't plant if they think there won't be water to irrigate. We are limited to the days we can water. One community I read about has limited water use to 50 gallons per person per day. Many washing machines use more than that to do a load of laundry.
Judith
7932 FGOTM 6/21
I'm old and I do wear purple |
| suny58 |
Posted - Aug 02 2021 : 10:46:51 AM
I was told today that the fires in California are a huge cause of the shortages NOT lack of workers or the virus!! That would make sense however the shortages began last year so maybe there's been a migration issue. Judith and Andrea, do you have the 5 gallon buckets with lids to store your food items? I do and everything goes under the house, including water jugs. I use a sharpee to date things too so I can rotate old abd use then put new in them.
Farmgirl #7103
FGOTM January 2018
Dianna
"Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places, where other people see nothing." Pissarro |
| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Aug 02 2021 : 10:04:15 AM
Yes, Judith, I agree. :-( It was just on the news here last night, that many local farmers are not growing as much here due to weather, fires and water shortages... it is sad. A little worrisome. I do try to support our smaller businesses when ever we can, even if we have to pay a little more. Less has always been more, right!? xo
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| StitchinWitch |
Posted - Aug 01 2021 : 5:53:21 PM
Our little town started having a farmers market on Friday nights. We went two weeks ago. There were about a dozen stands but only one had produce and it was more expensive than the supermarket. The rest of the stands were crafty-type items and food trucks. Disappointing, to say the least.
Judith
7932 FGOTM 6/21
I'm old and I do wear purple |
| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Aug 01 2021 : 3:07:34 PM
We are seeing shortages on every day items now, more so than when this whole pandemic started... blueberries were the last item at the grocery they couldn't get in...even starbucks hasn't been able to fill drink orders because they aren't getting product... I wonder if it's because we have outsourced so much, that we are no longer self sufficient as a nation? And, there are no canning lids, rings, or canners here to be found either.
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| Dreamer42 |
Posted - Aug 01 2021 : 3:03:35 PM
Judith, I've been trying to pay more attention to where our food comes from as well, seems so much at the grocery store is imported. I started paying attention last year for some reason and honestly, was surprised and shocked how much is NOT local/domestic. I've been hitting up our local farm stands more over the last few years, supports local farmers and at least I know where the foods comes from!!
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
| StitchinWitch |
Posted - Aug 01 2021 : 1:30:02 PM
Dry beans last for years. I always keep a supply of white beans, kidney beans, garbanzos, and limas. They are a good filling source of protein. I also keep a small amount of mung beans to grow sprouts.
I read an article written by a tomato farmer here in California who said he and other farmers are planting much less than previous years due to the drought and the cutting back of water for irrigation. There also seems to be a shortage of cans and teamsters in some areas are (once again) threatening to strike. California normally produces about 80% of the nations canned tomatoes, so I'm going to by a couple cases of tomatoes to add to my stash. I was rather puzzled last week to find that the fresh tomatoes in the store were from Mexico and we live in the middle of tomato country.
Judith
7932 FGOTM 6/21
I'm old and I do wear purple |
| AndreaPA |
Posted - Aug 01 2021 : 11:22:32 AM
I'm not a Wal-Mart shopper normally. But had a bit of an urgent need over the weekend and Wal-Mart was all that was around. Of course I had to look for canning lids. They had some jars. No Ball lids on the shelves. They did have Golden Harvest lids marked down to $1.27 for a box of 12. Regular only, no wide mouth. I picked up 6 boxes. I've seen these at the Dollar store in the past and bought them for my jars of herbs.
I bought the book A Year Without the Grocery Store. Great book! I read the whole thing in a few days and I'm working on the assignments. Some of the other books that were suggested were out of stock. One thing I'm confused about is how long you can store certain foods. Anyone have a website or book that can help? I'm trying to figure out how much I should stock up to make sure things don't go bad before I use them.
I found out a local farm takes bulk food orders. They pick the stuff up then I pick it up at the farm. In a few weeks I will have 50 lbs of red beans, 20 lbs of lentils, 6 cans each of chicken and beef soup base (powder, not cubes). I'm going to be busy! These are things I use and there are other things I would like to order, just need to figure out if I will use them before they go bad.
Andrea
Farmgirl# 8166
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| suny58 |
Posted - Jul 31 2021 : 3:29:09 PM
I've been saving mine up Judy over the last few years or pick them up from thrift stores. So thankfulness because they are no where to be found. I also know that dog food and cat food are stocked sparsely and not because of food production but because of CAN production!! That coukd even go back farther, maybe even having trouble with steel production!! :o. W e just don't know the behind the scene's but we can prepare best we can.
Farmgirl #7103
FGOTM January 2018
Dianna
"Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places, where other people see nothing." Pissarro |
| wildflower17 |
Posted - Jul 31 2021 : 07:10:29 AM
Julie it's the same here in Kentucky!!! Even if you are fortunate enough enough to find any at all they are like double and sometimes triple the price!!!
Hugs!
Judy
God Has Been So Good To Me!!!
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened"...
"Country Girl at Heart...Blessed Beyond Measure"!!!
Farm Girl #5440
Farm Girl of The Month September 2013 |
| treelady |
Posted - Jul 31 2021 : 06:58:03 AM
Regular canning lids are impossible to find here. I have checked every store I have been in over the last year and no one has them. I was in Phoenix last month and hit the jackpot when I went to do my moms grocery shopping. Picked up all they had to share with my daughter. A dear friend also found some in Texas for me, so I know they are out there, just hard to find.
A little rain can straighten a flower stem. A little love can change a life.
Max Lucado |
| wildflower17 |
Posted - Jul 30 2021 : 6:45:30 PM
Nini this is a great topic!!! I hadn't saw this before so I am reading slowly and soaking in what everyone has to say...One thing here that is so hard to find is canning supplies especially canning lids for pint and quart jars. I hope everyone else who cans and puts food away for their family is not having the same trouble with finding canning supplies as we are here!!!
Hugs!
Judy
God Has Been So Good To Me!!!
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened"...
"Country Girl at Heart...Blessed Beyond Measure"!!!
Farm Girl #5440
Farm Girl of The Month September 2013 |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Jul 25 2021 : 6:24:45 PM
Nini,
I was going through some things I saved on my computer and found a post you had written about stocking up. It was a while ago,but I'm not sure how long. I copied it and saved as I was interested in your storage methods and all. I can repost it if you like. It's great info. We will have lots of storage space in our new home and I plan to figure out how to utilize it well.
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured." 
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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| AndreaPA |
Posted - Jul 25 2021 : 08:44:18 AM
Hi Julie,
So sorry you are not getting any rain. I have the opposite problem. We were having thunderstorms almost daily. It's been a whole 3 days since we have had rain. My tomato plants are sad looking. Bottom leaves are yellow and I'm taking more and more off. Some squash is rotting when they are only a few inches long. It was so hot at the beginning of summer some things went to seed before I could pick much.
I didn't know about the almond trees. So sad.
This year I'm planting a fall garden for the first time. Spinach and beets mainly.
I hope you get some rain soon. Wish I could bring some of those cows here. I have a pasture and we are working on the fence with plans to get cows in the spring.
Andrea
Farmgirl# 8166
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| treelady |
Posted - Jul 24 2021 : 08:17:20 AM
I don’t know how I missed this topic, but it is a great one.
Being a farmers wife and living in year 2 of a very serious drought, I am witnessing the very shortages that are talked about here, on the news and around kitchen tables everywhere. While the southern part of our great country get the rains we so desperately need, we watch our corn, soybean and small grain crops die a slow and painful death. We see our pastures with no grass for the cattle to graze and our hay fields not producing nearly enough hay to get through the winter. I see the sales barns having 2 sales a week and one is labeled a drought sale for the ranchers already thinning their herd as they are out of grass or water. I see the prices rising on everything from your groceries, pet food and everything in between that uses what we produce.
I wonder what will happen when the manufacturers will use when they run out of the crops we are struggling to produce.
These shortages are real, the rising prices are real and stocking up needs to be in the forefront of your mind and not the back. I make sure to add extra to the grocery carts every time I shop, which isn’t often. I planted extra rows in the garden this year and I water constantly, but it has enabled me to add to my pantry by canning everything we are not eating fresh. I am dehydrating all my herbs and will look forward to making my own tea blends this winter. I added extra butcher chickens to my pen this year and am thankful they are in the freezer and I will have plenty to get us through the year. I culled my flock of chickens pretty hard and pressure canned the old hens to have our version of fast food. I plan on canning half of my potato crop so I will not have to worry about them sprouting and going to waste in the basement. I have been adding extra almonds to my pantry as the almond trees in California are being shook clean of this years crop as the farmers are trying to save the trees. I am also adding extra treats to the pantry for the grandkids and grandpa. I have added extra pet food, chicken feed and bird seed to my feed store order every month. If you don’t have a feed shed and a dozen farm cats like I do, sorting these in metal trash cans works.
We have been adding to our parts inventory. According to all of our parts salesmen at the implement dealers, replacement parts are getting harder to get and the wait time is getting longer and longer. Simple things like hydraulic hoses and belts now have a wait time. I waited a month for a lawn mower blade, good thing my husband is handy and could sharpen my old one. By the time the blade came in my lawn was burned up. Haven’t mowed in a month.
I am looking forward to reading everyone’s comments.
I hope everyone adds what they can, when they can and is prepared for whatever comes your way.
A little rain can straighten a flower stem. A little love can change a life.
Max Lucado |
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