Let's hope conditions improve soon--according to this article, the weather we have been having in Idaho has also negatively affected the barley, lentil, green pea, oat, and hay crops.
Wish it was better news, and hoping for the best for the crops and farmers.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Preparedness Expo...in Montana
Thanks to idahobob for bringing the information in this link (and the link itself) to my attention--some parts of Idaho are closer to the location than others, and for those who would like to attend, the information is all in the linked announcement...
The more we know, the better prepared we become...Thanks idahobob!
The more we know, the better prepared we become...Thanks idahobob!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Bad news for the wheat crop here, in Idaho...
Well, wish the news was better, but if you go to this link, you will find that wheat crops in Idaho are not thriving in the cool weather we've been having. I didn't know that so much wheat was grown in Idaho, (according to the article linked, 42 of our 44 counties grow wheat) but the way things are going, it may turn out that we all wish that even more had been planted and/or was growing regularly right now...
So, it looks like prices will be rising even higher--if you don't have any pasta or other wheat-based products (pancake mixes, waffle mixes, flour, etc.)that store easily, please consider getting some in your pantry so you won't have to pay (even) more for them at a later date. Those would be great if you are looking for a couple of easy quick fixes for the 3-day supply of food recommended here, although you would probably want to figure in storage of additional water for cooking them.
If you just get a couple of buckets of wheat, they will store even longer, and you can make whatever you want out of the wheat, if you have it. If you want to make bread, you might want to include yeast and oil, and maybe some sugar or honey in your storage--yeah, the list gets longer when you figure in how to use wheat, but it looks like the prices will only get higher regardless, when it comes to the wheat....
So, it looks like prices will be rising even higher--if you don't have any pasta or other wheat-based products (pancake mixes, waffle mixes, flour, etc.)that store easily, please consider getting some in your pantry so you won't have to pay (even) more for them at a later date. Those would be great if you are looking for a couple of easy quick fixes for the 3-day supply of food recommended here, although you would probably want to figure in storage of additional water for cooking them.
If you just get a couple of buckets of wheat, they will store even longer, and you can make whatever you want out of the wheat, if you have it. If you want to make bread, you might want to include yeast and oil, and maybe some sugar or honey in your storage--yeah, the list gets longer when you figure in how to use wheat, but it looks like the prices will only get higher regardless, when it comes to the wheat....
Monday, May 9, 2011
Scarcity is at the very least annoying....
Scarcity in good times is annoying. Scarcity in an emergency situation is worse, worse, worse--at best, best, best...
I have run into various levels of scarcity lately, and the first I will mention here involves ground turkey, which I generally buy in a 3 lb. package, brown, and store in the freezer. It held steady for a long time at either $5.58 or $5.38 (I think it was $5.58, but I am striving for accuarcy here :). Then one day, I went to get some, and was surprised (probably shouldn't have been, considering how long the price held steady, but I was..) to find that it was now $6.22. Still very reasonable price per pound, considering the prices of other meats, (and in comparison with prices at other stores, from what I've seen) but still. Who doesn't want it for less? So the price had gone up.
Thing is, I went back for some more, and the display case was empty. I was in the position that at that point I didn't need to buy turkey, so I decided to wait. If memory serves the following then happened: I went back two more times, and each time the display was empty. So I decided to ask an employee when there would be more ground turkey. Very kindly, she went in the back to see if there was any ground turkey back there, but to no avail. I asked her when the turkey would be replenished, and was told that she didn't know exactly, that I should probably try in the mornings, and that it generally disappeared pretty much as soon as it was put out. As a result, because by the third time, I did need the turkey, I asked my husband to pick up a 3 lb. package on his way home from a different grocery store. The price on that package was $7-something, although it had a different fat content, but the real difference was this: The $7-something package was in my hands. Sounds like something that they would put on a TV commercial, and then say "priceless".
If you are still reading, :) my point is this: I could have used something else for dinner, so at this point, scarcity was an annoyance. What happens when you have no other options? That's when scarcity becomes much, much, more than an annoyance and turns into an emergency....
One other example: when it comes to macaroni and cheese, there is one brand that I buy that (a) my children like, and (b) is cheaper than the (seems like ever-upward-spiraling prices of) other brands. Soooo, every time I go to the particular store that sells this macaroni and cheese (it's a store brand) I pick up a couple of extra boxes usually at 2/$1.00, and on good days, or with coupon, 3/$1.00. Last time I looked, that brand was gone. There were other brands, but the space for this particular macaroni and cheese was eeemmmmppppttty. So there wasn't a scarcity of macaroni and cheese, per se, but the kind I wanted, and I knew that my children would eat was unavailable. My point? Serving my children something that they don't really like during an emergency situation is so much less than ideal that I'm trying to avoid it. I still have some boxes of said macaroni here, so again, scarcity of it right now is more a matter of annoyance and inconvenience. But in a case where there might be less fuel available to cook (pasta's pretty much a quick-cook meal) scarcity could turn into so much more...
Hope everyone is doing well, and stocking up at prices where they are now (read: steadily rising) even if it's only one box of macaroni and cheese at a time--or even better, at 3/$1.00. It may not seem like much, but it all adds up, and it will be priceless if there should come a time when you can't get whatever item you are looking for at any price....
I have run into various levels of scarcity lately, and the first I will mention here involves ground turkey, which I generally buy in a 3 lb. package, brown, and store in the freezer. It held steady for a long time at either $5.58 or $5.38 (I think it was $5.58, but I am striving for accuarcy here :). Then one day, I went to get some, and was surprised (probably shouldn't have been, considering how long the price held steady, but I was..) to find that it was now $6.22. Still very reasonable price per pound, considering the prices of other meats, (and in comparison with prices at other stores, from what I've seen) but still. Who doesn't want it for less? So the price had gone up.
Thing is, I went back for some more, and the display case was empty. I was in the position that at that point I didn't need to buy turkey, so I decided to wait. If memory serves the following then happened: I went back two more times, and each time the display was empty. So I decided to ask an employee when there would be more ground turkey. Very kindly, she went in the back to see if there was any ground turkey back there, but to no avail. I asked her when the turkey would be replenished, and was told that she didn't know exactly, that I should probably try in the mornings, and that it generally disappeared pretty much as soon as it was put out. As a result, because by the third time, I did need the turkey, I asked my husband to pick up a 3 lb. package on his way home from a different grocery store. The price on that package was $7-something, although it had a different fat content, but the real difference was this: The $7-something package was in my hands. Sounds like something that they would put on a TV commercial, and then say "priceless".
If you are still reading, :) my point is this: I could have used something else for dinner, so at this point, scarcity was an annoyance. What happens when you have no other options? That's when scarcity becomes much, much, more than an annoyance and turns into an emergency....
One other example: when it comes to macaroni and cheese, there is one brand that I buy that (a) my children like, and (b) is cheaper than the (seems like ever-upward-spiraling prices of) other brands. Soooo, every time I go to the particular store that sells this macaroni and cheese (it's a store brand) I pick up a couple of extra boxes usually at 2/$1.00, and on good days, or with coupon, 3/$1.00. Last time I looked, that brand was gone. There were other brands, but the space for this particular macaroni and cheese was eeemmmmppppttty. So there wasn't a scarcity of macaroni and cheese, per se, but the kind I wanted, and I knew that my children would eat was unavailable. My point? Serving my children something that they don't really like during an emergency situation is so much less than ideal that I'm trying to avoid it. I still have some boxes of said macaroni here, so again, scarcity of it right now is more a matter of annoyance and inconvenience. But in a case where there might be less fuel available to cook (pasta's pretty much a quick-cook meal) scarcity could turn into so much more...
Hope everyone is doing well, and stocking up at prices where they are now (read: steadily rising) even if it's only one box of macaroni and cheese at a time--or even better, at 3/$1.00. It may not seem like much, but it all adds up, and it will be priceless if there should come a time when you can't get whatever item you are looking for at any price....
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Gas prices go up...as do other costs
Yeah, not newsbreaking, or anything, to say that when gas prices go up food costs and other costs go up along with them, because of transportation and production costs, etc.--but thought you might be interested in the details in this article, which talks about what's going on with the prices now.
Also, found this article on the shelf life of spices interesting. If you are going to try to make limited resources taste good, spices are a good addition to the food storage list. They, as mentioned here, can be expensive, but might help when one of your children or other member of the group you'll be responsible for is really craving something with a different flavor...
Hope all is well with everyone--weather here in Idaho can't seem to make up its mind. At some points, it has seemed like spring has arrived...only to find that it's raining/snowing/sleeting (? It has looked like possible hail recently, but I wasn't curious enough to go out and actually get hit with it to find out :) soon after. Anyway, got to get to the gardening soon, even if it's only inside.... :)
Oh, and on the third try I did get the deal on the flour mentioned in an earlier post. Am wondering at what time the price of the gas surpasses the money saved on the food deal, though....
Also, found this article on the shelf life of spices interesting. If you are going to try to make limited resources taste good, spices are a good addition to the food storage list. They, as mentioned here, can be expensive, but might help when one of your children or other member of the group you'll be responsible for is really craving something with a different flavor...
Hope all is well with everyone--weather here in Idaho can't seem to make up its mind. At some points, it has seemed like spring has arrived...only to find that it's raining/snowing/sleeting (? It has looked like possible hail recently, but I wasn't curious enough to go out and actually get hit with it to find out :) soon after. Anyway, got to get to the gardening soon, even if it's only inside.... :)
Oh, and on the third try I did get the deal on the flour mentioned in an earlier post. Am wondering at what time the price of the gas surpasses the money saved on the food deal, though....
Monday, April 4, 2011
This is a rush deal...
I have tried repeatedly to get my earlier post of today to space correctly, but it's not working. Since the deals mentioned are over tomorrow, I will leave it as is, however much it bothers me that the spacing won't work out and makes it looked garbled. If you end up getting the deals, however, hopefully it will be worth the aggravation of reading stuff all mushed together. Thanks!
Today or tomorrow....
You might want to visit your local Albertson's, with the usual assumption that the deals that I'm about to mention won't be available unless you have an Albertson's card. Also, never hurts to call your local Albertson's to make sure the deals are available where you are.... ---5 lb. bags of Albertson's sugar for $1.99/each Limit 6 ---5 lb. bags of Albertson's flour for $.99/each Limit 6 ---Green Giant canned vegetables 3/$1.00 Limit 24 ---Hunt's ketchup 24 oz. 10/$10.00 The above deals are the ones I was hoping to get, although I visited two different Albertson's, one Friday, and one today, and neither of them had the flour on the shelves. The cashier today said that she thought that they would have more flour coming in on a truck tonight, so I may have to head back at that price. For price comparison, the 5 lb. bag of sugar usually costs $4.49, if memory serves. Prices everywhere are going up.... It's my understanding that these prices are good through tomorrow night. I mention these deals because there is no coupon attached, though there is a limit. Speaking of limits, gotta love how the limits on (most if not all) the coupons I have seen lately in the Walgreens ads don't apply in Idaho.... :) You may also be interested in the deal on milk and cereal highlighted (which is also at Albertson's) over at The Grocery Girls. Thanks for the info on that, Grocery Girls! Sorry I didn't get this up earlier. Hope that everyone who wants these deals gets them, and maybe the third time will be the charm for me in terms of the deal on flour.... :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)