Food Beyond the Grocery Store

[tortoise]

People are sharing photos of empty spots on shelves and there's a lot of anxiety to go with. I wonder if they know about food thats not at a grocery store and how to find it?

My SS goal has been being less dependent on grocery stores for food. I havent been hugely successful, but at least I know a few places to look.

Right now I'm searching FB Marketplace for people who have extra garden produce. There are a couple farm stands I frequent too.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I would love to support a nice farmer's market or even a nice farmer! Couldn't find any active ones last year or this - Covid strikes again.

Thinking about starting some microgreens - just to say I gardened this year, lol.

 

[flowerbug]

People are sharing photos of empty spots on shelves and there's a lot of anxiety to go with. I wonder if they know about food thats not at a grocery store and how to find it?

one of the big reasons i don't do much on-line media or social sites (beyond TEG and SS and a few others) is that i think people work themselves up into all sorts of troubles. the other big reasons are around family drama i'd much rather take a hard-pass on even hearing about.

there are bulk bin sorts of places where you can get food for less and it is also nice to be able to find places that will let you bring your own containers so you are not using packaging and then having to throw it away or recycle it.

some food pantry places will give away food for those who need it. we're not in hard straights here so i don't do those. when we could get extra produce in the past we used to cook it up and donate that to some food shelter kinds of places but we've not had any extra produce available the past few years and we've been very busy with just dealing with what we grow.

you could put up contact information on any area bulletin board (grocery stores, libraries, etc.) and see what comes of that.

 

[tortoise]

i think people work themselves up into all sorts of troubles.

I couldnt agree more! But, we learned in 2020 that what people think is the problem is more important than the actual problem. I'm talking about toilet paper shortage. 😅 So I keep an eye on the general panic. Right now much of the grocery shortages are self-inflicted. Grocery demand is way up again. Yes there are spotty shortages, and some places have high prices for meat. Its not universal, its just capitalism at work. Panic buying just drives up demand (and prices). 🤷‍♀️

I just try not to run out of an item during the "run on the bank" for that item.

Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram are all down today. Its very peaceful. 🤣

 

[Hinotori]

I'm already planning out next years garden. Expanding the tilled area. Going to try and plant some extra rows so I can donate to the nearest food bank. They are always encouraging people to do so.

We have a lot of farmers markets here as well as farm stands. There many farms and hobby farms in the city around here because the cities grew around them. Having little stands to sell stuff is popular. Just like with selling eggs off the farm, no license is required. See Eggs for sale signs all over.

 

[baymule]

There are small Hispanic markets here that people never even think of. Those markets are usually well stocked because the crowds aren’t rushing in there.

 

[Hinotori]

The Korean markets here have the best produce. Lots of selection as well. It's also much cheaper

We always stop by H-mart if we're over that way. They label country/state of origin on it. Oregon and Washington grown usually has city. People want as local and fresh as possible.

 

[Alaskan]

Here empty shelves are old hat. We get groceries by container ship and then it is all trucked through a mountain pass.

So regularly I will show up and Oops, no sushi rice, only basmati. Or, ALL inexpensive cheese has been bought, but I could still buy brie.

One year.... maybe 18 years ago now, there was a huge flood that washed out all of the bridges between our town and Anchorage (where the container ships land). It took quite a bit of time to rebuild all of them. I think it took over a month for us to get road access to Anchorage.

The national guard flew in all of the W.I.C. food. So cheese, milk, and baby formula.

I wish I had taken photos, because I remember walking through the grocery store and laughing at the only canned soups on the shelves. Clearly flavors no one was interested in eating! Most things were picked bare by the time the bridges were repaired.

I do remember I got the last salad available in town.

Anyway, as far as I knew no one went hungry. Everyone got bored of the food we were eating. Fish, fish, fish, potatoes, carrots, dandelions, and..... fish. Of course some had moose and other things..

It was a great wake up call though. Since then MANY more people started gardening and putting in high tunnels.

One of the local grocery stores now has a decent section of locally grown food.

And with the toilet paper.... yes annoying... but, really not panic inducing.

My older sister and I talked about how as kids we had a neighbor who was too poor to buy toilet paper. In their bathroom (only one in the house) there were 3 buckets. One with clean rags, one with rags used for #1, and one bucket for rags used for #2.

Eh... life goes on.

 

[tortoise]

Here empty shelves are old hat. We get groceries by container ship and then it is all trucked through a mountain pass.

So regularly I will show up and Oops, no sushi rice, only basmati. Or, ALL inexpensive cheese has been bought, but I could still buy brie.

One year.... maybe 18 years ago now, there was a huge flood that washed out all of the bridges between our town and Anchorage (where the container ships land). It took quite a bit of time to rebuild all of them. I think it took over a month for us to get road access to Anchorage.

The national guard flew in all of the W.I.C. food. So cheese, milk, and baby formula.

I wish I had taken photos, because I remember walking through the grocery store and laughing at the only canned soups on the shelves. Clearly flavors no one was interested in eating! Most things were picked bare by the time the bridges were repaired.

I do remember I got the last salad available in town.

Anyway, as far as I knew no one went hungry. Everyone got bored of the food we were eating. Fish, fish, fish, potatoes, carrots, dandelions, and..... fish. Of course some had moose and other things..

It was a great wake up call though. Since then MANY more people started gardening and putting in high tunnels.

One of the local grocery stores now has a decent section of locally grown food.

And with the toilet paper.... yes annoying... but, really not panic inducing.

My older sister and I talked about how as kids we had a neighbor who was too poor to buy toilet paper. In their bathroom (only one in the house) there were 3 buckets. One with clean rags, one with rags used for #1, and one bucket for rags used for #2.

Eh... life goes on.

That would be an incredible experience for most Americans! I think I would have taken it in stride, provided my pantry wasn't bare to begin with. I try to keep enough on hand so an event like that wouldn't be too uncomfortable.

 

[Okiepan]

Try a cold frame and or green house it is possible to have vegetables year round plus if you can , pickle or freeze dry them the options would be endless.