Food Prices, Shortages & Inflation - The Trash Index

[Pirtykitty]

I think our farmers market shuts down the end to middle of september

 

[hwillm1977]

I don't blame you for this attitude. As a consumer, I would LOVE to only buy pastured beef, freerange chicken, etc... but my budget doesn't always allow it. I love supporting local farmers and so does abi. But, like me, she can't always afford it. As soon as we can though, she is buying direct from a local dairy and I am over at a farm 5 minutes from my house buying all the organic goodness we can

Unfortunately that's how my budget goes too... a 5 pound chicken at the farmer's market is about $25-30... at the grocery store a whole chicken is about $10... when my weekly food budget is $80, I can't afford to buy the meat from the market.

Goat's milk I do buy at the market because I can buy a pint for Aeryn ($2.00) vs. the grocery store that only sells it by the gallon for $18.

My neighbour sells eggs for $2.50/dozen, that's $1.50 less than the grocery store sells regular white eggs for so of course I'm going to buy her free-range eggs from the chickens that wander over to visit sometimes

I do find now that I'm more concious of what I'm eating, it is costing us more to eat weekly... but we're feeling a lot better about it. I don't mind paying for good food and I would love to get to the point where I can eat whatever I wanted without worrying about how much it costs. Really I want to live somewhere that I can produce my own food so our grocery bill is next to nothing from the store.

 

[R2D2]

Bingo...!! Totally agree hwillm1977...As paychecks and savings don't go as far these days, many are forced to avoid pricy farmers market goods.Many farmers markets have evolved to places where people who have money to burn shop.The best way to get fresh, safe produce and other goods is grow your own.Not all of can do that.I know a farmer that lets me pick... seconds... blemished/bruised veggies cheap. I like picture perfect produce like anyone, but have no problem cutting out a bit of bad, to salvage the mostly good.Farmers have to make a living like all of us, but alot of folks simply cannot afford to buy fresh/local.If you snoop around though, many will be able to find better deals for fresh/local goods, outside the farmers market.When i see a farmer out in the feild of tomatoe or what ever, i stop and talk to him/her about getting a good deal.Some flat out say no, others will work with you.

 

[k0xxx]

Forget Irene: The Drought in Texas Is the Catastrophe That Could Really Hurt

"Texas and Oklahoma produce almost a third of winter wheat in the U.S. the hard wheat used in bread products. This week, Bloomberg financial news quoted wheat economists predicting a 50% jump in winter-wheat prices. If the dearth of rain continues and there is no moisture in the soil to germinate the wheat, prices could climb higher still."

Wheat is already up 55% over the last 12 months.

"In cattle-raising circles there is talk of beef being priced out of the marketplace, as the U.S. cattle herd is down to its lowest count since 1963."

Stock your freezers now, if possible. It's starting to look as if more venison will be on our table this year.

Edited to correct a type: Changed "It" to "It's"

 

[Avalon1984]

I don't blame you for this attitude. As a consumer, I would LOVE to only buy pastured beef, freerange chicken, etc... but my budget doesn't always allow it. I love supporting local farmers and so does abi. But, like me, she can't always afford it. As soon as we can though, she is buying direct from a local dairy and I am over at a farm 5 minutes from my house buying all the organic goodness we can

Unfortunately that's how my budget goes too... a 5 pound chicken at the farmer's market is about $25-30... at the grocery store a whole chicken is about $10... when my weekly food budget is $80, I can't afford to buy the meat from the market.

Goat's milk I do buy at the market because I can buy a pint for Aeryn ($2.00) vs. the grocery store that only sells it by the gallon for $18.

My neighbour sells eggs for $2.50/dozen, that's $1.50 less than the grocery store sells regular white eggs for so of course I'm going to buy her free-range eggs from the chickens that wander over to visit sometimes

I do find now that I'm more concious of what I'm eating, it is costing us more to eat weekly... but we're feeling a lot better about it. I don't mind paying for good food and I would love to get to the point where I can eat whatever I wanted without worrying about how much it costs. Really I want to live somewhere that I can produce my own food so our grocery bill is next to nothing from the store.

I am in the wrong market! I sell my chicken fro $2.35/lb and they are usually 3-4lbs. $25-30??????? WOW

 

[TanksHill]

HW, the chicken prices you quoted are exactly how I justify my meat birds. I still get the people who ask why I just don't buy FosterFarms at .69 cents per pound. I used to and if I couldn't raise my own I would. But the FF and my free range really are not comparable.

k0xxx, I have noticed that my Aunt in Mo is seeing the cost of feed, corn, wheat, potatoes etc.. go up much more quickly than I see here in Ca. Do you think this is because she is closer to the source? I wonder how long its going to take these prices to get to me.

Why do you think this is???

G

 

[k0xxx]

HW, the chicken prices you quoted are exactly how I justify my meat birds. I still get the people who ask why I just don't buy FosterFarms at .69 cents per pound. I used to and if I couldn't raise my own I would. But the FF and my free range really are not comparable.

k0xxx, I have noticed that my Aunt in Mo is seeing the cost of feed, corn, wheat, potatoes etc.. go up much more quickly than I see here in Ca. Do you think this is because she is closer to the source? I wonder how long its going to take these prices to get to me.

Why do you think this is???

G

It could be exactly that. I would guess that a lot of the feed mills get their grains locally, or at least regionally, and that the rise in local prices would be equaled by shipping costs if they were to bring in grain from other areas.

I went to the feed store yesterday. A year ago I had been paying $8.29 for a 50# sack of layer pellets, yesterday the same sack was $11.05. In 8 weeks, a 50# sack of pig starter has increased $1.06. The big increase has been in corn, a 50# sack of chops went from $6.45 last August, to $10.09 yesterday.

 

[DawnSuiter]

These are my costs:

$2.50-$3 per pound for chicken (weight with bones)
I'd be happy to sell it at that price, but oddly people prefer to buy chicken for dinner only AFTER it's butchered & cleaned... a process that tacks on HUGE expense in supplies & labor. So I charge $4/lb DIY butchering or $6/lb DIFY butchering (do it FOR you). Seems extremely reasonable to me for healthy fresh chemical free meat.

Personally, I'm willing to pay up to $8/lb for meat - that's about $80 each month in meat costs for my family. TOTALLY worth it. Yes we eat less meat now that I have such standards, only 3-4 times per week, but it's worth it. We have found lots of new protein sources, more sustainable sources, we like too since then.

$1-$1.50 per dozen eggs, including carton prices/depending on the season - I like to charge $3 per dozen Free Range & rainbow colored, which means I make around $30/month on egg sales if I can sell them all.

To me that means, that if someone is doing it for significantly less, they have some kind of HUGE advantage I don't have, which isn't typical or they are taking shortcuts, cheating themselves or their families out of long term success or making compromises in the quality or health I would not. To me that has a cost.

But again, this is the advantage of farmer's markets, get to know the producer. When you eat your dinner, you can imagine them & their kids also eating a wonderful dinner, thanks to your help. To me, that is worth every extra penny over "bargain" prices. Bargain prices have their own undisclosed costs, and THAT is what I would rather not pay for; to me that is a waste of hard earned money. In other words, I don't want my money to go toward helping American's health decline or the corruption of farming or our economy. By participating in the other system, of healthy food even though I'm financially limited, I know that my family AND the producers family are benefiting. The moral satisfaction is immeasurable.

I hope someday the food system will change here in America, but I know it won't happen unless we want it to; we as in, we the people. The price of food will only go up from here.

 

[abifae]

I don't blame you for this attitude. As a consumer, I would LOVE to only buy pastured beef, freerange chicken, etc... but my budget doesn't always allow it. I love supporting local farmers and so does abi. But, like me, she can't always afford it. As soon as we can though, she is buying direct from a local dairy and I am over at a farm 5 minutes from my house buying all the organic goodness we can

Unfortunately that's how my budget goes too... a 5 pound chicken at the farmer's market is about $25-30... at the grocery store a whole chicken is about $10... when my weekly food budget is $80, I can't afford to buy the meat from the market.

Yep

I find what is in my meat terrifying and desperately want to buy only real food but I'm poor. LOL.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I don't blame you for this attitude. As a consumer, I would LOVE to only buy pastured beef, freerange chicken, etc... but my budget doesn't always allow it. I love supporting local farmers and so does abi. But, like me, she can't always afford it. As soon as we can though, she is buying direct from a local dairy and I am over at a farm 5 minutes from my house buying all the organic goodness we can

Unfortunately that's how my budget goes too... a 5 pound chicken at the farmer's market is about $25-30... at the grocery store a whole chicken is about $10... when my weekly food budget is $80, I can't afford to buy the meat from the market.

Goat's milk I do buy at the market because I can buy a pint for Aeryn ($2.00) vs. the grocery store that only sells it by the gallon for $18.

My neighbour sells eggs for $2.50/dozen, that's $1.50 less than the grocery store sells regular white eggs for so of course I'm going to buy her free-range eggs from the chickens that wander over to visit sometimes

I do find now that I'm more concious of what I'm eating, it is costing us more to eat weekly... but we're feeling a lot better about it. I don't mind paying for good food and I would love to get to the point where I can eat whatever I wanted without worrying about how much it costs. Really I want to live somewhere that I can produce my own food so our grocery bill is next to nothing from the store.

Here in Alaska, I can raise pastured meat chickens for right around $10 each. They are either in a tractor that is moved daily, or housed in a fixed structure inside a huge fenced area that encompasses our lawn. They are fed local barley and fishmeal 3 times per day, and all the greens that I can stuff in them.
If you are allowed to have a few chickens, then maybe you can raise two batches of 6 or 8 meaties at at time in the summer.
That, or partner with a rural friend for a summer batch.