|
Post by martywny on Nov 12, 2021 8:26:40 GMT -5
Everyone is familiar with the expression "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."
Almost everything you see in the stores comes from China. This would be the same China that has been demonstrating an increasingly aggressive behavior while adding substantially to its military arsenal. If such a country wanted to cause major problems for the USA, it would be a simple matter of pulling the plug on their exports. If you think covid caused problems, what consequences would losing those imports have?
Next item up for bid... Agribusiness! Massive feedlot operations create an environment conducive to eliminating our food supply with a single outbreak of disease, just like when 25 million birds died/ were destroyed back in 2015. The same thing can happen to pigs, cows, and any other livestock operation because they are all the same and disease can run rampant once started.
Massive agrifarms supply our products but then again, they also supply massive doses of contaminated product as well. So far we've been lucky (except for those who died) that only a small number of casualties have resulted in those contaminated products being released. What would happen if something more serious developed? Because disease propagation is more efficient when going from one facility to another producing exactly the same thing, the potential exists to cause an incredible amount of damage.
Bigger is not better. The production needs to be spread out across as many producers as possible, just like it was years ago. One diseased production facility out of 100,000 will not impact our food supply anywhere near as much as one out of ten.
|
|
|
Post by emmsmommy on Nov 12, 2021 9:20:35 GMT -5
martywny, that sounds similar to a conversation my grandmother and I had several years ago. We discussed possible contamination of our food supply and how easy it would be to make people ill since very few people actually grow/produce all of their food. Makes me hesitant to buy any produce or meats at the grocery store.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Nov 12, 2021 9:47:12 GMT -5
We buy as much as we can from local growers at the Farmers Market or the Food Coop in town. Their meats are the best. I like knowing how produce and meats are produced and being able to talk with the growers. Granted, it's more expensive than mass produce, regular grocery store items , but in the end it's more expensive to keep supporting the big guys after looking at damage to the soil, the environment, our health, etc.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 12, 2021 10:01:13 GMT -5
Chocolate? Now we're talking essential food groups. Over the past year+ I've noticed a few things low on the shelves, but it seems to be rolling shortages perhaps because of delivery schedules. Less so now than when the pandemic began and people were shopping harder than usual. I've heard that there will be turkey shortages this year. Not sure if that is true (internet gossip and all...) but since I love turkey, I want to make sure I can find a good one for TG, and hopefully another for the freezer. Not a rock bottom store brand (too often tasteless IMO), but a pastured one. A two years ago I got a fantastic tasting 'pastured' bird from Trader Joe's. But I had to take out a second mortgage to pay for it. Exceptional flavor, however, so worth it. Maybe I could trade one of the cats for one... A couple years ago I also got a great one on sale a couple days after TG - but that is an unreliable strategy, especially if there are shortages. I think it's time to start looking.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 12, 2021 10:38:49 GMT -5
The US may import more than it exports, but that includes all 'stuff' including all the cheap cr*p on Walmart shelves.
In terms of food however, the US exports more than we import. Some of what we import are items that simply can be grown cheaper elsewhere (for example garlic, apple juice, and processed mushrooms from China). Other things we import that we consider essentials, like tea, coffee, and chocolate, we simply don't have the right tropical growing conditions in the continental US. These later things I would worry more about.
|
|
|
Post by martywny on Nov 12, 2021 10:40:01 GMT -5
it's more expensive to keep supporting the big guys after looking at damage to the soil, the environment, our health, etc. Just count the number of superfund sites and then think about how many more are being created that we don't know about. The people in charge of the corporations doing the dirty deed get to walk away and let taxpayers clean up the mess.
|
|
|
Post by martywny on Nov 12, 2021 10:41:56 GMT -5
but since I love turkey, I want to make sure I can find a good one for TG I have one Butterball in the freezer, price is $3,599.99 plus shipping. Let me know right away.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 12, 2021 10:52:49 GMT -5
I have one Butterball in the freezer, price is $3,599.99 plus shipping. Let me know right away. I'll bet you also have a few extra bridges to sell... When I was in the regular grocery the other day, there already were frozen turkeys available. Without shipping charges. As for buying local, this is not significant ag area, excepting lemons and avocados. Water is too scarce, and the land too valuable (think houses). If I could find a local pastured turkey to buy, I'd be thrilled.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Nov 12, 2021 11:00:33 GMT -5
I think you're close to Santa Barbara? I would think there'd be a source for Mary's turkeys, at the least. My sister lives in Central Coast and she gets our Thanksgiving Mary's organic turkey at California Fresh grocery store in Arroyo Grande area. Santa Barbara seems like a fairly aware community. gianna , ( Mary's is a California turkey farm in the Central Valley) marysturkeys.com
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 12, 2021 13:12:26 GMT -5
desertwoman , Thanks for the information. They do look good. There are a couple sellers of Mary's turkeys in Santa Barbara. But we are in the county, not city, and that's further than I want to drive to get a bird.. . I'll just keep looking locally and I'm sure I'll find something good - there will be options - just not immediately local sources. 'Free range' or 'pastured' from California or adjacent states would be good enough.
|
|
|
Post by breezygardener on Nov 12, 2021 16:30:04 GMT -5
For several decades now we've been buying a fresh, organic, free-range, heritage-breed turkey from Whole Foods (aka "Whole Paycheck"), simply because they've been the very best turkeys we've ever tasted & I only roast a whole bird once a year for Thanksgiving. Normally, Whole Foods allows you to reserve a bird in the size-range of your choice a few weeks ahead of time, & then you just pick it up a few days before the "big day". Last year they did away with reservations & it was catch as catch can, which meant that just for the two of us we ended up with a HUGE 22 or so pounds bird. It was outrageously expensive & a hassle to deal with all around - even if it was delicious, as usual.
Once again this year - no turkey reservations, just first-come, first served, & I didn't want to play that game again, especially at those prices, but instead we chose to reserve a turkey from a local farmer who runs a small store in town with meat, grain products that he grinds himself, & baked goods that he raises/produces/makes himself. It'll cost a little bit more than Whole Foods, but I was able to reserve a bird in the size I want, & at the same time know that it lived its life out relatively happy in the fields not more than 8 miles from me all this past summer (I've been to the farm, & it's spacious & gorgeous). I've bought his chickens & goat meat before, & they've been excellent, so I have no concerns about the quality, & am impatiently waiting to see if his turkey (Broad-breasted White) is as good as the Broad-breasted Bronze birds we've been getting in the past from Whole Foods.
As far as turkey shortages around here - haven't seen it. All our local markets seem to be well-stocked, & in fact I "earned" a free turkey up to 20# with my "shopping points" at one market, & am planning on donating it to our local food pantry along with other holiday trimmings this coming week.
|
|
|
Post by emmsmommy on Nov 12, 2021 17:19:33 GMT -5
Well the store-brand turkeys were sold out the other day but there were still a few Butterballs left. Not really looking for turkey but did notice the empty freezer case. Since my aunt is now a diabetic, mom has ordered an organic turkey locally. I had a bit of fun asking her if we'd need to pluck it ourselves though. On another note, there's a lady who calls my husband every few weeks and checks-up on his blood sugar readings and diet. While talking with her today he admitted that he's drinking way too much soda and vowed to cut back. It was quite an unexpected admission and hoping he can stick with it.
|
|
|
Post by Mumsey on Nov 13, 2021 4:56:36 GMT -5
Haven't bought a turkey in years. Since DS and I don't eat hardly any meat. This year it's Cornish game hens for DH. The usual sale around here, buy a Hormel Cure 81 Ham at $4.99/lb and get a free 14 lb turkey. Did that once years ago, good deal when we were eating more meat.
|
|
|
Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Nov 13, 2021 13:34:05 GMT -5
reuben , chocolate covered cherries are definitely a treat. Do you have an Aldi's in your area? They're only $1.75 for the standard 6.6 oz. box, as opposed to almost twice that in the local grocery store.
|
|
|
Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Nov 14, 2021 12:23:51 GMT -5
Almost everything you see in the stores comes from China. This would be the same China that has been demonstrating an increasingly aggressive behavior while adding substantially to its military arsenal. If such a country wanted to cause major problems for the USA, it would be a simple matter of pulling the plug on their exports. If you think covid caused problems, what consequences would losing those imports have? You've addressed a very basic issue, our reliance on Chinese products. The chip shortage is just one aspect. www.cnbc.com/2021/10/29/apple-chip-woes-will-end-but-us-china-supply-chain-war-just-starting-.htmlThis concept reminded me of a Political Science course I took in college back in the early 1970s. Required reading was an analysis by someone who predicted that economic "wars" would replace physical wars. The instructor agreed. I was struck by the drastic shift this could cause, never really having considered Economics as a potential weapon to replace actual physical fighting. But it can be weaponized. Unfortunately, physical wars are still being fought, and given the apparent nature of some countries addressing issues through violence, I'm not sure that the author's prediction will ever entirely come true, but it certainly has increased since relations were thawed with China and changed economic dynamics for us. However, and if I recall correctly, the author did address economic wars, and supply chain interruptions b/c of these wars, and/or b/c certain countries could manipulate the supply as well as the supply chain, creating leverage that could shift the burden of fighting from the air, seas and ground to one of in the home shortages (perhaps such as those that occurred during WWII.) This is one of the big concerns I have b/c of China's involvement. It has IMHO a literal stranglehold on some aspects of basic supplies and components. If all products with Chinese components and/or of Chinese origin were removed from the stores during the upcoming holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas would be a lot different for people depending on consumer goods, not that that's necessarily an undesirable consequence. But it's also another level of how foreign components and goods are so integrated into our economic system. (I wouldn't mind though not seeing the giant blimps of Santa Claus, reindeer, and/or snowmen and other holiday and winter themed concepts.) I really do think that a surge in people providing more for themselves (well beyond basic food needs) would help people become more self sufficient (assuming they want to be), more self reliant, more educated in self support, and hopefully less contentious. But that's just my opinion, and I'm just one person.
|
|