Been to the supermarket lately?

The Radio Patriot ^ | Feb. 14, 2011 | Andrea Shea King

[patriotgal1787]

. . . . .

Last night I sent out an email to all on my list about the rising price of food in our supermarkets.  It included a post by Director Blue. This morning, as I was hearing Glenn Beck -- in a lead in to a commercial spot for a food storage company -- give out some facts and figures about how much food prices have risen, I was reading the responses to my email.  (I've  included them at the end of this post).

Friends,

I went shopping for groceries last Friday -- green peppers were $1.24 each -- at Walmart!  No peppers for me this week.  Lucky to have onions...  Below explains why, and that's not even counting higher prices coming due to increased fuel costs at the pumps -- Andrea

Food Distributor Sysco: Prepare for Food Price Inflation as Freezing Temperatures and/or Global Warming Kill 80-100% of Mexico's Harvest

I forget: is the proper term global warming or climate change? Either way, the following memo from food giant Sysco appears rather dire (PDF).

All of our growers have invoked the act of god clause on our contracts (force majuere) due to the following release:

The extreme freezing temperatures hit a very broad section of major growing regions in Mexico, from Hermosillo in the north all the way south to Los Mochis and even south of Culiacan. The early reports are still coming in but most are showing losses of crops in the range of 80 to 100%.

Even shade house product was hit by the extremely cold temps. It will take 7-10 days to have a clearer picture from growers and field supervisors, but these growing regions haven’t had cold like this in over a half century.

This time of year, Mexico supplies a significant percent of North America’s row crop vegetables such as green beans, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, peppers, asparagus, and round and roma tomatoes.

Florida normally is a major supplier for these items as well but they have already been struck with severe freeze damage in December and January and up until now have had to purchase product out of Mexico to fill their commitments; that is no longer an option.

With the series of weather disasters that have occurred in both of these major growing areas, we will experience immediate volatile prices, expected limited availability, and mediocre quality at best.

This will not only have an immediate impact on supplies, but because of very strong blossom drops, this will also impact supplies 30 – 60 days from now. Some growers are meeting with their boards right now to determine whether they should immediately re-plant, hoping for a harvest by late-march-to-early-april, or whether they should disc the fields under and wait for another season.

We are doing everything we can with our growers to minimize the effect of this disaster on you. With the unprecedented magnitude of this event we wanted to immediately make you aware of the conditions. We will continue to send out communications as our people on the ground report back to us. We thank you and we appreciate your understanding during this time.

Tiffiny wrote: "I was in Walmart and they had this sign posted to say there were manufacturer shortages. Funny... well not so funny."

Susan: "I buy local produce from the green markets. So much cheaper AND it keeps the money local with the small biz!!!"

Vic: "Interesting release. I bought a 50lb bag of onions at work (Sam's) on Saturday. They come in 10's or 50's. I noted we were out of 50's but and the price of the ten's had gone up about 25%. I went in the back and an palate had just come in with bags of the 10's in 50lb sacks. So I got a bag of 5 and got the 50lb. price. 20 lbs. for free. Hey who said men weren't frugal shoppers. Our 6 pack of green peppers are still. $5.96. Glad we grow and freeze our own green beans. The victory gardens are going to have to make a comeback this year."

Bob: "Try this: http://www.survivalseedbank.com/"

TMH: "Hey - try $2.50 for a pepper here in Idaho. We got you beat. Not good..."

What is happening in your supermarkets? Are you cutting back and making your food dollars stretch? How?

At the checkout, I chatted with a woman in line who told me she's now making things "from scratch". It's cheaper that way, she said.

How you're coping with rising food prices? . . . . .

[Palladin]

MMmmmmm...I hope the people at your house know how lucky they are!

[Palladin]

Here in PA., tomatoes are like gold in February. I paid $1.25 for a medium sized one yesterday.

Can’t wait until summer when I can raise my own. They taste so much better!

[Trinity5]

Sorry, but I’ll run around the block, go hiking, do sit ups, push ups, lift buckets of water, chop and stack wood, etc all for free before I eat out of the garbage in the name of saving a few bucks so I can pay for my gym membership. How the heck did anyone get “fit” before Golds Gym and LA Fitness?

[libertarian27]

Recipe Bookmark

Have you ever made this with All Purpose flour? Or should I get some wheat gluten to make bread four?