When I was first driving(1968) a loaf of bread, a gallon of gas, and a quart of milk were each 23 cents.
I’ve lived in mid-coast Maine. The last couple years we have seen more veg gardens. Our garden gets bigger and bigger each year. We pay for all our garden seed and supplies by selling raspberries and strawberries at the end of the drive.
I think more and more people will be shopping at farmer’s markets this year. The big stumbling block in the past has been the price differance. Inflation has made the ‘local organic’ products price competative.
Our local privately owned grocery stores (we’re lucky) have regular ‘bulk sales’. They put an order form with the flyer. Fill it out,drop it off at the store. Pick up your order the following week. We don’t need no stinkin’ Sam’s club.
We have one here too. It is pretty large and has been owned by a father/son combination for many years. Big inventory, good sales, competitive with the prices in the nearest large city.
We live in the middle of the "Big Nothing" in the Rolling Plains here in TX. We have great neighbors and the community has many families who have lived here for generations. My family was here before a town. They moved here in the mid 1880's.