I was at the local farm store this weekend to pick up a few plants when I stopped and talked to the owner. Okay, he's my neighbor, and my cousin, but a farmer and the owner too. We ended up having the most illuminating conversation.
It all started out over a tray of sweet potato plants.
I was picking "D's" brain about raising sweet potatoes, specifically for keeping them through the winter, when sort of out of nowhere he says "Andie, don't believe what you're hearing on TV and reading in the paper. There's not going to be a grain crop this year."
HUH?
He said Ohio's grain is 7% planted and the cut-off date for planting is little more than a week away. Only high grounds are planted and low lying fields are still too swampy to get large equipment into.
He talked about the fact that there won't be a crop along the Mississippi for several years possibly, because the flooding washed away the topsoil and left behind a layer of thick mud and debris. Tens of thousands of acres of prime farmland, perfect for growing wheat, soy, corn, cotton were washed away, along with the living of several dozen farm families.
The drought in the western states, Asia and Europe came up, and that much of the world would be doggedly looking to buy as much grain as possible and the impact it would have on the already rising food prices. Limited grain crops are going to drive the price of EVERYTHING through the roof.
And then he talked about the cheery reports he hears out of the media, specifically from government departments. He said there's little to be cheery about and that this one bad season is going to affect grain prices for the next 2-3 years. Or longer.
I can't fully explain the impact of this conversation because you all don't know "D". He's very quiet. Very reserved. Slow to give his opinion. Conversations with "D" are normally very short, kept to basic, polite "hey how are you, how are the kids?" type of talk. Once in a while, we talk gardening, but that's the extent of exchanges with "D". To hear him talk about what's coming around the bend, that was a real AHA moment for me; not because it's a lot of new information, but because someone else is seeing it for what it is.
We talked food storage for a few minutes and I told him that we'd been hitting the commodities hard; wheat, sugar, coffee and chocolate, at which he laughed and promised not to tell his wife where our chocolate stash is located.
Then I bought a bunch of extra veggie plants. If his plan was to increase garden plant sales, it worked on me!
I just can't emphasize enough the importance of a deep larder this year. Everything is going to go up this year, everything. We're not an oil-based economy, we're a grain-based economy and everything we eat is somehow tied to grain. Our clothes are tied to crops. Our fuel is tied to crops. And when those crops aren't available, we're going to feel that impact hard and fast.
Pick up some extra food for long term storage. Even if it's freakin' Ramen noodles and Spam. Whatever. Just get some food in your pantry while you can afford it. If you've been thinking about buying wheat, corn, etc for storage, don't wait! Do it now while grain is still available and affordable. The local Walmart store carries 25# bags of white or red wheat for about $12-$13, so there's no excuses for putting it off! And bear in mind, that shortages in wheat, soy and corn could lead to shortages in other grains as consumers turn to oats, barley, rye for substitutes. If you start every morning with a bowl of oats, pick up an extra package (or 4) and put them away for darker days.
Buy an extra pair of blue jeans while you can afford them. If you need bedding, fabric, towels, look into it sooner than later! If you have small children as I do, watch for sales on the next-size-up clothing. They'll prove invaluable later on.
If you need straw for your garden, buy it now. No wheat crop = no straw.
Pick up extra seeds for next year. Sounds like they may be necessary.
Safely store some fuel for cold weather.
Get ready to prove your mettle.
It all started out over a tray of sweet potato plants.
I was picking "D's" brain about raising sweet potatoes, specifically for keeping them through the winter, when sort of out of nowhere he says "Andie, don't believe what you're hearing on TV and reading in the paper. There's not going to be a grain crop this year."
HUH?
He said Ohio's grain is 7% planted and the cut-off date for planting is little more than a week away. Only high grounds are planted and low lying fields are still too swampy to get large equipment into.
He talked about the fact that there won't be a crop along the Mississippi for several years possibly, because the flooding washed away the topsoil and left behind a layer of thick mud and debris. Tens of thousands of acres of prime farmland, perfect for growing wheat, soy, corn, cotton were washed away, along with the living of several dozen farm families.
The drought in the western states, Asia and Europe came up, and that much of the world would be doggedly looking to buy as much grain as possible and the impact it would have on the already rising food prices. Limited grain crops are going to drive the price of EVERYTHING through the roof.
And then he talked about the cheery reports he hears out of the media, specifically from government departments. He said there's little to be cheery about and that this one bad season is going to affect grain prices for the next 2-3 years. Or longer.
I can't fully explain the impact of this conversation because you all don't know "D". He's very quiet. Very reserved. Slow to give his opinion. Conversations with "D" are normally very short, kept to basic, polite "hey how are you, how are the kids?" type of talk. Once in a while, we talk gardening, but that's the extent of exchanges with "D". To hear him talk about what's coming around the bend, that was a real AHA moment for me; not because it's a lot of new information, but because someone else is seeing it for what it is.
We talked food storage for a few minutes and I told him that we'd been hitting the commodities hard; wheat, sugar, coffee and chocolate, at which he laughed and promised not to tell his wife where our chocolate stash is located.
Then I bought a bunch of extra veggie plants. If his plan was to increase garden plant sales, it worked on me!
I just can't emphasize enough the importance of a deep larder this year. Everything is going to go up this year, everything. We're not an oil-based economy, we're a grain-based economy and everything we eat is somehow tied to grain. Our clothes are tied to crops. Our fuel is tied to crops. And when those crops aren't available, we're going to feel that impact hard and fast.
Pick up some extra food for long term storage. Even if it's freakin' Ramen noodles and Spam. Whatever. Just get some food in your pantry while you can afford it. If you've been thinking about buying wheat, corn, etc for storage, don't wait! Do it now while grain is still available and affordable. The local Walmart store carries 25# bags of white or red wheat for about $12-$13, so there's no excuses for putting it off! And bear in mind, that shortages in wheat, soy and corn could lead to shortages in other grains as consumers turn to oats, barley, rye for substitutes. If you start every morning with a bowl of oats, pick up an extra package (or 4) and put them away for darker days.
Buy an extra pair of blue jeans while you can afford them. If you need bedding, fabric, towels, look into it sooner than later! If you have small children as I do, watch for sales on the next-size-up clothing. They'll prove invaluable later on.
If you need straw for your garden, buy it now. No wheat crop = no straw.
Pick up extra seeds for next year. Sounds like they may be necessary.
Safely store some fuel for cold weather.
Get ready to prove your mettle.
6 comments:
wow, that is scary, its even more scary because I am hearing in a number of places in canada as well.
Thanks for reminding folks to pick up extra cloth as well as food.
travelin farmgal
Hello fellow Ohioan! (Akron area here) Stumbled across your blog a couple weeks ago and have been loving it ever since as we are like-minded Bible-believing homeschooling garden-growing food-storing moms. And although I must say that while I may be a few years ahead of you regarding homeschooling tenure, you're schooling me on the rest big time, for which I am so grateful.
Anyway, I have felt led for the past several years to be prepared, as well as pull away a bit from "the grid" so to speak, and have been working toward that end, but this year I am DRIVEN, not just led, but really feeling it in my spirit, to kick it into high gear. As a result we have a beautiful new square foot garden (instead of just the usual tomatoes and herbs), we plan to put in some fruit & nut bushes/trees, and spend the summer really getting organized.
This latest post really smacked me as a bit of a confirmation of what I've been feeling because I've also felt really nudged toward trying to grow some winter wheat (and I've never even baked a single loaf of bread yet! but it's on my short list to learn), so we'll be looking into that, but in the meantime, just FYI for your readers, Emergency Essentials has a hand mill on sale for $60 and I think their wheat berries are on sale too.
Oh one more thing re raised prices - I buy 90% of my groceries at Aldis and the other day was so dismayed to notice that almost every single thing we get is up 10-50 cents since last week. It was starkly apparent to this regular shopper. Gas prices + weather toll on crops = starting to really show at the store.
Thanks for so much good info and inspiration!
NE Ohioan
NE-Ohioan-
I'm so glad you left a comment...it's great to know there are locals waking up to reality. I was telling "D" yesterday that no matter how you spin it, this CAN'T end well. We're so used to living in ease and with abundant supplies and now it sounds like that era is about to end.
I hear ya on the Spirit thing...I feel like I was told to get ready to help people. My friend was told to go back the way she came...(from modern life to her agricultural roots). Being lead is such a beautiful thing.
Re: growing wheat...there's a book out there called Small Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsden (a fellow Ohioan) all about raising personal grain crops. Maybe worth looking into???
If you blog, please leave your URL sometime...I'd love to read what you have to say!
Andrea
I shop some at Costco. I was there Saturday. Butter started out at about $5 for 4 lbs some years ago. A couple of years ago it went up to about $7+ per 4 lb pack. Saturday, it was up to $9+ for the same package.
I also donate food at Church every week. So I buy the 15 pack of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and share. When I first started doing this, the packs were under $7, but over $6. About a year + ago, they went up to $9+, and they introduced their own brand that is at the $7 range. Saturday, the Kraft package was $11+. I'm guessing that the last pack I bought was at the nine dollar price and was about 1+ months ago.
It's starting.
By the way...
I've checked at the local Walmart for wheat berries and didn't find any (and no "holes" in the shelves). Do they put them some place special, or do you have to ask for it?
Sue, ours carries wheat berries in line with the other baking goods...right next to the 25lb bags of flour. They only started carrying it about 6 months ago...maybe you should mention it to management? Or maybe you can buy it online through Walmart.com and have it shipped to a local store for free???
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