For those who are putting off working on food storage...

[A Me]

I thought this article was very interesting. Essentially, according to Charles Grom of JP Morgan, retailers aren't passing down the current true cost of food to consumers. This makes sense considering the strategies I'm seeing at my local grocery stores in their battle to get customers. My guess is that, if this is correct, they're afraid that if people were charged closer to the true cost of food, they wouldn't be able to afford it.

And I think, based on what I'm seeing around me, they would be right.

http://www.businessinsider.com/food-pri ... yet-2010-9

This can't last forever so I'm making more of a point to work on our three month storage plan. So far, I've just been trying to buy an extra item here and there. I think I'm going to systematize it a little more.

[NoGreaterLove]

So far, I've just been trying to buy an extra item here and there

That is all it takes to get a supply built up quickly. Just make sure you are buying the staples first, then begin with the luxuries.

[tsc]

I agree. BTW, is toilet paper a staple, or a luxury?

[SmallFarm]

I agree. BTW, is toilet paper a staple, or a luxury?

In my opinion it would be better to have a set of small white cloths that can be washed out and re-used.

[Nan]

It is a staple. Especially if you have a wife.

[haddomr]

In my opinion it would be better to have a set of small white cloths that can be washed out and re-used.

It won't be white for long.

On a more serious note, I believe that for every law we obey, there is a blessing. In the case of food storage, I think the blessing may be survival. I also believe, more importantly, that the Lord will reveal more to you if you can tolerate bad news...if you have food storage, you may actually believe it when the Lord shows you how things are going in the world.

[Geeswell]

I agree. BTW, is toilet paper a staple, or a luxury?

In my opinion it would be better to have a set of small white cloths that can be washed out and re-used.

me mum used to use such things as diapers for my siblings once in awhile. I remember her washing them out in a (clean) toilet, and then again in the washer.

She is quite a woman that one

[kathyn]

Five of my six children used diapers, which I had to wash out in the toilet (the soiled ones) before washing them in the machine. It really does a number on your hands, too. I was very grateful for disposable diapers, believe me. And yes, stock up on toilet paper.

It's going to surprise you what will make you feel more civilized when things go sour. Soap and toilet papers as well as some treats, will make all the difference in the world to your psyche.

[kathyn]

In our area, there are several stores having their case lot sales. I intend to get some more cases of veggies. I need more oil. But we have our year's supply of the basics, and that makes me feel more secure.

[NamasteMama]

As someone working in a grocery store I can tell you that the margins are very slim. From looking at our books it seems that the Pharmacy, starbucks, and the floral department keep our store from being in the red. We are lucky. There are many stores in our division that are operating at a loss. The competition is barely hanging on, one is in bankruptcy and from the look of things another is close to it. Like I said before, back stock in a grocery store is non-existant. Stock up now.

Embarressingly enough, we are on food stamps, Dh has been working a pizza 4.50 an hour for 2 years since he lost his job, and I do not get paid enough either. Last week they cut our food stamps in half with out notice. With no real explanation and they have stopped answering their calls at the welfare office. Even working a total of 78 hours a week, my husband and I can not make eoug money to survive. With 3 degrees between us and my husband formerly making 10 time what he dose now. This is very calculated what they are doing. They are setting things up for something major. They are keeping people poor and too busy trying to eek by a living to see what is happening. Watch out people.

How dose your garden grow?

[kathyn]

Namaste Mama, you and your husband are the kind of people the food stamp program is for. You are working as hard as you can. I have a problem with people who know how to work the system and cheat to get the bennies. But I have no problem when the need is real, such as yours.

I agree that TPTB keep us distracted so we don't realize what's really happening right under our noses.

[singyourwayhome]

Namaste:

I would seriously consider getting out of food stamps entirely, even if it's painful. Think of the sacrifices and lifestyles of our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. I agree that the government seems to be setting up for something big, and if you're dependent on them at all, it will be harder to stay out of their grand designs to take your freedom even more. People say that government welfare is a necessity for some people; I respectfully disagree. Look back at what our church leaders said about it when the program was new. I DO think there needs to be help provided to people who can't seem to make it otherwise, but it should be voluntary on the part of the givers, not compulsory. That leads to resentment from the givers, and a sense of entitlement all too often in the receivers. But that could be a whole new thread.

Back to the main topic- my SIL asked me this week about what was going on with wheat and sugar. Wheat I knew about, sugar I did not. Sugar is 50-100% higher this year in the grocery stores- last year I got 25# bags for $8.99, this year the best price I've seen at the caselot sales has been $11.99. This year's crop was a lot smaller because the farmers couldn't use the seed from Monsanto they had planned on. Monsanto has what they call "RoundUp Ready" sugar beets; you can spray the whole field with RoundUp to kill the weeds, and it doesn't (supposedly) kill the sugar beets. USDA approved it, but did so without the proper studies, so a judge overturned the ruling and put a moratorium on using the seeds. Which left farmers scrambling to find enough seeds. There weren't enough.

Our stake's day at the dry-pack cannery was last week; pitiful turnout. The service missionaries there said they've been surprised at how slow it's been there, especially with the shortages with this year's wheat crop. We've even been handling the crowd that normally would go to a nearby cannery; they've been closed for six months or so.

Do you have at least a week's food? Three months?
I don't know what I should tell people about food storage anymore: I think at this point, if they don't have a year's supply, that it will cause a bad situation to get worse if they suddenly try to get it. Elder Featherstone's talk on food storage comes to mind:
(Vaughn J. Featherstone, “Food Storage,” Ensign, May 1976, 116)

"For twenty-six years, since I was fifteen, I was involved in the grocery industry. I learned much about human nature during those years. I remember the effects that strikes, earthquakes, and rumors of war had on many very active Latter-day Saints. Like the five foolish virgins, they rushed to the store to buy food, caught in the panic of knowing that direction had been given by the prophet but not having followed that direction—fearful that maybe they had procrastinated until it was everlastingly too late.

It was interesting because only in Latter-day Saint communities did people seem to buy with abandon. It was not a few Latter-day Saints—it was a significant number. It caused great increases in sales. One such experience came when a so-called prophecy by someone outside the Church was greatly publicized.

How foolish we can sometimes be! We have a living prophet; we have God’s living oracles, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles. Let us follow the Brethren and be constant. We need have no fear if we are prepared. "

[Original_Intent]

Boy, Monsanto's Roundup Ready crops - anything I could say would just derail this thread - it's a topic unto itself, to say the least.

[Nan]

Singyourwayhome, The sugar crop in the Philippines was destroyed. They are a huge producer of sugar. Also Brazil is having problems with their crop and I was told by someone they aren't going to sell much right now to drive prices up.

[NamasteMama]

singyourwayhome ~ We can not pay our bills as it is. Each month we rotate our bills for utilities, so one goes unpaid and then the next month another. We could not feed our children with out them. We have severe food allergies in our home and could not depend on the bishops store house either. We have a garden as well.

This is my point, it is impossible for people who work hard and diligently to make ends meet any more. There are no jobs that pay enough for a family to survive. It has become impossible to make a living with out both parents working fulltime and even then many can not make a living. The rich are getting richer, and you know the rest. don't think you won't be in the same spot we are, because its really easy to get here. Even with 6 months cash reserve, zero credit card debt, no home loan, and vehicles paid for like we had. 2 years with out real work with kill you and if you think it won't you wrong. I was so proud of my self for having a year supply, and then weeks turned in to months and month to years, and my food supplies dwindled, the toothpaste ran out, the shampoo was used up and there was no job in sight. Unless you can grow everything you need for your family to survive, then you too will end up like us when you go 2 years with out work. You suck it up and walk into that smelly welfare office feeling like you are selling your soul to the devil, but then you rememebr your kids and that they need to see the doctor and eat and you give in.

You say that it used to be that people could be self sufficiant living on less. It is not possible any more. Not with taxes, not with compusary insurance for health and cars. If we were truely free like it used to be, how wonderful it would be. I could build a small home with out the city and county telling me what I could not do and what I could do, I could have a big garden and chickens with out the fear of my neighbors turning me in for having them illegally. You see, we are not free and even the unwilling are forced into bondage with the Gadiations.

[kathyn]

You see, we are not free and even the unwilling are forced into bondage with the Gadiations.

Boy, that is really so true! Hold your head high. You are honest working people and you need the help right now. Anyone who thinks they've got it made, ought to realize that most of us are just a couple of paychecks away from being homeless. The Gadiantons have done this to us...intentionally.

[singyourwayhome]

I agree that this is intentional- at least on the upper levels. I think that most of 'we the people' have been duped- both into thinking this is the way to go, and into accepting more regulations and requirements. I just ran across a scripture that reminds me of this: (the footnotes indicate "equal" means "just", or in our terminology, 'fair')
Ezekiel 33:17" Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal."


NamasteMama- no offense to you was meant. I simply meant that being on welfare gives them more power over you, which is a frightening spot to be in. But you clearly feel that yourself.

Kathyn- You're right about not being free anymore. The house my mom grew up in, during the 50's and 60's, wouldn't pass anybody's inspections anymore. Her dad built it by felling the trees on their property, then stuffed the woodstove-heated home's walls with sawdust for insulation. Once he built a small waterwheel on their creek, they had enough electricity for one lightbulb. There's no WAY my city would allow that. Yes, their house did go up in a ball of flame, but that was a problem they dealt with. There was no mortgage on their home to keep paying, no extra mandated bills. They lived off their garden and their goats. (There's no way my city would allow that, either...)

[M249Gunner]

Kathyn- You're right about not being free anymore. The house my mom grew up in, during the 50's and 60's, wouldn't pass anybody's inspections anymore. Her dad built it by felling the trees on their property, then stuffed the woodstove-heated home's walls with sawdust for insulation. Once he built a small waterwheel on their creek, they had enough electricity for one lightbulb. There's no WAY my city would allow that. Yes, their house did go up in a ball of flame, but that was a problem they dealt with. There was no mortgage on their home to keep paying, no extra mandated bills. They lived off their garden and their goats. (There's no way my city would allow that, either...)

Wow, that is impressive. Where did they live?

[singyourwayhome]

Oregon coast, then the panhandle of Idaho.