I was saddened to read a post by Linda Fox over at Liberty’s Torch yesterday evening. It bears out what I’ve been saying in these pages for a long time, and brings home the fact that food shortages are no longer just a prospect – they’re becoming a reality. Do please note her last paragraph.
I happened to stop at a Walmart yesterday (needed a lot of diverse things – shower rod, hardware, and garden). I didn’t find as much in the store that I had on the list, so I decided to pick up a few things I’d been meaning to get at a grocery.
Guys, I haven’t been that shocked in a LONG time.
The staples were just about wiped out. The kind of things that sensible people have in their pantry or freezer? Flour, sugar, coffee? Seriously depleted, particularly the generic or cheaper items. You could find some gourmet or specialty brands, but you were going to pay for them.
Overall, the prices were at least 1/3 higher than they had been a few months ago. In some cases, IF the items were available, the prices had nearly doubled.
Now, I’ve been insulated from this, because my husband loves to shop … But, in Walmart, I was seeing prices that the average household was paying for basic necessities. And, it was chilling.
Not only higher prices, but things that were not available.
. . .
This is a man-made, deliberate change. It has been caused by Leftists and their collaborators, and designed to break our will and ability to resist government authority.
There’s more at the link.
I believe Linda is exactly right when she says this is “a man-made, deliberate change”. The mismanagement of our economy on so large a scale can’t be accidental. To take just one example: progressive leftist environmentalists are trying to reduce (if not shut down) US oil and gas production. That’s led directly to the higher prices for gasoline, diesel, propane, natural gas, etc. that we’re seeing every day. As far as environmental purists are concerned, that’s not a bug: it’s a feature. They believe we’ll be better stewards of Nature if we stop raping her by extracting oil and gas. (The fact that we’ll also be colder, hungrier and poorer is our problem, not theirs. They’ll make sure that our taxpayer dollars will make up any shortfall they experience.)
The next step is to blame “hoarders” for the shortages. Again, this is an old, old tactic. It’s been around for centuries: make the masses blame anyone except those who are actually responsible. Bloomberg reports, under the headline ” ‘People Are Hoarding’: Food Shortages Are The Next Supply-Chain Crunch” (bold, underlined text is my emphasis):
“Early in the pandemic, panic buying was the cause of many of the out-of-stock situations that grocers experienced,” general manager I’Talia McCarthy said in an email to store owners this month. “Although the food industry was able to somewhat rebound, the sustained nature of the pandemic, combined with the slow pace of vaccination globally and the recent surge caused by the delta variant, have resurfaced the problem.”
. . .
“People are hoarding,” said CEO and founder Adnan Durrani. “What I think you’ll see over the next six months, all prices will go higher.”
Again, more at the link.
Weasel words. It’s not “panic buying”: it’s prudent buying. When you can see the writing on the wall, when shortages are all around you and getting worse, it makes good sense to buy more of what you use most, to make sure you’ll have some if it ceases to be freely available. That applies particularly to people with dietary issues, who can’t eat all commonly available foods. They’d be between a rock and a hard place if they couldn’t get the foods they need to survive without making themselves sick.
Similarly, we’re not talking about compulsive hoarding. Preppers are taking reasonable precautions to stock up against a forthcoming, predictable shortage. All sorts of critters in nature do the same thing: squirrels storing up nuts for winter; bears eating themselves fat (to the point of obesity) on salmon because they know they won’t be eating during hibernation in winter; and so on. Our ancestors and forefathers lived that lifestyle from birth until death. If they didn’t have a good harvest in summer, they starved the following winter. Wars were fought to steal other peoples’ food stocks. (They still happen in Third World countries, even if it’s not widely reported. In parts of Africa, raids by one village on another to steal their stored grain are not unusual. I’ve personally experienced them.)
There’s another thing. Tens of millions of Americans rely on food stamps (or their modern equivalent, electronic benefits transfers, or EBT) to buy food every month. The cost of that food is increasing very quickly, but the amount they receive every month is not. What happens when EBT no longer covers their nutrition needs? What happens if the authorities (as they should, IMHO) prevent EBT funds from being used for fripperies and non-nutritious purchases like sodas, luxury foods like lobster or steak, and so on? That would stretch EBT funds a lot further, but those who’ve grown used to living high on the hog on their EBT will almost certainly riot if such restrictions are imposed. What’s more, state authorities don’t have enough money in their budgets to increase EBT benefits, so recipients will still face a food deficit. Add that to known, predictable food shortages, and you’ve got a recipe for serious urban unrest.
I see nothing wrong in applying Miss D.’s and my limited resources to ensuring that we have enough food to last us a few months if the supply chain becomes seriously disrupted, for whatever reason. Even as we buy food for our “deep pantry”, we continue to support a local food bank. We don’t tithe to a church, but we tithe to friends and those we know to be good people who are in need of support, whether in cash or in kind. I don’t think we’re being selfish at all. We’re trying to be wise virgins rather than foolish virgins, in the food sense – although virginity is, alas, no longer a factor!
If you haven’t yet begun to build up your “deep pantry”, so that you can cope for at least 30 days without going shopping if you have to, you’re behind the curve. I can only suggest you “get with the program” as quickly as possible. The way things are going, this will be a pass/fail exam in the school of life . . . and you don’t want to fail.
Peter
I've been on SNAP for a few years now,(major health problems), and yes, restrictions are needed badly.
But your comment on:
"What happens if the authorities (as they should, IMHO) prevent EBT funds from being used for fripperies and non-nutritious purchases like sodas, luxury foods like lobster or steak, and so on?"
I always love the one about steak. Many times I have found steak a couple bucks cheaper than hamburger.
Now, I'm not talking about filet mignon or that jap beef, but things like round steak, t-bones, NY strip, and other cuts. Some steaks, I cut up, some I roast, others I ground it myself.
Sometimes, even cheap hamburger has got to around $6 a pound, why shouldn't I not buy steak that is cheaper?
We normally shop for food at a Walmart because it is cheaper and closer. I have noticed a lot of empty shelves there. There was one item (Diced Ham) that I have been trying to find at Walmart for weeks. I gave up and went to one of the more expensive supermarkets, there were no empty shelves and a selection of diced ham. So while I agree there may be shortages (and prices are definitely higher), but I think Walmart may have specific issues that make it worse.
Her point:
This is a man-made, deliberate change. It has been caused by Leftists and their collaborators, and designed to break our will and ability to resist government authority.
is exactly right.
History doesn't repeat, but it does rhyme; Stalin noted he had to starve the Kulaks to death in the Ukrainian famine in order to get them from their independent farms, to the large (centrally administered) collective farms, and break their will to the Central Committee.
Similarly, the oil & gas shortages, and the supply chain shortages are designed to break the middle class to the will of the Communists & Uniparty currently in power in the United States. Antifa & BLM, under the direction of the Communists & Uniparty, will carry out the dirty work of handling the middle class. As Peter has noted, the Legal system has been inverted so they will be protected against you, and if you try to defend yourself, you'll receive worse penalties than they would. Note too the treatment of the "hoarders" back then, and expect that the same treatment will be dealt to you, if you are "hoarding".
Buy my canned goods and processed foods at the local Walmart grocery they've started opening in neighborhoods. Generally not produce or most fresh meat products as IMHO they are inferior and saving a few pennies on something you have to discard half of is just plain foolish.
Of late my local store has run out of many of their store brand items. First hand proof that the supply chain has kinks if not broken links.
In any case, stocking up on necessities in an inflationary cycle is just common sense. Even if items are still available down the road you know they will be more expensive so why leave money in a bank at half a percent interest when a few cases of canned goods and house supplies now will save you 10 or even 20 percent six months from now.
The tv series featuring ridiculous "preppers" and sick hoarders in recent years was propaganda, in order for those terms to elicit immediate, very negative associations in people who cannot or will not think.
I've only seen this at Walmart and Sams here in North Dallas.
Sams has been utterly denuded of home paper products for two weeks. They have the commercial stuff, like giant rolls of paper towels and TP for dispensers.
The grocery stores seem to have plenty.
But the price has gone way up. For some products, I'd say nearly double.
I saw a post on Gab where the dude paid like $3.49 for a gallon of milk. I didn't think that was right, or what I remember last time I shopped. But yesterday at Fiesta, that's what it cost. Maybe $3.79. The store brand was $2.75. That all seems very high, but then again I don't use much milk if any at all.
Here's something to think about with your preps.
If you have a car that uses keyless ignition – a fob, better buy some batteries for it.
Fob dead, can't find batteries, car dead.
Techie Dude, Milks been trending around $4 a gallon since the installation of the Resident. $3.79 is actually a decent price for several years.
As to Walmart, the one in my local area is fully stocked with even house brands. Did my monthly shopping yesterday and though prices are up (beans gone from $.59 to $.72 a can and cheese from $3.33 to $4.22 a 24 pack of sliced cheeses) overall the place and prices were reasonable.
Come the new year, when wife's pension hits, will be stocking more. Until then, disability pays like crap.
30 days of food?
Protein in a can (30 cans for the two of us)
Vegies in a can (30 cans for the two of us)
Some bulk to mix with the canned protein and vegies (I like rice)
Flavors, spices, salt, sugar and the like to help with the limited foods you put away.
All this for less than $100, put in the back of a closet and you have some sort of backup if things really go that bad.
@TechieDude
Obviously not so tech savvy.
The keyless fobs I've had/have will work WITHOUT A BATTERY INSTALLED.
If you put the fob up to the START button, it's close enough for the RFID chip to be read.
Car Starts.
I hid my extra fob inside the car (without a battery installed because it will quickly deplete constantly communicating with the car) and the manual, actual, made-of-metal key tie-wrapped outside to gain access inside the car.
Yes!
There's a removable key to open the driver's door with
…. wait for it
… it's coming
…. a keyhole!!!
Minute Rice (takes less time &energy to prepare).
0.2 lbs/cup
(https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight/substance/instant-blank-rice-coma-and-blank-upc-column–blank-041250643463)
4.5 lb box = 22.5 cups or 22.5 servings
$5.50 (approx) / 22.5 = $0.24 per serving
*****************************************
12 lbs bag pinto beans = $8.75 (approx)
1 cup = 9.03 oz or 21.26 servings per 12 lb = $0.41 per serving
less than $1 per meal ($18.90 for 30 days)
boring?
yes
can you survive on it?
yes
can you afford to NOT have this in a corner of the pantry?
whoops
meant $18.90 for 30 meals … my bad
Middle bachelor son tells me his weekly grocery purchase is $15 more than six months ago.
"That would stretch EBT funds a lot further, but those who've grown used to living high on the hog on their EBT will almost certainly riot if such restrictions are imposed."
They're just waiting for the riots; the rioters, with implanted agents, are very easy to direct.
If anything can be learned from Kyle Rittenhouse fighting commies, it’s:
1). Balaclavas (or similar) are prudent
2). Shoot and scoot
3). Don’t turn yourself in/get caught
Last Refuge noted that Biden* increased food stamps by 25% last month. But that's only to keep Big Ag happy–and to tell you where food prices are really going.
Wait until cold weather hits, and fuel assistance gets rationed out.
It already doesn't provide very much, and when heating oil prices double, the gallons get halved.
We have low income people who pay every month to build a positive balance on their accounts, but many don't, and bitch that they get enough free fuel.
Even NPR is telling the truth about the energy clusterf*ck. They said energy prices will be about 60% higher in a few months than they were the same time last year.
I put 100 gallons in my tank a few months ago, but I'm wondering if I should top it off before this shit gets any worse.
We probably have at least 30 days of food for the humans, but I do need to stock up on food for the pets. My biggest roadblock is protien. The cheapest meat (other than the 75/25 ground cow or canned stuff) is pork, and I can't eat pork. So hubby and daughter are better off than I am.
My next big purchase is an upright freezer, because it is easier to see what you have in one of those. There is nothing like having to pull half the stuff out of the chest freezer to get to the fish at the bottom.
@dragon lady, if you are tired of chicken, try the cornish game hens or duck. For some reason, both were cheaper than hamburger in Houston last week.
n
And let's not forget that as those already on the dole need more, the prices drive more people on the edge onto the dole as well, providing a double-whammy maelstrom, sucking the pool dry ever faster, while those administering the public teat suck even more, for the increased workload, and cry that they "must have MOAR of your money" to feed the growing beast.
As the productive seek to eliminate taking worthless fiatbux, and paying a greater share of them to FedGov:
Widespread Massive Barter and Black Market Economy in 3, 2, …
All the things you have noticed over there in the USA are being repeated here in the UK. Gaps on shelves, purchase limits placed on items, increasing gas prices ($8.40 for a UK gallon so about $7 for a US-sized one) and unavailable staple items. It's going to be a long cold winter regardless of the weather. Stay well.
I wrote more about the subject of scarcity and hard times to come. https://rau-tng.blogspot.com/2021/10/hard-times-coming.html