[DrCaleb]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

I mean no offense to anyone but my posting history will show that I don't worry about grocery prices nor have I heard anyone in Sacramento worry about the price of food.

And my most recent purchase of bulk fruit was 20 pounds of Mutsu apples for US$8.00

And no offense to you, but you are basically right next door to where our fresh food comes from. That's why things we produce; like pulses, root vegetables and cabbage, are so cheap but; grapes, strawberries, and peaches are expensive.

Although, it does not explain the high price of poor quality beef, pork, and chicken around here.

[ShepherdsDog]

We bought cattle. My BiL gets the first calf and that pays for the feed. His best friend has A hog operation and a bunch of German immigrants in their community (Mennonites) raise chickens for eggs and meat. Our only problem right now is freezer space.

[DrCaleb]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

We bought cattle. My BiL gets the first calf and that pays for the feed. His best friend has A hog operation and a bunch of German immigrants in their community (Mennonites) raise chickens for eggs and meat. Our only problem right now is freezer space.

Growing up, we always had a couple steers and a hundred or so chickens. We always had a big garden too, and mom would can and preserve a lot of food for winter. When we started leasing and selling land, that stopped and we became more dependent on the grocery store.

I've reversed that the last couple years. My (small) pantry is full of stuff I grew, and bought at the market, and preserved. I've got about 20l of tomato sauce, and it's the best ever! Super sweet and tomato-ie. And all that is in it is, tomatoes (campbell and beefsteak), a little citric acid, and some salt. And about 15l of stewed roma tomatoes, same ingredients. And my eggplants did very well, so I have 2l of dried and 4l of grilled eggplant in oil. Cauliflower, sauerkraut, sauerbraten, spinach, sweet corn, fermented cucumbers, kosher dills, green tomato pickles and chutneys, chow-chow, crab apple sauce from the trees, and the best strawberry jam and jelly ever - sweetened only with that applesauce! Plus things from the farmers market; concord grape jelly, canned peaches, fruit salad, a really good quince marmalade and quince fruit salad with oranges and grapefruit.

If I ate more meat, I'd make more salumi and rillette. Things that don't need a freezer.

That's how you do it, without breaking the bank.

[Matlow]

Agree, with the grow your own idea. I quit my fancy schmancy job when I turned 50 and said screw it and we bought an old run down farm. I was overweight, over worked and hated what I did. It took me a year to get rid of all the Scotch Broom (a pox on the bastards that imported that crap) on the property so I could turn it back into a farm.

I originally bought the goats as weed eaters and they work awesome. Once they got the place under control we ate a few critters so the rest would have enough grub coming from the farm. Over four years I bought cattle, goats, egg and meat birds just to feed our clan. The problem is the neighbours ate some of our homegrown organic stuff at a potluck and wanted it too. Now I sell to them as well. In fact I could cut down the rest of the forest on our farm (and release all that carbon I don't get paid to store) and sell as much as I can grow.

Of course that is how factory farming works so it ain't happening here.

Ended up getting rid of our lawnmowers and landscaping stuff as our "Horseqvarna" (damned hay burner but I said 'yes dear" when she wanted it)takes care of all the lawn area around our house. Leaves big piles of horse apples and the chickens tear them apart and eat whatever they want out of them within minutes. Makes their eggs that much tastier. The entire operation's normal feed (not hay) requirements get paid for by farm gate egg sales. $4 a dozen adds up quick when we sell 3 or so dozen a day every day except from now until February when the days are so short and they all molt. We do not force our chickens with light so they lay year round.

I have had neighbours po'd that they didn't get any beef when I harvested the last couple of beasties. Also none of them realized they liked goat meat until I made a curry for a potluck and let people eat it before I told them what it was, no leftovers. I am lucky as I have old school Italians and Germans around me that love to make sausage and cheeses. Oh of course we absolutely pasteurize our milk first.

Anyway combined with our veggie garden, we are trying to get to the 100 foot diet as opposed to the 100 mile diet. We are healthier due to the better food and exercise we get keeping the farm working. We preserve a lot of what we grow and get to enjoy it out of season. I should have done this years ago.

The grocery store folks all think we are vegans. I hate seeing the price of groceries and quality (hack cough) food so high as I realize most people cannot do what our family did. In fact I am not even sure how people can live in a place like Vancouver etc. and pay for rent etc. and still eat properly.

I thank my Mrs every day as it can be a chore feeding the gang every morning and afternoon. No vacations but I like to think we live a vacation...

Ok off to feed the horde, Dave

[housewife]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

herbie herbie:

It's over 175 kms to a Costco or WalMart from here.

Must be nice to have groceries so close. You're spoiled. Nearest Costco for us is 7 and a half hours away. Nearest Safeway/Sobeys, Superstore is a five hour drive.

That just means you guys have to plan even better and sales are a bonus


Matlow sounds like you're living the dream

[ShepherdsDog]

housewife housewife:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

herbie herbie:

It's over 175 kms to a Costco or WalMart from here.

Must be nice to have groceries so close. You're spoiled. Nearest Costco for us is 7 and a half hours away. Nearest Safeway/Sobeys, Superstore is a five hour drive.

That just means you guys have to plan even better and sales are a bonus


Matlow sounds like you're living the dream

Don't really worry too much about sales except when Co-op has the 10 for $10 sales, as we get most of our meat from the source. I don't really look at the price of fruit and vegetables. if we like it we buy it because we know it will be eaten. Right now I'm waiting for the temperature to drop so we can use the porch as a walk in freezer for casseroles and bread. Come Christmas we are also bringing back some meat from the farm. I'm hoping to be able to bring a 1/4 to a half of beef and maybe 1/2 a hog with a dozen roasters. Some other staff are wanting to buy from us, so we may haul more. I plan on trading some farm raised meat and wild boar for some moose too.