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| Wheat Rustlers and Rice Rationing | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 23 2008, 07:27 PM (932 Views) | |
| Sunshine | May 23 2008, 07:27 PM Post #1 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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WHEAT RUSTLERS AND RICE RATIONING There is a grain shortage coming to the world this year. I have been doing research on this subject for the past month and I found most people did not know or even care about it. But just let Wal-Mart and Costco announce that they are limiting the amount of rice you can buy when you shop at their stores and now North America is paying attention. China has just experienced the worst winter weather that nation has had in 90 years. They are fixing to have a food production melt-down. In China’s history, when they have a dramatic weather-related crop failure like they will have this year, within ten years there is civil unrest, civil war and then regime change. But you say the Communist will never allow it to happen. The issue is, China has not had this drastic of a weather-food problem during the 60 years the Communist have control that country. When this happens the Communist will not know how to handle it. China is the largest exporter of fertilizer in the Pacific. They have placed a 135% export tariff on their fertilizer products. I suspect it is not to make more money but rather to try to keep as much fertilizer as they can in their own country because of their coming food production problems. Some of the biggest wheat exporting countries in the world, such as Argentina, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan have all placed large export tariffs on their grain to try to keep more of it at home. Smaller countries that do not produce grain will be at the mercy of the inflated prices of the world grain market. The price of grain has gone through the roof this year. US wheat was in the $3-$3.50 a bushel price range a year ago. It hit $13 a bushel recently. Soy beans as I write this column is at $13 a bushel. If you have invested in bio-diesel I hope you did not use your retirement money. I was talking to a professor of agriculture economics who was telling me farm land is selling in Iowa for $5000 to $8000 an acre. My question was, how can you pay for land that expensive. A “house of cards” was used in our conversation. The professor advised me not to cash in my Roth IRA and put the money into ethanol. Of course he also told me he had a thousand acres of his own farm land in corn. So as a grain farmer himself, right now he is riding the positive wave of high grain prices. The price of fuel to run farm machinery, along with the chemicals that are used on the growing grain are rapidly eating away at the $6 corn or $13 wheat. A contact in South Texas advised me they have started cutting wheat down there. As this year’s new crop goes to market the price will drop some. One of the other problems is the amount of grain in storage in the US. Twenty five years ago this country had a much as 115 days supply of grain in the silos and elevators across the nation. We are now approaching a fifty day supply of grain. “What if” there is a melt down in China and the rest of the grain producing work hoards its grain? Is the US some how honor bound to sell off or worst yet be expected to give away its grain to those who have none? The “world” is always unhappy when the US takes action against some country that most rational people know needs to be brought to heel, but out of the other side of their mouth they truly expect the US to be the policeman to this planet. If this grain issue gets worse, is the US expected to be the baker and soup kitchen to the world? Grain has become very valuable. There are already cases of grain rustling in Oklahoma. Grain farmers are having to put all their grain under lock and key. Criminals are driving trucks right up to farmer’s grain bins and filling the bed with stolen wheat. A farmer friend of mine in Virginia has all of her animal feed locked up and she keeps the gates to her farm locked. She can not afford even a pick up load of feed to go missing in the middle of the night. Sadly somewhere in the country a dope user will make the front page of the newspapers after he is shot trying to steal chicken feed to support his drug habit. I did go to Sam’s Club and buy my limit of rice. I also figured if I only had rice to eat in an emergence it would take 1100 pounds to keep me fed for a year. 24 Apr 2008 Major Van Harl USAF Ret. vanharl@aol.com |
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| JohnnyRebSCV | May 24 2008, 12:04 AM Post #2 |
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pitiful....plum pitiful......
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| Ali | May 24 2008, 08:58 PM Post #3 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Right on the money JohnnyReb! It is a pitiful thing when the cheapest thing we counted on for a 'meager meal' when times are tough, or what we bought and paid for to feed folks in third world countries now costs so much more. |
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| legitlinda | May 24 2008, 09:06 PM Post #4 |
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A friend of mine told me last week that Costco is limiting rice to one bag. I couldn't believe it. We're rationing rice? We better replenish our pantries because there could be some hard times ahead. With the way food prices are going up it's a good idea to buy our non-perishables now because they're not going to get any cheaper. |
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| Toothless Dawg | May 24 2008, 09:07 PM Post #5 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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I wonder how soon the government will begin attempting to tax personal gardens. |
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| Toothless Dawg | May 24 2008, 09:10 PM Post #6 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Remember and re-read the post by VMI86 concerning the cost of gas/oil. Right there tells it all. |
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| gobblerblaster | May 24 2008, 09:24 PM Post #7 |
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gobblerblaster
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A days wages for a loaf of bread? Seems like I've heard that somewhere. Stick around, it is going to get a lot worse. |
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| Toothless Dawg | May 24 2008, 09:41 PM Post #8 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Especially if the dems get in office this year ... |
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| gobblerblaster | May 25 2008, 01:45 PM Post #9 |
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gobblerblaster
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This Ethanol thing is going to play a part also. We only have a certain amount of land that is used for the farming of food crops and right now a lot of that land is being used to produce Ethanol Corn. This naturally results in less food on the market and higher food cost. Not to mention that the yield on the Ethanol from the Corn is ridiculously low ( I understand that it is something in the neighborhood of six bushels for a gallon of gasoline and when the cost of producing Ethanol from the field to the pump is added in, it cost more to produce than it is worth) and yet they continue to push this as an answer to the Energy Problem and continue to build these worthless Ethanol Plants. Meanwhile the prices at the Super Market continue to rise and our ability to produce food continues to decline. I for one will have a huge garden this year and am making plans to double it's size next year and am looking to buy more Mason and Kerr canning jars and also put my dehydrator to good use. |
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| Ali | May 25 2008, 07:04 PM Post #10 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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I wish I had tilled a bigger garden this year GB. The more the price of groceries go up, the smaller it looks to me! Never in my life have I met a rich farmer, and that's sad. More and more kids are leaving the family business of farming because they can't make enough money. As far as the ethanol gas goes, my son told me today that they've found it's 'burning up' the fuel injectors in most cars. |
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| gobblerblaster | May 26 2008, 08:03 PM Post #11 |
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gobblerblaster
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Yeah, it is really tough on anything rubber such as seals and O-rings too. It dries them out and causes them to become brittle and break. Our food problems are just beginning and most Americans; these days, don't have a clue of what it takes ;logistically, to put food on their tables. They just go to the Grocery Store and expect it to be there. When it's not or when it becomes unaffordable, there is going to be panic like we have never seen. I also am in the process of expanding my home poultry operation and have plans to build some fence around a few acres that will hold the few goats I want to purchase next spring. I chose goats because I can process the meat at home and won't have to worry about the price of sending a beef or a hog to the butcher if I had those. A plus is that goats can live on about anything and therfore will keep my feed cost low. I think it is time for the prudent to become a little more self sufficiant if we expect to weather the rough seas ahead. |
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| VMI84 | May 27 2008, 01:28 PM Post #12 |
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As a young boy growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia one of the things I remember is that just about everyone that could had a garden. They canned the food and ate well over the winter. But that period is long gone. A few still have gardens but for the most part those plots have been abandoned or built upon. While the result is sad perhaps it is the “WHY” that is not only infuriating but also unconscionable. The Great Society. Liberalism at it greatest or should I call it what is and that was this countries greatest step towards Socialism and Communism. We had just beaten Fascist Germany and Imperialist Japan and begun the COLD WAR against communism. We did not know that the biggest enemy was the liberals and subversives from within. The Great Society and its war on poverty had the result of convincing the American public that the government was the solution to their problems and they need to put their trust and faith in government and not the in themselves and God. They came into the mountains, rural areas, inner cities, and any place else they could and told self reliant people: “You are poor, cannot take care of yourself, and the government is here to help. Here is a Check.” “It is wrong that you have to work so had for food, a necessity of life, when it would be far easier to take this check and go down to the local market.” What happened was a lot of proud Americas did not take handouts and continued to plant. Others did not and took the easy money. Those with character are dieing off or are to sick and frail to put in a garden anymore. A lot of their children are not interested in putting the effort into a garden as it is to hard or have moved and do not have the ability to do so living in an apartment. What is the result. People are dependent upon government or someone else to produce their food. (I heard a radio report today about a food bank calling for the government to provide more food to help the needy as the demand was growing.) Government is not the solution. It is the people and depending upon ourselves. These liberal and socialist programs are nothing different than a drug pusher and dealer on the corner street. There are those who would say that I am saying to hell with my neighbors. We know our neighbors and are willing to help those in need. We know the neighbors that will be there for us and yet we know the ones who will not help themselves much less anyone else. They latter group will tell you it is our duty and the governments responsibility to take care of them. I say NO. Fend for thy self. I tend to help those who help themselves. Another observation on can make is that to go back home you will see a lot of people from the mountains who are OVER WEIGHT. (Yes I too could stand to lose a few) but they are no longer out in the gardens growing their own food and are thus not burning the calories to produce their own. They are sitting in front of the television eating junk awaiting another government handout. I have been to Vietnam, Laos, China, North Korea, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq. This is a country were poor people are fat. In those countries the poor and those working the land are thin. In this country how many poor people on Government assistant are overweight? An interesting observation I think. This ranting of mine should not be taken as an attack on anyone as it is not. It is my observations on how liberal policy has done more to undermine this countries citizens by making them dependent on government instead of themselves. It is the independent and self reliant individuals who have made this country great. The original settlers leaving the old country with dreams and prayers. The pioneers striking out west in their covered wagons. The hearty Americans on the hostile frontiers. They relied on themselves and their neighbors. Government was local and Washington was to far away to help much less care. I will hit the economics on this topic later but I felt this was also an important aspect of why we as a nation are looking at a shortage of food and the higher prices. Ali: You have the right idea for more reasons than you think. I say again as I did on another post: “The citizens of this great nation can find the solution if Government and the Libs get the hell out of the way. We can do it cleanly, and with minimal impact to the environment. The citizens of this country can do anything we set our minds to. Libs, Communist, and Euro-trash be dammed.” |
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| Toothless Dawg | May 27 2008, 01:53 PM Post #13 |
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Ruler of the Mountain
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Brother man, you got that right!!!
... and that too!!! The problem is getting government and libs to get out of the way. Both entities feel they know what is best for us. The government because we are just dumb hicks who vote. The liberals because they feel they are the enlightened which is probably a result of too many cheap drugs. It is however both entities who are taking this country on a downward spiral. |
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| Almtnman | May 27 2008, 06:21 PM Post #14 |
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The ethanol thing, I'm not so sure that will help us. To burn it or what they call it E85 which is 85 percent ethanol, you have to have a flex fuel engine(one that is equipped to burn it). You can also add an aftermarket flex fuel adapter to most vehicles at some considerable cost. So what happens, your vehicle when burning E85 will get 30 percent less mpg burning ethanol. So if the price of E85 is not more than 30 percent of the cost of gasoline, you will be defeating the purpose. You will actually be spending more in fuel expense if the cost of E85 is not at least 40 percent less than gasoline per gallon. It will relieve dependence on foreign oil, but it will wind up costing you more in fuel expense. |
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| Toothless Dawg | May 27 2008, 06:46 PM Post #15 |
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This is what happens when the government (a gathering of individuals with no professional knowledge) assume the power to tell the professionals (those who work in the industry) how to do their job. We have 'legislators' who consider their job to be one of only making law and seeking self-glorification. As a country, state, and locality we are inundated with conflicting laws that seem to be trying to make criminals out of everyone and grant special privilege to a few.
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| gobblerblaster | Jun 9 2008, 08:26 AM Post #16 |
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So true T.D. so true. I also like what VM said, the liberals have come in and made it possible for people that used to be self sufficiant, to get food stamps and welfare and as a result these folks lay around the TV and eat Cheetos and drink Pepsi instead of working their own garden and raising their own livestock for food. The very same thing happened to the Indians around here. They used to be a proud people and could support themselves off of the land, then the government started giving them commodities, welfare and headrights and now a lot of them are overweight and lazy and won't hold a job because they don't have to, also the health problems that are caused by this is another issue. This liberal brand of Compassion is not really compassion at all but, is a death nail to any society. We need to get back to the basics of life and teach our children the things that we where taught about raising food and preserving it for future use. I still have a recipe for lye soap and used to watch my Grand mother make it. I also remember being with my Grand pa on the farm and watching him cure hams and bacon and they both worked about a two acre garden. We must gain back our self reliance before it is to late, if it isn't already |
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| Almtnman | Jun 9 2008, 03:52 PM Post #17 |
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GB, it all boils down to this; that's how those liberal politicians want it to obtain votes from that group of people that they have created over time. Just this year I have drove down the road in many places around my neck of the woods and noticed all the gardens out back where there wasn't any in years past. People have a feeling that hard times are headed this way and is preparing for it. Then you drive into a heavily populated area, you don't see any of that, although there are plenty of vacant lots that could be utilized to do so. There in those heavily populated areas, they sit and wait on subsidies. It was the same way in New Orleans, people sat idly by with a mega hurricane headed their way and wanted the government to protect them and then complained because it couldn't be done after the fact. I very well remember all the warnings that were given out days in advance and some folks got their hides out of harms way, but yet others sat there and did nothing. "Poor people have been voting for Democrats for 50 years and they are still poor!" Charles Barkley; NBA star from Alabama |
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| gobblerblaster | Jun 10 2008, 08:22 AM Post #18 |
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yes sir, Almtnmn. Kind of like the Bible and the days of Noah, seems like I have read that somewhere before hmmmmm,
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| greatwhiteelkhunter | Jun 10 2008, 01:23 PM Post #19 |
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This has been a very good read!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it up. I will be living in Japan for the next 3 years. I'll retire to my 120 acres in rural Colorado and begin my little farm and business and become VERY self reliant. My grandmother (god rest her soul) did everything she could on their farm from orchards to 200 chickens to cows to fishing to be self relent. She went to the store to take eggs to trade them for other things she needed or just sold them out right. Her cellar was a wonderment to canning! I used to LOVE to go down there and find water dogs to go fishing with ƒº The good old days ƒº Yes my friends big gardens self reliance, large pantries, good dry goods storage ALL will be a VERY good thing. You know the one thing I remember from 40 years ago? Her home made ice cream! She would have us go pick peaches, or berries of all kinds and put them in and MAN was that stuff good. Us kids would be in a line taking turns at cranking that handle around and around and around. When it got too hard for the little ones us bigger ones did it by our self¡¦s. I don¡¦t know if the ice cream was better because of the ingredients or because it was home made or because we put so much work into it ƒº More then likely all of the above. Sorry I got off track reminiscing about the old days while stuck in this HOT AS HE** desert! ƒº |
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| gobblerblaster | Jun 10 2008, 05:38 PM Post #20 |
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Yes sir that home made ice cream is better than anything Ben and Jerry ever could dream up on any of their LSD trips. Gary, looks like you got the right idea. We have been fighting the rain and wind here and the weeds in the garden are trying to takeover but, we have a lot more incentive to work it with the price of grub being so high. I do believe I will step out there this evening and wage a little war against the vermin weeds and get ready to plant my Okra. I have a reciped for pickled that is great and you can't beat it rolled in corn meal and fried crispy. We will definitely be putting up a lot of food this year for the winter and am also buying a few extra dry goods every month to stash for the times ahead. |
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| gobblerblaster | Jul 24 2008, 10:59 PM Post #21 |
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gobblerblaster
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Some new developments, It seems the survival food supplies might be drying up. http://simplemanstruth.proboards74.com/ind...splay&thread=30 |
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