Meat Supply Chain

 
       

    We all know prices are crazy. This is what is going on in one industry so you know they are ALL doing the same thing.
    Stock up in your freezer if you can afford it . Most meat I think stays good without freezer burn 6-12 months depending on how it is wrapped and what kind of meat it is.
  You still need to have a back up plan for electrical outages whether it is from power supply outages due to the bad weather or your area can't operate due to water shortages.
   In the good old days way back machine they kept those chickens on the hoof out in the yard. You want chicken dinner you go out that morning knock it's block off and get it ready for the frying pan. If you have other animals on your place you can keep them on the hoof until ready to either butcher yourself or wait in the line for months ( and I do mean 6-12 months) at your local butcher man/woman. Not many folks have a desire to butcher anything. Deer hunters may have a clue but I promise the wild game is going to be in short supply so don't count on it. Do you have the knowledge or the equipment to butcher anything? Even a simple chicken?
    I remember my grandparents would butcher a hog in the fall. They would keep us kids in the house while the men including my daddy would kill the hog and then hoist it up into the great big oak tree we had a tree house in. I don't remember much anything else other than it got done. My hubby and his family would also butcher hogs. He said they would kill the hog and have a huge pot of boiling water to scaled the pig then scrape the hair off and go from there. His mom used to put the hog skin in the oven and let it melt for the lard and some really good crunchy pig skin to much on. Hubby favorite to this day! I never heard much about cattle butchering. Maybe that was just to big a animal to process at home.
   So get ready the best you can for your personal food supply. You need for your immediate folks and any other people close to you and your folks. Now is the time to help each other in whatever way you can.

Love
Ranchmama

https://www.businessinsider.com/price-of-grilling-meat-giant-tyson-foods-plans-price-hikes-2021-8
 

 Tyson Foods is hiking up its meat prices for retailers thanks to an "unprecedented" rise in costs.
    The world's second-largest meat processor raised pork prices by 39% over the past three months.
    Further hikes are coming. "Costs are hitting us faster than we can get pricing at this point," its CEO said.

The world's second-largest meat processor says it will keep raising its prices.

In its third quarter, which runs to July 3, Tyson Foods hiked up its average price for pork by 39%, beef by 12%, and chicken by 16%, it said Monday.
CEO Donnie King said during an earnings call that the company planned to raise prices for retailers again next month to cope with higher costs — he estimated that "unprecedented inflation" reached 14% in the quarter.

"Costs are hitting us faster than we can get pricing at this point," King said.
"We will continue to take price to match the nature of the cost that's coming to us," he added.

Companies including Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and Coca-Cola have also announced price hikes to offset rising costs, triggering higher prices at both stores and restaurants.
The labor shortage and supply chain chaos are causing product shortages and price hikes across the US, and meat is no different.
King said that Tyson was forced to raise prices in the quarter because of rising costs of animal feed, packaging, and freight. The company is also spending on COVID-19 expenses, and on higher wages during the labor shortage.

In the third quarter alone, chicken feed ingredients cost $270 million more than usual, Stewart Glendinning, the company's chief financial officer, said. The company also spent around $55 million on COVID-19 expenses, he added.

The US is currently in the midst of a huge labor shortage that's causing businesses to cut operating hours, slash production, and raise prices.

"Labor is our single biggest issue we face," King said. This stemmed largely from the spread of the Delta variant, he said.Tyson announced last week that it was mandating COVID-19 vaccines for its entire US workforce by November 1. It said that nearly half of all staff have been vaccinated so far.

Tyson said in its earnings release that there had been strong global demand for meat, which allowed it to sustain the higher prices. The company said that its third-quarter sales were up nearly 25% year-over-year to $12.5 billion, and its net income increased 43% to $753 million.

HAPPY 2020 PANDEMIC THANKSGIVING !

                                         

https://blog.cheapism.com/cheap-healthy-holiday-recipe-ideas/#slide=4

Well here is hoping you are smiling and as cheerful as this picture from a blog on this Pandemic Thanksgiving! As I said in another post this years traditions are having to be adjusted for many people. Some are staying home not having any company at all and doing nothing. I just can't "do nothing" ! Some folks it is business as usual with family filling the house or with just a few that are in their bubble.
    I have something in mind for hubby and I. The problem is I have had a few messed up Blood Pressure days with extremely high readings and trying to get it under control. Finally had to resort to call the doctor to get meds but things are better at the moment thank goodness. So although I had plans... they have been delayed until the day of Thanksgiving! I MEAN I HAVE COOKED NOTHING!!!! Well I do at least have my recipes together and picked up some needed things from walmart on Wednesday to cook with. I plan on hopefully getting everything done today and having a great supper tonight about 5pm. If I get enough cooking done I plan on sharing some to go boxes I have with family and a friend or three.
   Funny ... I made the Boston Cream Pie the other day for the first time. It was ok but as usual for me still a blah cake. LOL What I did find after making the cake mess was the original recipe made by the famous hotel in Boston. They actually had it posted on their website! So now I have to do it again sometime with the orignal true recipe. I figure if it has been served there for years and years at a high price then they must have that recipe down pat and I can have a terrific recipe to ad to my collection. There is a interesting history with this recipe but won't go into now.
    Well anyway... I shared about 1/4 of the cake with Nikki and hubby then another 1/4 with her grandma and grandpa I have been teasing about fattening him up to get his strength back. I called a few days later and asked how the cake went over. She said great! They had never had one before. There daughter lives nearby and helps them a lot. I asked if Christy got to have some. She said , "Not a bite!" I told the grandma I guess that's what she gets for not being handy! There was 3 large pieces so I know there was enough. I laughed so hard because that was a lot of cake for 2 older folks. I talked to their daughter and she didn't even have a clue they had a dessert to share! We both laughed that they enjoyed it. It was like they weren't going to let on they had something good in the house.
   Here is my meal plan, now how much of that will actually get done is another story! LOL Seems like I forgot rolls so plain ol sandwich bread will have to do since I don't have rolls in the freezer.  I am sure I am forgetting something but here it is. I hope I can make it through all this in one day. Several people act like no big deal if they skip this pandemic holiday but we have enough just plain ol nasty blah careful days! So I am going to do at least SOMETHING to make this day seem like a special day!

 

Love

Ranchmama

• Baked and seasoned chicken breasts with chicken flavored gravy / sauce (depending on your idea of what you call the stuff) country folks just call it chicken gravy! LOL

                    

• Mashed potatoes for the hubby

                     

•  Maple Glazed Carrots with Cinnamon  for me

https://www.aspicyperspective.com/quick-maple-glazed-carrots-with-cinnamon/

                      

• Crock-Pot Sweet Potato Casserole  ( Except I will just do mine on top of the stove)

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a56583/crock-pot-sweet-potato-casserole-recipe/

                        

• Mother In - laws Green Jello  this is something hubby loves his mom would make. Green jello, mini colored marshmallow (I couldn't find colored ones at walmart or another store!) apples, crushed pineapple, are the main ingredients. I have the recipes somewhere on the blog.I love this stuff but with alpha gal allergy the marshmallow and gelatin makes me not breathe so I just have to skip it.
  

                    

• Egg Custard pie... haven't had one in years so going to try this new recipe and new pie crust. If I use a shortening crust and coconut or soy milk I can dig into this! ( not like I need to but it's a holiday!)
  

                Amelia's Egg Custard Pie pg. 39 Southern Pie Book
                 

• Coconut Custard pie ... same here if I use coconut milk this is all mine but I will share with some folks I know that like this kind of pie like Nikki's grandpa. 
  

                

• Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake --- Just to have pumpkin for the holiday

https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cake-2/

                 

• Libby's Pumpkin Roll ..... This I have not mastered and since this is all last minute I have a feeling this one won't make it to the table tonight.

                

Food Shortages --- Lets get Real

    
                  

    We can't really ignore what is going on in our country no matter how hard we try to act normalish. As soon as we do we have real life bite us in the rear to remind us. So you folks that are trying to just do what you think you have to and not watch the news or hear anything bad just trying to keep those blinders on and head down so you don't have to see or think about it you can just step away and delete now. This post is going to get real."If all you see is what you see. You'll never see all there is to see".

   Now that we have that out of the way.....
   Lets try to skip the health thing that is everywhere you look and dominating / ruining daily our lives in some way.
   We can't seem to control anything right now. We try but it is down right scary even when we are all doing the best we can. There are a few other things we need to be looking at other than the obvious health stuff. As with anything we are dealing with everyday safety and needs. Shelter, water, food, medical, temp control are the main ones.  Some may be losing their focus with all this overwhelming new life.
  There are some things we CAN CONTROL those are the things we can work with. The more we can look ahead and see what is going on and plan the more peace of mind we may have.
 Food -- it was really hard in the beginning. Seems like they have somewhat adjusted distribution. Right now I don't know where or how your getting your food but get and store everything you can. Even if someone gives you something you don't normally use or eat. If it will store do it. You can use it to trade or to help someone else out if needed. For those of you that are reasonably self sufficient on your property I am so proud of you! Please store extra for your family and neighbors if your able to.
     I have talked to some single people that are attempting to provide some of their own food growing. They have grown kids and some room for a small garden instead of the one or two plants of this or that they are growing. I encourage you to expand beyond your own personal needs. If your not physically able to do the work rope / guilt or whatever it takes to get other folks involved in learning to grow or preserve and store the chow.
    We have a world wide economy now days. Like here in the states if there is a freeze in Florida we can usually get something from California. If a grain crop doesn't do good in one state we can get grain from another. What we have going on now is it looks like China has been totally wiped out of their food supply due to extreme flooding throughout their whole country. If it isn't flooding it is drought to the point of locust and grasshoppers taking the rest of the food supply. So what does that have to do with us??  Think about it. Where are they going to get the food for millions and millions of people? I am going to include a link in here so you can watch the video. Skip any advertisements and occasional little repeat of information but watch it. There is no telling how many thousands of people were killed in all that flooding but that country has a huge over population problem still. They still have to feed their people. Don't forget any warehouses they have for products meant to sell in the USA are probably gone also. Masks, medicine, camping equipment, simple everyday things to important equipment for manufacturing.

Largest Floods in Chinese History Wiped Out the Country’s Food & Grain Supply
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erONP33MBlA

US: Canned Food Shortages due to Chinese Tin/Steel Supply Chain Failures
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBOjxxCOUUc   (about 8 minutes)
this guy is big on the food supply. That is his thing if you listen to his other videos.

  I know when I was trying to buy some Throwback Mt Dew I couldn't because they quit making it and was only making the most popular. The grocery store manager said they didn't have enough cans for production. What in the world do you do without cans to store food in the grocery stores? Canning jars / glass, dehydration, more plastics we are not too sure about in the first place?

    Right now we are all pretty upset with China due to the pandemic and actually the whole society may not give a hoot about us. Still the common poor folks trying to survive are still people. They will be trying to buy up everything they can anywhere they can to feed the masses of people. How that works with politics right now I don't know. I know I have been hearing about China being aggressive in other countries. Maybe it was trying to find more land to supply more food? Who knows! Just remember... there is only so much food to go around anywhere in the world. Other countries are not having perfect growing weather and may not have enough to sell outside their own country.
    I believe the Bible says something about having enough food for 7 years? I'm not to good with those details. Can you imagine how much room that would take and learning how to actually store it so it would be good when you open it? Maybe you have family members or people like family you can work those details out with.

    Get with your other family members that live close by. Some will totally agree your need to go the extra mile to get your supplies in order the best you can. Others will think you are crazy and the government will fix it all. My favorite is God will protect us and won't let anything bad happen. Remember God also gave us brains and the ability to do for ourselves and others also ! For those family members and close friends that don't want to participate go ahead without telling them and plan on having extra if you can for them. You know they will be knocking on your door if your silly enough to tell them everyone is planning for a food supply. LOL

     I think the churches are in a good position to establish a food market for their towns. They can possibly organize growers to grow a established variety of needed foods. I am not totally familiar with the Mormon Church but what I am aware of they are really organized on the establishment of food availability. For that matter anyone with good organization and familiar with town folks could do it. Someone grow veggies, another does, chickens and eggs, someone else do lambs or beef or pigs etc.

    I know many of us are worried about a lot of important things and feel helpless. So the only other thing is try to think ahead the best we can so we don't jump the rails so bad and do alright.
   If we are lucky the president will accomplish Made In America products and medicines enough things won't get too hard on us. In the mean time we will just all have to plan the best we can.
   Don't forget, those dried beans in the bags at the store you should also be able to use as seed. No we don't know if it is non GMO or how it was grown with what chemical but does it matter if your really out of food in the cabinet? Now if you put your food in the freezer to get rid of bugs I'm not sure if that same bag of beans / seeds will grow. You may want to try it both ways. This spring germinate some that were in the freezer and then some that you left on the shelf. That should show you what would work before going to all the effort outside.

Love
Ranchmama