Food - lockdowns are going to affect farmers if the lockdown continues

[Certaindeaf]

I guess most of the big meat packing companies are owned by China and the employees mainly live in congested quarters.. like 40 people in a two bedroom house type deal.
Blame working conditions? lol, you live like sardines, man!

 

[The Heretic]

I am sure there are neighbors and relatives who like squash, my daughter does, not sure about SIL. If it will feed someone then great. I think this year, assuming I continue to be unemployed and ever start getting the UI $, I will put up a green house and raised beds/etc. in an area, about 1ksf on a hard gravel bed (about a foot deep) where a mobile home used to be. One of the few areas near the house that is flat, has no landscaping on it, that is well exposed to the sun.

 

[Mikej]

I am sure there are neighbors and relatives who like squash, my daughter does, not sure about SIL. If it will feed someone then great. I think this year, assuming I continue to be unemployed and ever start getting the UI $, I will put up a green house and raised beds/etc. in an area, about 1ksf on a hard gravel bed (about a foot deep) where a mobile home used to be. One of the few areas near the house that is flat, has no landscaping on it, that is well exposed to the sun.

You could train squash plants out onto the gravel. But I'm not sure if those huge varieties are suited to our climate. I've grown spaghetti and Acorn. The acorn, bush variety did okay. The spaghetti was marginal and RAN. Like 10'-12'.

 

[The Heretic]

I guess most of the big meat packing companies are owned by China and the employees mainly live in congested quarters.. like 40 people in a two bedroom house type deal.
Blame working conditions? lol, you live like sardines, man!

China bought up some of the American corps that produce/pack pork because a lot of the meat they eat is pork, and it makes sense to have geographic diversity. I don't know where the people live who work in the USA/Canadian plants, but I doubt it is corp supplied quarters like it is in China.

The problems with farmers right now seem to be that the market cannot absorb what is being produced because people are not eating at restaurants/institutions (like schools). That said, people still have to eat, whether it is at home or not. Maybe people just don't eat as much meat and junk food (french fries) when they eat at home? Or simply don't eat as much period?

 

[The Heretic]

You could train squash plants out onto the gravel. But I'm not sure if those huge varieties are suited to our climate. I've grown spaghetti and Acorn. The acorn, bush variety did okay. The spaghetti was marginal and RAN. Like 10'-12'.

I would mostly be raising other veggies and maybe strawberries. I need to keep it inside some kind of containment because of the deer/racoons/skunks/porcupines/etc.

 

[Certaindeaf]

China bought up some of the American corps that produce/pack pork because a lot of the meat they eat is pork, and it makes sense to have geographic diversity. I don't know where the people live who work in the USA/Canadian plants, but I doubt it is corp supplied quarters like it is in China.

The problems with farmers right now seem to be that the market cannot absorb what is being produced because people are not eating at restaurants/institutions (like schools). That said, people still have to eat, whether it is at home or not. Maybe people just don't eat as much meat and junk food (french fries) when they eat at home? Or simply don't eat as much period?

Pork farmers are not able to meet demand because of Chinese plant closures un the US.. due to dense living conditions by those workers.

 

[The Heretic]

Pork farmers are not able to meet demand because of Chinese plant closures un the US.. due to dense living conditions by those workers.

The post I was referring to was about plant closures in America

 

[Certaindeaf]

The post I was referring to was about plant closures in America

Yea me too.

 

[The Heretic]

Here's why you can't find frozen fries, while U.S. farmers are sitting on tons of potatoes

Shopper Lexie Mayewski is having a hard time finding frozen french fries in Washington, D.C.-area supermarkets in the wake of coronavirus-fueled stockpiling.

www.reuters.com

 

[coltemp]

Here's why you can't find frozen fries, while U.S. farmers are sitting on tons of potatoes

Shopper Lexie Mayewski is having a hard time finding frozen french fries in Washington, D.C.-area supermarkets in the wake of coronavirus-fueled stockpiling.

www.reuters.com

Yet one more reason that the lock down was likely foolish and meaningless. The fallout is going to be even worse.
This is likely just the start of a long mess and shortages that are coming. Don't see it mostly yet as there is plenty of supply in the chain but that supply is not being refreshed and those shortages are just beginning to show. It's going to be more than meat and potatoes shortly.

 

[Mikej]

I would mostly be raising other veggies and maybe strawberries. I need to keep it inside some kind of containment because of the deer/racoons/skunks/porcupines/etc.

Ah yes. I was picturing your hill top paradise, the gravel drive and planting boxes in the sun. I forgot all the forest and wildlife part of it.

 

[The Heretic]

Ah yes. I was picturing your hill top paradise, the gravel drive and planting boxes in the sun. I forgot all the forest and wildlife part of it.

Not hill top. Side of mountain about 400' below the top. Northside, so sun comes from the bottom of this pic. Driveway is paved, but there is an area outlined in yellow where a mobile used to be located. This is flat and 'gravel' is very packed and at least a foot deep - probably about 2' deep. Good drainage there. Right now I use it as a staging area for cutting firewood.

 

[awshoot]

I would mostly be raising other veggies and maybe strawberries. I need to keep it inside some kind of containment because of the deer/racoons/skunks/porcupines/etc.

Whatcha got against protein?

 

[awshoot]

Here's why you can't find frozen fries, while U.S. farmers are sitting on tons of potatoes

Shopper Lexie Mayewski is having a hard time finding frozen french fries in Washington, D.C.-area supermarkets in the wake of coronavirus-fueled stockpiling.

www.reuters.com

The kitchen gadget solution: https://www.amazon.com/Westmark-Mul...french+fry+cutter&qid=1587771187&sr=8-12&th=1

Simpler solution: Amazon.com : KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife, Straight : Tactical Fixed Blade Knives : Sports & Outdoors

 

[partsed]

Why would the lockdowns impact farmers? They'd be essential if other food prep is essential.

Farmers that normally bring produce to restaurants are giving it away or plowing it under as the same restaurants are closed....

 

[Jcon268]

Whatcha got against protein?

I'll skip the porcupine quills but the rest, we might be onto something.

 

[asbtg]

Meat packing plants shutting down in the middle of a feral hog invasion? Sounds like time to load up a few more 30-06... Though I would loooove to see what my pet 45 Colt hot loads would do from my Henry lever. Gotta get around to chrony the buggers...

 

[The Heretic]

Whatcha got against protein?

Don't care for the taste of any of those critters, not even venison (unless it is mixed with pork/beef and made into sausage)

 

[Melmelhunter]

Well if they open up dang fishing and hunting we can get our own meat

 

[awshoot]

Don't care for the taste of any of those critters, not even venison (unless it is mixed with pork/beef and made into sausage)

I've only had one of those four, the one alphabetically closest to A, and some of the "etc." but anyway, I was shooting for humor. Missed. ;-)