Why Grocery Prices Rose — And Why They Didn’t Come Back Down

[roamer_1]

My favorite along those lines is huckleberry mead. It is mighty rare, so always a treat.

[berdie]

Up in here it's all apple mead and cherry wine. Yummy too, and they'll wreck you.  We've got pears too... somehow nobody uses them that way

Only shine I have ever had was corn. Hi-grade, with the bubbles skittering across the top... One or two shots of that will give you a hella buzz.

My BIL made shine one year (corn). Evidently the top part is more pure and that's what we had. Not only will it give you a buzz...you'll sleep like a baby. lol. He's never made again and I've never had it since. He did, however, name his dog Shine.

[Free Vulcan]

Your kidding. Right?

Are u claiming the world no longer needs America's food bounty?

It is more than ridiculous to claim food crops diverted to tge unprofitable production of ethanol is beneficial to the country's economy.

Nobody eats #2 Yellow Dent corn at the kitchen table.

It's used as animal feed (mainly hogs), ethanol, sweetner, starch, and a host of minor things, but not human food.

Corn yields are skyrocketing with advancements in genetics. Corn that got 150 bu/acre fifteen years ago now get 225. Beans are going the same direction. The laws of supply and demand still exist, and right now cash elevator prices are slightly above $4.00/bu, barely breakeven for even large farmers. Beans aren't much better.

It's not the first time we've had a glut of corn by far, people should be wise of history to understand the current environment.

So I'm not going to cry about ethanol demand, right now it's propping up the market.

[roamer_1]

Nobody eats #2 Yellow Dent corn at the kitchen table.

It's used as animal feed (mainly hogs), ethanol, sweetner, starch, and a host of minor things, but not human food.

Hold on. That ain't right - Yeah dent corn is animal feed, but I do believe it is classed as a grinding corn... I think that is what goes into meal, and four, and grits and such.

I might be wrong on that nationally, but we and many others have grown dent corn for the grind.

[Free Vulcan]

Hold on. That ain't right - Yeah dent corn is animal feed, but I do believe it is classed as a grinding corn... I think that is what goes into meal, and four, and grits and such.

I might be wrong on that nationally, but we and many others have grown dent corn for the grind.

It was I think that way at one time, but now things things are taken up by different types and varieties of corn. Which is part of the problem, the new GMO stuff is not as versatile as it used to be.

[roamer_1]

It was I think that way at one time, but now things things are taken up by different types and varieties of corn. Which is part of the problem, the new GMO stuff is not as versatile as it used to be.

Sure. But we used dent corn for the grind because it dries better and comes off the cob clean with a mechanized cob stripper. Heh... Of course the stripper was hand cranked and well over 50 years old. Maybe 70 or 80 years old. Also something to do with the cob size going through the stripper too..

I dunno. It's been a while. It was worth giving it a whirl, just to know how, and have the tools... but corn meal is pretty dang cheap. Was thinking about it again because my sis is effected by GMO stuff. I have been thinking of growing non-gmo (which is pretty much going to be a dent corn) for her sake, and if I do, we'll go back to grinding it.

[roamer_1]

If I do, I'll be hanging a motor on that thing, I'll tell you what. 

[Smokin Joe]

Speaking of corn, we grew sweet corn at one end of the garden one year, and Indian Corn at the other...

Well, they cross pollinated, with an occasional kernel of color in the sweet corn. While not as tender as usual, that sweet corn had the best flavor I have ever eaten. Just sayin'...

[Free Vulcan]

Speaking of corn, we grew sweet corn at one end of the garden one year, and Indian Corn at the other...

Well, they cross pollinated, with an occasional kernel of color in the sweet corn. While not as tender as usual, that sweet corn had the best flavor I have ever eaten. Just sayin'...

I think corn is the only thing that definitely crosses and manifests the same year. You are right it makes some great eating corn.

And you have not lived till you've had taco shells or corn bread from home grown corn.

[roamer_1]

Speaking of corn, we grew sweet corn at one end of the garden one year, and Indian Corn at the other...

Well, they cross pollinated, with an occasional kernel of color in the sweet corn. While not as tender as usual, that sweet corn had the best flavor I have ever eaten. Just sayin'...

I don't doubt that - Prolly sent that sweet corn back to it's roots a few generations, genetically. We started shopping for heritage seeds in all things, because the flavor is so much better. Folks don't even know what they're missing... And all that flavor comes with way better nutrition too.

[libertybele]

I don't doubt that - Prolly sent that sweet corn back to it's roots a few generations, genetically. We started shopping for heritage seeds in all things, because the flavor is so much better. Folks don't even know what they're missing... And all that flavor comes with way better nutrition too.

Heritage seeds or heirloom??  Heritage or heirloom you can replant the seeds from the plant???

[roamer_1]

Heritage seeds or heirloom??  Heritage or heirloom you can replant the seeds from the plant???

Heritage/heirloom... same thing, I think. YES, you can save the seeds back. We leave a few plants to go to seed in every row - Once you buy em, you don't have to buy em anymore.

Sorta, anyway. Not exactly. If you don't rejuvenate your genetic line now and then, the yield starts heading down... So it is good to trade seeds with your neighbor too. That whole thing is pretty community oriented.

[libertybele]

Heritage/heirloom... same thing, I think. YES, you can save the seeds back. We leave a few plants to go to seed in every row - Once you buy em, you don't have to buy em anymore.

Sorta, anyway. Not exactly. If you don't rejuvenate your genetic line now and then, the yield starts heading down... So it is good to trade seeds with your neighbor too. That whole thing is pretty community oriented.

It took me awhile to realize that the seeds that you buy in the store you normally can't reproduce from and that was a down right crappy practice.

 Emergency Essentials used to sell various different kinds of seeds that were stored in a small canister that you could re-use the seeds from the plant.

I used to have a green thumb when we lived up north but too many creatures around here that eat up anything that I plant.  So ... I'm at the mercy of store bought fruit and vegs.  They have a local market that sells every Saturday during season, but the selection isn't all that great.  We used to go to the flea market but their selection is even worse.

[bigheadfred]

I think corn is the only thing that definitely crosses and manifests the same year. You are right it makes some great eating corn.

And you have not lived till you've had taco shells or corn bread from home grown corn.

Peppers cross pollinate.

[Free Vulcan]

Heritage seeds or heirloom??  Heritage or heirloom you can replant the seeds from the plant???

They both fall under open pollinated, which will breed true seed. Heritage or heirloom are prized as most of those were introduced before the Depression, before hybrids and when people still grew most of their own food, so the varieties were bred for taste and table, not for travel.

[roamer_1]

It took me awhile to realize that the seeds that you buy in the store you normally can't reproduce from and that was a down right crappy practice.

 Emergency Essentials used to sell various different kinds of seeds that were stored in a small canister that you could re-use the seeds from the plant.

I used to have a green thumb when we lived up north but too many creatures around here that eat up anything that I plant.  So ... I'm at the mercy of store bought fruit and vegs.  They have a local market that sells every Saturday during season, but the selection isn't all that great.  We used to go to the flea market but their selection is even worse.

Most of our heirloom stuff was bought or traded for locally... You'll find that local seeds are already predisposed to your environment, and are more likely to be successful. I did some mail order, before I quit... I had great luck with MIGardner - Pretty much in his camp toward the end.

Of course, I don't do that now. Maybe if I built myself some raised beds, I might take a crack at it.
  

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Nobody eats #2 Yellow Dent corn at the kitchen table.

It's used as animal feed (mainly hogs), ethanol, sweetner, starch, and a host of minor things, but not human food.

Corn yields are skyrocketing with advancements in genetics. Corn that got 150 bu/acre fifteen years ago now get 225. Beans are going the same direction. The laws of supply and demand still exist, and right now cash elevator prices are slightly above $4.00/bu, barely breakeven for even large farmers. Beans aren't much better.

It's not the first time we've had a glut of corn by far, people should be wise of history to understand the current environment.

So I'm not going to cry about ethanol demand, right now it's propping up the market.

What is missing in that argument is that Nobody would ever plant #2 yellow dent corn if it was not mandated and subsidized.

And ethanol not only chews up more energy than it produces, but it cannot be transported by pipeline and destroys small engines.

There are better uses of that land and a farmer's energy than growing corn for energy rather than for food supply.

[Smokin Joe]

What is missing in that argument is that Nobody would ever plant #2 yellow dent corn if it was not mandated and subsidized.

And ethanol not only chews up more energy than it produces, but it cannot be transported by pipeline and destroys small engines.

There are better uses of that land and a farmer's energy than growing corn for energy than for food supply.

[Free Vulcan]

What is missing in that argument is that Nobody would ever plant #2 yellow dent corn if it was not mandated and subsidized.

Dent corn has been planted for almost 200 years. Ethanol didn't even come into it's own until the mid-to-late 90's. It was exactly because of improved genetics that resulted in regular gluts and the need to create more demand.

And ethanol not only chews up more energy than it produces, but it cannot be transported by pipeline and destroys small engines.

It depends on how you calculate it. Counting everything from seed to harvest misrepresents the picture because those would happen whether it was used for ethanol or not. Minus that I don't know if it is or not, I've never seen numbers that weren't massively distorted by dishonest calculations.

No, ethanol doesn't pipeline, which is the main reason I'd rather switch to other fuels from corn. Diesel, kero, or methanol in a small engine will destroy it. The wrong fuel in any engine will destroy it. NASCAR engines run on ethanol and obviously run well, so that's a red herring.

There are better uses of that land and a farmer's energy than growing corn for energy rather than for food supply.

If you think you can change farmer attitudes and land use, go for it. Right now corn is their biggest bang for the buck.

[roamer_1]

If you think you can change farmer attitudes and land use, go for it. Right now corn is their biggest bang for the buck.

Funny, that... Because corn is also the cheapest grain in feed... Hunters/trappers throw bags and bags of it on the ground. You would think that farmers would have more margin in oats, or wheat, or barley, if you go by the finished price. Must be a management thing. 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Funny, that... Because corn is also the cheapest grain in feed... Hunters/trappers throw bags and bags of it on the ground. You would think that farmers would have more margin in oats, or wheat, or barley, if you go by the finished price. Must be a management thing. 

Yes it is a management thing. 

It's managed by subsidies using taxpayer money and demand is set by mandates.

No one would make corn ethanol otherwise as it is uneconomic to produce compared to alternatives.

[roamer_1]

Yes it is a management thing. 

It's managed by subsidies using taxpayer money and demand is set by mandates.

No one would make corn ethanol otherwise as it is uneconomic to produce compared to alternatives.

Well, alright... Sorta. But it has always been so... way back before ethanol... Driving across the midwest there was so damn much corn that passing a field of milo caused considerable excitement. And even back then, corn was the cheapest feed. We'd throw cracked corn into OBM to stretch by hard times.

[Free Vulcan]

Funny, that... Because corn is also the cheapest grain in feed... Hunters/trappers throw bags and bags of it on the ground. You would think that farmers would have more margin in oats, or wheat, or barley, if you go by the finished price. Must be a management thing. 

With the genetics and bu/acre, corn till now has dominated other grains in terms of farmer income. It's gotten so cheap that I'm surprised there's not more switchover.

Part of the problem is many parts of the corn/bean belt no longer have the infrastructure to handle any other type of grain.

The other part is farmer stubbornness. Many simply don't take on risk anymore or entrepreneurial spirit, they all play it safe. They're sowing the seeds of their own destruction if they don't adapt.