Global and local food supply issues-- help folks out , help yourself

What is this war of aggression that Russia/Putin is perpetrating really all about? You'd think that, by now, he'd figure out it's just not worth it. To have lost most of the world's respect, and to gain-- well, yeah, the "breadbasket" of Europe-- that seems to be (at least) the official reason. 

And now, Putin's chosen to not allow grain shipments to the rest of the world from Ukraine. He's not going to renew the agreement. So, food prices will be deeply affected globally. Again. This is truly an economic blow that will be felt all over the United States, too, and who knows how it's going to be spun politically. Well, we probably do know, but that's almost beside the point. With the price of food having been so high (bird flu, inflation, the price of gas impeding trucking, etc.), people have been skeptical about any improvements that have been achieved. And now, here we go again-- going into winter, and food prices will be likely higher. The drama never ends, does it?

As for me, I will tuck away some baking supplies. Flour prices have been pretty awful, anyhow, but if I can put aside some flour, then at least we will have bread that is both nutritious and that is not more expensive than the meat on the table. 

Egg prices are back to a rational level; let's hope that they stay that way. I have my doubts: domestically, we have both searing heat/drought in some places, and the rest of us are swamped. The news reports are telling folks that if they have garden produce that has been under flood water, they must not eat it. For a lot of home gardeners, this is devastating, and for local producers who depend on the produce to make a living, it spells disaster. We are too far gone in the growing season to start over. Add to this that late freeze we had that destroyed the apple and pear crops, and it looks like we are going to have to be a lot more creative going forward this year.

Whatever we can do to help those folks, like going to farmers' markets and so on, would be a direct way to give them hope. Buying local has never been more important. 

Don't expect to have what you want when you want it; that is a Western fallacy, and one we are all prone to believing. 

Take good care --and hey, it's blueberry season! Freeze some for the leaner days.

C