If you are a reader of this site, you might be more interested in the food supply chain than most, at least when things are good. So, if you have been paying attention recently, you might find that there have been some severe disturbances in that supply chain.
Several months ago, the immediate disruptions began at the beginning of the COVID-19 hysteria, when factories, distribution centers, and even farms shut down under the pretext of “flattening the curve.”
As a result, Americans found necessities were missing on the shelves for the first time in years. Items like hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes were, of course, out of stock.
Soon other items became noticeably missing as well.
People began to notice meat, and even canned vegetables and rice were soon missing from the shelves. Most of this was simply the result of mass panic buying, although “preppers” were blamed for “hoarding.” Therefore, people who had not been prepping all along and were suddenly caught with their pants down.
But that’s not the whole story.
Manufacturing and packaging facilities and slaughterhouses shut down due to intrusive totalitarian government reactions to an alleged pandemic. Combined with panic buying, those facilities’ ability to replace what was bought up was drastically reduced. As a result, consumers were forced to wait weeks before buying what they needed (or wanted) again. Even then, they had to show up in the morning.
We are still experiencing those shortages, though better hidden. As anyone who shops regularly can tell you, you can find what you need, but you may have to go to three stores to get it, where one would have done in the past. In this article, you’ll find some advice about dealing with the limited varieties of inventory that people are currently noticing at stores.
War launched on the economy by state governments put millions of Americans out of work.
Now, when most rational people would be happy to have a job at all amid such high unemployment, they were prepared to stop the machine’s wheels from working.
Workers suddenly started to organize, strike, and walk off the job conveniently when the food supply was already broken. Of course, these workers had not organized or initiated a strike at any time before when working conditions were bleak, and wages were low.
While extraordinary times beget extraordinary reactions, the timing of the newfound sense of workers’ resolve cannot go unnoticed.
At the same time, we witnessed farms dumping thousands of gallons of milk down the drain, meat producers slaughtering animals and burying them, and farmers destroying crops all over the country and the world.
The reason for this is two-fold.
First, many major producers would not want a glut of their product on the market and see their prices dropdown.
Second, with the totalitarian measures forcing the shut down of restaurants across the country, many farms and producers lost a massive part of their market, thus destroying it.
A government genuinely concerned with its people’s health would have bought that produce and either distributed it or freeze-dried and stored it for the coming apocalypse.
Indeed, the Trump administration attempted this with some very minor success and high cost. Food banks at least benefited. But the damage to the food supply was already done.
And then came the winds.
As time moved forward, we saw devastating straight-line winds blow across places like Iowa, destroying massive amounts of crops and farming infrastructure, effects rarely advertised on mainstream media outlets.
Following those winds, we saw massive wildfires along the West Coast’s entirety from Washington to California and as far east as Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas.
One need only take a look at the map at fires seemingly heading east, burning up prairies and farmland all along the way to see that the food chain will experience yet even more hiccups once the smoke has cleared.
But while leftists claim the fires are the natural result of “climate change” and conservatives blame lack of adequate forest management (which has some merit), both completely ignore the fact that close to ten people were arrested for setting these fires.
Repeatedly, arsonists are being arrested for starting blazes though the motive is unclear. Those of us who have studied history, however, can speculate with some certainty.
But these problems are not unique to the United States.
Countries all over the world are experiencing supply chain problems. Australia, for instance, is about to run out of its domestic rice supply by December entirely.
Now, here we are, with winter fast approaching and the food supply decimated. The world’s population is walking around masked and terrified of getting within six feet of another human, and the cities all across America are on fire with violent riots.
Communists and the inevitable response are clashing in the streets and threatening to turn in to a possible American Civil War 2.0. What role will hunger play in this scenario?
At the moment, we can’t say for sure.
But what we can say with certainty is that this will be a very long, very trying winter.
Food shortages are coming, and they aren’t too far away.
You do not have much time left before the items you can grab now are gone and gone for good. Here are some tips for shopping when there aren’t many supplies left on the shelves, and here’s a list of things that are usually imported from China that we haven’t been receiving in the same quantities (if at all) since the crisis began.
Many of the readers of this website will be prepared, no doubt, but others won’t. Not only do we advise you to prepare – but we also advise you to be ready for the unprepared.
Have you seen shortages in your area? Do you still have quantity limits on certain purchases? Some areas seem better stocked than others. Let’s discuss it in the comments.
I was really pleased(and amazed) to see a sale like the old days at a chain grocery store this week; 10 for $10 Barilla pasta, jarred pasta sauce etc. Not only was the price the old sale price but we were finally not limited to just 4 packages and there was a lot on the shelf. Same with sale prices on canned veggies. I also saw flour, yeast, sugar, coffee, peanut butter, Nutella, canned and dry beans etc so all of this has come back as well as hand sanitizer, hand soap, TP etc. So right now seems to be a good lull in the supply chain problems, at least for food. Good time to stock up if you haven’t already I guess.
That said, getting things like plastic storage tubs is nearly impossible here. Same with clothing items such as those formerly ubiquitous cheap long sleeve t-shirts. Haven’t seen any winter hats or gloves. And of course ammo……..
Ani it’s funny you mentioned winter gear. I order stuff for my section and I’ve had the devil of a time getting winter skull caps and neck gaiters. Multiple companies canceled on me after I placed orders. The 2 that finally accepted are stalling me. Keep in mind I’m not talking about huge numbers I’m talking 10ea. and I’m not even particular about the brand.
I’ve been able to order plastic storage tubs recently from Walmart but, when I went back to the site to re-order, I had to wait a couple days for them to be back in stock. Some of the prices were high but I found what I wanted for about $11 per 51 quart tub. I had to buy 6 of them though in order to have them shipped to the house.
The wife and I just put up another 50lbs of Jasmine rice this morning. I put up a couple of pounds of Head Country seasoning earlier this week.
I’ve been watching the Australia events and it’s absolutely insane.
Work within your budget and space constraints but please do what you can.
Live in OK also, shopping this week Sam’s/Reasor’s/WalMart, my wife and I remarked to each other how the stores were the best stocked since the ChiCom flu. Agree keep stocking up.
NE OK is probably going to look like Louisville or worse, (Hiroshima?) next year if “they” wait that long. 100 year anniversary of Tulsa Race Riots, upgraded to a “Massacre” by squishy boy mayor. Reparations and Social Justice coming soon. Be safe and be well.
where did you purchase that much rice?
My buddy ordered it from Sams Club and they actually delivered it to him. We did a group buy.
Sometimes we do that and then have a “bucket party” where we all bring our stuff and work together bagging, sealing and labeling.
Call UNFI.com for you closest buying club and you can order anything in bulk.
Sams club or Costco will have 50lb bags of rice all day long. Even most grocery stores will have 10 or 20 lb bags
I’m in Australia.
Borders closed. Really bad Victoria because of Vic Premier, disgusting. Victorians state shortage meat and groceries but they are being heavily restricted in everything. Police fining ppl for no reason- shocking. I’m in NSW, don’t often see anyone with masks, ppl getting on with their lives families out playing sports no distancing or masks. Very little interstate flights need border passes, paperwork etc, it’s ridiculous! Have a older sister in aged care interstate. I would have to get permission to travel inter state before booking flights and pay 1 mnths quarantine and meals to visit and she’s deteriorating, very difficult.
I’m prepping and saving for maintenance for
work to b done on house as well.
We r in Biblical End Days- so need to get containers and learn re storage long term food. Thing is Joseph was told to store food long term. I wasn’t, so wondering if I should continue. Praying about this.
I see the signs all around us, though they are masked and unreported on to lull the public into thinking the supplies are there. Remember Joseph in the Bible stocking up for 7 years of famine? Tune in to Ice Age Farmer on YouTube to see what is really up with the food supply.
Here in central Florida I have recently seen limits on canned goods. The TP situation seems to be good for now other paper products are hit and miss. The most dramatic difference is at the local BJs warehouse store. Beef is scanty, the shelves are stocked but only about one item deep. Everything has been moved around to give the appearance of plenty, same as usual, but if you look closely, you can see the gaps where products should be. At this point we can find what we need, or I already have a good stock in our storage area.
Here in North Florida canned corn is nonexistent except for Wal-Mart, limit 12.There are no canned green beans, even at Costco. Dish washing detergent was limited to one,no matter the brand.
Animal feed was plentiful at Tractor Supply.
i cannot get canning jars and lids in pints or quarts, reg or wide mouth, from any of the 3 stores i tried. amazon has some, but their sellers are charging double and triple what these items cost last year–and that is for mid-october delivery. not much help! there are sellers online who charge even more for quicker delivery. i’m not going there. i liberated dry goods i store in canning jars so i could preserve in those. temporarily, the dry goods are bagged in the kitchen pantry.
today a friend shopped for me (i am immune compromised) and got $47 of the $83 list of wanted goods. no pears (they were on the ad but already gone), no orange juice with calcium, no mild white wine for tenderizing the tough cuts of pork and chicken that i can get. only one size of sour cream. still, there is enough to eat and the canning got done.
this may be new normal.
to tenderize meet use baking soda, works fast. look it up online..
Try Menard’s or Home Depot. I went this morning and bought 2 cases
Sutton’s Daze on you tube recently had a video with information on the canning supply shortage directly from the Ball company. No new canning supplies until March 20201
i stopped buying form AMAZON. Packages of beans and lentils are through the roof, and I purchased some Augason Farms products, because our Walmart did not have them for a while. The prices were really jacked up. They are really gouging on Ball canning lids and rings, but when I ordered some anyway, I got this crappy non-Ball shipment from China! Almost EVERYTHING I would order is from a Chinese company. Amazon started price gouging in February, almost as if they knew something was coming! I am done with Amazon even if I have to pay for shipping from an American company.
I haven’t seen too many shortages. I am in the northeast and am a farmer so quite honestly I don’t do grocery stores often. I did recently got to one for the first time in 7 months. A few limits on items like canned beans and pasta. The main thing is quality of produce was bad. Ammo is main one and CO-2 is def short and my bottle/jar vendors have closed sales to new customers. Ohhhh and filters for hvac units.
Filters have become so expensive I actually sweep off the lint really well or lightly vacuum with the attachment…it works.
Some of the groceries look like they are back in, although a lot of items have a price increase. Who notices a few cents on this and few cents on that? But you notice when it gets tallied at the checkout. Canning supplies are still nowhere to be found. Even affecting the pickling products. Apple cider vinegar is very hard to get. Pectin was the latest item to disappear. I am hearing from a good source that canned pumpkin is short right now and peanutbutter will be short also. I found one store in the last 6 weeks that I could occasionally find disinfecting wipes. Now I haven’t seen any in 3 weeks. They also have disinfectant spray but last week only brand name and it looked like those canisters were definitely smaller.
Lumber, paint, hardware and plumbing supplies are scarce and expensive. I highly suggest if you need them, do not delay or you may not be able to in the very near future. I ordered a shower curtain in August and it is on back order until October 12th. Common everyday items will take a search party by next year. My dental hygienist told me that where they normal ordered a case of masks for ppe, they are limited by the seller to 2 boxes.
The illusion being created for us is very good. It looks like all is well and the ALL CLEAR has been sounded. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Do not be lulled into that false security they are pedaling. When the unemployed lose the extra 300 per week, what will happen? I watched a video by a man from Hawaii and the line of cars for the food a church was distributing, was insane. And he said he saw it just after 6am and wondered what was going on. He couldn’t believe it was food line!
While I agree with most of Mr. Wheeler’s points, I have to call him out on his statement of calling it an “alleged pandemic.” I have multiple family members working in healthcare (nurse, nurse practitioner, anesthesiology associate, etc..). There is nothing “alleged” about it–just ask the families of the 200,000 souls lost. I completely relate to the author’s frustration with the governmental response–but everyone involved is doing the best that they can in a very polarized political environment with a disease that has never before been encountered. This has been an unfortunate–but possibly beneficial–experience for the American people. Never before have we felt the fragility of our economic system at this level–I am hopeful that we can reflect on the negative impact of such a polarized political system and the need for more economic (both theoretical and home) education in our schools.
I guess you still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy too, if you believe the Pandemic “death toll”.
The CDC and other institutions have admitted that that up to 50% of the “positive test” results are false positives.
Then there are the cases “diagnosed” on symptoms alone, yet the Flu has the exact same symptoms.
Covid 19 Deaths, are not autopsied so there is no “proof’ of the cause of death, only guesses.
Then there are the people who died in car crashes and other things, that once tested positive to having Covid 19, that are listed with Covid 19 as the cause of death.
It was so bad, that some Countries and some states, had to revise their death toll numbers down, to stay within the limits of reason.
Now, have people died? Yes and that is sad, regardless of the cause.
But the numbers of this Pandemic are highly inflated and everyone that has followed this closely, knows it.
So how accurate are those Death toll numbers? Not very accurate…. now if you reduce that amount by about 75% to account for all of the above and some other ” irregularities” in how Covid 19 deaths are counted , it might, just barely might, be closer to the truth.
Which would put the death count in the same category as the annual Flu death numbers. OOPS!
So whether it qualifies as a Pandemic or not is highly questionable.
If so, then I guess ever Flu season is a “Pandemic” also!
As for most of the “protective measures” recommended to the Public, they are a joke.
None of them can agree on them and even their own peer reviewed studies, contradict most of the “recommendations”.
If it was really so bad, they would be doing a better job of putting out the correct “recommendations”, but they are not, so what does that tell you?
But that would mean that this was a big mess up by the medical community and then they could not sell their vaccines.
The first rule in understanding anything relating to society; is always follow the money.
That goes for the Shortages also. It is another way to increase prices and reduce product sizes. And if anyone complains, they can blame it on the Covid 19, lock down, restrictions and such.
But I will guarantee you, that after this Pandemic all over, prices will not go down and product sizes will not get bigger again!
1-If anything the reported Covid numbers are too low. We’d need to accurately test 10x as many as we have already to have a true number.
2-There will be no one shot fits all affordable vaccine.
3-Supply chain problems are due to: a)a lack of legal workers due to illness and quarantines, b) a lack of illegal workers due to borders being shut down and govt approving zero worker visas, and c) packaging shortages as restaurant and commercial sized items don’t come in little consumer sized cans, tubs and bottles, with no domestic or foreign manufacturers being able to increase production enough.
Re: #1, there is no test for this “virus.” There is no such thing as an accurate test because the ones we have do not test for a virus, only the presence of genetic material presumed to be associated with a virus. When will people get this through their noggins? This so-called virus has never been proven to exist. Yes, people get sick and die, so what else is new? That doesn’t mean it was the rhona that caused it.
I’m in Australia. Have pics empty shelves. At one stage I had to do rounds supermarkets as I walked in and shocked to find meat section, freezer, tinned food, toilet rolls, flour, pasta stripped! Now tinned fruit toiletries, soap goes quick.
If I see something I need- best to buy it before sold out.
I need to learn ling term storage food.
Is it necessary tho use miele bags?
Chris – for long-term food storage, it’s best to use mylar bags. However, in your situation, it sounds as though you’re not looking at putting things back for 5-10 years. It sounds like you’ll be needing it in the next year or so. If that’s the case, I’d focus on SOME repackaging but more on stocking up than spending my money on packaging options.
I need nothing I can’t live without. I stored food and supplies starting 2008 and am now eating 2012 best by dates on canned goods. I have lost a case of name brand green beans–just a can, but discarded the entire case just in case– it was a mess to clean the shelf but it dried quickly with a fan; I am now checking the shelves every week and have labeled by years….again. I have so much, I do move things around a lot and needed to know how many BB 2012 I have and it is a lot.
I am eating 2012 BB dated cans and finding them fine…am really surprised the quality is good.
Had asparagus yesterday with cheese sauce and it was great tasting.
One thing that does not last long term is packaged meals like fetuccini, macaroni/ch, rice-a-roni in envelopes. I throw away the sauce, etc and save the pasta or rice/pasta.
Why did I allow this?? Because I am a southern girl and I cook real meals, not from cans.
Hope this helps newbies learn what not to do.
No. You do not need mylar bags if you buy shelf stable items. Shelf stable items are item that have a shelve life of at least a year. These items would be flour, sugar, rice, peanut butter, pasta, powder milk, can goods to name but a few.
You may not need mylar but I’d at the very least switch the items out of their store packaging – for example take the flour out of the paper package and put it into glass jars or something like that to prevent bugs from contaminating them.
and the majority of deaths (apx 40%) resulted from 5 governors (Dems) who thought it was a good plan to return elderly Covid patients in nursing homes with the most vulnerable population.
Yeah. It’s unfortunate he said that because it is still a monster.
But as I was reading, the alarm went off in my head that our ability to make any purchases could be dissolved almost instantly.
Just one spark the wrong way and the very atmosphere of hostility among our citizens could ignite an uncivil war. Then everything will go sideways. There are always extreme shortages during war. If the PTB can’t ease us into accepting their agenda, they will go there. Our former prosperity is behind us. As long as we are able, we should keep on keeping on.
I guess you didn’t see the CDC update where they state that only about 10,000 died FROM covid as opposed to WITH covid? They also admit on their website they dump together flu, common cold, and covid. So if you’ve ever had common cold and get tested for covid, chances are, you’ll test positive.
Birx is on video openly saying they’ve been cooking the books. You can die from a heart attack or cancer or been hit by a bus but if you happen to test positive they’ll put you down as “covid death”.
I too have family members in health industry, and they’re saying people with cancer and trauma are being recorded a covid. Most doctors and nurses are afraid to speak up because they get silenced and lose their livelihoods. Look up “Great Barrington Declaration” – thousands of doctors have signed it.
Furthermore, no “covid 19” has yet been isolated in accordance with scientific postulates. This “virus” is nothing more than another flu strain. Wake up, this PLANdemic is a complete scam, whipped up for political and financial reasons by a psychopathic global elite and being used for one reason only: complete control. Google “Agenda 2030”, “The Great Reset”, “Event 201”. The truth is out there.
I’m in Central Texas and can find what my family and I need. There have been price increases on many items, especially meat and dairy. We shop primarily at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Central Market and mainly buy organic. So we have seen price increases on produce too. For other things we go to Costco, and they seem to be well supplied, and shoppers are loading up on everything. No shortages there on TP, water or paper towels. Stay safe everyone and let’s stick together.
You have to get into the mindset of World War II rationing and shortages. Think Paris under Nazi occupation. Ration cards to buy everything.
Luckily my mom told me how tough it was to grow up during the Depression and how items were rationed during WW II.
Purchase underwear, socks, winter clothing, etc., even if you don’t need it immediately.
Cleaning supplies are getting tougher to find. I go online between Target and Walmart to get what I need. If you spend $35, shipping is free.
Stock up on toilet paper even if you have enough. You can always use items to barter…
I was finally able to purchase powered milk online at Walmart. It was almost impossible to find at the start of the pandemic.
Regardless of who wins this election, there will be civil unrest.
Do you want to be caught out in the middle of rioters just because you needed just “one last thing”?
I don’t.
Things are going to get worse. Take your optimism and toss it out the window and start planning for the worst.
If it doesn’t happen, then it is a good day.
Seems like this article should have been published in February. I live near Seattle and as of Sept. 26th, I see no food shortages at Costco, Fred Meyer, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, QFC. Few items still have limits. Still hit or miss regarding disinfecting wipes, but most other items including meat, vegetables are pretty well stocked.
I stopped reading at “alleged pandemic”. If the public information regarding death rates – despite all the preventative measures – isn’t proof enough that this is a pandemic, then perhaps some antipsychotic meds are in order. Yeah, lots of people believe the various (many) governments are all making this up so they can take further control of our lives. But in reality they already have sufficient power. Actually more than sufficient power where they already had outrageous imposed control of their populace. And I can’t think of any other reasons explaining this as fraud. Another way to make billionaires and big corporations richer? Nah, there’s already plenty of ways, and as the world economies suffer, even the rich will be less rich, though still plenty rich enough to tell the rest of us how to serve them.
There’s plenty enough evil in the world. Paranoia just makes legitimate problems worse, because the parnoiac gathers forces to wastefully and destructively attack issues which are real, but which to him appear faked or deliberately created.
As a personal victim of the chicom bioweapon, as well as being a drone at a big chain grocery, I can attest to some things by personal experience.
One is the chicom bioweapon is real and it will try to kill or incapacitate you and those around you if it can. Good thing for us we are well into the historical timeframe from start of plandemic for herd immunity to be in full swing. While I’m not scared of this weapon since I have acquired immunity, I am concerned they (chicoms and their allies here stateside) will try to kill us off with an ADE enhanced version of the same weapon, or an new and even more sinister one, such is the nature of communists with technology and their friends inside the USA. I’d love to know how the bats learned to splice tuberculosis sequences as well as hiv sequences into their virus, and yesterday it came out there are even human sequences in sars2 aka covid19. Those bats are pretty amazing for not even having a written language.
Now as unto grocers and grocery, we have had issues with JIT inventory forever, because we live in the real world and in the real world things are often f’d up, causing delivery delays and outtages and these are random events for the most part. The thing under direct human control that will make this natural ebb and flow of grocery worse is simply stopping workers from showing up at the factory where our pizzas are made in sheets, our lunch meats made into sliced round patties, wheat into pasta, you get the idea. Scare these people away from the factory where our food is assembled and you have synthetic shortages to suit.
Then farther down range from the factory is the farm where the animals are grown as well as the crops, if the farmer can’t get crops or livestock harvested because the illegals who were willing to work for far less than a living wage, either out of fear of the chicom bioweapon or deportation, or out of lack of numbers these people did not show up at all, or showed up in nowhere near sufficient numbers, to herd the animals or pick the beans or melons or whatever else disposable people are used for these days by the exploiters, we will experience shortages.
Right now things are about 80 percent normal or a bit higher at the grocery, going by what is available from the warehouse and our in store vendors like the pop and chip guys who are servicing the store on an almost daily basis but are not under store management. So much so that since our sales are down even though we have never been busier, worker hours have been reduced as punishment, wich to me seems like a self fulfilling prophecy as less workers means more stock sitting in the back room because we don’t have the stockers doing their thing, wich means sales will go even lower as people get sick of not finding what they want on our shelves and shop elsewhere. This is a multibilliondollar corporation in the midst of a plandemic, proving that even in armagedon the most important thing is the bottom line.
Let me share one reason….the elite/trillionaires want it all. How to get real estate? Watch and learn. 4 million landlords are already in hot water due to this fake illness and losing their properties because renters are jobless. Come in rich elite or even worse China and buy America.
Not even mentioning the industrial, manufacturing companies that will stay closed –the few still in our nation.
Not convinced?? Wait a few months. Another shut down will be all that is needed.
Steve in far western Colorado,
No shortages seen here with the exception of ammunition. Today I found 12 gauge rifled slugs but a limit of two limited my purchase to a total of 10 rounds.
Paper products are in stock but shelves are not full. Cleaning supplies are limited. I often peruse store shelves just to gauge what the supply situation is. I continue to buy canned and dry goods incrementally adding to my larder. I keep my two freezers full but am concerned about a sustained loss of electrical power.
I only buy organic and now those are disappearing off the shelves. It is like The control Freaks are trying to destroy people’s health. I have been a health freak since 1976.
Explain to me why there is no shortage of junk foods and cereal, yet healthy foods are in shortage, or no longer available except online
Local Walmart moderately well supplied with canned vegetables, 2/$1….loaded up cases of green beans, whole kernel corn and potatoes. Going back for another round.
Thanks for the reminder – I continue to get a few extra things of whatever kind every time I go shopping, even if it’s just a couple extra cans of chili. Also I want to share a very good resource – Webstaurant Store. It sells shelf stable food in huge quantities, baking pans, spices, food storage containers, kitchen tools, you name it. Most importantly they will sell to you even if you are not a business and they handle small orders. Also the prices are way below most of what you’ll see on ScAmazon.
I hope this helps somebody, many of my own normal supply chain has changed radically. I’m definitely shopping in a more agile fashion. Also giving a lot more business to my local organic store, as they use local farms and such.
As a great man once said, “Be excellent to each other.”
That’s a pretty good source. I’m liking the prices on spices.
Appreciate the excellent adventure
Holy Cow! I checked out Webstaurant Store, and their prices are pretty bonus! Their warehouse in Nevada would be my ship from place, so not too far. I belong to Sam’s, Costco; also shop sales but it looks like these folks are beating everyone’s prices.
On another note: a lot of our shortages are from government buying up supplies-not just surplus. I had a customer the other day, a dentist, tell me he canNOT get N95 masks. Everything in California is being bought up by the State. California Dental Board cannot even order them on behalf of members! So, he is dealing with a Chinese company to purchase KN95 masks. I wonder what else is being “set aside” for the elite government officials?
Webstaurant looks very interesting. I will be looking closely at their choices of soup bases & nuts. Thanks for the referral.
Been a member for 4 years and they are a great source. Going in person is like being a kid in the candy store.
From Australia, it can be a little nuts at times, our main stream news has nothing of value so need to be proactive in sourcing information. Yes I love the ice age farmer. Food is still an issue not as much as before and we’ve seen specials back too. I took some savings out to double what I normally buy and have been adding more on a weekly basis too so it’s not so noticeable. Yes stocking up on rice whilst I can and put some away for my family too. (They don’t listen to me) . All the food prices have gone up so even specials no longer offer the discount they once did. Medicine is still a problem we aren’t getting the stock we used to from China , so moving more to herbal where we can and it’s much cheaper too. Hardest hit has been clothes, shoes , underwear and socks. My children’s clothes and shoes order has been cancelled twice, lost once and now has been in transit 1st August not moving since the 5th August. If you lodge a lost ticket no one responds. So whilst you can I’d advise to stock up on spare shoes and one size up if you have kids, extra underwear & socks & clothes. I brought extra at the start of the year to get us through winter but the kids have already outgrown them. With all the shops closed it’s only online shopping except supermarkets.
It isn’t just food shortages we need to prepare for. Medication shortages are already occurring. Even my dog’s heart medication (Vetmedin 10mg pills) was out of stock at Chewy .com.
My top two daily info sources…
#1 https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/blog/
#2 @Beachmilk on free speech Parler app–useful frontline source
I haven’t noticed much low on supply other than low-sugar pectin has been M.I.A. for 3 weeks.
West Coast here, Portland OR. We are doing great, all supermarkets brimming with food and other goodies. Shortages must be a fly-over state problem – so much for Make America Great again, suckers.
That’s good news! We wouldn’t want Antifa to waste a perfectly good Molotov cocktail on an empty building, now would we?
Once again, buildings being burned down by protestors are a fly-over state problem. Our antifa are just a bunch of rag tag hooligan white kids with nothing better to do. All their burning so far has consistent of piles of rubbish in the middle of the street or some dumpsters (also with rubbish). I say to you once again, fly-over staters, 4 years later and your states are not only not great again, they’re worse than they were back then. Wake up, you’ve been swindled by a smooth talking city slicker.
Ummm…did you miss all the video footage of the burning of the Federal Building there? All the officers hurt? Burning and looting? Nightly for months and months? If you did, you must be quarantining in a deep, deep bunker.
pepe lucho Hate to break it to ya but we have conversation with real folks from that region weekly.
There are still good people up there who will prevail very shortly.
They made some bad choices and are paying for them but correction is inevitable.
The fact that we are talking about missing a few things here n there is actually pretty good as this great nation still provides plenty.
Enjoy the moment because it will be brief in the scheme of things.
????????
Here in southern California shelves are usually full. There are still some limits on some items like TP and hand sanitizer.
One thing that seems to be overlooked is inflation and the costs of goods other than food.
I don’t see anyone talking about the cost of every day essentials such as laundry detergent, hand soap, shampoo, etc. becoming cost prohibitive or unavailable. I would suggest building up stocks of these items as well food. I am using a 1 year supply as a minimum just in case. With all of the uncertainty in the world right now and possibly getting worse, being able to do something about morning mouth may be a luxury that others don’t have.
My daughter says she can’t find canned pumpkin.
You’re the second person I’ve heard mention that specific item.
Where are these shortages happening? I don’t see it in Milwaukee and didn’t see it in Santiago, Chile where I lived for 10 years before moving back to the States. No one around the country that I know is experiencing this so I’d like to know more from you. Thanks.
Just read through the comments – people are telling you where they’re seeing it, what they’re short on, and what part of the country they’re in.
I had been accumulating freeze dried foods in since early 2019. But in January 2020, I notice out-of-stock items occurring with Augason foods, Mountain House and others. Only recently since ~August has Costco been able to stock items, but Walmart has had very little supply since January.
Shopping here in NoVA today I noticed prices have gone up on several things. After noticing a shortage of deli ham the last several weeks, today ham was available but no deli beef. The stores seem well stocked with pantry items, but if you look close, the shelves have been arranged to make it look like they’re well stocked. Lots of empty shelf space behind the first row of products. At Aldi, the large canisters of old fashioned oats were completely gone, but there was plenty of quick oats. No canning jars or lids to be found, and I struggled recently to find a basic set of cotton sheets locally.
Here in eastern NC I was not able to find Tone’s chicken bullion cubes which is carried by Sam’s Club for a few months. This is a 2 pound container that normally sells for just under $9. I went on line and Amazon vendors were price gouging this product for $50 a jar!!! About 3 weeks ago Sam’s got this product back in but has a limit of 1 per customer. Canning jars and accessories are as easy to find as hen’s teeth (for those unfamiliar with chickens, hens don’t have teeth). Still limits at both Costco’s and Sam’s on certain paper and cleaning products as well as baking items. Sporadic shortages on various canned goods, have only found 11 cans of oysters within a 100 mile radius. The list goes on. For those who say they are not experiencing any disruptions, I am glad for you. That unfortunately has not been my experience nor the experience of those who live in this area of the country.
Bike tubes/tires.
I had checked walmart and fleet farm and couldn’t find my size bike tube so I recently went to the largest sporting goods store in our area, Scheels (midwest) and asked at the bike repair shop for my size tube. He said they didn’t have any and “sorry we just can’t get anything in right now” He suggested I try a small bike shop downtown. They did have it. I had to pay a little more for a very ‘name brand’ bike tube- but it wasn’t abnormally high. Bikes sold out this spring so it makes sense that people might need to repair their old bikes. Also the rubber is an oil refining by-product and it’s turned into a tire in China. A lot of reasons for that to be in ‘short supply’
Limits on paper towels. (I’ve seen it, but we don’t really use them)
Pickels.. no idea why- but pickles have been repeatedly in short supply. Only ‘hamburger slices’
Toilet bowl cleaner created a buzz a couple weeks ago. I heard it was sold out in WA state, then a few women here mentioned it. It’s possible to find, but it takes 3 tries.
of course ammo- I don’t want/need any- but I was asked to look for someone if our area had any. Only shot shells widely availalbe.
Some fire extinguishers are sold out, but there are other sizes available at the moment. I suspect people wanted some on hand with the rampant arson happening in rioting areas.. or maybe the chemcal is unavailable, I duno.
I Really appreciate this type of article and comment thread. Back in March this type of article and comments helped alert me to things that might not last long in my area. Hand santizer was sold out in CA and it was still everywhere here. We shipped some to a friend in CA. But then about a month later it sold out here too. It is a good time to keep an ear to the ground.
Read “The Vision” and bought some open Southland and started a farm/ranch/orchards 15 years ago, so am pretty ready now; my old city friends still sit on their couches and vote Democrat. Rifles I bought 5 years ago for $250 are $700 now. Antifa, the Black Liberation Movement (BLM), Leftist will start a fight like in Spain 1936 and I hope they wind up the same way. An Old Lesson: Everything that becomes Liberal turns to Crap.
What is “The Vision”?
Eastern Oregon
Went to two local stores today….Clorox shelves empty…..no canning jars or lids and has been this way for a few weeks. Also noticed the store brand peanut butter price has gone up over 1.00 per jar. No canned pumpkin… Also noticed the same as mentioned… stores are filling shelves with miscellaneous items so shelves don’t look as empty.
Here in south Texas we still haven’t any Lysol spray, wipes have come back and Clorox is still limited. Vinegar is hit and miss. Meat and chicken have been on a roller coaster ride, but we have a great meat store with lots of wild game when others are low. Peanut butter is back on the shelf. Milk and OJ are fine. Totes are on my list to get. Already have plenty of canning jars and lids. Will keep pectin, soap and pet food on my list. Need to get more firewood, fix the water catchment float and praise the Lord I found more bullets at the gun show!
Thanks for reminding me to add both vinegars to my shopping list. I use both for cleaning and canning.
I was fortunate to be able to buy lots of jars on sale from Ace Hardware years ago and Amish lids –in fact, I have shoe boxes of lids and they are the good kind that don’t last 12 months like new ones.
Nw Ct. here. When covid hit, we were flocked with New Yorkers fleeing the city putting it almost 2 to 1 against Ct. cars on the roads. They rented anything they could find and brought two or three famiies with them. Our problem was that most of our food stores are not huge, and they came in like locusts with money to burn and stripped our food supply bare. The meat shelves were bare, foods like soups, vegetables, cheese, cleaners, paper products were bought to stock a home from scratch, even salt and pepper. With that, the prices doubled and the shelves became bare. This was almost instantaneous. Dog food is scarce, both dry and canned, all canned mac and cheese, ramen.tuna, canned chicken and ham. The food is arranged to make it look stocked but it’s one row on one shelf. There were no joggers at walmart today, few mens underwear and sweatshirts. Technology cords for phones and IPads were gone also. Have been canning for 25 years, no lids, pectin, rings or jars. Cost of flour, sugar an butter has increased. Going to at least 3 or 4 stores this week even up to Massachusetts to find what is needed. If it gets worse, there will be issues. Our dairy farmer next door had us come with gallon containers to get milk or they were dumping it. Lots of planniing for nutritianal needs must be considered> Buyiing good canned juices. Canning jellies and jams, pears, oranges, and applesauce. Not stuffing the freezer we lost everythng last storm.
Toronto Ontario Canada here. Almost 3 million people in these boroughs, and we are surrounded by farms that grow condo towers and houses that hold 24 person multigenerational families. It’s become wall to wall cities of unaffordable housing. I share a small one bedroom apt with a lady who also cannot afford to house herself. We have put away modestly just in case but we doubt that our neighbours have and we expect hungry thirsty people knocking on the door. We have more gun violence every year, but the majority of Canadians don’t have guns so it’s not as bad as in the US. WE have some tools and when we can get parts we are self sufficient. Lately I’ve noticed that toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, and a few other staples have had empty shelves, or limits. Home delivery has blossomed with the pandemic so we save ourselves the physical effort of carrying jugs of water etc etc up from the parking garage. Toronto in the past has experienced major long power outages, rolling brown outs, and rolling blackouts, not to mention water outages, and we are careful to top up the car gastank each time it’s down 1/8th. We keep a propane grill and propane campstove with a few 1-pound tanks. Her CPAP makes sure our distilled water is used before its best-before date.
I attend a Messianic congregation and my rabbi did an awesome teaching on being prepared. The main comparison was to Noah who had to prepare for being closed up in the ark for a year. (It might have rained for 40 days and 40 nights, but it took a year to dry the earth.) Back in the 1990s, Geri Guidetti wrote a book called “Build Your Ark!” which was along the same concept. That we need to be prepared for long term issues that may arise. There’s really no need to get the book since so much information is on the internet, but we do need to get it through our heads to change our way of thinking. In years past, people brought in the harvest and it was supposed to last until the next harvest. The way we live today has changed drastically. They don’t even make houses big enough to hold a years supply of everything we need for a year, let along condos and apartments. While technically you could fit things in, it would be severely unsightly. Here’s the link to the sermon by my rabbi called “Prepared”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy_RFLkL5Ws
I went to the store yesterday and, in my effort to get ahead of the crowd for any supplies I might want this winter, I started getting the shelf stable (or long shelf life) items we use around the holidays. I noticed a lot of the shelves with these things were bare or highly picked over, particularly the baking aisle. I was able to get the stuffing mix we always use and the last two boxes of pilsbury refrigerated pie crust. I wasn’t able to get any canned pumpkin (but of course being the prepper I am I do have some). Holiday items seemed to be not well stocked…granted it’s early but that’s the point :-). So I’m wracking my brain to compile a list of anything I can get now and will try to get the rest in the next couple of weeks to hopefully have a relatively normal holiday season.
We live in Israel, haven’ts seen any shortages on anything. However we live on a farm far from big cities, so don’t know what if might be like there. We have police checkpoints in and out of cities. Agriculture water prices were just doubled, so I am concerned about what that will do to the price and availability of locally produced food in the coming months.
I stopped reading when I got to “alleged pandemic”. While this certainly isn’t the black death, it is, by any rational definition, a pandemic. Not an “alleged pandemic”. Not a “fabricated pandemic”. Not a PR stunt. If the author can’t even get that right, how can I trust any other drivel flowing from his mouth/pen/keyboard?
Too bad. There really are food supply issues. Production, harvesting, distribution, processing, retail sales, etc. But if he doesn’t even understand the underlying source of these problems, I find it hard to trust whatever other misconceptions he might try to promote.