Wow, talk about a change in weather! We got down to just above freezing for the past two nights. It looks like some of the squash took a bit of a hit. It's not too bad and I'm hoping it will bounce back. The weather is supposed to get warm again after tonight. I guess it will give me a little time to drag out the winter garb. I sure could have used my flannel pj's last night!
I had to go into Little Big Town to do some grocery shopping and hit the Feed Store for chicken feed. The feed cost has gone up almost a dollar a bag again this month. The grocery shopping was just as depressing. Prices are rising rapidly and I just don't know what folks are going to do in the coming months. I'm trying to do all I can to stock up now but I'm feeling more and more like it just isn't enough. I guess we are all going to just have to ride this one out to the end. I sure wouldn't mind being able to do a big bill of groceries though. I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at planning out my shopping trips. I know what I'm going to get before hand. I usually know (within a few dollars) how much I'll spend. Prices have already risen enough that I had to "trim" my frugal list. All I keep thinking is that this is just the beginning....
There was a study put out a few days ago concerning GMO corn that I found horrifying. Have you seen this?
(NaturalNews) Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming
trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to
develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death.
That's the conclusion of a shocking new study that looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto's genetically modified corn.
The
study has been deemed "the most thorough research ever published into
the health effects of GM food crops and the herbicide Roundup on rats."
"Scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females."
It goes on to say: "The animals on the GM diet suffered mammary tumors,
as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The researchers said 50
percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group."
Nice huh? Did you know that over 80% of all corn in the US is genetically modified? Some say that the percentage is even higher. This stuff is already in our food chain. It is in widespread use all across the country. The FDA doesn't even require that it be labeled. Russia has stepped up and recently said they will no longer buy GMO corn from the US.
California is trying to get legislation passed to require that all foods containing gmo's be labeled. For once I think we might just follow their lead.
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
Yes, to everything! The GMO stories just keep getting worse. Of course, gasoline and food prices are keeping up with the nightmare. We have had to increase our grocery budget and that is with every meal cooked from scratch. Sigh. Tough to get a break.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that we just need to be moving forward. It seems that even with the cooking from scratch and planning meals and all that we are loosing ground. Hang in there!
DeletePretty scary for those of us working on a fixed budget!
ReplyDeleteJim it is getting "real" now. I just hope we can hang on for as long as it takes. The problem with a fixed budget is that its "fixed". They roll out the big guns and we try to adapt.
DeleteThat GMO stuff is pretty disturbing! Any ideas on how to get the research expanded? And the corn checked?
ReplyDeleteIan, I wish I knew. I'd like to say that there is much more research to be done, but lets get real here. GMO's BAD. Not much more than that to have to figure out (imho)
DeleteI'm focusing on food just like you. Especially meat, eggs, butter and cheese while the prices are still fairly low. I got most of the staples topped off when I started my four month gut check, so I was ahead of the power curve this year. What concerns me is what the price for food and gas will be like next May or Sept.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were able to top off your staples. I know it must feel great to not have to worry about it for a few months. I've been feeling "itchy" for awhile now too. I can't see not trying to be ready for the coming tsunami...As for May or Sept... I'll just have to see how it goes. Right now I'm tripping on the next couple of weeks and what they hold.
DeleteMost disturbing to me as I feed my 10 day old son...guess what's in most baby formula? High fructose GMO corn syrup. It ticks me off. The other option in formula? Brown rice syrup most recently recalled for high arsenic content. Sick in the head. These are my choices for feeding my child because I had breast surgery years ago and only am able to produce a couple ounces of breastmilk a day.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad and disgusting that these days we can't even feed our children in a healthy way. I wish I had an answer for you about this but I'm afraid this is one you will have to work out for yourself. I personally don't know what I would do if I were to have to choose. Folks aren't used to having to make these choices, and they weren't supposed to have to. WTH happened???
DeleteTry looking online for homemade baby formula recipes. I used to have a book with one, but I loaned it out and it didn't make it back to me. You could also look for organic options. I hope you can find something so you don't have to feed your baby this awful stuff.
DeleteYes, I've looked into homemade baby formula recipes but I don't think it's a great match for me. They usually call for some pretty unusual ingredients that are either hard to come by or rather expensive. I have been researching organic options and will be switching to one of them, many of them use the aforementioned brown rice syrup in place of corn syrup though, so even the organic formulas can be iffy.
DeleteWe've been slowly stocking up for the past year, trying to keep things in rotation is my down fall, storage is not the most efficient to say the least.I heard about the GMO testing results and was just sickened. I know the stores now have the 4 didgit coding on produce...if It starts with an 8 its GMO but I would loveto see it in all packaging. At least we would have the option but doubt most food companies would want it. Just think of all the box cereal fed to children daily!
ReplyDeleteKati, You guys are gonna be just fine. As for rotation... lol Girl if we weren't down to where I could see the bottom of the preps I wouldn't know just how perilous the journey is about to become.b
DeleteWe have a right to know what they are trying to feed us. We have the right to know the options. For them to force us to be "happy" with their choices is ludicrous. For us to stand for it, even more so.
Been watching the adventures of CA's Prop 37 about labelling GMO products. As a long term prepper homesteader I am pretty tuned in to such things. Lots of talk about "Let's get 37 passed." But every single TV advertisement about it here in Northern CA has been a pack of lies condemning it. I've been doing my part to stir the pot in favor with my small circle. Here's hoping.
ReplyDeleteWinston
Amen! Here's to hoping.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what our government offices allow when enough money is involved, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI'm scared, but we can't do more than what we've already done, either.
All we can do is ride it out, yes.
Have a good week. ♥
The first thing I thought after reading your comment was from an old movie.. . "Yippie Ti yay MF" Bruce Willis DID have his moments! lol
DeleteMore than 90% of the soy used in this country (and soy is a huge additive in processed foods) is GMO and 50% of the sugar used in processed foods is from sugar beets, 90+% of which are GMOs. Nice, isn't it? If they start to label foods with GMO ingredients, pretty much anything that's processed will have a label.
ReplyDeleteIt's knowing these things the prompted us to start growing as much as we can ... and foraging a lot more, too ... but it still really sucks that we have almost no options in the grocery store for non-GMO foods, and the one's that are certified non-GMO cost twice to three times as much as the other stuff.
It is still amazing to me that many folks don't know any of this. GMO's are some scary things. I feel like we have the right to know what is in our foods and I'm really hoping that California will set the precedent here in the US for labeling the frankenfood.
DeleteI've got grain and seed for 5 years stored up, in case of emergency but it's the staples it's easy to run low on, veggies and meat and such. I didn't get a deer last year, rained every day I had the opportunity to hunt.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't learn to prep and store staples long term, for your readers, now is the time to do it. It will only get worse.
I wish more of us were ready for what is coming at us.You are so right... things are only going to get worse before they get better. Prep on folks, time's growing short.
DeleteI'm getting creative with recipes, eating more of our eggs for dinners, and shopping around.
ReplyDeleteI saw the photos of those rats, that pretty gagged me :( I haven't eaten much corn for a long time, and gave up soda years ago. Nasty stuff...
Shoot girl, we all need to be creative when it comes to putting good foods on our tables. And as for those rats... man... I sure don't want any of what they've been eating! I gave up soda's too a few months ago. Now when I try to drink one I can barely stomach the taste. You are sooo right. They are NASTY!
DeleteIf you're not eating organic, you are almost assuredly eating GMO. It's in darn near everything.
ReplyDeleteMaltose, dextrose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, Vitamins C & E is usually derived from corn- so also citric acid & ascorbic acid, baking powder has cornstarch in it as does powdered sugar, sauce thickeners, caramel coloring, "natural flavor", most all sugar substitutes, many pill forms of medications contain cornstarch, distilled white vinegar is most often made from corn.. it goes on. If it is a product refined from corn.. it's almost assuredly from a GMO strain.
If they have to label it... you'll find most chocolates & coffee as well will be marked as they are also GMO. Aside from the new strain of GMO sweet corn.. most all papaya is GMO, and some zucchini to point out a few. Livestock feed... GMO unless you opt for organic.
The PLU code.. does NOT work. GMO crops are considered conventional and marked as such. It only works to identify organic. Certified organic is the only way to avoid GMO currently.
Arsenic happens. It's in the air, the soil, the water. Aside from naturally occurring deposits, it is also released by mining, industry, conventional agriculture, etc. Medicated chicken feed.. some livestock medications are even arsenic based.
Rice naturally accumulates it. Some strains retain more than others. The highest levels are often in rice grown in the US. It's in groundwater. Municipalities test for it, but private wells aren't unless the owner does it. Western states have more issues with concentrations above "safe" levels.
Most don't realize the extent or even care until they are faced with a situation where they have to pay attention... a food allergy, cancer, etc. Wakes you up to realize how polluted things really are.
Meanwhile this administration with the just for show organic garden.. greenlighted GMO alfalfa AND stacking of GMO traits without any testing.
While tinkering with GMO wheat and turning off gene expressions.. one sequence in it's DNA is similar to ours. Enough so that the concern is if consumed.. it could affect the person eating it. It contains an enzyme suppressor that could cause permanent liver failure in people.
There's a LOT of ecological issues going on right now and about to get really ugly.
I just started not eating wheat after reading Wheat Belly. If you haven't read it, it's a good book. The man who wrote it is a cardiac doc and what he says about wheat really makes you stop and think. Since I haven't been eating wheat, my stomach doesn't hurt and I feel better too. I really feel sorry for folks that are allergic to wheat and corn. Boy it sure is tough to find something to eat at a restaurant sometimes and you avoid most of the aisles at the grocery store too. I'm going to have trouble giving up rice though cause I love Chinese and Indian food...drats.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I wonder if Tara has looked into getting a wet nurse. They used to have them. I would think that there are still some out there. She might ask around and see if a mother has too much milk for her child and would be willing to be one. Just a thought.