Shortages

Ridgetop

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I have never had chocolate fruitcake. How did the glacee fruit combine with the chocolate? I think rum would be my liquor of choice to use for the chocolate variety.

My grandmother's recipe is traditional fruitcake from family recipe over 150 years old. Pounds of glacee fruit, almonds, walnuts, honey, applesauce, lots of liquor, and just enough flour to make a batter to stick everything together. Recipe calls for either brandy or muscatel wine. Line pans with buttered parchment and bake over water like custard. My grandmother used to save her coffee cans and use them. I use loaf pans because it is easier to cut and store. Wrap in cheesecloth soaked in liquor. Your choice of brandy or rum to soak. I have also made this recipe in fancy Christmas cupcake papers when I was running my boutique pickle and jam business.

I have some glacee fruit in the freezer. it is getting hard to find and very expensive. I do't use the chopped "fruitcake mix" but instead the individual glacee cherries pineapple, citron, orange and lemon peel, etc. that have to be cut up. Thank goodness yoi can buy the shelled nuts now n bulk. I can remember my grandfather sitting at the kitchen tabe with a hammer and his piece of wood and shelling the nuts for the Christmas baking. Occasionally he would sneak us kids a couple nuts. My grandmother would get after him when she caught him, and he would just wink at us. The piece of wood had a big dent in it from years of shelling nuts. As a child I thought it was made that way and was a special nut shelling block. :lol: So many wonderful memories -like turning the crank on the old hand grinder that bolted to the kitchen table when my grandmother was making the stuffing for the turkey at holiday time. *'m sure she used it other times too but seeing that grinder clamped on the table meant that Thanksgiving or Christmas was actually here!

We lived with my grandparents, so I have those memories. My children and grandchildren didn't see me making Christmas cookies often since I found it easier to make them when they were in school and then freeze them. Otherwise I had to make twice as many due to theft. ;) And of course, I use a food processor to make the stuffing - how nostalgic is that?! :gig But I do have the hand grinder put away along with great grandmother's washboard, and some other antique kitchen items. If electricity gets too expensive, I might have to get them out and start using them!

Today I am going to go through my kitchen cabinets and remove the items that I will bring to Texas next trip to store in the sheds. I have some kitchen crockery, along with the fancy pottery coffee cups, and other things that I don't use often. I have other stuff that I use more frequently, but they can be packed to bring to Texas and used there, OR I will offer the really pretty ones to my daughters and daughters-in-law. I have some really pretty large platters for parties too that can go to them. I will go to the thrift stores in Texas and pick up some Pyrex to cook with - the thrift stores always have lots of that stuff and I won't have to drag it with me. That glassware can be disinfected in the dishwasher easily. I can also get new cookware, knives, towels, and bedding at either Sam's club or Ross. I think they have both in Lindale so an all-day shopping trip once we are moved there will outfit the house nicely. I also have a complete set of bedding, curtains, and matching wallpaper in the Conex that I will bring that I really like. It is in very good condition and will look pretty in our bedroom (again). LOL As well as an almost new set of double bed sheets and comforter set from the spare bedroom that I stored when MJ died, and we converted the spare bedroom to our office. Even though I plan to install a Murphy bed in the spare room, I will need bedding when I pull it down for the wall for visitors.

So many plans. I hope they will be accomplished. Better get the moving boxes put together and the packing paper out. I keep the old moving boxes and packing papers that are in good condition and store them. My children have used them several times and I have stacks of them in the Conex and sheds. Time to start filling them with stuff to go to Texas. Also, will have to bring some boxes of reno & building materials, and the industrial shelving they are on as well. Oh yes and the wood stove. See comment about expense of electricity in Paragraph 3 above. :lol:
 

farmerjan

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Is anyone watching the possible rail strike that is impending in early Dec??? What it is going to mean to supplies... with the holidays coming????
If this happens, and I hope not but with the fed gov trying to play both sides of the fence who knows.... there will be such a backlog of stuff, and shortages will be much more common....
 

Mini Horses

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Would hate to see such disruption but, seems everything possible is happening -- so wouldn't be surprised. Right now, I can't think of anything I'd be concerned about needing. Feed may be interrupted but, I can source that from a "local" farmer if need be. Prices are already increasing as suppliers jab "because they can". 🤨🤔😞
 

CLSranch

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Is anyone watching the possible rail strike that is impending in early Dec??? What it is going to mean to supplies... with the holidays coming????
If this happens, and I hope not but with the fed gov trying to play both sides of the fence who knows.... there will be such a backlog of stuff, and shortages will be much more common....
Since before he hit office Biden has been trying to get behind the big unions so they get behind him. The rail is all union so not much of an alternate train line to pick up the slack. Knowing the president will do whatever, it makes it easy to make whatever demands you want.
Disclaimer I'm not anti-union. It was great that they came along.
 

farmerjan

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Just thought I would revive this a bit.

Rail strike averted due to some legislation. BUT, stock market continues to fall.... sure it was up today... and they are touting ONLY a 4.2% inflation for the year... on core things... which doesn't include food or fuel... WTH....
It drops 7-800 pts, and not much gets said, then is up 100 and they say it is a good day on Wall street. Everyone that is not really keeping up with things had better take a good look.... it is getting ALOT WORSE.....
I see the same thing in the grocery stores when I go in. Shelves maybe not quite as empty as the ones that some have seen... there is a "Shortages thread" on SS and some were showing really EMPTY shelves.... it is a little scary just how things are getting harder and harder to find... or they are just so much more than they were...

I am very thankful that I started "stockpiling" some things back 6-10 months ago... buying at cheaper prices, buying in bulk. And like the other day with the "find" of the alfredo spaghetti sauce on closeout,,, yep, I will take 12 jars @ .91 each over the jars of another brand next to them for over 3.00 each. Pain to do the "slow walk" shopping through the store... but it will pay off... I check out the clearance isles ALL the time now...

Today they passed a new "budget" that will go for a year (well, until the end of Sept since this past years' budget was extended through special provisions 3 or 4 times) .... 1.7 TRILLION.... with us sending another 45 BILLION to Ukraine..... NOW understand that I have absolutely no ill will towards them and admire their tenacity and believe in helping them to continue their fight for maintaining their freedom.... BUT.... if you look at the federal budget on the Wikipedia page... see where the income and the outgo are... and see that we are 1.3 TRILLION in the RED.... it makes you start to wonder.....

I do not know where we are going in this country with the way things are looking. No common sense to try to live within our means at all anymore.

Those of us here and on sister sites; that are trying to live more self reliantly... are going to see more and more that we HAVE to get more productive at the basic farm level.... Things like the price of eggs have doubled... and the cost of chicken also. I keep buying tuna fish to stash in the cabinets.. it is still pretty reasonable... but for how long? Paper goods are more expensive but I try to add a pkg of TP every so often so I still have plenty ahead and the average cost is not as bad as just buying when needed. I try to pick up an extra jug or box of soap powder for washing clothes when I can find it on a "special"... and a pkg of paper towels even though I do not use alot of them... I try to buy things when they are "out of season"... and scour the clearance shelves in the stores now.

I am lucky... we have beef. I do not have to worry about that source of protein. I have plenty of chickens in the freezer. Due to still working on the knees rehab, from the replacements, and the D#@# DEER, I did not get near as much out of the garden as I wanted to but I have potatoes, and peppers, and butternut squash, and got tomatoes for some eating towards the end of the season. Next year it will be better. I will have more mobility with the knees as they slowly get back to somewhat "normal" for me. Fencing is a priority for the property and the garden specifically. I am going to grow more "sellable" crops like potatoes, and the butternut squash.. because they also keep pretty good. Put out a small "stand" with them and if they don't sell, I can eat them anyway. Good return for the work put into them. Green beans that the deer eat off will be more of a priority for ME... and there will be deer that will wind up in the freezer if they don't stay out of the garden... kill permits for the farm can be used here since we farm across the road. If the neighbor that said he wanted to hunt does not show up this time, I will do whatever I have to, to keep them out.

I intend to have more chickens, and the fruit trees will get moved even if it winds up being the "wrong time of the year" because I am not waiting on promises that DS makes to get them moved. With this cold, I greatly doubt he will get anything done this winter again. I will not wait on him but find someone to do it. His priorities are elsewhere so I will find someone to do it myself. But that is part of it... taking the "bull by the horns" and getting things done. By yourself or with help... but DO IT. Hoping I can find someone who is needing work.. as things get tighter and money gets more scarce and people get laid off; maybe there will be more "handyman" type people wanting to work for cash money. There are physical things that I cannot seem to do... the knees are limiting more than I had hoped... BUT... it doesn't hurt to stand and walk so I am thankful for that. Barter is a good thing too... might find someone wanting beef as trade/partial payment for work....

The upcoming year really worries me... interest rates keep going up and the economy just is not coming around. I want to be where I can make it with little to no "outgo" .....
 

Mini Horses

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core things... which doesn't include food or fuel... WTH...
Like that isn't "core" to living???
do not know where we are going in this country with the way things are looking. No common sense to try to live within our means at all anymore.
Trying but it's a challenge.
try to buy things when they are "out of season"... and scour the clearance shelves in the stores now.
Ditto.
I'm not sure that those of us that are the base of this country can do anything about it.
I'm with you and sad about needing to feel that way


I'm sure glad to be able to handle what I have and work to improve where I can. Been able to stockpile and barter, share, garden and not lacking for food.

Knowing how to be more SS is something I wish we could instill in more people. Many are not wanting to learn, or put in the hard work. Society is so different than when I was growing up. :idunno :old
 

Baymule

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I too have that feeling of hopelessness sometimes. All I have to fight back against the political powers that be, is my vote. It doesn’t seem to matter who I vote for, it’s voting for the left or right side of a 2 headed snake.

Having just moved to a new place, there is so much to do. Run down, grown up fences are top priority, followed by at least a small barn in front pasture. Someday a bigger one in back pasture. Where I have the sheep now will become my garden. I want to plant berries, fruit and nut trees. It takes awhile for trees to bear, so I’d best get started!
 

farmerjan

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I am with you too @Mike CHS . I think that people either just don't, or refuse to see it. I see it with DS GF... she still is not "getting it" as far as making things go farther and last and doing for herself. She has made the comment that she had to do without too much as a kid so her daughter will not be in that position.... I just don't think she realizes that she won't have a choice to make on some of it... and where that is going to leave DS and what it will mean to me, putting me in a position of being between a rock and a hard place between her and him. But that is going to be my problem I guess... if it comes to total financial collapse, who and how do you choose between....
Well, as people still refuse to take some of this seriously, I intend to take advantage of it. I have been slowly gathering things together... didn't get to it last fall but will have everything together to have a big yard sale this year.... get rid of things I don't need and some of the clutter and get more money in my pocket to turn into necessary goods to have. If the inflation keeps up, money will not be worth much and things to barter and trade will be worth more. And having more tangible silver will be the better form of currency... I cannot afford gold, but silver will be the way that most will be able to trade for goods.
The animals may well have to be dependent on just pasture, as grain will be necessary for those that cannot just eat grass; like chickens and pigs that have to have other sources of protein. Luckily we have basically a grazing operation... yes we feed some grain as incentives for the animals to come in and we feed some silage... that we have grown... we can get by without added "grain" for our cattle.

I don't know where this country is going, but it seems headed to a collapse that many have no clue that it is really coming, until it is too late.
 
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