Food Prices

                Did you hear the news?  The Department of Agriculture announced that food prices will probably jump due to the drought in California, which could have `large and lasting effects on U.S. fruit, vegetable, dairy and egg prices.”  This is in addition to the ten percent increase in beef and veal because of the drought in Texas and Oklahoma and the giant increase in pork due to pig deaths caused by a virus.  There is some good news though:  sugar and coffee prices will go up only one or two percent with prices for non-alcoholic drinks rising less than three percent.  We apparently will be able to afford only those “foods” that are not good for our bodies!

                I suppose I was smart to respond to the prompting to grow as much food on my property as I possibly can.  At the present time, I do not see how I can grow enough food to offset the amount of money I put into supplies and plants, but maybe I will see things differently by the end of the summer.  Right now I am growing some very expensive tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, and squash in my new greenhouse.  In addition to these vegetable, I am growing lettuce, celery, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, rainbow chard, two kinds of onions, garlic, and chives.  Of course, these foods are in addition the large raspberry patch, strawberry patch, and rhubarb I already cultivated.

                I had a garden many years ago but pulled it out due to a huge tree in the neighbor’s yard shading it.  A year or two later, the neighbor cut down the tree!  I did not dig up the grass and replace the garden but simply enjoyed growing flowers.  Last summer – after purchasing and planting $200 worth of flowers, I realized that I should be putting my time and money into growing food.  I did not dig up the grass but am simply learning to grow vegetables in pots.  If all else fails, I should have a few good salads and juices this summer!