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Re: [Homestead] Grocery Co-ops

From: Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Grocery Co-ops
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2007 08:49:41 -0800

At 1/10/2007, you wrote:

ANITA, Iowa - The grocery stores that lined Main Street were always key to the
little farm town of Anita, Iowa.

I grew up in the fifties, not that many miles from there in Missouri. The small town had about 2000 residents but the surrounding area had many more on farms of 300 acres or so. The town square was lined with businesses, a Ben Franklin, Western Auto, IGA, Chevy dealer, bank, NAPA, Rexall, etc. There were three good sized grocery stores in town,six eateries, four taverns, cheese factory, four tractor dealers, etc.

I was there last fall and there is just one grocery store, poorly stocked as it was. Only one tavern, one implement dealer, three eateries. The square had more empty store fronts than full and none of the names were national. Population of the town was still around 2000 but many fewer farmers with a typical farm now closer to 1500 acres. We farmed 250 acres, my cousin now farms 1600.

As we drove around I remember many small gas stations and what would now be called mini marts. These places were where farmers would gather for a cold drink, a bit of gasoline, local news, maybe a roll of bailer wire. Again this last fall as I drove around all of those little places are gone, I could not find a one I remembered from the early sixties.

In the fifties there were many abandoned store fronts in the weeds or along side the road. Even then I had an interest in history and would ask my father about them. He told of small stores where people on horses could shop, get mail, use the telephone and later get a few gallons of gasoline. He told of small blacksmith and repair shops that were there to help a farmer get back in the field after something broke. He also told of dances in upstairs dance halls with local bands making up in noise what they lacked in ability. That all disappeared after the war with better cars, cheaper gasoline, first radio then television.

My uncles ran a welding and Diesel repair shop in an even smaller town. They had all the business they could manage and there competition just down the road. That is all gone and no one in that small town provides those services, you now have to drive 20 miles. I spoke with several people who told me of how in the middle of harvest you could get someone to fix a piece of machinery quickly and now you have to call out an expensive service truck or take the part to town, eating up several hours.

Don Bowen Awl Knotted Up KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com
My travel journal
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

I am omnivagant.

From don.bowen AT earthlink.net Wed Jan 10 12:05:15 2007

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At 1/10/2007, you wrote:

ANITA, Iowa - The grocery stores that lined Main Street were always key to the
little farm town of Anita, Iowa.

As I looked at the map I realized what that name meant to me. In the early 80s we drove from Spokane, WA to NE Missouri. It was in a '73 SAAB 99. As we were driving along I started smelling gasoline and could see the fuel gauge drop. I immediately shut the engine off and coasted up an off ramp. My wife grabbed the kids and got well away from the car as I looked things over to see what was wrong. A rubber hose for the fuel injection had burst, spraying gasoline all over the place.

About that time the local sheriff stopped to see what was happening and I explained things. He then took me into town to the home of the owner of a local garage. We went to the door and his wife answered telling us that he was on the can. In a bit he came out and took us to his shop. I had forgotten to measure things so could not remember size or length so he handed me two rolls and said to give what I did not use to the sheriff . We went back to the car, I replaced the hose, and gave the rest to the sheriff. I do not remember the price but I tried to give the sheriff more and he would not take it, instead giving me change.

It was getting a bit late so I asked where was a good place to eat and he sent us into town. There we had a good meal and the sheriff came in. I bought him his cup of coffee and thanked him once again. He told the waitress what had happened and she would not let us leave until she had given the kids cupcakes and ice cream.

That is why that named seemed so familiar to me.

Don Bowen Awl Knotted Up KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com
My travel journal
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

I am omnivagant.

From sanrico AT highdesert.com Wed Jan 10 12:18:44 2007

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On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 09:40:52 -0700, Gene GeRue wrote:

=20
I post this to again remind us that a great deal of what we read and=20=

=20

tend to believe is "news" that is manufactured and manipulated by=20=20
some entity other than the ostensible author. Never forget, let the=20=20
reader beware.
=20
ExxonMobil=E2=80=99s motivation, presumably, is=20=20
to protect a fantastically lucrative market: its 2005 profits of $36=20=

=20

billion made it the most profitable corporation in history.=20

My sometimes convoluted little thinking processes prompt me to ask (with "D=
own
with income taxes" still ringing in my virtual ears) - I wonder how much of=
that
$36 billion was paid in corporate 'taxes'? I personally think that anything
labeled 'Inc.' is just a legal hedge (is that the word I want?) to avoid the
bloodletting the rest of us are forced to go through. Be that as it may, why
couldn't those taxes be returned to John Q. Public, in the form of alternat=
ive
energy programs, at the grassroots level. Probably impossible and not worka=
ble,
but a thought, anyway. I love what-if's.

But that=20=20

very wealth puts them in a position both to shape and eventually=20=20
dominate the postcarbon energy world, if they choose to do so.

There's that pesky little 'if' again! Stick a $ in front of 'dominate', and=
the
phone will be ringing off the hook.
=20=20

Ironically, as the report points out, the company and its=20=20
shareholders will suffer if it gets left behind in the transition to=20=

=20

less polluting forms of energy.

Let them invest in solar, (environmentally-friendly) hydro, etc...and how a=
bout
sweat? All the intimidating - and expensive - technology we've been talking=
about
keeps us busy, keeps us broke, and keeps us...sitting on our collective but=
ts!

Somewhere on the list - I have no way to look it up - there was a suggestio=
n that
a person could make quite a good living in the coming years by simply insta=
lling
and repairing renewable energy stuff.

Sandy

=20=20

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[Homestead] Grocery Co-ops, sanrico, 01/10/2007
- Re: [Homestead] Grocery Co-ops, Don Bowen, 01/10/2007
  - [Homestead] Rural conditions, Gene GeRue, 01/10/2007