Homestead mailing list

[Don Bowen KI6DIU <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

Here is something I wrote for another list:

Corn in May of 1964 when I left the farm was $1.18 bu and by October was 
$1.05.
In 1992 it was $1.94 bu.
In October of 2000 it was $1.80
Today it is $3.74.

In 1992 wheat was $3.24.
In 2000 wheat was $2.15.
Last year wheat was $4.09.
Today it is $8.98.

Gasoline prices in October of 1992 were $1.113 gal.
October of 2000 saw $1.498.
This year it is $2.81.

Crude in 1992 was $21.76
In 2000 it was $32.05.
Today it is $80.48.

Those price increases will be reflected directly in your food 
bill.  Confinement feeding operations are designed around cheap commodity 
corn but with the competition from ethanol producers they are shifting to 
wheat and other grains.  Wheat requires a different and more expensive set 
of medical chemicals so the price of beef, pork, chickens, and eggs are 
going up.

China's 10% per year growth is giving rise to increased expectations to its 
consumers.  Increased consumption of pork, beef, chicken, and wheat 
products is significantly increasing the demand on wheat stocks.  Severe 
drought in Australia has a deep impact on world wide wheat stocks.

China's growth has given it the money to bid up the price of oil needed for 
its growth.  India is also biding up the price of oil and food stuffs.  Oil 
is an important part of the industrialized food production and delivery system.

Over the next few years expect significant increases in the prices of food 
while at the same time expect decreases in availability.  Now is the time 
to learn to grow your own.  A 1000 sq. ft. garden, 8 laying chickens and 16 
meat chickens, and 2 bee hives should be a minimum goal.



Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com