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We've always had TP here, although the stores did limit purchases. Bread was limited too but we always had it.
In this area most people raise or hunt for their meat, most of us have large freezers full, so no shortages at the store.
What did get short was flour and yeast for some reason, but while there's still candy at the store, with the kids home, you can't find a cookie or potato chips! Nacho chips and Cheetos are a long distant memory.
I have noticed a lot of kids fishing along the river which is a great thing.
Better than sitting on the computer eating cookies and chips!
I love to hear that kids are going fishing. It's fun. That was a favorite thing to do on a Saturday when my children were small. You're very fortunate you didn't have to deal with the madness. I think that was more frustrating than the fact that supplies were limited. I really have a disdain for gluttony but that's exactly what I saw in my state. Kudos to all of you in your state for being level headed.
Costco in Helena is out of fresh cut and packaged chicken except for wings and tenderloins.
I never really understood why on earth anyone would want the bird loins separate from the breasts, but that’s just me. I did pick up a couple pork shoulders and I’m smoking them now. And of course I’ve got two hogs coming in mid May.
A local processor is offering a whole #300 hog, butchered and wrapped for $300. They’re getting hogs from SD.
"What did get short was flour and yeast for some reason"
I think it's half panic buying and half people who are staying home and wanting to learn how to bake. We've given yeast away to several neighbors who were looking for projects to do with their kids during the day.
Yeast isn't required to make bread, it is a convenience. There are instructions and videos in abundance on the internet on how to make a sour dough starter. The downside is it takes about a week before you can start baking.
There are instructions and videos in abundance on the internet on how to make a sour dough starter.
I have known for years that leaving flour and water to do their thing would eventually give you a dough starter, but I didn't know until I saw it in a video, this morning, that it was sourdough, LoL
Another option is that if you make wine or beer you can use those yeasts to make bread. You can even use the yeast sediment from an active batch so you don't have to use new yeast. We have an ample supply of bread yeast. We make a no-knead recipe that uses the yeast to work the gluten over about 12 hours. If we use champagne or wine yeast that time can be shortened to about 3 hours and the bread tastes exactly the same. It doesn't work the other way around though- bread yeast makes horrible wine but it does make it.
Costco in Helena is out of fresh cut and packaged chicken except for wings and tenderloins.
I never really understood why on earth anyone would want the bird loins separate from the breasts, but that’s just me. I did pick up a couple pork shoulders and I’m smoking them now. And of course I’ve got two hogs coming in mid May.
A local processor is offering a whole #300 hog, butchered and wrapped for $300. They’re getting hogs from SD.
My local Costco in the Atlanta suburbs is out of almost all fresh meat except for some pork shoulders and packages of prime steaks.
The local supermarkets in Los Angeles never lifted the two pack rationing limits on meat, canned goods,eggs or the limit of one on paper and cleaning products.
I guess under lockdown with nothing better to do one can spend all day traveling to competitors and get in the social distance lines to buy their ration from each.
Another option is that if you make wine or beer you can use those yeasts to make bread. You can even use the yeast sediment from an active batch so you don't have to use new yeast. We have an ample supply of bread yeast. We make a no-knead recipe that uses the yeast to work the gluten over about 12 hours. If we use champagne or wine yeast that time can be shortened to about 3 hours and the bread tastes exactly the same. It doesn't work the other way around though- bread yeast makes horrible wine but it does make it.
I am a homebrewer (that's my contribution to the prepper word - always make sure I have a supply of home-made beer) Let's be careful here as the yeast for beer is not the same as the yeast to make bread, at least that is what I gather from beer making forums. However...I am on my second batch of "beer bread" where you add a bottle of beer to flour and it works like a champ...so who knows. I add my spent grains from the beer cook by the way, adds lots of fiber and flavor.
Flour itself I indeed found overpriced if you try to order and apparantly there is a shortage. The issue (again from various beer and bread forums) is that most of the flour is packaged for commercial use, i.e. - 50 pound plus bags. Combined with that is many consumers, stuck at home, apparantly found a new hobby (baking). There is no shortage of flour but they have to retool there packaging processes and assembly line to make 5 pound bags available. However my wife found a 5 " bag no problem just last week. The key, just like toilet paper, learn when your local stores stock up.
The local supermarkets in Los Angeles never lifted the two pack rationing limits on meat, canned goods,eggs or the limit of one on paper and cleaning products.
I guess under lockdown with nothing better to do one can spend all day traveling to competitors and get in the social distance lines to buy their ration from each.
Wow. I am seeing none of this. I wonder if my location closer to the middle of the country (the mid-south along the MS/TN border) is making a difference because what a few of you are describing is like an entire different world. My wife went shopping friday and picked all sorts of meat up - we grilled hamburgers last night and meat balls tonight. Yesterday I went out myself to a different grocery store and picked up a pork butt and family pack of chicken wings.
I'm just not seeing any sort of shortage here, meat or otherwise.
Could be also - in the 'Sip we just flow with it, less panic buying. Just a cultural thing. Meat shortage? the rednecks here just laugh and shoot a wild hog.
"I am a homebrewer (that's my contribution to the prepper word - always make sure I have a supply of home-made beer) Let's be careful here as the yeast for beer is not the same as the yeast to make bread, at least that is what I gather from beer making forums."
I have less experience making bread with beer yeast but with all the different types I bet there is a lot of variance in the results. But we have made bread with champagne yeast for years and the only difference is that it proofs faster. I guess it's possible the results can be different dependent on environmental conditions we haven't experienced, or types of bread we have never tried to make.
The reality is that when one is making a sourdough starter, they don't really know what strain of yeast they are getting. Bread doesn't seem to care.
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