To avert famine across Europe in the near future

[NewDayOranges]

Because Ukraine will not be able to deliver crops to European consumers due to Russian aggression...

Shouldn't the Dept of Agriculture encouraging farmers to grow more grains?

Can any DU farmers let us know what is going on?

[NJCher]

1. I know a big-time farmer in the Midwest

I just put in a call. Will post back when I hear from him.

[Backseat Driver]

2. I like to bake, but was wondering if I should try to buy regular bulk AP flour, dividing it,

and sticking it in the freezer to thwart the development of long-term storage buggy-boos and increased costs on smaller bags in the short-term future? Sometimes I buy organic specialty nut/seed and grain flours like rye and oats as well when I see them in local markets. Thanks for phoning your friend NJCher - I'll be interested to know what their take is on the consequences of Ukraine not being able to plant on time or any time soon. So many in their cities and villages have lost their homes and jobs as well, becoming both permanent and/or single-parent refugees entering various nations around the world. I like to purchase grocery items, bakery, grass- or field-fed and/or grain finished meats, and produce from my local farmers within a days' distribution. Some prices have gone up some, influenced by retail inflation at this point. We've also got plenty of hungry in our country. I see feeding the multitudes of war and in our country a nutritious diet a real emergency!

[2naSalit]

3. I've been slowly...

Collecting large bulk bags of a few things. Last week it was sugar, next it will be flours - a variety of kinds, already bought rice a week ago. I'm storing them in sealed containers in their bags. I like to use small galvanized trash cans with lids or large, glass, 1 gal pickles jars. Nonfood items go into pickle buckets with lids and handles.

I have an old cookbook that was published during WWII. In the very back, after the index, is an appendix of ten pages titled, "Wartime Cookery". In those pages is the method for substituting honey for sugar, rendering fat, which cuts of meat to buy so the more transportable cuts can be shipped to the war zone and what's in the tin cans by size and shape.

The book had several editions, I had a few of them at one time, and in the back of each different edition was a different appendix. One year had plans/blueprints for a few styles of root cellars, in another were butchering charts for farm and game animals. I held on to the one with the wartime cookery.

I talked to my friends about this recently and we came to the conclusion that stocking up is a good idea, just don't go crazy. Storing things properly is key. I've lived much of my home life in rural places so I have always had to consider storage and buying more than just a week's worth when venturing out to shop.