The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at understaffing and reduced production at meat packing plants.

Will Democrats Who Flee Cities Take City Values with Them?

The latest from commentator Bill Whittle: Political Pandemic: Will Democrats Who Flee Cities Take City Values with Them?

New Yorkers Who’ve Fled and Vow to Never Return

Over at The New York Post: Meet the New Yorkers who fled coronavirus in the city – and vow to never return.  JWR’s Comment:  I suppose that I need to add the term “The Platinum Horde” to my lexicon.  🙂

Meat Packing Plants Suffer Lower Production Rates

Social distancing at meat packing plants affecting production rates, less selection expected in stores.

As Meat Plants Slow, U.S. to Help Cull Livestock

A.K. sent this: As meat plants slow, U.S. will help growers kill livestock. A snippet:

“The National Pork Board held a webinar on Sunday that discussed step by step “emergency depopulation and disposal” of hogs.

Producers have warned since mid-March of a potentially ruinous backup on the farm of cattle and hogs because of a slowdown at slaughter plants. Hog farmers may be in the worse situation because hogs typically reach slaughter weight of around 250 pounds in five or six months from birth and cannot easily be held from market.”

Your First Test Drive of Socialist America

Reader H.L. sent us this piece by Wayne Allyn Root over at Townhall: Are You Enjoying Your First Test Drive of Socialist America?  Here is now his essay begins:

“Are you enjoying your first taste of socialism? Life in America today is a sneak preview of life in Cuba or Venezuela. Democrats love it. This is the future they plan for you. The current economic catastrophe is exactly what America will look like if we institute the Green New Deal.

The goal is to defeat climate change by killing your job, taking away your car, closing your business and turning America into Cuba or Venezuela.”

COVID-19 Contact-Tracing and Abusive Surveillance

Reader Karen B. sent this one:  Lawmakers warn coronavirus contact-tracing is ripe for abusive surveillance

Coronavirus Tyranny: Forced Vaccinations and ‘Digital Certificates’

Ron Paul: Next in Coronavirus Tyranny: Forced Vaccinations and ‘Digital Certificates’. Here is an excerpt:

“If government can force individuals to receive medical treatment against their will, then there is no reason why government cannot force individuals to buy medical insurance, prohibit them from owning firearms, dictate their terms of employment, and prevent them from taking arguably harmful actions like smoking marijuana or drinking raw milk. Similarly, if government can override parents’ wishes regarding medical treatment for their children, then there is no reason why government cannot usurp parental authority in other areas, such as education.”

Elon Musk Calls US Shelter-in-Place Orders Fascist

D.S.V.  sent us this: Elon Musk bashes US shelter-in-place orders as ‘fascist,’ says they’re ‘forcibly imprisoning’ people in their homes. Here is a pericope from the article:

“In a short rant complete with expletives, Elon Musk doubled down on his stance against the shelter-in-place orders introduced by various US states in recent weeks in an effort to stop the novel coronavirus’ spread.

The Tesla chief executive did not mince words on a Wednesday conference call following the company’s surprise first-quarter profit when he said Tesla’s forced factory shutdowns were a “serious risk” to the electric-car maker’s business.

‘Frankly, I would call it forcible imprisoning of people in their homes against all of, their constitutional rights, in my opinion,'”

You can send your news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) Thanks!




56 Comments

  1. There was a similar article in the NY Times re: all of the NYC folks who had the means to flee the city doing so, leaving their NYC apartments empty and renting(or even just buying) places in rural NY state, CT etc. This is worrisome for a number of reasons including that this could drive up housing prices in more rural areas even further. For someone to own or rent a NYC apt and just leave it vacant and move elsewhere means they’ve got money to spend. Added to this they’re discovering how they can telecommute from anywhere that has cell and broadband internet.

    VT has decided to try to use some of the Covid-19 Federal money to improve internet service in the rural areas of the state which are sorely lacking. Ordinarily I’d say this is a good thing as we have many areas that lack cell and high-speed internet. On the other hand, this will open up these areas to people with money who can then purchase their dream home and outbid the locals. When I was looking for a home here this summer I was interested in a house located in the same town I’d lived(and farmed) in for many years. It evidently was quite attractive to many though and realtors were busily preparing offers for out-of-state clients who had never seen anything but pics of the property! I didn’t even try to buy it as I knew I couldn’t compete with plentiful out-of-state dollars! Sad to not be able to live where I had lived for so long.

  2. “Platinum Horde” Lol
    the interviews I saw only went to places like New Jersey so they are still trying to have it both ways and will still fail.

  3. @ “The Platinum Horde,” I like it! 🙂

    @ Meat packing plants – Been reading about this a bit and it seems there is a bottleneck taking place. There is plenty of meat, but the corporations are bottle-necking the supply in a way that is a concern in the short term, but may be more beneficial over the longer term.

    I have been reading that for several years (or longer) smaller cattle operations have been expanding their business to raise, slaughter and package their cattle by trying to connect directly with the consumer. This could be a great thing for local sustainability with more jobs, more local security, better food, and a all around a better approach to community. It might be wise to start looking for people in your area through some sort of coop or local farms looking to expand their market.

    1. Thankfully, we have a local Amish butcher shop. The wait has stretched out to 2-3 weeks to get your prder filled, but they are still cranking it out. As other processing plants close, others have been turning to this business. I am very thankful for a local business like this.

    2. Thats exactly what we are doing. My sales the last 2 months are phenomenal. I just sold 350lbs of ground chuck from my freezer and every 3rd customer wants a half for their freezer. My butcher is taking appointments 2 months out which works well for me finishing them in the barn.

    3. We operate a small organic teaching farm near Eugene Oregon.
      Our farmers markets are closed by orders from Oregon governess Kate ‘Moonbeam’ Brown, sister of California governor Edmund ‘Moonbeam’ Brown.
      With nothing else to do, the government agents enforce their lockdown with drive-bys several times a day.
      Violation of lockdown ‘laws’ transfers my money into their pockets.

  4. I’m hearing a lot about how ranchers can’t sell their feeder steers for market. I’ve offered to help by posting for individual sales and even offered to buy one. Thing is I’m not getting any takers. It seems it’s an all or nothing deal in their minds. It’s either profit or tax write off and looking for government assistance.
    The local butcher has re-opened and needs business. I do understand that it’s more work to pull out one or two at a time but hard times call for hard work.
    I ended up going with plan B for my meat but it sure seemed odd to me that the attitude is all or nothing.

        1. Thanks for the reply. People do not like change, but many of these ranchers would benefit by recognizing their power and exercising that power in ways that cut out the corporations. This situation could be an opportunity for many.

  5. To the Ron Paul article….

    Huh…….. What!?

    You mean to say that the government isn’t already doing this? Hasn’t been doing this for years? Didn’t take massive steps in further increasing thier ability to do this while you were in the Senate 1997 – 2013 during the time of the most blatant destruction of our constitutionally guaranteed rights?

    Ok so the idea of surveillance we got an ap for that is new but….

    Google and apple already keep a GPS and location log of you phone for over a year. So nothing new there. And that data is available upon request do to… And almost exclusively in fact the legislature you were party to enacting.

    During the post WW2 trials men were found guilty in the court for the genocide who were not even connected by any actions to a camp just soldiers in the army because they were high ranking enough in the party.

    By the same standards I hold Ron Paul guilty he was directly responsible for making everything he is warning about happen either through direct or indirect action and through his own silence

    1. Re: “…through his own silence.” Are you kidding? Ron Paul was OUTSPOKEN and one of the precious few libertarian conservatives to ever be elected to congress. He eschewed party politics and always voted his conscience. His nickname in Congress was “Dr. No”, because he voted on principle against so many bills–often in opposition to his party’ leadership. You are picking on the wrong former congresscritter. Dr. Paul was a truly exceptional congressman.

      And, BTW, Ron Paul was a member of the House of Representatives–not the Senate. It is his son Rand Paul who is a U.S. Senator. And Rand Paul’s voting record is not as good as his father’s.

      1. He was out spoken it’s true and I do apologize for my own error on which legislative branch he was in I should have said Congress.

        How ever aside from the fact that most of the bills he sponsored were post office name changes and commemorations coins etc..

        He introduced

        https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/218?s=1&r=55

        Which allows for a government enforcement officer to supersede state carry laws aka more power to the very jack boots who would need to be fought against.

        And

        https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/house-bill/1658?s=1&r=69

        Slowing government to more and better property seizure.

        To name a few.

        During my research into him I have noted that he initiated very few, co sponsored many and did little to give back any government control or shrink its size.

        Hence my statement.

        If I am in error please show.

        1. And I am not against Mr Paul any more than I am against any other politicians \ government person of those times

          They are almost all guilty as are the populace who supported and enabled them.

          By the time those in power are comfortable publicly flaunting thier power with blatant abuses the fight has been lost

          Warning about loss of freedoms etc now is akin to sitting in a life boat screaming to watch out for icebergs.

    1. That’s the problem. Texas cities, palm beach broward and dade counties Florida are full of transplant Deomocrats. They bring their ideaogy of government spending and programs with them. They then get Involed in local government and ruin the area. It’s a plague that has caused red states to turn purple. Even the JWR’s precious own state has California prgessives moving in too.

      Solution….conservatives need to get out the vote and show up for every election.

  6. Democrats bring all their diseases with them. Look at what they have accomplished in Maine, once a rock-ribbed refuge of self-reliance and now a nanny-state run by a tinpot dictator, Janet Mills.
    My family has lived there since the 1600s. Now I am afraid I can’t go back.

  7. A close assessment of the problems at hand — market and contract mechanics, government interventions, and more — must be accomplished, and the issues addressed.

    The closing line from the meat packing article should get everyone’s attention: “In opening the Pork Board webinar, chief executive Bill Even said, “Our worst-case scenarios are starting to materialize.””

    1. Telesilla of Argos,

      From my perspective, the meat plant story is political theater.

      “Our worst-case scenarios are starting to materialize.” – Their worst-case scenario, certainly not ours. To be clear, it is their business that is at stake, and they are going to do everything possible to secure their business. I recall Trump offering a bailout to food processors just last week. This tactic is called the principle of scarcity.

      They either get their business in order, or someone else, through some process is going to, in the least, expose the supply line weakness of corporate farming.

      At best, people may completely cut corporations out entirely. The longer this drags on, the more likely someone (like Matt above has already began efforts to do), is going to organize smaller geographic regions in ways that will have both political and economic support. Yay Capitalism!

      🙂

      1. Hello Muddykid!
        I would agree that there is an element of political theatre, but would add that the disaster befalling the meatpacking industry is going to affect the population as a whole — and probably sooner than most realize.

        I would also agree that there are serious problems in the current corporate environment. The shock to the system may give rise to better alternatives — including decentralization of the food supply — but there will be a shock nevertheless, and there will be collateral damage as a result.

        As much as I am “all for” decentralization for lots and lots of reasons, I withhold any celebration because of the suffering that will surely come with all of this — and for many.

        1. Hello back!

          If there is one thing I am sure about when it comes to human history, it is that the supply line is a defining characteristic of civilization. Without that supply line running, all else is a crap shoot.

          Military’s cannot function without supply lines, governments cannot function without supply lines, what it means to be modern is dependent on supply lines. Those supply lines (to include ideology) will remain connected in some fashion, be it grassroots, military deployment, or a new balance of power. The supply line has been a (if not the) primary aspect to empire for thousands of years.

          From a geopolitical perspective, who owns Smithfield? Who is going to get bailouts, who is not, where does that food go? I am personally not worried about a food shortage just yet in my region.

          The old saying “never let a crisis go to waste” does not only apply to politicians. There comes a point that people will get fed up and start organizing themselves. Our conversation here could be a spark that influences others.

          In fact, I’d like to see Pudge get back in here and offer a little politickin’ about a SOP on supply lines 😉

          1. Muddykid, there’s a military axiom that “amateurs talk, tactics, professionals talk logistics”. If nothing else, this crisis has revealed the weaknesses in our logistical systems. What will come of this remains to be seen.

            And it’s my understanding that Smithfield is owned by the Chi-Coms.

  8. Hmm, many yrs ago when Citi bank came into town, people from New York and other est coast towns move into the local area, they brought money from the sale of their houses and bought ” farms “, in reality just the farm yards and maybe a few acres on the side. some even bought large tracts of land for investment and they didn’t cringe at the price of the land or farm yards. they out bid all the local people / farmers and didn’t care about money.

  9. The Demon-rats are shoveling out money to people to NOT work and dangling the carrot that more will come ( if they get elected), to keep the economy from rebounding. The public school system has brainwashed our youth for the last 12 years about the virtues of socialism, but not shown the demise of Venswela (spelling Not my best subject). A study of the real plight of any socialist country after a few years of socialism would be a wake up call to some of them, but unfortunatly not all.

  10. If you want to complain about the lack of meat processing you have to blame the federal government. The USDA has regulated small processing plants out of business with laws and regulations. In order to process meat for resale the processing plant needs a full time government inspector on site and provided with an office. Small processors can’t afford that, and there is more hurtles than that. Its why when you do have an animal processed at a “butcher” they label the packages “not for resale”.
    As in many areas of life, if we can get the guvment out of our way, small business will find a solution and eliminate the problem, I’m not holding my breath.

    1. All of those laws and regulations were put in place because … Well because of irresponsible people who caused food to be produced that was unhealthy. It’s a condition of industrialization.

      1. If you look at all the food born illnesses over the last few years, virtually every one came from a corporate, USDA inspected plant. It doesn’t matter if it was bad meat or some bad veggies, they all came from the big corporate USDA inspected plants. So much for federal oversight of our food processing. Typical government failures and we pay the price.

        Let the free market decide and make sure all processing plants can be held liable for their failures. Currently, like Big Pharma, Big Ag is usually held harmless for their failures. The regulations are there to protect the mega-businesses and keep the small scale competition out. From the bureaucratic standpoint, it’s a lot easier for the bureaucrats to deal with a very few large businesses (in many cases the big businesses get to self regulate and self inspect) than for the bureaucrats to deal with a much larger number of small businesses.

        1. Agree the tainted food probably came from large regulated plants, but the problem is not the government inspectors, its the Corporations who cut corners, exploit their workers, push the production lines too fast. The quality of the product is derived from the management of the plant. If the plant isn’t producing a quality product, or safe food, responsibility rests with Management and the owners.

          The problem with the free market deciding or providing the controls is that our food is produced and processed states if not countries away. The free market works great if the food is made and purchased locally, from the independent butcher or the farmers market. I have no clue where the ground beef in the grocery store came from unless its the expensive grass fed organic beef. It’s hard to tell where quite a bit of the food in the grocery store even came from. Next problem, it can be tough to figure out if food or which food may have caused medical problems. From a sustainability, quality, fairness, minimizing chemicals, preserving top soil, minimizing energy consumption, and other perspectives I like the idea of a decentralized food production system with locally grown food. My wife shops at the local farmers market. This goes with drugs and a whole host of products that are manufactured in total or contain components manufactured overseas. My van has a high US/Canadian content, but 25% still comes from elsewhere. It’s a big problem for National defense too as so many pieces of major weapon systems are foreign sourced by the commercial sector.

  11. I know first hand how people leaving from NYC and other liberal states can influence areas. The area I live in was conservative, had manufacturing, and the area was ideal. Then the yuppie, hippie, liberals “discovered” our area and moved in and within a couple of years changes started to occur. The city council/mayor, county changed from conservative to democratic liberal. Taxes started to go up for their liberal pet projects and wasteful spending and manufacturing started leaving because of the higher taxes and the area is now known as the San Francisco of the East. Most income now is from tourism and the service industry that goes with it and very liberal. And within the last couple of years several city employee’s have been convicted for embezzlement of several million dollars of city funds, received a fine (far less than the money embezzled) and prison time which they are now out on probation and living high on the money and their pension (yes they got to keep that). Most of our taxes go to pay for ads for the local tourism and vacation homes are still being built. I expect taxes to go up again for the lost revenue on tourists dollars. I know some of you will ask why don’t we move, but we are in our 70s, everything is paid for, and we would have to almost start over again.

    1. Dan, maybe 100 years ago but not now,any local supplier who sold tainted or dangerous product would last minutes and be replaced. Further,competiton would raise quality and lower prices. It is why farmers markets have become more common.

  12. Re: Taste of Socialism

    When Coronavirus started we did not know what we were dealing with. (At least the public did not. Not entirely sure about leadership.) We quickly did develop all the necessary metrics to understand what we were dealing with however.

    Our current taste of Socialism is a natural outgrowth of our overblown fear of risk. To be blunt, as a nation, we have become cowards. We react to every little threat that appears naturally or is ginned up by the media or our leadership with hysteria. We are operating like herd animals being hunted by being stampeded over cliffs. If one stands up and resists the stampede the social pressure is enormous.

    If we do not stand up we will not be free any more. If we do stand up we have to have the moral courage and intellectual honesty to acknowledge that some may die because of it. But history shows that lack of freedom results in far more deaths than almost any natural disasters. Men with unlimited power kill far more men before their time than nature.

    There is only a limited amount one can do but I personally take the stand that wearing a mask in public plays into the hands of our current tyrannical leadership. I refuse to do it unless the property owner/business requires it and then I consider carefully whether I will go to that business. This is a little scary. What if I get it? What if I give it to someone else? The numbers say that is a minute risk but there is uncertainty. Freedom has ALWAYS involved uncertainty and risk. Lack of freedom is far more risky.

    IMO the mask now is a visual symbols which reinforces the herd mentality and strengthens those hunting our society.

    This coronavirus event has changed me. Perhaps it has changed many others too. But this nearly instant reversal of our most basic freedoms is terrifying. I will not be part of the herd.

    1. I agree with you mostly so amen to that however at this point not wearing a mask is in acceptable. In most situations as proper PPE and disinfecting practices are needed we don’t know where this is going but it has shown that it has the ability to overwhelm health care.

      Furthermore showing an adult and responsible reaction by following directions and taking common sense approaches to risk mitigation removes the power of those in power to take away our rights even more. As opposed to drinking bleach and licking toilets and staging bare faced non distanced protests after only weeks of lockdown…

      But I guess I’m alone in that opinion

      1. I don’t think you are alone in your views. And they were mine until recently.

        Regarding PPE, if we are going to engage PPE for this, we should engage it for seasonal flu. No this is not flu but the numbers, particularly those coming back with antibody testing are saying this is similar if not milder and it is much more targeted. Regarding following instructions, I am typically quite compliant In that regard. However I no longer believe those issuing those instructions or the fake modeling that lead to those instructions. Lie after lie has been crushed by the numbers.

        The mask has become a symbol of assent to giving up our freedoms to people who make arbitrary policy. I do not believe it is sensible any more. I think it is cowardly.

        1. I agree with your statement comparing PPE and flu

          Unfortunately though as you stated this ain’t the flu.

          This has shown that it has very broad spreading including in areas of the world that have summer conditions. And enough world wide infected that even if it is seasonal it will be back next season.

          Right now we are as a nation on time out. We have literally been told by our parents to go sit in our room and not to come back out until we can behave.
          And the public response was to disregard the rules and throw tantrums…. Has that ever gotten you to look at your child more favorably?

          Following the set orders and publicly doing so isn’t being a coward or an “Uncle Tom” it’s given a firm message and a clean image to leverage off of to prevent future further lock downs.

          Because this virus is new and less understood and apt to act unpredictable. There is also no proven time tested repeatable treatment for it or natural immunity.

          Where as if you get flu you get really sick your body already knows some what how to fight it and your given Tamiflu and if need be hospitalized so that the body can fight it.

    2. “If we do not stand up we will not be free any more.”

      Hey JBH, we haven’t been free in your lifetime or mine, what difference will it make if we lose a few more liberties now?

      If our constitution had guaranteed this right: “Freedom is the societal condition that exists when every individual has full (i.e. 100%) control over his own property” our society would have evolved in a completely different direction and we wouldn’t be in the mess were in today, especially the Mexican beer virus mess.

      Here’s an essay to enjoy with a cup of coffee and some cinnamon rolls:

      http://strike-the-root.com/4/macgregor/macgregor1.html

    3. “There is only a limited amount one can do but I personally take the stand that wearing a mask in public plays into the hands of our current tyrannical leadership. I refuse to do it…
      IMO the mask now is a visual symbols which reinforces the herd mentality and strengthens those hunting our society.”

      If you recall, when the Chinese virus first reached America – most of the government and the mainstream media was telling us not to buy or wear masks. They claimed that the peasants were too dumb to figure out how to wear masks properly, so we shouldn’t bother buying and wasting them. In reality, they wanted to reserve masks of all sorts for medical workers and figured they could just tell the rest of us to stay home.

      Where I work, I was wearing my own respirator two weeks before everybody was required to wear a mask of some sort. About a week earlier I was actually told not to wear it because I would cause a panic, but then several days later we were all told we could wear masks if we wanted to. About two weeks after that – it became mandatory.

      Social distancing ourselves six feet apart is nonsensical as the virus can stay in the air for hours in an indoor environment where people are moving around and air is circulating. The only social distancing that makes any sense is to stay completely away from other people, which isn’t really feasible for anybody who needs to shop or go to work. Forcing businesses to close is unnecessary as long as everybody wears masks, avoids fiddling with them and practices good hygiene.

      I’m probably as conservative and patriotic as anybody can be, and aside from the public schools and universities – I want to see America re-open ASAP. I believe that many of the government emergency orders we’ve seen over the last couple of months are very unnecessary and unconstitutional. But there is nothing unreasonable or unconstitutional about mandating the use of masks in buildings used for commerce or gatherings – for the duration of the pandemic – to prevent the virus from spreading. Only seven states are actually doing that; the other states are only recommending it.

      Wearing a real respirator is about the only protective measure we can take against the virus when we’re in public that actually makes sense. It may not filter out everything in the air, but it will filter out a lot. Do a web search for “3M Respiratory Protection for Airborne Exposures to Biohazards PDF” to see how particulate filter material works and what it is capable of filtering.

    4. JBH,

      I disagree with your interpretation. Wearing a mask shows a respect for other people and yourself. People that choose not to wear masks show their disrespect for other people and the community. Every person is potentially contagious and a carrier of the virus because people can show no symptoms but still be sick with the virus and contagious. When people, at least those infected with the virus, wear the mask they reduce the number of virus particles released to infect other people. There is no way for the average individual to know if they have the virus for more than a day or two after being tested, so everyone needs to wear a mask. Masks are not about socialism, herd mentality, tyranny, fear, or oppression. They are about reducing the spread of the virus, about protecting you and your neighbor.

      About 30% of the country is high risk, something around 100M. If I see someone in a store, or I see store employees and they don’t have masks on I must, as a person who doesn’t want to catch the virus or give the virus to someone I love, treat those non-mask wearing individuals as public health threats to my person. They all must be treated as walking virus spreaders. I won’t enter businesses that have customers without masks and I won’t do business with businesses who have employees not wearing masks. I haven’t even been in a building other than my house for 7 weeks and I won’t be going back until community spread is lower and masks are worn by all. There will or should be tens of millions if not over 100M who think just like me.

  13. Montana Rancher is correct. Support The PRIME Act sponsored by Representative Thomas Massey. This act will remove the USDA from the small processors.

  14. Montana rancher,,,,,,,right on , we have 15 head can’t ship ,no brand inspection ,,,can’t get done local ,,feed or shoot???????

  15. RE: Your First Test Drive of Socialist America
    It seems to me that this is definitely a pre-planned event to see what people will tolerate in the US. China went the way they always do, and it probably made a difference in their densely populated country. Even countries that have been struggling to become functioning democracies after the fall of the USSR, and were making progress, are now suddenly feeling the boot on their necks again. Here, the divide between progressives and conservativism continues to widen, they think they can beat us into submission or re-educate us. The true value of freedom is being able to have a choice to be stupid, such as continuing to attend large gatherings in the face of an unknown disease. I won’t do it, and may never again, but I want that choice.
    We are starting to see the limits of peoples’ patience, 4-6 weeks. The economic devastation is massive, and less-draconian suggestions probably would not have been enough in this country, but it’s important to remember that two months were lost when we could have been getting ready and the real purpose of everything since the China travel ban has been to slow the inevitable and get our healthcare system in a position where it might not collapse.

  16. Regarding the potential meat shortages, a friend at church referred me to this:

    https://www.houseofraeford.com/news/house-of-raeford-farms-meeting-the-community-chicken-demand/?fbclid=IwAR3yYUihU8CAQPZPCrMp1UvoTZICmzZiquhr6Gv3HzjHXzJp8bgSq6b5fvk

    BLUF, this private company is selling direct to consumers at extremely low prices for fresh chicken in bulk. I have no connections to House of Raeford, but will be taking advantage of a sale in our area. Their prices are about 25% of what I pay at my local butcher, who normally offers excellent product at a reasonable price. In fact, we normally buy half a cow from them in the fall, and will be checking with them about the availability of another half cow here shortly.

    The more I look around, the more I think of Joseph and the 7 years of plenty. I fear we’re towards the end of that 7 years.

    Stay safe, folks.

    1. Francis Marion,

      Please don’t give House of Raeford a bailout! Stick with your small town butcher whom you have even said gives a fair price on a quality product. He deserves your hard earned dollar!

      We must rally around those who are local and are our neighbors. The only reason House of Raeford gives 2 bits about you is because they need cash.

      Please support your local butcher, baker, small grocer, and farmer if possible as it sounds like you do most of the time.

      Supply chains are fragile and when we give our dollars to large corporations we are eventually left with only large corporations, then, when we need the local butcher because a virus has wiped out the mega mart supply chain there is only an empty store front where our butcher used to supply excellent product at a reasonable price.

      1. Solagratia,

        First, love the handle…Grace Alone, indeed.

        I understand your concern, and if this were a massive conglomerate like Tyson or Smithfield, I would agree completely. But this is a regional company (they’re only in 4 states) with farms and processors in my area, so they actually are a local organization (and yes, I’m aware I might be leaking a bit of OPSEC, but anyone who hasn’t figured out what State I’m in already won’t benefit much from this 🙂 ). In addition, the more I look at the company, the more impressed I am.

        What this looks like from my foxhole is a responsible small corporation doing what they can to protect their company, including their employees and farmers, while serving their local communities and being a good steward of their resources.

        In addition, I have a responsibility to look after my family. And while I have been able to telework during this event, I’ve also taken about a 15% reduction in income. Granted, some of that is offset by reduced expenses (fuel costs, etc), but I still have to be a good steward of my own resources. My favorite parable is the Parable of the Talents, and I try to make the most out of what our Lord has given me.

        Again, I understand and agree with your overall point that we need to maximize support of our local businesses, for many reasons. I will continue to support my local butcher, restaurants, and farmer’s markets. But I think we can also support some larger organizations under the right conditions.

        Grace to you,

        1. Good morning Francis Marion and Grace to You!

          I am somewhat familiar with HoR, as I am in your region it sounds like, and would agree, they are not on the level of Tyson or Smithfield.

          As a very small farmer who offers “home grown” alternatives to what the 3 mentioned above provide, my passion for local support got the better of me when I read your initial comment and I apologize for sounding so bossy. In full disclosure, I saw your comment as an opportunity to jump on my soap box and that isn’t fair to you either, so again I apologize.

          In times such as these our need for seeking the mind of Christ in every decision we make becomes so much more evident. We need His discernment and wisdom for how, where and when to spend our money along with how, where and when to speak our mind.

          May God bless your day Francis Marion!

          1. Thank you for your…if you’ll forgive the pun…gracious reply. I took no offense, and saw only your passion for supporting local groups, one that I share, though I admit I don’t have your level of skin in the game. I am, at best, a rank amateur in food production, though we’re improving in that area. And if I gave you the opportunity to remind this community of the importance of supporting local providers, then I see that as a net positive. May our Lord bless you in your endeavors and watch over you and yours in this time of turmoil.

  17. What is it that makes liberals so adamant about controlling other peoples lives. I live in n. Idaho where it’s sometimes seems we’ve been annexed by California. Some are conservative, but many are not. Many political post are being taken over by transplants, and while there talk is moderate there actions are liberal. Many transplants I talk to argue a collective philosophy over a individuals right to be left alone. I have 3 years to retirement ( if there is one) and I’m out of here.

  18. I live in central Vermont. I work at a college that shut down and may never return. I have an unknown number of what locals call “flatlanders” in the hills above my home, mostly in summer getaway cabins or fall hunting camps. Can’t tell how many, only so many cabins and camps but each has multiple vehicles at each… mostly with NY, CT, MA, RI, and NJ plates with an occasional PA… they drive past me every day. In town they complain about dirt roads, only one grocery store, limited cell phone coverage, and on and on. Many show up on Town Meeting Day to ask for paved roads, fire hydrants (insurance rates!), more cell towers… on and on. I’m originally a ranch kid from NW New Mexico whose home town is now run by Califonicators… no, you can never go home. I live here because my wife’s a native Vermonter. We get told our dogs bark too much (stay off my property and no, we can’t chase off or kill the bears and coyotes); No my manure pile is NOT hazardous waste (ask nice and I’ll tell you where the part that’s good for gardens is); I don’t care if a neighbor was shooting some GUNS yesterday, Turkey/Deer season is coming and it’s just fun making loud noises on some days; SORRY, my farmer neighbors spread their manure on their fields as fertilizer… after all, they ARE THEIR fields; I DON’T CARE if we don’t really have “next day delivery” (we don’t)… Yeah folks, when the herd migrates they DO change the environment they move to. Oh, and their predators follow the herds as well. Good Bye rural America…

  19. @ Jerome

    Fellow Vermonter here(Northern). I so feel your pain! I suspect we will gain even more of these people fleeing NYC, NJ, Boston etc after this pandemic. Many of us came from elsewhere but it’s important to leave the big-city attitudes at the border when you arrive!

  20. I believe people fleeing cities will bring their values with them. If you get to know them, almost all of them, you will find their values overlap with most of the readers of this site. There will be some differences in values, but not anything close to how conservative media and Republican politicians portray Liberals and anyone who opposes their Kingdom. What is different is how those common values translate into beliefs, and how those beliefs are best implemented at the individual, local, city, state and national level. These beliefs are different and show up in policy.

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