# 20$ for 50 pounds of potatoes.



## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

The DW saw potatoes in the 50 pound bag were 20$..... That's up from $8.00 6 weeks ago. :grit: These price increases are gonna hurt.


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## whitewolf (Nov 9, 2003)

I paid $6.99 for 10 pounds at the grocery last week.......talk about sick.....potatoes are definately on our garden list next year. Got a few planted in some chicken wire right now, just seeing if they will make by winter......nothing lost if they don't...just a little time.....alot saved if they make. Times are getting tougher.


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## CowgirlGloria (Jun 19, 2008)

Sooooo thankful I planted potatoes this year!! It is scary how fast food prices are going up. The garden is moderate sized this year (just 53 x 30). Next year it will be doubled in size, at least, probably 60 x 60.


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2008)

stanb999 said:


> The DW saw potatoes in the 50 pound bag were 20$..... That's up from $8.00 6 weeks ago.


That is scary!


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## LvDemWings (Sep 11, 2005)

Yikes Stan thats bad. There has got to be something better around. if you can get into the Mt. Holly area of NJ I bet you would do better at the Columbus Farmers Market.


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

That is a steep jump. Any chance it has something to do with when most potatoes are harvested and shipped? I thought that it wasn't for a little while longer in most of the country.

I could go to the grocery store and pay $2 for a 5 lb bag, which is the same as what she saw.

Kayleigh


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

They spiked here (KY) 2 weeks ago to $6/10 lbs, but are back now to the usual $3/10 lbs.


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

well fertilizer doubled and diesel fuel doubled to the farmer that plants them, culivates and digs them, diesel fuel also doubled for the truck that brings them to the markets.
they just passed the price on


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

LvDemWings said:


> Yikes Stan thats bad. There has got to be something better around. if you can get into the Mt. Holly area of NJ I bet you would do better at the Columbus Farmers Market.


The 50 bucks for gas would most likely offset the savings.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

******* said:


> That is a steep jump. Any chance it has something to do with when most potatoes are harvested and shipped? I thought that it wasn't for a little while longer in most of the country.
> 
> I could go to the grocery store and pay $2 for a 5 lb bag, which is the same as what she saw.
> 
> Kayleigh


Yeah, I figure.... Well hope that is it. They should be coming out of the Florida by now tho. At the farm markets they sell them as "New" potatoes. They don't store as well as the fall types but we can generally make them last. I'd check if you can get then for the 2.00 bucks you may be surprised. Tho I doubt pleasantly.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Stephen in SOKY said:


> They spiked here (KY) 2 weeks ago to $6/10 lbs, but are back now to the usual $3/10 lbs.


These were the Idaho russets (they were huge) that I bought for the 8.00 bucks. Not the cheap little ones. The cheap ones were 6 and 7 dollars. The cheap ones were now 20.00 bucks. The DW was gonna get more as we have run out. 

Well this does tell me something tho. We eat a darn lot of potatoes. Almost 10 pounds a week.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

At the produce auction yesterday I bought a 25# box of culls for $6. Now, some have a tad of green on them (easily peeled off, been doing it for years) and I imagine a couple will need to be thrown away for one reason or another. Otherwise, these are nice little and medium-sized taters that didn't cost a small fortune like the grocers have been asking.


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

Wegmans has them for $1.99 for 5 lbs as of today, but that could change next week. I have noticed that most grocery store potatoes don't store well regardless of the variety, for me at least.

Kayleigh


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

******* said:


> Wegmans has them for $1.99 for 5 lbs as of today, but that could change next week. I have noticed that most grocery store potatoes don't store well regardless of the variety, for me at least.
> 
> Kayleigh



So the "sale" price is $20.00 for 50 pounds. I bet you need to give them the data card too?


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

(I'm really not trying to defend this store.)

My point was more that the 50 lb price isn't any better than the 5 lb price. Which is what signals to me that one or the other is bound to change pretty soon.

I have no use for half of the stuff that Wegmans carries, but they do post their prices online and they don't do as many sales, they make a big fuss about the lack of sales actually. So while the price may go up, it isn't because this is a "special offer" or anything.

Bonus tip: I have a card without any of my information on it. They give you a card to use until they process your form. I "forgot" to bring the form back, and the temporary card is still working a few years later.

Kayleigh


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

******* said:


> (I'm really not trying to defend this store.)
> 
> My point was more that the 50 lb price isn't any better than the 5 lb price. Which is what signals to me that one or the other is bound to change pretty soon.
> 
> ...



I just saw where your at at. 

This was at Maine's in Binghamton.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

WOW! We used to get 50#'s of culls for $3 for our neighbor potato farmer...a little lumpy and bumpy but so good. We'd help him on the sorting line and also delivered his culls to the church food bank....they would be piled outside going to waste as they stores won't buy them ungraded. One year rescued over 16,000 lbs!!!!!!!! DEE


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## LvDemWings (Sep 11, 2005)

stanb999 said:


> The 50 bucks for gas would most likely offset the savings.


It would be high until you factor in a day trip to include the u-pick farms, road side stands selling silver queen corn and all the other fish and produce that you can buy at the market itself. They used to have an awsome fish stall that was super fresh and inexpensive (my ex is a professional fisherman/captain and he was impressed with the quality.)


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

LvDemWings said:


> It would be high until you factor in a day trip to include the u-pick farms, road side stands selling silver queen corn and all the other fish and produce that you can buy at the market itself. They used to have an awsome fish stall that was super fresh and inexpensive (my ex is a professional fisherman/captain and he was impressed with the quality.)


Their are many issues with going Jersey.... I try NEVER to go. We are from North Jersey from over 12 years ago. Lets just say I had my fill of Surcharges, cops, and BullShips. So even if they gave produce away the last place I'd choose to give my business is someone in, from, or with knowledge of the state of New Jersey. Yes, I black ball the whole state.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

We canned 400 pounds of spuds right before they went up. They were so cheap we were using them as part of our dogs diet, not so much any more.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

stanb999 said:


> I just saw where your at at.
> 
> This was at Maine's in Binghamton.


I'm 20 minutes from Maines and I shop there every couple of weeks. Their prices fluctuate quite a bit, and overall, their produce prices are very, very good. If you are driving all the way to Binghamton you ought to travel the extra few minutes to Frog Pond in Bainbridge ~ you can't beat their prices. Next time I go I'll let you know the prices I pay, it's unreal how cheap produce is.


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## Quiver0f10 (Jun 17, 2003)

stanb999 said:


> The DW saw potatoes in the 50 pound bag were 20$..... That's up from $8.00 6 weeks ago. :grit: These price increases are gonna hurt.


Last time I was at SAMS it was $29 for a 50# box :grit:


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

HilltopDaisy said:


> I'm 20 minutes from Maines and I shop there every couple of weeks. Their prices fluctuate quite a bit, and overall, their produce prices are very, very good. If you are driving all the way to Binghamton you ought to travel the extra few minutes to Frog Pond in Bainbridge ~ you can't beat their prices. Next time I go I'll let you know the prices I pay, it's unreal how cheap produce is.


Maine's isn't all that far from us... It's like 45min. Heck everything is 45 min.

The good produce prices are why we go. But the 20 bucks was a huge suprise.

IS frog pond a farmers market? I've never heard of it? We have been looking for a good "real" farmers market since we moved up here. The ones close in PA. Are glorified farmstands at best to overpriced specalty stores. 

We came from down state and the farm markets like "green dragon" in lancaster, "zerns" in berks, or "Hometown" in schuylkill were great. You just don't see them like those anywhere else. 

For instance if you went "late" to Hometown Auction. you could get a bushel of apples for 3 bucks or a fifty pound bag of #1 potatoes for 5 bucks. It was great. So we are still going down there about twice a year. But they are close to 80 miles. So it's a little far.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2008)

Seems there's a potato shortage.

_Floods along the Mississippi River in the Midwest destroyed large swaths of potato crops, forcing large buyers into East Coast markets and creating scarcity. 

The potato shortage has become so great that some chip producers, including Middleswarth Potato Chips in Snyder County, have had to shut down production. _

http://www.istockanalyst.com/articl...cleid_2412104&title=Chip_Makers_Pinched_.html


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2008)

Potato farmers in Indiana, North Carolina and other states suffered weak yield this year because of a lack of rainfall.

http://www.dailyitem.com/0100_news/local_story_200154802.html?keyword=topstory


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2008)

I bought a 5# bag of potatoes today that I had to pick through to avoid bad potatoes. It was $2.59!!  That's more than twice what they were a couple of months ago!!

ETA: these weren't even organic or anything. Just plain ol' russets.


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## whitewolf (Nov 9, 2003)

As I mentioned in my post of 7/15 they were $6.99 for 10 pounds, 2 weeks later they went to $7.99 for 10 pounds, now they are $8.99 per 10 pounds......these are plain red potatoes. Found 50#'s at flea market this weekend for $15.00...jumped on them....they were brought in from Alabama.


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## tiffnzacsmom (Jan 26, 2006)

Bought a 50# bag on Friday for $12, that should last the three of us awhile.


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## DoubleD (Jan 28, 2007)

Glad I have a big section of potatoes growing. Already canned 14 quarts of new potatoes - have much more yet to harvest and store - and in addition have some late start plants that will provide some late fall "fresh from the ground eating.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

I noticed that local organic potatoes were going for over $2 a POUND! Glad we have our year's supply in the garden.


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## MoGrrrl (Jan 19, 2007)

What do canned potatoes taste and feel like? How do you use them once they are canned?


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2008)

WisJim said:


> I noticed that local organic potatoes were going for over $2 a POUND! Glad we have our year's supply in the garden.


Good grief.

I was paying $1.99 for 5# of organic potatoes for the white ones, and $2.29 for the gold ones.

But they haven't had any organic potatoes at all for several weeks. When they finally have some again, I'm wondering what the price will be. I may not be able to get them at all. 

But those gold ones make the most wonderful baked potatoes! I hope I'll be able to get those again.


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## PAcountry (Jun 29, 2007)

I had to buy some potatoes for a cook out we were having. I was making potatoes salad.
All of the poatoes smelled musty and I mean bad musty. I had a sack last year that smelled musty and it made the food horriable.
the only ones that I found that didnt have a bad smell were the golden skin ones and they were 4.99 for a 5# and they were not that good either lots of balck spots and defects

I think potatoes is off our list til they come back down or we plant them next year


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Wow, I'm glad we grew ours and had a good crop this yr. I was even able to share a few 5 gallon buckets of them with family and friends. 
DoubleD- I also can potatoes each yr. Here in FL I can't seem to keep them past Dec. so we can ALOT each yr., eat fresh the others till they are gone and then hit the canned ones. 
tyusclan momma


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Today's grocery ad has 5# bags of "new crop" potatoes on sale for a whopping $2.98! I'm talking, it's in bold, large print as if this were the steal of the century .

_......whispers a prayer that there are taters after the vines die back in the garden so I don't have to pay these ludicrous prices......_


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## BTO (Feb 7, 2007)

Acally that is a good price. We just bought 5 lbs of new potatoes off the farm in Arroostook for $4.00. I thought it was high until I stopped at the next farm and they were selling for $5.00!:Bawling:


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

stanb999 said:


> Well this does tell me something tho. We eat a darn lot of potatoes. Almost 10 pounds a week.


We used to eat a lot of potatoes, 10-15 pounds a week. That was when potatoes were 99 cents for 10 pounds. 
Now we eat rice. It is almost cheaper.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Ouch!

We planted two 50' rows of potatoes this year. They seem to be doing well- we have snitched a few to eat fresh so far. We will store some in our root cellar and will can a bunch of them.

I use the canned potatoes when I roast a chicken or a pot roast- they are really nice, and I don't have to stop and peel a bunch of fresh potatoes if I am in a hurry. They are awesome in the clay pot cooker!


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2008)

mamajohnson said:


> We used to eat a lot of potatoes, 10-15 pounds a week. That was when potatoes were 99 cents for 10 pounds.
> Now we eat rice. It is almost cheaper.


How much are potatoes in your neck of the woods?

With it just being me and my mother, 5# lasts about 3 weeks, so that isn't too terrible.

Back when I was feeding a family, I bought potatoes in 50# bags and that lasted about a month. I can't imagine what the working poor must be going through right now, with all the staples skyrocketing in price.


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## Watcher48 (Aug 30, 2007)

I just dug up 100lb of potatoes. Now i'm wondering how to keep them in 90 degree heat in the south.??? Just spread them out on the porch ??


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Watcher48 said:


> I just dug up 100lb of potatoes. Now i'm wondering how to keep them in 90 degree heat in the south.??? Just spread them out on the porch ??


Ouch, Maybe you can dig a hole and put them in it till the temps are more favorable?


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

I have no sympathy. 

People need to stop leisure activities, and vacations, and raise their own food.


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## Amylb999 (Jan 28, 2007)

michiganfarmer said:


> I have no sympathy.
> 
> People need to stop leisure activities, and vacations, and raise their own food.


I agree,, problem is when you plant potatoes and all you get is tiny golf balls. You have no choice but to buy them if you want to have some spuds. 

I'm a Poloc and I'm not living without them


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

michiganfarmer said:


> I have no sympathy.
> 
> People need to stop leisure activities, and vacations, and raise their own food.


You can do both. Who soured your milk this morning?


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2008)

michiganfarmer said:


> I have no sympathy.
> 
> People need to stop leisure activities, and vacations, and raise their own food.


That's not a nice thing to say. It's not possible for everyone to raise all their own food.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

ladycat said:


> That's not a nice thing to say. It's not possible for everyone to raise all their own food.


No, it's not nice to realize that at some point our society is going to come crashing down and everyone who can't raise their food or provide some _meaningful_ service in exchange for food is going to starve to death. It's not nice when you think that the 1860 American population (non-mechanized agricultural system) was the peak carrying capacity of a pre-oil society. 31.4 million people in 1860 bloomed up into 281 million by 2000. It rather sucks when you consider that over an estimated period of about 20 years almost 250 million people in the United States will die off from war, disease, famine, or a combination of those things. It's certainly not nice to mention it to the hairdressers, accountants, fashion consultants, NFL players, and other useless societal parasites who make a living 12 steps up from the basis of all human civilization ... agriculture.

I've got a lot of leisure activities I engage in ... hunting, fishing, gardening. All of them put food on the table though. I can see where Michiganfarmer is coming from. Those who think that 25% of a year's salary spent on a vacation to Disneyworld is money-well-spent are playing in the waning twilight of the American civilization.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

I agree with ladycat... You all are just a bit harsh today?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I'm failing to see how this is harsh. First off, neither Michiganfarmer or myself are directing it at any individuals on this board ... nor are we really directing it at any individuals out there in the world. Rather I put forth my idea as an appeal for social change in America today. I won't say before it's too late because it's already too late. We have 250 million people too many for a non-mechanized food system. Realistically I'm betting we can probably squeak by with a population of about 100-150 million, since we now have more land and better agricultural techniques. But that's still a lot of people for whom life is _truly going to suck_.

I agree with Ladycat in that not everyone can grow all their own food, but since we first started cities and the division of labor nobody really had to. Those who wanted to grow food could grow food and those who wanted to be tailors could go tailor something and those who wanted to drink beer and sing songs could go make a living doing that (provided their songs were good enough). That's what we're going to have to get back to. Ladycat has a fine hand with chickens whereas my aptitude seems to lean more towards digging in the dirt. Were I blessed enough to have her for a neighbor I'd ditch all my chickens pronto and try to work out a deal that kept me in eggs and a weekly bird and her in potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. Yesterday afternoon I took a bushel of delicious yellow fingerling potatoes and some spring onions up to my neighbor's house and returned with an unrealistic number of cucumbers and zucchini in the same basket ... both things I don't like to grow but do occasionally like to eat. I don't keep a bull but I do need my cow bred every two years or so and I search out a willing neighbor and we work out a deal.

Nothing is wrong with leisure activities, per se, but much of America's time and energy is devoted entirely to leisure. We spend small fortunes on labor-saving devices in order to go have more leisure time and then wonder why we have health problems and chronic obesity. The labor is a godly pursuit. There's nothing wrong with it. I myself have shoveled an estimated 400 pounds of manure this morning out into my garden and as soon as it dries out a little it's getting plowed in (thank you, Forerunner, who long ago gave me that advice). I thoroughly enjoyed getting out in the sunshine and working up a good sweat hauling it from the barn to the garden. Good exercise too. I could have spent that time watching television, surfing the internet (the world beyond this forum) or any number of countless things that would have provided me no satisfaction but would have brought me more in line with mainstream America. If I'd done that, however, my garden would have no poop in it. 

It's not my nature to be too harsh (or maybe it is but I'm trying to change that), however this is a very harsh message and sugar-coating it doesn't help anyone. There's some real suffering ahead of us and we need to tighten our belts, evaluate how we're spending our time and energies, and for pete's sakes ... grow some food!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

ladycat said:


> How much are potatoes in your neck of the woods?
> 
> With it just being me and my mother, 5# lasts about 3 weeks, so that isn't too terrible.
> 
> Back when I was feeding a family, I bought potatoes in 50# bags and that lasted about a month. I can't imagine what the working poor must be going through right now, with all the staples skyrocketing in price.


I was at the store yesterday and a 5# bag was 2.99 I think. I pretty much don't even look anymore. I haven't even seen any at Sam's.
We used to see trucks on the side of the road in Gilmer, 100# sack for 20$. Sure would love to find one of those now!

Canned potatoes work well for mashed potatoes too, and potatoe soup.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Watcher48 said:


> I just dug up 100lb of potatoes. Now i'm wondering how to keep them in 90 degree heat in the south.??? Just spread them out on the porch ??


well, I tried keeping potatoes here in the south. It would be best to spread them, dry them a bit, and then find a cool spot in the house for them. Or jar them up and can them.
When I tried to keep them like some do they rotted.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Ernie said:


> I'm failing to see how this is harsh. First off, neither Michiganfarmer or myself are directing it at any individuals on this board ... nor are we really directing it at any individuals out there in the world. Rather I put forth my idea as an appeal for social change in America today. I won't say before it's too late because it's already too late. We have 250 million people too many for a non-mechanized food system. Realistically I'm betting we can probably squeak by with a population of about 100-150 million, since we now have more land and better agricultural techniques. But that's still a lot of people for whom life is _truly going to suck_.
> 
> I agree with Ladycat in that not everyone can grow all their own food, but since we first started cities and the division of labor nobody really had to. Those who wanted to grow food could grow food and those who wanted to be tailors could go tailor something and those who wanted to drink beer and sing songs could go make a living doing that (provided their songs were good enough). That's what we're going to have to get back to. Ladycat has a fine hand with chickens whereas my aptitude seems to lean more towards digging in the dirt. Were I blessed enough to have her for a neighbor I'd ditch all my chickens pronto and try to work out a deal that kept me in eggs and a weekly bird and her in potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. Yesterday afternoon I took a bushel of delicious yellow fingerling potatoes and some spring onions up to my neighbor's house and returned with an unrealistic number of cucumbers and zucchini in the same basket ... both things I don't like to grow but do occasionally like to eat. I don't keep a bull but I do need my cow bred every two years or so and I search out a willing neighbor and we work out a deal.
> 
> ...


I agree with you but the sun won't shine here in Maine and it seems as though all my garden efforts may rot or float away. There I was planting like Johnny Appleseed in the Spring when I should have been building an ark like Noah. Who knew?

Leisure activities: riding the bull calves, taking the goats for a walk in the woods, snapping beans while watching Walton's on DVD, rubbing Piggy Sue's belly! guessing which chicks are shes or hes.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Ernie said:


> It's not my nature to be too harsh (or maybe it is but I'm trying to change that), however this is a very harsh message and sugar-coating it doesn't help anyone. There's some real suffering ahead of us and we need to tighten our belts, evaluate how we're spending our time and energies, and for pete's sakes ... grow some food!


Ernie, 
I think some of us see the warning signs and tend to do just this, tighten up.
In fact, when I saw it the first thing I did was go on a diet and loose 90 pounds, in the mean time I changed how my family eats. And that was just the beginning. Even tho there have been lots of obstacles we now have our own meat, eggs, milk and a tad of produce. I have stocked staples.
We are gonna keep trying to grow stuff, in spite of the obstacles.
And, I agree that more folks need to wake up and smell the coffee, at least before there isn't any way to buy any.

I think I know where your both going with the 'vacation' statement. It isn't the family trip as much as the act of running here and there. In my opinion there is way too much time sitting (I am included in this!) in front of one tube of another (tv or computer) when the time could be well spent farming or doing something else more worthwhile.


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## Junkman (Dec 17, 2005)

A friend here takes his truck to Ohio and brings back 100# bags of potatoes for a bunch of us. Last year it was $16 a hundred. Seemed it was cheaper for us than planting. We may have to rethink this.


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## paddymurphy (May 23, 2008)

If you have any potato cellars local check them out. Or if there is an area where they are grown it might be worth it to pool resources with friends and drive an hour or two. When I lived in the San Luis Valley about 8 years ago we could pull up to a potato cellar and buy #50 boxes for around 3.5-4 bucks each. #100 gunney sacks went for 7 or 8. I would buy a couple gunneys for friends family who lived else where and on a visit take it to them, along with mushrooms(Rakhra mushroom farm would sell #10 flats sliced or whole for about $10). They picked up corn and stuff from there local farmers and we traded.


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## Toads tool (Jun 7, 2007)

stanb999 said:


> Well this does tell me something tho. We eat a darn lot of potatoes. Almost 10 pounds a week.


Wife had 4 little taters left in a 10 pound bag after 2 days around here.
2 adults and 2 kids

I was raised on a tater a day at least in some form or fashion. As a kid we would grow 12 rows of them that went across a whole city lot, at least 1000 feet worth in row crop.


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## Cash (Apr 24, 2007)

BTO said:


> Acally that is a good price. We just bought 5 lbs of new potatoes off the farm in Arroostook for $4.00. I thought it was high until I stopped at the next farm and they were selling for $5.00!:Bawling:


Yikes! I remember buying 50 pounds for $5 in the church parking lot just north of Presque Isle a few years back. But then new potatoes are always higher than the mature spuds after the harvest in September. Sure hope prices come down. My siblings and I are thinking of making a group buy this fall. Those who planted potatoes in their gardens are getting miserable crops because of the wet weather.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

One of our tater vines had died back (we tried the 'in tires' approach this year) so I toppled the tires and found ....... three perfect little red potatoes . Ok, that definitely won't do a whole lot of good this winter, but there's five more tire towers still going strong so I'm keeping fingers crossed. The local old-timers warned me that my really pretty plants combined with our unusually damp spring could well mean next to no tubers ........


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## CowgirlGloria (Jun 19, 2008)

We eat a lot of potatoes, both white and sweet. I grow our own - better taste, and cheaper!

A lot more people are putting in vegetable gardens. They may not be so concerned about the superior taste and health of homegrown vegetables, but they are definitely concerned about the rapid rise in grocery prices!


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## Cascade Failure (Jan 30, 2007)

Cash and/or BTO. I need you to verify something for me if you can. I heard about a year ago that they're not planting as many potatos in the County as they used to but beef is getting big? True ....false?????


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Our potatoes are doing fine. We are one of the worst hit areas for rain, too, just outside of waterville and not to mention that China lake is only about a foot down (water table). We've been eating new's and reds for a month. My sweet corn is AWESOME! And cucumbers by the dozen daily. Green and yellow beans by the bags full.

My tomatoes look okay but the rain is causing splits which make them rot quick.

All berry crops were amazing too. Raspberries are molding a bit but bigger than usual.

As far as potato county going to beef, there was a program with funding,but seriously, winter poses a big problem to the whole proposition. 2nd crop hay hasn't even been touched because of the wet....The potato has become quite versatile, some are making vodka, some are making "plastics" with them. And people are going back to the humble easy to store staple.

We grow a dairy bull calf out for the freezer on goat milk....its not cheaper by much than "on sale" beef but it's healthier. Its work. A freezer full is security.


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2008)

It's not helping the sitauation when potato farmers start switching to grains.

http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=26353


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Toads tool said:


> Wife had 4 little taters left in a 10 pound bag after 2 days around here.
> 2 adults and 2 kids
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## jnap31 (Sep 16, 2005)

I sold hundreds of lbs of fingerlings I grew this year for $4 a heaping pint box about a lb and a half.


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## Sparrow (Sep 23, 2003)

> Potato farmers in Indiana, North Carolina and other states suffered weak yield this year because of a lack of rainfall.


*Excess rainwater may maroon potatoes in fields*

By Jen Lynds
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - Bangor Daily News

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine - *Some potato growers in Aroostook County will not be able to harvest some of their crops because of the higher-than-normal amount of rainfall so far this year,* according to the executive director of the Maine Potato Board.

"There will be areas that we canât harvest," Don Flannery said Monday, referring to low-lying areas affected by excess water especially in the St. John Valley. "This is a concern, but we are going to work hard to do what we can to minimize it."

The total acreage lost to saturation is not yet known, he said, adding that most growers in The County have taken a wait-and-see attitude before they determine how the rainfall has affected crops.

"Much of the effect of the rain remains to be seen," Flannery said. "Obviously, this constant rain has not been making it easier to get out there and spray to protect the crops and to cope with diseases such as late blight."

According to the National Weather Service, for the past 10 months, precipitation recorded in Caribou has accumulated at a rate greater than at any time since records have been kept, beginning in 1939. As of July 31, 44.59 inches of precipitation had fallen, outpacing all other years for this same 10-month period.

This places the 2008 water year at eighth in the all-time rankings with more than 50 days remaining.

Because of the rain farmers have been unable to spray their crops to protect them from diseases, according to Flannery.

Potato late blight has been found in most townships in Aroostook from Mars Hill north, according to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, but the executive director said the break in the rain has allowed some farmers to get out and spray their plants.

Late blight attacks potatoes, tomatoes and other nightshade crops. It is most damaging in wet and humid weather, causing lesions on the leaves of potato plants. Diseases such as late blight can wipe out fields of growing potatoes and render much of the crop useless.

"People have been diligent about protecting their crops," he said. "I think everyone is working together to do their best to protect their crops now, and as always, weâll be diligent about how we harvest and store those potatoes."

As far as pests go, cutworms were spotted earlier in the season in central and southern Aroostook County and adult potato leaf hoppers also have been found in one location, according to a report on the Web site of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.


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