# Holy Hanna - The price of BEEF!



## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

Went to china mart and ground beef was 28 bucks and change for a 10 pound package.

If the pandemic is starvation it might be just around the corner


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

nightwing said:


> Went to china mart and ground beef was 28 bucks and change for a 10 pound package.
> 
> If the pandemic is starvation it might be just around the corner


93% is and has been just under $4 per lb. for ages here. I don't remember the price I got last time I canned some, I got it on sale at albertsons when I was buying chicken breasts they had on sale... I remember it was just about the same price as costco, which is $3.xx lb for 85%


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

You are doing great. I paid $3.30 per lb. last I got from the slaughter house.
I know--grass fed, no antibiotics, no steroids....I hope.

3 years ago the same slaughter house had it for $2.30--I still have the receipt.


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

Uh...$2.80/lb is pretty darn good.

But remember: it isn't that meat is scarce. It's that dollars are worth less than they have been.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

Maybe I should have put it in perspective 3 months ago it was 22+
lat month it was 24+ now this month 28 +

Now I do agree money is getting closer to the value of a sheet of 
cheap toilet paper and all I ever buy is ground chuck.

I guess what is troubling me is the Government stating that there is no inflation if a bit stupid in three months 5% per month.
Even if it is not as much as beef prices elsewhere it still counts for inflation.
CNBC was bantering about inflation numbers they have a habit of being 
a telegraph or events to come.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Our beloved Government does not take food or energy into consideration when calculating inflation. There is also some 'seasonal adjustment' stuff too.

On one of the MSM stations on Sunday (I forget which one) they mentioned that perhaps Barak and others in our employ in DC, really do see things as good and getting better. When was the last time (if ever) that they had to go to a store and buy anything? Much less going to the store on a budget, as most of the little people have. Instead of just buying stuff, perhaps they should all be made to take the 'median income' of everyone and try to live on it for a few months. Give them $500 a week. They have to pay rent, taxes, transportation, food, utilities and everything with that. Perhaps then they might start taking food and energy into the picture.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

As to meat there is a virus going through the pig farms killing baby pig with lighting speed so less pig to the butcher. In the west the drought that has hit the last 2 to 3 years has caused farms and ranchers to drop the herd size so less head to market/ price goes up. When I lived in Oklahoma we went through this 6 yrs ago , they would plant rye for winter grazing then in the spring bail it up for use next winter , there wasn't any rye for a few yrs and cattle numbers dropped a lot. So if you can get one of your own in the spring and run it on some grass land with a little sweet feed thrown in by winter time you can butcher your own steaks


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Grains are cheaper now than it has been often in the recent past, meat is higher, particularly beef. So while inflation is an issue it isn't the primary factor in beef prices.

They are having to pay record prices for the live cattle they need


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

cowboyhermit said:


> Grains are cheaper now than it has been often in the recent past, meat is higher, particularly beef. So while inflation is an issue it isn't the primary factor in beef prices.
> 
> They are having to pay record prices for the live cattle they need


we had the freak blizzard this year that massacred all the livestock left out in the open. There's less animals eating food, less demand, lower prices...

the same thing with price of beef, a ton of our domestic stuff died, and the prices have to adjust.

all that being said, the 2lb chubs of ground beef I buy at the grocer clearly list several countries of origin, so a wipeout in the NorthWest from a freak blizzard is not going to make beef go away... is it going to change the price tho? yeah most assuredly it should.

never mind our USD being devaluated, which must be a factor as well.

Nightwing, just a thought but thread titles like Holy Hanna when we're discussing the price of beef... meh. maybe not so much, just sayin...


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## doubleTHICK (Jun 19, 2012)

Woody said:


> Our beloved Government does not take food or energy into consideration when calculating inflation. There is also some 'seasonal adjustment' stuff too.
> 
> On one of the MSM stations on Sunday (I forget which one) they mentioned that perhaps Barak and others in our employ in DC, really do see things as good and getting better. When was the last time (if ever) that they had to go to a store and buy anything? Much less going to the store on a budget, as most of the little people have. Instead of just buying stuff, perhaps they should all be made to take the 'median income' of everyone and try to live on it for a few months. Give them $500 a week. They have to pay rent, taxes, transportation, food, utilities and everything with that. Perhaps then they might start taking food and energy into the picture.


Well we do have the $15/hr min wage around the corner . . . that should address your concern

On the other hand, when min wage doubles won't everything else also double? 
Of course not. All of these companies will gladly take that hit of giving workers that 100% raise per hour. No chance they will raise their prices to offset the pay raise.

Y E A H ! ! ! Once again the government WE put in charge has saved the day.

Sorry for going off on your post. I just had this very conversation with a "diehard democrat" (her words - not mine) two days ago. To answer your post she truly believes the $15/hr is the answer. She also believes in the "people can live on the $7.25/hr" and **swear to every and any God(s)** she thinks prices will stay the same WHILE the min wage is being raised..................

Is it just me? Honestly? In all seriousness, am I missing something? 
It just seems so obvious to me that prices will move at least as much as the pay scale, if not more than the pay scale.

I remember when the min wage was $3.15, candy bars were $0.45 and a Coke was $0.50 
NOW min wage is double the $3.15 and both the candy bar and Coke are too DOUBLE.
What is going on? What the Fcku is going thru these people's head? I wish, really really wish, I could see their point of view to better help me understand things - but I can't. :gaah::gaah::gaah::gaah:


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## Zanazaz (Feb 14, 2012)

doubleTHICK said:


> Well we do have the $15/hr min wage around the corner . . . that should address your concern
> 
> On the other hand, when min wage doubles won't everything else also double?
> Of course not. All of these companies will gladly take that hit of giving workers that 100% raise per hour. No chance they will raise their prices to offset the pay raise.
> ...


If I could answer that question, well... I don't know, but I just think they have brain damage or something. Or are brainwashed or both....

So many people are living like indentured servants it's unreal. Are people truly free? Some are, but not many. Not when you have the burden of credit card debt.

I remember when $5 filled up my gas tank, and that took care of my driving needs for the week. Of course this was in the late '80s but still...

I wish I had "woken up" sooner. I would be independent and free by now. Now I have an uphill climb, but I plan on making it.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I just went to the grocery store today and saw some things that knocked me over! I was looking in the "Quick Sale" section of the meat counter and couldn't find any beef for less than $6.00 per pound, we dont buy that much beef so I haven't been following the prices lately. Something that really did floor me was a T-Bone steak that was extra thick marked down from $24.00 to $20.00, didn't look at the weight but looking back I guess it to be about 1 1/2 pounds. Geeze, good thing we're not big meat eaters!

Something else I saw was the price of BACON, the "Ends and Pieces" that I usually get and can had jumped from $7.99 to $10.99. Any packaged thick sliced bacon I found was at least 9 per pound - it's a good thing I have a shelf full of canned or the end of the world would be here for us.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

nightwing said:


> Went to china mart and ground beef was 28 bucks and change for a 10 pound package.


That's what 73%/27% costs around here... but I won't buy ground meat with that much fat in it. 85/15 or sometimes 90/10 is my favorite, but those are all close to or over $4 a pound


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Easy doubleTHICK, my friend. I mentioned nothing to do with min wage. Myself and many here know exactly what that does.

I was commenting on their reporting of actual inflation percent. My point was that if they had the same 'income' for a few months, they would see actual food and energy prices rising. Their $500 of spending power would be $490 or $480 in a short span from price increases. Add in any increase in taxes, and you have less actual 'spending power'. I would just like to see some honest numbers come from DC, not 'feel good' numbers.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

LincTex said:


> That's what 73%/27% costs around here... but I won't buy ground meat with that much fat in it. 85/15 or sometimes 90/10 is my favorite, but those are all close to or over $4 a pound


It cost more but overall your getting the value as once you drain off the grease you have more meat and the grease off beef is not tasty.
As too my preference for making candles & soap.

Hog fat is the best in taste and more baking friendly I love vegetable oil
but in hard times I think we will have to use what we can get.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

the only beef we eat is ground and the occasional chuck roast for pot roast. I can't get over the fact that a damn steak ( just one mind you) is $13.99 ON SALE!!!

who can afford that?

I'm finding that ground turkey and sometimes ground chicken is a better buy. Also cured sausages like kielbasa and such are cheaper to eat.

I'm wondering what kinds of sales on meat will be at the holidays. I used to be able to get a nice ham for .89/lb but even now on sale it's over $1.99/lb


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Genevieve said:


> the only beef we eat is ground and the occasional chuck roast for pot roast. I can't get over the fact that a damn steak ( just one mind you) is $13.99 ON SALE!!!
> 
> who can afford that?
> 
> ...


I think I'm going to be buying up turkeys *after* Thanksgiving like I did last year. They went as low as 25¢ a pound at some stores. Costco had them for 55¢ a pound.

This reminds me I should start a turkey fund to buy all the birds and jars ths year...

But once every few months Stater Bros market has whole chickens for 89¢ a pound. I try to buy 6 at a time if they have that many.

I don't really buy beef or pork much any more. Too damn expensive. I'll splurge once in a great while and BBQ some steaks like for the 4th.

Back when K and I had our first anniversary we went camping with our 2 corgis. We stopped at a market before going to the camp grounds and grabbed a bottle of decent wine, fresh veggies and 2 premium steaks. The total was less than $15. If I were to try that today the bill would be over $50!


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Heard on fox today that we are about to the tipping point in our National Debt when we won't have enough coming in to pay the interest on the government 17 going on 18 trillion. Know do we default or do they come after our money or what is left of it . This government is driving us down I just hope it isn't to far down we can't come back.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I'm kind of curious as to what collateral the U. S. has been promising if they cannot meet those obligations. With our exponentially increasing debt load and promising returns of 1% or so, why would anyone buy it? Then comes the realization that we do not have any gold to back it. I know the FED is buying more and more and countries have been slowly dumping treasuries. But still, why would they hold on to any?

Sorry, didn't mean to OT.


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## Jimbo777 (Jun 21, 2014)

The Fred Meyer store near me has chicken for .99 a pound right now.

But remember...
Most chicken sold in this country today was butchered in China and it came from China shortly thereafter.

Live chickens today are being sent to China on ships.
Where then they are butchered and packaged and then sent back to the USA on refrigerated ships.

Sorry no chicken for me!

Beef I can handle...

The same thing is happening with apple juice.
We send our apples to China and it comes back as made in China Tree Top Apple Juice.

Check your labels!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Jimbo777 said:


> The Fred Meyer store near me has chicken for .99 a pound right now.
> 
> But remember...
> Most chicken sold in this country today was butchered in China and it came from China shortly thereafter.
> ...


Those I did not know about, never heard anything. But, brings to mind Japan, back in the 1970's. Right out of your port, we would sell and sihp them old crushed '57 chevy's. They would take them into international waters, to a factory ship and smelt them. They would then sell us back the steel. I was always wondering how this could be cheaper, given the transportation costs. Then... One realizes that in international waters there are no environmental regulations or taxes.

Still though, Apples???


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## doubleTHICK (Jun 19, 2012)

Woody said:


> Easy doubleTHICK, my friend. I mentioned nothing to do with min wage. Myself and many here know exactly what that does.
> 
> I was commenting on their reporting of actual inflation percent. My point was that if they had the same 'income' for a few months, they would see actual food and energy prices rising. Their $500 of spending power would be $490 or $480 in a short span from price increases. Add in any increase in taxes, and you have less actual 'spending power'. I would just like to see some honest numbers come from DC, not 'feel good' numbers.


Yeah, you're right.

It just seems lately that I go from 0 to 10000000000 almost immediately. This unfortunately locks my otherwise open mind and gets me going off on an A. Jones rant. 
Man, it is getting more difficult for me to stay level-headed with all that is going on with: the economy, Congress, Executive branch, other countries and their issues, society changing perceptions for simple placation and convenience reasons, people consciously being obtuse, these same people accepting the role of a 'sheep'

There I go again, Rant off. But seriously, things are changing, changing at what seems to be at an exponential rate.

Back on topic
My niece has moved out on her own and is feeling the burden of something as simple as grocery shopping. I tried to explain to her that it will more than likely never be any cheaper, and (something she wasn't thinking of as she was paying) I told her that this is only enough groceries for a week, maybe two if you stretch it out. Her reply was, "how am I going to do this?"


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

I think the part about minimum wage is relevant to this thread. 

doublethick, your diehard dem friend is not technically wrong, prices aren't going to double just because the minimum wage went from $1 to $2 per hour, but what's going to happen is exactly like you and many of us realize, those business that employ minimum wage workers are going to have to do something to compensate for that. 

The business owner can take paycut. It's their business, its their risk, they rarely choose to be the one taking a loss unless it's one of those family owned and operated shops that loves their employees.

The business will decide on how to restructure the labor, and they're going to be doing more work with less people, and the market for their job just got a lot more competitive. If workers 6 an 7 just got laid off so that workers 1-5 can get a huge raise, if they pull any attitude whatsover... boom, fired! I have 2 people I can call first thing tomorrow morning that are already trained and want their job back with more money. (meanwhile it sucks a lot to be 6 and 7) because they just wanted more money.

and finally the middle class that funds companies that pay minimum wage salaries. not a lot of 1% people in the drive-thru lane at Wendy's is my guess. But if the price of a burger with cheese just went up by a buck and the time to wait in queue went up 5 minutes... am I going to be as willing to go there? Probably not. Now the business is doing LESS business, paying more overhead, and will again adjust the labor pool. 

Those people with their new wealth minimum wage jobs will think it's unfair, but they'll never look at the reality of what caused the changes. 

Is this what it looked like in Rome?... right before, well... "bad things" started happening... RAPIDLY.


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## Rain23 (Jul 18, 2011)

We've been pressure canning beans with bacon/ham/ground beef for a while now and nobody's died. As other posters mentioned, it's a darned good idea to buy what you can afford now and can it up for winter. I doubt those prices are going down. 

It's surprising to me how a small amount, like a couple tablespoons, of ground beef, or a teaspoon of crumbled bacon, has such a pronounced flavor when it's pressure canned with the beans. A half pound of meat would last our family one meal as an entree, but we can get a dozen canning jars of meat-flavored meals out of it. 

Just make sure you can the vegetables/beans/lentils and meat, leaving the gravy or any pasta/rice to be added when you reheat the meal. Gravy supposedly isn't safe to can, and pasta/rice dissolves into goo (tasty, but looks pretty gross in the jar). Google Jackie Clay's recipes, she's never steered me wrong yet. We've been pressure canning since 2008, following Ball Blue Book and FDA guidelines plus the stuff Jackie Clay has tried out, and nobody's had the slightest hint of illness. It's a fantastic way to have heat and eat meals on hand and get the flavor of meat without the second mortgage


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

You really have to look keep an open mind these days. Was at the local grocery today, not the giant cheap "food" warehouse mind you, and we decided to pick up some meat to save time (not frozen or still alive).

Burger was around $4/lb. Granted, I have no problem paying a bit more there because the meat is good and I know what I am getting but it was MUCH cheaper last I bought. So, I browse for 2 seconds and I see some beautiful top sirloins with good marbling for well under $5 (4.5 I think) Almost bought ground beef for a few cents less than top quality, aged 14 days, cut in-store local steaks. 
Had them for supper and they were amazing!

Then we went to grab some fish and just figured on grabbing something cheap and easy, almost bought basa for more than wild salmon fillets:gaah: The wild salmon was on sale (not advertised) for less than any other fish in the store

I don't buy much meat these days (not that we don't eat a LOT of it) it seems like it is just like anything though, you can often find good quality product for reasonable prices if you keep an eye out.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

cowboyhermit said:


> it seems like it is just like anything though, you can often find good quality product for reasonable prices if you keep an eye out.


That's the thing that's been a change for us over the past several years. You have to keep an eye open for deals all the time. In a way, it can be fun, sort of like being on the hunt. But it's also tiring - it takes energy and time away from other things in life, just to be able to afford to put food on the table.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

goshengirl said:


> That's the thing that's been a change for us over the past several years. You have to keep an eye open for deals all the time. In a way, it can be fun, sort of like being on the hunt. But it's also tiring - it takes energy and time away from other things in life, just to be able to afford to put food on the table.


I feel the same way with many things, I'm not going to have the interest to price compare and shop and break down all the pennies into cost averaging... that is annoying! 

What I do is get my supply of jars ready, wait for a sale on what I want to can, maybe it's hams that are .98c per lb, or maybe it's boneless/skinless chicken breasts at $1.88 lb, or maybe I'm just gonna do a ground beef thing and it's not sale but Costco normal prices which is what other peoples sale prices are trying to beat!

anyway... I hate trying to find which store to go to in order to get the best price, especially since they are all owned by like 3 major chains, at least here in my area. Ralphs and Food4Less are both Kroger for example.

hmm speaking of which, aren't hams on sale around Turkey Murder Day too? besides the turkeys?? I need to buy another 20 cases of jars, I'd really like to go overboard on canning this fall. Food prices aren't going to be getting cheaper.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Genevieve said:


> .
> 
> I'm wondering what kinds of sales on meat will be at the holidays. I used to be able to get a nice ham for .89/lb but even now on sale it's over $1.99/lb


We've been getting one ham a month, curing, drying and putting them up for the "Holidays".

When I started, fresh hams were right at a dollar a pound and now they average about $1.99, funny thing is that the cured/fully cooked "city hams" are ranging from $1.69 to $1.99 - dont know why they would be cheaper than the fresh.


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## Jimbo777 (Jun 21, 2014)

As a followup...

Most apple juice you see in grocery stores today was produced in China.

It will say so on the labels in small print.

Also a lot of your frozen seafood in boxes... (shrimp especially!)

Comes from China! YUK 

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Glob...ls-American-apple-juice-is-a-product-of-China


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

Glad we don't drink apple juice then lol We live in orchard country. I can get local fresh apples all through the year because one orchard has huge storage buildings that are temperature controlled.

I've been making more casseroles so I don't use more meat. Seems to be working. As long as hubby has some type of bread he's happy


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Jimbo777 said:


> As a followup...
> 
> Most apple juice you see in grocery stores today was produced in China.
> 
> ...


Which brings me to the fertilizer used for mushrooms grown in China..human manure. I am depleting my supply of mushrooms and storing another brand and today, I needed mandarins for a few recipes. All 5 brands were from China.
What's a girl to do??
:scratch

When I see the apple juice from china, I can not but wonder why we have several states known for orchards....and we get juice from 6000-8000 miles away brought on a barge?
Insanity. I searched my Kroger brand apple juice and can't find any location of growth--must be USA if not stated, so says the legislation. So more Kroger apple juice.


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## tleeh1 (Mar 13, 2013)

Jimbo777 said:


> The Fred Meyer store near me has chicken for .99 a pound right now.
> 
> But remember...
> Most chicken sold in this country today was butchered in China and it came from China shortly thereafter.
> ...


My local Publix had chicken for sale this week with a big label on the front: _*Grown & Processed in the USA.*_ I was impressed!:congrat:


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

Rain23 said:


> We've been pressure canning beans with bacon/ham/ground beef for a while now and nobody's died.


There ya go stay positive :laugh:


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

JayJay said:


> Which brings me to the fertilizer used for mushrooms grown in China..human manure. I am depleting my supply of mushrooms and storing another brand and today, I needed mandarins for a few recipes. All 5 brands were from China.
> What's a girl to do??
> :scratch
> 
> ...


I wonder if it would be cost effective to invest in a juicer. If you look up the top rated they're hundreds of dollars but I bet you could find one for a reasonable price some where.

it's something to think about I guess


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## besign (Aug 9, 2014)

news flash for you. YOu don't NEED beef. In fact, you don't need any mammals at all. Many never kill anything, yet they survive. chickens don't have to die to give you eggs, and cows don't die to give you milk. Plants can provide the rest. You are pampered and ignorant if you think beef or pork or lamb have anything to do with survival.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

besign said:


> news flash for you. YOu don't NEED beef. In fact, you don't need any mammals at all. Many never kill anything, yet they survive. chickens don't have to die to give you eggs, and cows don't die to give you milk. Plants can provide the rest. You are pampered and ignorant if you think beef or pork or lamb have anything to do with survival.


news flash for you. Nobody here gives a damn that your mommy got you a smart phone, or that you got handed out an iPad at school this year or however your mindless @$$ is getting on the internet. Go away and find some preschool apps to play with. Thomas the Train has a matching app that would keep you entertained for hours.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

besign said:


> news flash for you. YOu don't NEED beef. In fact, you don't need any mammals at all. Many never kill anything, yet they survive. chickens don't have to die to give you eggs, and cows don't die to give you milk. Plants can provide the rest. You are pampered and ignorant if you think beef or pork or lamb have anything to do with survival.


News Flash for you. This is called Prepared Society for a reason. People come here to learn to be able to do for themselves. Livestock is a great way to accomplish that if someone has the space.

If you plan on being around here long, start contributing something useful instead of the one line dribble you've been posting for the last couple days.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

UncleJoe said:


> News Flash for you. This is called Prepared Society for a reason. People come here to learn to be able to do for themselves. Livestock is a great way to accomplish that if someone has the space.
> 
> If you plan on being around here long, start contributing something useful instead of the one line dribble you've been posting for the last couple days.












This is for Besign. Not you, Uncle Joe. *WE LOVE YOU! * Not the troll who needs to be banned.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Like Yoda we do.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

*Thank God for beans..........*

http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/14/news/economy/beef-prices/
Let me see.....pork chili,3-4 bean salad,Spanish bean stew with chorizos,fry chickpeas with chorizos,vegetarian chili,re fried beans and cheese burritos,tofu in 50 ways or more,chicken chili,and the fact that we still have fish,fowl, goats rabbits,horse,bear,etc.
The button line is that beef is not needed in our diet it has no unique flavor of his own unless you add it to it other meats with a pinch of salt or lemon or sour orange or vinegar will definitely develop their unique taste, so there lets forget beef and eat more beans.:laugh:


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

readytogo said:


> it has no unique flavor of his own unless you add it to it other meats


I'm sorry but that's just wrong on every level.

A lot of people don't like beef and it is certainly expensive but to say it has no unique flavour is just nuts. Beef stock is unlike any other and so are many other things made with beef. Heck, different kinds of beef have their own unique flavour (grass/barley/corn fed) so I have no idea what you could be talking about.


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## Quills (Jun 14, 2011)

readytogo said:


> The button line is that beef is not needed in our diet it has no unique flavor of his own unless you add it to it other meats with a pinch of salt or lemon or sour orange or vinegar will definitely develop their unique taste, so there lets forget beef and eat more beans.:laugh:


Apparently you have never eaten good beef.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

My family has inhabited the area from southern Texas to the Mississippi
We pretty much eat anything that crawls, jumps, walks or slithers.

some are Cajun some are Indians probably everything else 
part Parle Francias some habla Espanol even some spreken de deutsch
and a few drunken phrases in pole and chech about cold women and hot beer or the other way round.
I think I can remember Indian sign from old westerns :sarcasm2:

We like venison rabbit squirrel and birds quail, dove and duck 
but we eat gator gar rattle snake **** and cow be good too but not as good as venison but I wont turn my nose up at a "good" hamburger
with real fries not the extruded mashed potatoes kind and a shake.
OH ketchup I will not use keri's wifes is all I got to say.


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