More on the Rising Costs of Food

Yesterday, I stumbled on a blog called Food and Fuel in America. There are some eye-opening posts that have changed the way I think about buying food. When I need to buy food for my family, I want to buy as local as possible!
from the site....

The volatility of foreign oil poses an economic and security risk to the United States. Higher oil and gasoline prices impact all aspects of the economy. And with many Americans already feeling the pain of a slowing economy, these higher prices will continue to cause economic pain and suffering.

Source: Energy Information Agency, Department of Energy

This combined with another article in the Des Moines Register makes me even more convinced that gardening in the only way to save the family food budget.
from Corn isn't what's driving up the cost of food....

Corn prices have little effect on the cost of food. Only 19 cents of every dollar spent on food goes back to the farm, and corn is just a fraction of that 19 cents.

More than 80 cents goes to labor, transportation, energy, etc. Americans who are upset about prices should point their fingers at the effect of a 29-percent increase in energy costs in 2007.

That gobbled up more of the family budget than the 4.8 percent rise in food prices - only slightly above the general inflation rate.

Imagine that... only 19 percent of the cost of the food we buy actually goes back to the farm. When I garden, my food is not free. But I do know where it has come from, I get to make the choice of what tasty varieties I will have on my table, I get to walk out to the garden and pick dinner.. what looks good today, what is in season, and so on. It is empowering. And for me, any place in my life that I can find ways to empower myself is a big step. And if by empowering myself, I in turn empower the people whose lives mine touches, well, even bigger strides are made!