The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Sunday 1 February 2015

Preparedness and pantries. What will be worth more than gold?

Normally I would write my pantry post on Wednesday. This week I am writing it early in case any of the Australian ladies are wanting to buy powdered milk...  On Wednesday I will post my normal Monday blog post, so we are just around the wrong way this week!

In a recent pantry post Mel told the story of her Grandmother who responded to advice from her Mother in Law about the goods that were most in shortage and greatly sought after in WW1. This wonderful woman listened to this advice and acted on it. She lined the drawers in her home with packets of soaps and she stockpiled fabrics and sugar. And when WW2 came she had the ability to barter and use a great supply from which she made sweets and clothes as well. What a brilliant woman! She just got busy building up her nest and preparing for the future!



This got me thinking about what in our world could become short on supply and valuable?  In a shortage usually the price goes up and things that were once common place become greatly sought after and expensive. So they would also make great things to barter with.

We have discussed already the things that fly off the shelves in disasters that are good to have. On this I was thinking how could I be like Mel's Grandmother and store something that will be a bit like bars of gold in the bottom of drawers?  It's an interesting subject!

This led me to some amazing discoveries. In fact my mind boggles!

I noticed on Wendys blog My Abundant Life someone was commenting about the shortage of powdered milk interstate. Then I saw others commenting on this. Now a bit over a week ago there was powdered milk here on the shelves as I bought some. But I recalled last year for some reason there were shortages of baby formula and I didn't know why. It was on the news and there was a hotline to call. But we had no one in the family needing baby formula and I really didn't take much notice.

Last Thursday I went looking for milk powder and the shelves were empty. All empty, every brand and Coles and Woolworths the same.



I learned that China in recent years has had health scares with infant formula. More than scares, they have had contamination and babies have died and thousands of babies hospitalised. Multiple problems and over time and the Chinese have come to want baby formula from other countries and I can see why. It began that those with relatives overseas (ie Chinese students  studying abroad) started to buy and send home baby formula. This escalated to baby formula becoming a commodity everyone wanted and worth a high price. And this has continued until now. Baby formula and powdered milk are called White Gold in many countries and half a dozen countries have experienced shortages. To top if off China also have had a shortage of fresh milk and one way to fill the gaps has been importing huge amounts of powdered milk from New Zealand. Now if I was a Mother in China needing powdered milk/infant formula I would be doing the exact same thing. So I am not being critical of what has happened just reporting it as best I can.

Australia and NZ are seen as clean and green countries free of contamination so are especially popular as sources of baby milk and powdered milk. And cans of formula have flown off the shelves. In both countries mostly now stores will not allow you to buy more than four tins. This is to try and preserve supplies for locals needing formula. I checked in my two local stores and indeed if you went to the counter with 5 tins you wouldn't be allowed to buy them. And I had heard nothing about this before.

(On top of all this we had our own contamination scare and some brands were removed from shelves sometime last year).

Some countries like Hong Kong have restrictions on how much baby formula you can leave the country with. (2 cans) They have even decreased luggage allowances on trains to stop the smuggling of white gold! In 2013 baby formula became hard to get in Europe and families there had to stockpile it when they could for fear of not being able to get any at all. In Algeria there is an actual black market in "white gold".

Ebay is full of baby formula being re sold as people make money of out of the situation. Much of the formula on ebay seems to be from the US so I am thinking there is not a shortage there... but I don't know this yet.

So... why is ordinary powdered milk unavailable? Is it related to the baby formula issue?
I decided to ring Devondale the main supplier of powdered milk in Australia. This call was very educational!

They said the amount of milk powder selling from the shelves is unprecedented. They cannot keep up which is why shelves are empty. They are trying to increase production but the man I spoke to said that in truth they cannot produce as much as is being sold currently, let alone if demand increases any further.

I asked was this related to the baby formula issue and China and he said yes. That there is a general shortage and huge demand for both. And it isn't an issue he could see going away.

Considering there are over a billion Chinese you can see how a country like ours with one sixtieth the population trying to contribute to their shortage is going to be a problem. And it could get worse! This shows to me how contamination, shortages etc can implicate the whole world!

Now, baby formula has a shelf life of a year or so. So it is not suitable for long term storage and the same for powdered milk. I am not sure how long powdered milk will really last? But this is worth keeping an eye on if a baby in your family is needing formula. And grab powedered milk when you see it if you use it.

The other two shortages that seem likely are chocolate and honey. There seems a general agreement that world consumption of chocolate combined with drought and Ebola etc in Africa equal higher prices and shortages predicted.

Honey is similar. Manuka honey in particular is only produced in NZ and Australia and is being hailed world wide as a medical miracle and beauty miracle. Everyone wants it. The prices are already very high. A shortage of this seems likely also. So I checked into Manuka Honey. Is it a trendy thing? or does it really have special properties? I think it does have special healing properties but I wil leave that up to you to decide. Lots of "honey" on shelves contains no honey at all and is just concoctions of sugar syrups and who knows what. But real raw honey is gone up and up in price.

Of the things I can see there is a likely shortage honey seems to be a good thing to store as it never goes off. Pure honey really lasts forever.

I decided to make this post today instead of Wednesday for anyone who uses powdered milk or has a child on formula. Formula is currently on the shelves as long as you don't buy multiples. But I would keep an eye on supplies just in case. And if you buy powdered milk watch for it as it may be on the shelf if your supermarkert has some come in but it is unlikely to last. (in Australia anyway)

I found this very interesting as there is nothing in the media but I found some mentions in the media last year. Perhaps they think if they tell people then it will only be worse?!

Wherever you live it can be a good idea to be up to date on shortages, contaminations and droughts etc which can cause things to be scarce and stock up on them if they are important to you. And sometimes these thing have the potential be be a good little investment for the future. In some cases buying before great price hikes is just a good saving.

So these days knowing what would be wise to stock up on as Mel's Grandmother did is possibly tricky. And we have to make our own judgements and do our own research... plus where will live may make a difference. But I am thinking I will stock up on pure raw honey and Manuka honey, at least. Also what to stock up on depends on our own needs as well as the needs of others and if you intend things to be an investment/safety net, gifts, or for personal use. But it is a very interesting subject. And a demonstration that a shortage in one country can have a domino effect on others.

Later this year if Lucy needs baby formula (She hopes not to but you never know...) then I will be keeping some spares on hand and watching the situation carefully. I would not have even known I NEEDED to do that.

Knowledge is power! I think of the Proverbs woman who is not afraid of the future. She brought home food from far away places, worked on building up her household and was like the bees and ants working away and storing things up. I think that's why I love birds and bird nests so much... they are happily working away on their nests creating a thing of beauty. That is so sweet to me!



Next week we will return to normal days and I will hand back over to Helen. She has been working like a little bee on her pantry and preparedness!

Have a wonderful week! Here we are in February! Lets make it a month we make the most of in every way! xxx


33 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tip, Annabel! It's shopping day tomorrow, and while I only just bought some powdered milk, I will have a look while I am out. I don't use it terribly often, but I always like to have it on hand :)

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    1. Thanks Fiona. I hope you are adjusting to back to school life and routine and have great holidays! xxx

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  2. That's fascinating Annabel! I always worry that these shortages are caused by rumour and fear, but perhaps in this case there are good reasons. I mostly use powdered milk for cooking and 1kg lasts me six months or more. But as an emergency pantry item, it's certainly worth having on hand. Thanks for the warning. Mimi xxx

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    1. Thanks Mimi. Its interesting. I can see the world is so small these days that what happens in one country can totally have an impact elsewhere. Also ringing Devondale was enlightening and they were so helpful. If we had a crystal ball we would know what to stock up on! Have a good week, and wonderful February! I think you did a lot in January! xxx

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  3. Funnily enough, a mum just posted on another forum about not being able to find her baby's formula. I was able to give her a bit of a 'heads up'. And I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read it here!

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  4. Annabel thankyou for the reminder - I can remember when we lived in Melbourne that I could not get any milk powder - we were surrounded by supermarkets too and it was the same everywhere. I normally buy 2 when I do my monthly shop (not that we need the two) but just in case there is none on the shelves when I am doing my shopping but if we have a build up I only buy 1.
    Lynette

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    1. Thanks Lynette, I think surely if the shortage is long lasting the prices will just rise? Luckily we have good supplies of fresh milk. But baby formula is another thing, Im telling Lucy and we will have to watch if she needs to buy formula. I hope your renovations and everything is going well! Have a lovely week. xxx

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  5. I bought powdered milk from ALDI a week or so ago when Coles and Woolies had no stock but I see they do have now. I did an online search to see what was causing the problem and apparently the drought is also responsible. As well the milk price wars in Queensland at least have meant the majority of dairy farmers have had to shut down business due to lack of profits. It doesn't surprise me that there will be shortages in the future. The big supermarkets should have foreseen what would happen down the track. Added to that the situation in China means there is less supply. Good hints as usual, Annabel.

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    1. Ahhh the drought in QLD... we havent had a drought here but I can see that would have a massive impact there. What we have had is a history of farmers getting a terrible price for milk and it not being sustainable to continue. Which is terrible! You would think we should look after farmers! You are right these things combined are a worry and milk is such a basic. Thanks Nanna Chel, have a great week! xxx

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  6. I had NO. IDEA. I'm going to be checking this out here in the States!

    Hugs,
    Kelley~

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    1. Kelley let me know what you find. I see on Ebay most milk sold seems to be from the US so I think there must be plenty? Interesting though! xxx

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  7. Wow, very interesting information Annabel.

    There was very little powdered milk in Woollies the other day when I looked. Only the one brand, and the shelves were empty of the others. Also in short supply is a particular brand of Almond milk (Sanitarium unsweetened) that we drink. I haven't been able to buy it lately (for over a month) and my stock is getting low.

    I have been buying Manuka honey for years but it is getting so expensive. I have managed to source raw honey elsewhere from friends in Port Lincoln who keep bees. We are also looking at starting our own hives here. Local Farmers markets will have raw honey.

    xTania

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    1. Tania I will look here for the almond milk and let you know if its available.
      It sounds like you know the benefits of Manuka honey if you have already been buying it. I have been reading up all about it... very interesting. And yes the price just keeps going up I think as demand does.
      Mum and Dad had a bee keeper who leaves bees and hives on the farm. This gives them an annual amount of free honey. I think a hive would be a wonderful idea! You would produce your own and probably enough for the whole family! I hope you do it! xxx

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    2. Thank you for taking a look for me Annabel. I should tell you there are a few different ones in the Sanitarium brand. If you go to the link below it will show you a picture of the Almond milk I am talking about. It is the packet the the green colouring on it :)

      http://www.sanitarium.com.au/products/milk-alternatives/so-good-almond-milk

      xTania

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  8. Annabel, I bought 4 x 1 kilo bags of powdered milk from Coles a week ago. I was running low and thought I'd stock up when I saw it.

    Honey has increased in price due to the shortage of bees. We've noticed that there have been very few bees in the garden. I've since found out that due to pesticides and disease, bee numbers are dying off.

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    1. It was a good idea to stock up Wendy.
      I have noticed how honey has gone up and up. We cant live without bees so we would be in a lot of trouble. It does sound like honey is a good thing to stock up on if possible.
      Have a great week. Here we are in February! I hope its a productive month full of good things! Many thanks.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel and friends,
    I didn't know this until you told me a week ago. Frankly I was shocked! I looked at Woolworths on Thursday last week and they had powdered milk, including their home brand one. I guess the moral of the story is that we now know that it is in short supply and when we see it, stock up. Annabel here is a link for us all where you can check shelf life on products:
    http://www.eatbydate.com/dairy/milk/how-long-does-powdered-milk-last-shelf-life/
    It says that powdered milk lasts 2-10 years pass the use by date. The main thing is to keep it from extreme heat.
    Thank you for a wonderful article and I'm sure I will learn more from you all as we comment. Love Helen x

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    1. That is a wonderful link Helen that we must post again to make sure everyone has it. How handy!
      It means in my cellar and stored in a tub so it is double sealed it should last me years. It is a great back up. I fear its days of being cheaper are limited, I mean cheaper overall than fresh milk. But it would still be very good to have on hand.
      Many thanks for that! xxx

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  10. I read a book about WWII last year. It got me thinking about soap. I decided to add soap to my monthly purchase for awhile. Soap never goes bad, so it doesn't cost anything to store it. I acquired 7 packages extra and got tired of the exercise.

    I just went to look and we have used up the entire stockpile I had built up! I know that wasn't the point of your story, but it reminded me. I think I'll go back to storing this. It doesn't hurt anything. And around here (US) all the grocery prices are going UP, UP, UP. So at very least I will save $. There's no problem around here with formulas for babies, but from time to time you can't find powdered milk. I use it instead of fresh in all my baking, so I always keep it on hand. I guess I should buy at least one extra package. (For the record, I have never had it go off. It seems to keep really well.)

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    1. You are right about soap Cristy as it lasts, I think in fact the longer it's kept the harder it is and the better it lasts when you're using it. Plus it smells nice!
      Thank you so much for your comments!xx

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    2. I have a truck load of "gold " at my place then. I have lots and lots of Dove soap bought on sale as wel as the usual normal soap and motel guest soaps.

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    3. I'm with Wendy! I'm a rich woman for sure with my soap hoarding oops I mean stockpiling :) mostly dove, but I have many others as well.

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  11. Hmmm...no shortage of any of those items here in the US. A granddaughter is on formula since she decided to ween herself at 6 months but our shelves are always full of those items. I am sorry that all of those parents on your side of the world must worry about feeding their babies.

    I don't think powdered milk keeps especially well. After a year it has an off taste so I would only stockpile it if I planned to use it regularly and keep the stock rotated.

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    1. I am glad you dont have these shortages Lana. Someone let me know they had no baby formula yesterday which is terrible.
      I think with powdered milk it needs to be kept cool, sealed in the bag and or also sealed air tight in another container. Then they say 2 to ten years keeping time. But if air or warmth get to it much less. So I am trying that.
      You are right, rotating stock is the key thing.
      On Friday you told me about peach crisp. I went off and googled that. I think we would call it peach crumble. Well I made it! It turned out fantastic! Thank you for that. For some reason I never thought of that. My husband thought it was the best thing ever! xx

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  12. Isn't it amazing what role knowledge plays in all this? Here in the US milk is still cheap and plentiful, partially due to farm subsidies, and yet there are those in the cities who are complaining about money that is given to farmers! Sigh...maybe a mandatory farm to table course in school? :)

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  13. Dear Annabel, this has been very eye opening. I shared the post with my husband (he's the one that really keeps up with more news about the rest of the world), and he did not hear of this either. When we ran errands today, he bee lined to the formula aisle, and no such limits here. However it was only the corner drug store, I have yet to check the grocery store. If you are ever in need of it and we can help from our end, do not hesitate to ask. I'm grateful our Lord makes us sisters, and I'm grateful for the technology that has allowed us to be neighbors. Thank you for writing such an informative post! Xxx

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  14. Hi Annabel

    Great post as always. Wow my Grandmother would be scoffing to think she was considered a wise woman. I must say though she married my Grand Father they were poor. I don't mean I can't afford to buy steak this week poor I mean no running water and dirt floors poor (that is the house my Grand Father came from) but they worked hard and were very prudent. Growing up I only knew my Grand Father well and he was a very prudent but generous man. Not only generous with his money but also generous with his time and patience with us as children and teenagers. He was a true Godly man, he never preached the Word of God he LIVED the Word of God, and took good stewardship over his possessions. When he died he left my mother and her sister a very large sum of money.

    With the milk powder I have found it to last for years. If I buy a large container/bag of it I always put it in airtight containers in the freezer and then bring out one at a time though there is no need to freeze. I am still using one that is over a year old.

    If you are in Adelaide I bought a large bag of it (I can't remember if it was five or ten kilos) from Gaganis Bros some years ago so it might be worth giving them a call to see if they have any.

    I heard an interview on the radio some months ago discussing the fact that Australia does not manufacture many of it's own drugs and that they are brought in from overseas and the supply chain is tenuous so that may be something to think about. You can get PBS medication in Australian dispensed every three weeks so that you can slowly build up a supply. Epi-pens have a very short shelf life so they cannot be stored but I have anti-biotics here that were dispensed to me in hospital but then the doctor ordered different ones so I kept the old ones because you never do know and the shelf life is three years. I do know Paracetemol can be used well past it's use by date. I aim for 3 months of my Blood Pressure medication but want to have six months on hand I always have 6 months of my daughters medication on hand. It has taken me a year to achieve this but I feel comfortable with it here.

    Soap and deodorant I am well stocked up on. In fact I love seeing the neat rows of my toiletries shelf in my wardrobe. Shampoo I am building up and meat in the freezer also. Though I understand meat relies on power.

    Much food for thought.

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    1. Mel I didnt think of Giganis Bros for powdered milk. I am due a trip there. It is wonderful! That is my place for dehydrated mushrooms and onions, beans etc.I might only get there every two years of so and I stock up on oregano and things I use a lot of.
      I think you are right it is the air tight factor that is important. And cool. This seems to keep things so Im thinking my cellar has that bonus of cool temperature.
      Going by all the comments we at least will all smell nice whatever crisis befalls us and we all have stored soap!
      Good information thank you about drugs... arent we mad that we dont produce our own supplies and be a bit safer with ensuring supplies!
      As you say all we can do is keep a little extra up our sleeves as a buffer just in case.
      What is your favourite shampoo brand and conditioner for you and the girls? I am thinking what to stock up on.
      Many thanks Mel you are always a great source of information. xxx

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  15. Don't laugh but I bought 144 tooth brushes online and even when I shared some out amongst friends I would still have 100 left. I feel good knowing they are there and for $35 I thought they were a real bargain. My girls tend to loose them when they have "sleepovers" so instead of paying $4 each to replace them I just go to the "stock" shelf.

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    1. You have made me think ok I need to look online for some of these things! That is crazy! That is 24 c each? Had to get the calculator out for that one!
      Well done! xxx

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  16. Annabel at the moment the girls and I are using Treseme because it is one of the shampoos that we all like (the only downside is I like one with a strong perfume but this one doesn't have any noticable perfume) that is a good price At Costco I got a twin pack of 1.2 litre shampoo and a 1.2 litre conditioner on sale for $11.99 and the price last visit was $14.99. We also have some small bottles of assorted shampoos that I have picked up on special. I do love a nice smelling shampoo and I am going to try some different shampoos in bulk in the future. I am happy with the Treseme though an at that price it is a good bargain. I have about seven smaller bottles of shampoo in stock and one twin pack of the Treseme unopened and one twin pack just opened. I am going to try to get a year's supply of shampoo in stock......just in case. If it was just me I would even settle for using a gentle soap on my hair but the girls really wouldn't be happy to do that.

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  17. I think of the Proverbs woman who is not afraid of the future...Just came across this quote in the post and my brain exploded in a good way. Every Shabat evening, my husband reads Proverbs 31 over me. I listen to what it says and think about it but I'd never considered the subject of the future in quite this way. Thank you Annabelle!

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    1. Terri I dont remember who first pointed it out to me but I was told the Proverbs woman is up into the night making garments and warm things, she is not afraid of the winter.... that she is not afraid as she is all prepared with clothes of scarlet... I am sure she is assured for other reasons too but she is one prepared women! I love this! When you read it through in order all her works are listed then it gets to she is not afraid of snow... no wonder, her pantry is stocked with food from all over the place too! This is very encouraging. Im so glad you liked seeing it from this angle! I love it when that happens! Many thanks Terri.xxx

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