Will Farmland Lie Fallow?
If the threat of mass deportation comes to fruition, there’s a real threat that the harvesting of agricultural products will be seriously impacted. It’s estimated that at least 300,000 Mexicans come to the US on H-2A or temporary work visas and that at any given time, there are up to 2,000,000 Mexican born farm workers. Though laborers with H-2A visas are in the country legally, if there are mass deportations, many of those workers may inadvertently get sent back to Mexico. Which means a lot of produce simply left out in the fields. And when farm owners can’t find workers to work their fields, they’ll plant less. But to pay their bills, they’ll increase the prices for produce that is harvested which gets passed along to the end consumer in the long run. Just when you thought inflation was cooling off…
And Increasing Tariffs?
If Canada and Mexico are hit with a 25% tariff on all items imported into the US and China with another 10% on its current tariffs, these increases in costs will simply be added to what you currently pay for goods. No retailer will absorb the cost of the increased tariff, they simply will pass it on to the final consumer… you and I. Roughly 5.9 billion dollars’ worth of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower/broccoli, asparagus, onion/shallots and other brassicas were imported from Mexico plus another 500 million dollars’ worth of potatoes and mushrooms from Canada. You can now see that loading your dining table with these commonly consumed items will likely cost you 25% more at the very least. Are we at inflation squared?
The Double Whammy
So when you add increased prices from domestic farmers because they can’t find enough laborers to harvest their field then add another 25% or so due to increased tariffs, you now have that one plus one equals three scenario. What’s a shopper to do? Pay the King’s ransom for fresh fruits and veggies? Stop consuming them and revert to the original Paleo diet of animal protein and water? Or convert to alternative sources that still maintain most of the original nutrients?
Frozen is Your Friend
I’m sure everyone thinks that freshly picked produce that you purchase at the supermarket is the winner when it comes to nutrients versus frozen produce. It’s actually a toss-up as fresh produce is usually harvested well before they ripen to prevent damage during transportation. They can spend several days to several weeks being transported and because they weren’t harvested at peak ripeness, the nutrient concentration isn’t at peak. However, frozen produce usually is harvested closer to peak ripeness with a corresponding increase in nutrient concentration. Produce meant for the frozen aisle usually are processed within hours of harvest being washed, blanched, cut, frozen then packaged and once they’re frozen, nutrients usually aren’t lost. Because frozen produce has a lot longer shelf life than fresh, wholesalers can fill their warehouses well before any tariffs are implemented (and hopefully maintain lower prices) to give you a little reprieve before your costs start rising.
Freezing to Dry
Freeze drying food is a process called lyophilization where food is first frozen under a specific atmospheric pressure then the pressure is reduced and heat is introduced that causes the frozen water in the food to directly go to water vapor (sublimation) which is then removed leaving the food devoid of any water. This produces food that is shelf-stable and extends the shelf life as well as the texture and nutrient content. Since the shelf life can be as much as 25 years, freeze dried produce can outlast up to 6 presidential cycles and corresponding executive orders!
Most freeze-dried foods can simply be “brought back to” life by simply rehydrating. The downside is that once rehydrated, the texture isn’t exactly the same as fresh produce but it never gets the mushy texture of canned produce or softer texture of frozen produce. And rehydrated freeze-dried produce is perfect for soups and stews…
The following recipe uses freeze-dried mixed vegetables which are easy to find online. And even if the price of fresh produce isn’t affected by tariffs or a reduction in farm labor, you can always store any freeze-dried food as part of your disaster kit – we keep several bins of freeze-dried foods for our hurricane disaster kit.
Bad Election Curry
2 cups mixed dried vegetables
1 cup textured vegetable protein
5 cups water
1 can (~14oz) vegetable stock
3 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
2 tsp black garlic shoyu
Salt and black pepper to taste
Add all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours or bring to a boil on the stovetop then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
So, I’m hoping that the Year of the Snake doesn’t turn out as bad as I anticipate – you know, hope for the best but prepare for the worst and as you read this, you still have almost 3 weeks before any executive order is issued to procure not just freeze-dried foods but other necessities that may be a lot more expensive next month.
I’m also hoping that the next 4 years are likely any other presidential cycle but still adding to our hurricane supply kit which may also serve a second purpose. But in any case, I wish you health, happiness and peace of mind in the New Year. Shinnen Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!
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