Local grocery store looking a bit bare!

 Forsyth MO. - I've shopped at Country Mart since it opened some decades ago in Forsyth Missouri and so, I've grown pretty use to knowing what to expect to see on the shelves. Yet, over the past number of months, I've witnessed a marked change to fewer and fewer items to select from. 

When I've asked why some of the shelves have been mostly bare, in the past, I've been informed that it was to to 'supply chain disruptions'... Whatever that actually means. I had assumed they (they being management) were referring to disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, currently in its 9th month! Disruptions that I had assumed would have worked themselves by now. But, they really haven't. As a matter of fact, they seemed to have gotten worse, at least at the Forsyth location. I found this strange, as the one other local market named Save A Lot didn't seem to  be suffering shortages quite as much!

So, I decided to investigate a bit more. One relevant article that I viewed back in March stated 'Supermarkets are rationing grocery-store staples and trying to restock more quickly to deal with surging demand, while planning new ways to feed a rising number of self-isolating consumers as coronavirus spreads across the U.S. and Europe.' I approached the owner of Save A Lot and asked him if this was still the case. Was increased hording still causing the shortages and why was his store so well stocked?

I was informed by a spokesperson for SAL that they too were have supply chain disruptions due to the impact that Covid-19 was having. She told me that right at that moment, obtaining canned vegetables was a challengs.

I expect shortages to remain a problem well into 2021.

A trip to the local grocery store!

Forsyth MO. - It was mid-March, 2020 and at about 10AM on a Wednesday, I made the decision to go to a local Country Mart Grocery store for some supplies...

The coronavirus was still raging all across the continental landscape. While, here in Missouri, there were only 16 cases out of a population of 6 million with no one yet dying! Although to hear the folks at CNN talk, this virus was going to be the end of the world as we know it. OK, then... I guess that's that. It must be true. Because, how often are those folks ever caught lying? Just saying.

I arrived at the store at about 9:20 AM and my first impression was that, while the store looked busy, it didn't look like there was much in the way of panic buying going on. If nothing else, it felt more like a typical weekend morning... Busy, but really not impressively so.

As I meandered my way through the isles, my first stop took me to the pharmaceutical section for a bottle of mouthwash and a few bars of soap. (Yes, just plain old soap). I noticed that where there was a generic selection available, that was what customers were buying. The Brand names were pretty much left sitting on the shelf. (That was something that showed up again and again as I shopped).

Next, it was onto the Produce Department where I grabbed some apples and an onion. I also noted that the large ten pound bags of potatoes was almost gone even as the smaller five pound bags were in ample supply. Everything else about that department seemed pretty normal.  I did overhear one of the store personnel remark that TP was hard to come by, and I wondered in passing, what the connection was between the virus and TP?  (Hint: There is none).

As I passed the canned goods isle, I glanced down the isles and noted that a lot of customers seemed to gravitate towards the purchase of corn! Why was that true, for God's sake? Perhaps, it was on sale. From a strictly nutritional standpoint, corn is not all that energy dense. (Nowhere like potatoes are). [As an aside; I would think that a collage post-grad might want to do some research on what people buy in stores like this during a time of a 'pseudo' crisis.] I call this crisis 'pseudo' based on the incidence of infection by the coronavirus being at about .00026% of the Missouri population. (If people wanted to be afraid of something, let them worry more about the regular flu which has hit the country pretty hard this season)!

When I finally made my way to the checkout area, I witnessed a group of ladies who looked pretty tired even at such an early hour, Hey! If you're planning on shopping at a grocery store, over the next couple of weeks, please consider slipping your checkout person a few bucks to help brighten their day....

As I stepped out of the store and headed for my car, the sun was breaking through the clouds and you could feel spring just about to burst out all over the place. I realized that things were going to be just fine and that all I really needed to do (besides washing my hands) was to keep the TV tuned to some old movie while bypassing the media talking heads and the politicians who were desperately trying to; score points, enhance the sense of panic and to throw taxpayer money at a problem that was going to very likely clear up like the early morning mist on a summer day.



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Finally, a good tasting coleslaw!

Forsyth MO. - After searching for years to find a commercially prepared coleslaw that I could actually tolerate, I cam across a 15 ounce container made by Reser's. It was located in a cold case next to Deli counter at the Country Mart store in Forsyth. It sold for three dollars and change and was pretty darn tasty!

Country Mart Norkotah Russet potatoes! A bargain!

ORIGIN: Selected from a cross made in North Dakota between ND9526-4 Russ x ND9687-5 Russ and tested as ND534-4 Russ. Released by North Dakota in 1987.

CHARACTERISTICS: Russet Norkotah is an early to medium maturity cultivar grown primarily for the fresh market. Yields are medium and tuber specific gravity is low to medium.

Plants are medium sized, slightly upright; stems are medium thick with non-pigmented nodes and internodes. Leaves are medium in size, open and slightly pubescent. Buds are slightly pigmented, corolla is white and anthers are yellow-orange. Tubers are long to oblong, smooth, russeted and have shallow, bright golden eyes. Tuber flesh is white, dormancy is medium and sprouts are white with some purple pigment at the tip.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES: Russet Norkotah has a very attractive general appearance with a high percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers. Tuber shape and type are very desirable for the count-carton market. The variety is not well suited for processing. It is adaptable to many of the growing areas.

Russet Norkotah is susceptible to most viruses and late blight. It is very susceptible to Verticillium wilt and early blight. It is reported to have some tolerance to common scab and silver scurf.

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Above are the basics concerning the five pound bagged potatoes that are offered at the Country Mart store located in Forsyth Missouri. I like to buy these to take home as they are an excellent value. Following are some raw stats I came up with:

Count per bag: ~12 potatoes costing $2.99

Avg small found in bag: 185 grams

Avg large found in bag: 234 grams

Avg combined = ~210 grams or 7.4 ounces per potato (a medium size tater)

Avg cost per per potato = .28 cents

Avg calories per potato = 204 calories

The above numbers came from a bag I purchased and from figures gleaned off the net. I noted that the calories weren't bad at all. I guess it might be the stuff we like to add (like butter) that can balloon those numbers up a lot! This article appeared at www.taneyweather.com!

A day in August!

Forsyth MO. - It was a nice Friday. A hazy sort of day that promised gentle winds and warm temps somewhere in the low nineties. In other words, a pretty typical, late summer sort of deal. My agenda was also straightforward and rather simple; get some breakfast and then go grocery shopping.

People on diets tend to eat quickly!

My choice of eatery was the Long Horn Family Dining establishment that was located along the main highway that snaked through my very nondescript town. The restaurant was being managed by a very nice lady by the name of Lyn. She followed me to my seat, took my order and got me a hot cup of coffee all within just a few minutes. And five minutes after that, my food arrived! Wow! Great service and I enjoyed my selection called the Works - a great dish at under $9.

Next, I was off to the Country Mart, one of two grocery stores inside the city limits. At the 8AM hour, it was slow which was just the way I liked it. After grabbing a cart, I almost immediately ran into one of the stores star employees - A gal by the name of Sheila. (If your a bit down, spending just a few minutes talking to her will definitely brighten your day).

On Country Mart and slippage!

Forsyth MO. - On a promised to be hot July day in 2018, I wandered into a local grocery store known as Country Mart and as I stepped into the Produce Department, a line from Stephan King's book. 'Dark House' came to mind. It concerned the term 'slippage'; 'It’s a feeling of a kind of inevitable, sometimes hard to detect degradation into darkness. Everything is in a state of entropy. So, you’re either working to improve or letting things degrade and break up.' Half empty bins, containing limp produce greeted my eye in a department that heretofore had always been a shining example of veggies done right! I was going to purchase some Romaine, but after looking at the ragged offerings, I passed.

As I quickly exited the area, the damage had been done and now my mind was queued in to spot other areas and shelves with products that had gaps in between one item and the next. An image that was not at all like the one pictured above... Like I said, slippage was apparent most everywhere on this date and in this store....

Update: The very next day, the Produce area looked a lot better (see picture at right)! Just perhaps, I did show up on an off sort of day.... I was also informed that the long term employee, Randy, who did such an outstanding job maintaining that area had moved on...

Shopping at Country Mart!

15720 U.S. 160, Forsyth, MO 65653 * 417-546-2101

Forsyth MO – It was a Friday and with a scrawled grocery list grasped firmly in hand, I headed out to the local Country Mart to buy myself a bit of food. The day was pretty typical for early to mid March; cloudy with a noticeable southwest wind that hinted at some rain later on in the day. I parked my aging Jeep in a spot far enough from the entrance to ensure I'd get at least some exercise that day.

The Country Mart is one of about four employee owned stores that exist in and around southwest Missouri. They offer a very satisfying selection of foods, liquors, Deli and pharmaceutical items.

The store in Forsyth MO. is nicely laid out and after having shopped there for a number of years, I've got it pretty well figured out. The employees there are a very nice bunch of individuals who always seem to make an effort at being cheerful and helpful. Randy, who manages the Produce Department is one of the hardest working individuals I've ever seen. (His produce is always very well maintained, fresh and inviting). The Deli area isn't too shabby either and in that spot you will often find the very good natured Sheila, who always seems to laugh at my inane comments. (I've never really figured out if she laughs because she thinks I'm funny or if she's just laughing at me...). Whichever, she's a good person and it shows!

On this day, my list was short for two reasons; lack of much money and the fact I'm on a perennial diet. I had it in mind to make up a batch of chili which I like to mix into a bowl of pasta for a sort of Cincinnati-styled dish where I'll add some minced onion and cheese to the affair. Interestingly, if you keep the portions of some sort of sane amounts, this dish is not a diet breaker. (It's not a diet fixer either, but at my age one does the best one can). In any case, I was able to locate all the stuff I needed very quickly and have always felt that the prices are better than what could be found elsewhere. Thanks Country Mart!

Hoofing it to the grocery store!

A few miles from my home is one of two grocery stores in the small town of Forsyth Missouri. The one I prefer (and which is also the closest) is called Country Mart. I like this store for the great variety of foodstuffs offered not to mention the very efficient checkout staff.

 

As I am also a very OCD kind of individual, I like to keep good records on what I purchase there. I keep the records in a data file and am about to produce a number of useful reports as a result. This report shown at right, reflects my purchases on a typical Saturday in September. I generally like to shop about twice a week, getting only the items I would need for the next several days. And, as a person living on a fixed income, I look for generic or for stuff on sale. Still, I've noticed that the cost of groceries has slowly crept upwards over time. Seriously, twenty bucks just don't buy all that much anymore. 

If I were to state any complaints, it would be the manner in which you 'save' on particular items. I've always felt that these supposed savings are somewhat contrived. Just give me the best deal you can and I would be happy!

That bag credit offered by Country Mart!

 Forsyth MO. – A local grocery store named Country Mart is my store of choice for all my sundry needs. That said, there are a few things I don't particularly like, chief of which is the so-called 'bag credit. A credit of 3 cents, if a patron comes in with their own means of carrying out their purchases. I assume they give this credit in order to save on the plastic or paper bags they would otherwise have to supply.

My problem is that the savings to a customer is likely minuscule when compared to what it costs the store to supply all that paper and plastic to the consuming public! At three cents saved per visit, one would have to visit the store over 600 times in order to recoup @20! That's sort of a joke, if you ask me.

The price of romaine lettuce can change a lot!

Ref site: How much does Romaine lettuce cost?

As I like to keep a running data file on the items I purchase at a local grocery emporium, I noticed that the cost of romaine lettuce had evidently just gone up! After searching the web (see link above), I realized that the cost I normally pay at the Country Mart in Forsyth MO is actually less than the national average. However, as the graph illustrates, the price can fluctuate quite a bit, so it pays to be observant when you shop!

Country Mart: A study in minutia!

I've never quite figured out those cute little cards that Country Mart gives out so you can 'save' money when you shop at one of the local Country Mart stores like the one located in Forsyth Mo. To me it's a strange and rather idiotic way of doing business. I mean does a customer really save any money at the checkout counter with these cards, or are they getting a phantom discount while those without cards are just getting jacked with higher prices. What this practice boils down to, as far as I'm concerned, is for tourists to seemingly pay higher prices than the locals who shop at these stores on a regular basis. It that some form of discrimination? I don't know. A practice made all the stranger when one realizes that Save A Lot, another grocery store located just across town, is owned by the same parent company - Pyramid Foods.

Now, Country Mart is running a promotion whereby a customer gets yet another a card that the checkout clerk punches each time you make a purchase. Each cycle through the checkout line now involves scanning your discount card and then punching little holes in another card where, if you're lucky, you might win five bucks (1 in 57). To me, a very time consuming process with little return and one that only prolongs the wait for other customers standing in line. (Like I said, too much minutia). One has to wonder should Country Mart ever dump all these gimmicks and focus  on selling food, how much lower would the prices be? Wait a minute! That's right, you could go over to Save A Lot and see for yourself.

Country Mart access is congested in Forsyth Missouri

As times get a little bit hectic the closer we get to the Thanksgiving Holidays and then Christmas, it pays to remember to be considerate to others. This point was driven home to me one afternoon when I found myself inadvertently blocking the parking access of a truck that was trying to unload in front of the Country Mart store in Forsyth, Missouri.

I was parked in a no parking zone while waiting for a relative to finish her shopping. She is disabled and has a hard time walking very far as a result of a hip replacement surgery some years ago. The thing is that there is evidently no loading dock for trucks to unload. They must park in front of the building. A process made that much more difficult when people like me are blocking the way. This is even more exacerbated considering the increased need to stock the stores during the holiday rush.

The fact that Country Mart has apparently made little effort to accommodate both needs is a subject for a later blog. Right now, the trucks should be given the right of access and I will make an effort in the future to make an allowance for them.

Sorry, Tracy, my bad.