Their is a shortage of bacon

[BriCan]

It has come to pass that over these past few week it seems that the 'bacon fairy' has once again forsaken us possibly for warmer/drier climates. This last week I have processed no less than 60 middles and still it is not enough. The following is a up to the minuet shot of the 'bacon vault'



Monday is a holiday out this way so on tuesday and friday I will be receiving a total of 120 middles The mind boggles wot Christmas will be like

[NCPaul]

It would be worse if I was within driving distance. I'm running low myself and hot weather is here; cold smoking is going to be tricky.

[ComradeQ]

I hear you, same going on here! I had to visit my farmer supplier this morning after working the midnight shift because so many people are bothering me for more bacon. My quantities are nowhere near yours but 50lbs should do me.

[Dogfish]

That's a lot of dead pigs! I've been leaving this nice weather for outdoors stuff but need to make up a bunch of sausage.

[Mohalk]

That's a lot of dead pigs! I've been leaving this nice weather for outdoors stuff but need to make up a bunch of sausage.

Pigs taste much better dead!

Not to change the subject but what would be a fair price for fresh pork belles. I just got a quote locally $2.49 lb. at an avg. of 25 lbs. ea.

[ComradeQ]

That's a lot of dead pigs! I've been leaving this nice weather for outdoors stuff but need to make up a bunch of sausage.

Pigs taste much better dead!

Not to change the subject but what would be a fair price for fresh pork belles. I just got a quote locally $2.49 lb. at an avg. of 25 lbs. ea.

Cheapest I could find in the stores around here was $2.99/lb at the Asian grocery stores. I did a little sleuthing around however and found a direct pig farmer who sells them for between $0.99-$1.29/lb. He also has heritage breeds that are closer to $5.99/lb (Berkshire) but these are just your bog standard pigs. I find them fatty and meaty enough for good bacon and while Berkshire and other expensive pigs do in fact make better bacon, the bog standard bellies are still leagues above all store bought crap.

To answer your question, $2.49/lb is probably equal to the cheapest store bought stuff here when the exchange rate is taken into account. If you can find some direct farmers you can sometimes work out better deals.

[NCPaul]

That's not a bad price for bellies if you are going to make them into bacon (and large at that); if you are going to use them for sausage, you might ask about hog jowls.

[vagreys]

My prices have been around $1.69/lb, but have jumped by 30% in the last three weeks.

[Mohalk]

Thank you for the reply guys. It looks to be a fair price seeing they are not easy to find around here.

Thanks again
Al