How Important is American Made to you?

When I was in Illinois, $8/quart for local honey would have been a good deal. Why I would pay $8 to have honey shipped to me from somewhere else is somewhat questionable though. Why not just buy supermarket honey at that price?

A product is worth whatever people will pay for it. The end. It IS just that black and white.

Big business uses government law to eliminate small business, and small business tries to use emotion to stay in the market.

There is a class of consumer who cares about where their dollars are spent. They care about supporting a certain type of lifestyle and they care about having a personal relationship with the person who is making their products and receiving their money.

The knives I sell aren't really intended for the guy who just wants the cheapest available knife. It's one of the reasons I've had such terrible luck selling them in brick and mortar storefronts. I sell a niche product and it takes the wider internet to find my tribe and sell specifically to them. Big corporations are desperate to tap into that. If you look closely, you'll see that all big corporations are trying desperately to look like small business and to build as wide of a tribe as possible.

There's a reason for that. When consumers have money to spend and a wealth of choices on what to spend their money on, then the producers have to compete on more levels than just price.

Prior to retiring to our farm I was stationed in Alaska and at one point paid $8.00 for a gallon of milk so I am not sure what you can buy locally for XXX amount of dollars is going to equate universally as prices are often geographic. I live in a very low cost area and cant buy honey from any farm around here for $2.25 a pound so consider yourself lucky.

But I ask, what business do you know of that just asks any price they want to claiming they have to to pay a fair wage? Most businesses are finding that they need to keep price points as low as possible to even be competitive. A collective "WE" want low prices and "WE" elected leaders that entered into free trade agreements, and "WE" have demanded over the last couple decades that environmental concerns be addressed so rather than taking the cheap way out by blaming "greedy corporations" we all just need to look in the mirror.

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www.salmonslayer-simplelife.blogspot.com

Most honey in the supermarket is not 100% honey.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/1...ey-isnt-honey/
And there was an article just 2 days ago--where they found most of the honey was not 100% honey, out of Wisconsin, and their punishment was, don't do anything wrong for the next two years.......so it's going to continue.

Ernie--it is not black and white. If you want to buy fake honey, well, more power to you. I said "It's not all black and white--it's a measure of gray, a balance of good product, good pricing, fair wages and benefits." Lots of egotistical (not you) business men will make an argument that 'service' is everything, that 'price' is everything, that 'locality' is everything........well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see it that it a combination of factors, a balance, and it becomes gray--I'm comfortable with gray. I like that you have a knife niche--more power to you.

Salmon--I didn't say 'greedy corporations', but yes, GREEDY CORPORATIONS TOO. You can turn this into a corporation vs government political fight--I'm still going to fight with my dollars, spending them on what I believe in. The politics, or polite bs, goes in the politics section.

That's what I like about America, I get my say with my dollars. I have hope and I won't buy based on negatives like guilt, I'll buy because I believe it is a good product and the more local the better--because it is fundamentally better for my local economy.
If we all stop hoping, we all stop trying to be better, buy better, sell better--well just hand me the shovel, and I'll help bury all the dreams.

If I have it, I want it to work well and last a long time. If you have it I want you to be happy with it, no matter where it comes from. Value is important to me. I found out that I my new banjo is sold and serviced by a small US firm through music stores, but that it came from over seas. I felt that it may have, because of the price. I am satisfied with the weight, sound, appearance. My fifth string tuner fell out. The US company paid for the shipping and repair within a week. Still satisfied. Working and on Shady Grove. I will pay only a little more for made at home if it is an option.

A lot of truth is here.
Truth for which one can get banned on this forum and most of American forums and I am sure it hurts the admin.

and truly, if I didn't have 45 knives (no kidding) around here for multiple purposes.......I'd buy some from you. I've got them for skinning, and chopping, peeling, frozen foods, vegetables and fruits, just for little things, some for big things, getting through squash and melon skins, for cutting up pork and beef, chicken cutters, and stabbing, especially stabbing, for self defense No one ever breaks in so I never get to use the stabbing knives. Oh well. Best wishes on your knives, I'll keep you in mind for knife buyers. Put them on the barter board once a month, you might find more buyers that way.

Heh. I understand your issue, but as a knifemaker, I truly believe that one can never have TOO many knives.

On the issue of the stabbing knives ... sometimes you got to go where the stabbing needs to happen.

Well I'm laughing on the inside, my belly is laughing! Oh that is so good.
How many knives is enough???????????????????????????????????
I thought I was well endowed with knives, now I'm feeling that I might need more ! YIKES.

That's the spirit.

I had one guy a few months ago ... he bought EIGHT. Cleaned my shop mostly out. Eight of pretty much the exact same knife, only with different designs on the handle.

I figured either he was a really hardcore fan, a collector, or that he was reselling them. (Not that I care about resellers. Their checks clear the bank too!)

My wife's theory is that he's just trying to get ahead of the curve on collector's items when I become infamous for some legal misadventure. Sort of like someone buying the Unabomber's book of poetry.

And this is what the American entrepreneur looks like.Do I believe in buying American, YES I DO. I fundamentally believe in buying local and buying American.
heh, your wife is a hoot.

You have no idea.

I am also sorry to the OP for kind of hijacking the thread, but am truly enjoying hearing all the different views.

The argument over big business vs small has always kind of fascinated me. And my experience has largely colored my opinion on this, as I am sure is the case with most everyone. We shop big stores most often and I am one of those coupon nuts that people hate to be behind at the register. We need the low prices to keep the medical bills paid. But I also have observations from a couple of other angles. I will try to condense this...LOL

Most of my jobs since I was a teen have been for small businesses. Lovely to work for, less stressful, more understanding about needing off for family issues, lots of great reasons to work for one. However, they can't afford to pay me much and can't afford great benefits either. Not because they are greedy, just because there isn't that much wiggle room in their margin and when there is they try to expand the business (and rightfully so). So it is a trade off, nicer working atmosphere, little chance to become a big wig or make any great money. Someone mentioned not getting a "liveable wage" - if I was single it would not be liveable.

My hubby went to work for a big corp straight out of HS. Makes pretty good money, amazing benefits, 6 weeks vacation a year. He started at minimum and worked his way up. If I had to do life over I probably would have taken his route. While my employers often compliment me and make me feel very needed and appreciated, there comes a point where I would really rather have more money than pats on the back but I know they can't afford it.

The other observation is about two towns, both about 30 miles from me. Both were roughly the same size when I was in school, both have colleges. The town with the fairly well known 4 year college works very hard to keep big business out. The city council fights them tooth and nail and puts ridiculous demands on them to deter them and it has worked. Very few business there that I would consider "big stores". Tons of college kids who can't find a job, graduates who can't find a job. The town is slowly choking to death. If it weren't for the big college it would be long gone. The other town only has a community college but has allowed in big business. That town is BOOMING! Help wanted signs everywhere, new businesses popping up constantly, new construction everywhere.

I think in order for our economy to work we need a healthy mix of both big and small business, and I think both have their place. I don't think it would be good to only have one or the other. And I hate to see either one being picked on which is why I always argue the other side of whatever someone said - that and I really enjoy a good debate when people can be civil about it - tons of fun. Thank you all for indulging me :-)

I try to by American made products when possible, but only certain things. I do not care for what are considered American made cars or trucks...however my Toyots was built here in the US with most of its parts manufactured here as well...more than I can say for some of the Big 3's autos. Toyota employ's Americans that spend money her in the US, the same cannot be said for cars built in mexico by the big three.

I prefer American made tools and food grown in the US so if I can and do have a choice I will. If the cost is much higher for a comparable item I will choose the less costly item.

That being said, some American made stuff is junk...

If you are on the internet, the device you are using to reply to this post is not made here...likely not a single part of it.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

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Does it even matter if its a US based compwny or is that a phrase we use to rid ourselves of guilt?

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I began to loose hope a few years ago when I found out that "American" Racing Wheels are made in China.

But you got to hand it to American business for being sneaky. My wife bought a water jug that had a big American flag and "USA" on the label. When she got it home and looked closer, she saw in fine print "Designed in USA" right above smaller print that said the good old "made in china" phrase. China is one thing but American companies intentionally tricking us really frosts me.

You don't look like a fellow who would take being tricked lightly.

What's ironic is that many of those companies proudly sport a "made in USA" label, but if you go to their headquarters or their factories you discover that "made in USA" really means to them "made by foreigners we imported into the USA".

Interestingly according to Business Week, "Made in America" products are very highly sought after in .....China!

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www.salmonslayer-simplelife.blogspot.com

I truly believe that every dollar we spend is a vote for the products and businesses that we will have in the future. With that being said, I choose to buy American made products when I can find them because I want to see those businesses stay around. I don't buy China's products because I choose not to support an industry that uses slaves, especially children, to produce many of their products. I just don't want to support people that choose to do that to others.

I'm like many others that I read in this thread, I buy used products mostly and I try to stay out of the Wal-Mart's, Target's, and other large stores. I do want to help support the people that work there but in most cases those stores drain the money from my community to someplace else. I don't think they pay the people that work for them enough money nor support the local economy well. Yes, they do provide money by means of local taxes which does help, but if people are shopping locally then that money would of still provided those same taxes.

So, I just keep in mind that the money I spend sends a message to the business community, even if it is just a small message. It provides a mean to support those things that I find to be important. Like not supporting slave trading and child labor.

Big statement.
But as a child I did have to work on the farm.
Is it wrong?
And US agriculture in the South was started on slave labor.

One MAN does not need more the ONE knife if he knows how to use it.
But for many the more knifes one has the more man he is.