Why would coffee prices be affected by grain prices..??
 

Maybe I have been in the barn too much lately..but why would coffee prices be affected by the world grain market. Please help me understand ??

Unless coffee plantations are being torn up and replaced by more profitable crops, I don't see how there would be any connection. My thought is that they both just happen to be in short supply.

Not related, except that the causes are the same. Mostly weather.

All I know is I pick up a bag of whatever is on sale everytime I am in a store.....

Only connection would be some commodities are short supplied IMO.

It's the dollar.

The dollar that used to be worth a dollar is now only worth 75 cents. It takes more dollars to buy a ton of coffee than it used to.

This will continue as long as the FED continues to create money out of thin air. The situation will get worse, and worse and so on. If they stop the money printing game then we will not have commodities, like coffee; available at any amount of dollars. When nobody will take our fake money any more, we will have a "for real" serious problem.:coffee:

Me too. I need to find a new spot in the house to properly store it, though. It's a disorganized mess in the mud room.

Every three years or so I try dandelion roots as a coffee substitute. I make a cup, try and drink it, gag, spit it out, and then go back to regular coffee.

Yup, it is the failing dollar.

I can almost taste the chemicals they spray on coffee beans with my morning brew. Makes me sick, thinking about it. I really need to find a good organic coffee.

I used to get a certain brand of organic coffee from Amazon. It was cheap. Then it became unavailable for a while, and when it showed up again the price had skyrocketed. I could no longer afford it. :(

I usually buy Folgers Simply Smooth because regular coffee can sometimes be a bit hard on my stomach. I know, I'm a wimp :)

What do you think Juan Valdez feeds that burro he uses to haul the coffee down off the mountain? Of couse coffee prices are tied to grain prices.

Exactly.
On a side note years ago when Juan & his burro was featured on tv my Grandfather convinced his brother to name his burro ... burro de Juan Valdez.
Problem was everyone started calling the burro Juan which was my Grandfather's name. Unfortunetly that burro never had any coffee strapped to it's back.
My other guess is simpley because they can.
Same goes for gasoline.
Because they can.

I am going to try chicory root this year.

Chickory isn't bad..it's not coffee but not bad. Tinknal, before you go to all the trouble of harvesting chickory roots, washing, drying,gringing and roasting; I suggest buying some commercially prepared chickory to see if you like it. I tried the process once and made a mess at the roasting stage..lost all that work. You have to get it all evenly sized before roasting and be right there on top of it because when it is done it is DONE!

Isn't the idea with chicory to use it to stretch the coffee, not as a substitute for it?

Chicory is a coffee stretcher. It's fairly common in oldstyle southern coffees. There's one brand that I used to buy that had it in there ... Cafe du Monde. Love that stuff.

Chicory by itself is ... well ... I'd rather go without.

MPS Maybe you should carry organic coffee packed to last for years ??

I've thought about carrying coffee packed for long term storage. I guess if I could find a source where I could get enough of a discounted bulk price I would pursue it.

People talk about great things to have around to use as bartering tools in a post-shtf scenario - coffee would be a good one. I know people who would give up their first born if they run out of joe

Coffee is the item I have the most of as it is something I can not produce and I dont want to do without.

We have a lot of coffee, too. I'd have to kill hubby if he ever ran out. He becomes thoroughly EVIL without it!

I like Wegmans Espresso Roast Whole Bean... I have some- but I have been stocking Ground Espresso Starbucks- so I can use my frenchpress if need be with no electricity... It is on sale right now for 6.50 a bag instead of 8.60 a bag... I have been buying it- since the sale is until 7/9/11

I get whatever is CHEAP. Which is usually Maxwell House or Folgers.

Right now Walmart has 34oz cans of one variety of Maxwell House for $4.78, so with my $1 coupons I'm getting it for $3.78.

Next week or next month it could be a different deal at a different store.

wasn't Postum made from wheat?

I'm a Wegmans girl when it comes to grocery shopping! Hubby doesn't like "good" coffee. Over the years, I've tried to introduce him to a few of the finer things in life since he works so hard. I just wanted to pamper him a bit... No such luck! Now, I'm grateful that he prefers Folgers...

A palatable hot drink can be made from any roasted grain. In the early part of the the 19th century, when the merchant ships ran out of coffee, they made a substitute from burnt bread crumbs. Dandelion roots and chicory are both used to make "hot" drinks that are supposed to resemble coffee.... but, IMHO, don't.

Still, you have to consider what it is you're storing it for. Is it for a hot drink? In which case, roasted grains will deliver an acceptable alternative. If you need the caffeine in order to avoid doing murder, store the beans :)