Small Town Wisdom

I can skin a buck, I can run a trout line and a Country Boy can survive. I borrow a line from Hank Williams Jr. to bring a point.

In light of all the COVID-19, Coronavirus talk, there are local level stories here in South Dakota and around the world that keep surfacing. And reminders that simply say, 'hey, what were we thinking?'

Yes, we've all been to the big store. They tease us at the door with low prices, soon, we're inside. Suddenly, we've switched the way we operate. We've modified our behavior. Pretty soon, we're buying their product and find ourselves paying for the Brand or Label. It happens everywhere, it happens to everyone.

Then something comes along, like a 'virus' and suddenly, we're readjusting everything, everywhere. I consider it sort of a 'reset.' At the very least an adjustment. An adjustment to our thinking, down to core strategies of how and why and where we buy 'important, core items, like the food we gather. Food for our families. A simple post on Facebook from the Scotland Locker, in tiny Scotland, South Dakota has rippled through the 'local countryside' with a simple, message;

We are fully stocked on hamburger and other products and our price hasn't changed. Our locals come first and please buy what you need not what your freezer can hold.

The large Meat Packers are in fact royally screwing local small cattle producers. They have drastically raised prices on all cuts but in return are paying record lows to the producer. Our price will hold and our supply will last and this too shall pass.

Be responsible. Be reasonable. Be hygienic. Be courteous. Be compassionate. If you want to truly help a farmer, call us and ask about how to buy beef directly from a local. Don't go pay $8 a pound for hamburger!

In particular, I liked the 'hold your water!' phrase in the message;

Buy what you need, not what your freezer can hold.

Call your friends in the country. Ask how they're doing. Then, ask if they have a favorite locker. That locker will most likely have a phone number from a local producer and remember that line, buy what you need, not what your freezer can hold.

They closed the message with;

We are still open to regular hours. If you feel sick or at risk, call in and we can prepare and bring your order out curbside. If you have no mode of transportation, give us a call and we will do what we can to get it to you.

Once again, James signing off saying thank you so very much for your continued support of my Locker, my family, my crew and our shared resource of great local producers!

Scotland Locker-Scotland, South Dakota (605) 583-4182

Thank you for 'sharing' this story with your family and friends. If you have any questions, comments or additions, you can email me anytime. jdcollins@kikn.com