Have been enjoying this thread. Coincides with what-I-did-yesterday, which was walk out of two grocery stores because they don't have the fantastic strawberries which are being harvested 100 miles down the road. (they also were filled with screaming idiots, were out of lettuce, and were using deceptive ads on the meat prices) Apparently big chains won't sell local produce because they can't do national buys and national ads until they have enough California styrofoam to go in EVERY store.

So, today we go out of our way to go the farmer's market and we'll get the strawberries and some other things. We'll pay cash and it will go into a local family's account. Weekend, we'll drive out of our way to a great local butcher's shop/mini-grocery and we'll stock up on fresh stuff that costs less than it does at the megamart. Packaged goods we'll get from a little cash dollar chain where at least the money goes to a neighboring state and at least we aren't subsidizing bad-check passers. (sometimes these little buys can be squeezed into a lunch break) Next week we'll pop into the organic co-op for spices, flours, etc. and the money goes to keep that alternative food and knowledge source going.

Sure, I'll go back in to the big chain store (never the Wal-Mart). It'll be a targeted raid to get weird stuff I can only get there, in and out. We'll probably just keep buying milk from a gas station/convenience store, at least some of the money goes to a small businessman.

Point being, alternative sources you haven't really noticed may be out there.