I found the Safeway, Rapid City stores, flyer for the past week, Feb. 19-25, 2014). They have 'extreme value pak' 80/20% fat 'lean ground beef' not to exceed 20% fat hamburger at $2.49 a pound. I think that was the 'leader' for beef.

Their 'Butcher's Cut grass Fed 85% lean ground beef was $4.99 per pound.

Rancher's Reserve boneless beef Chuck Cross Rib Roast was also $4.99, as was 'Open Nature' Grass Fed Boneless Beef top Round London Broil.

Boneless Beef Round Tip Breakfast Steak, with Rancher

s Reserve name on it is $3.99, also Rancher's Reserve, Beef Ribeye bone in steak is $8.99.

They also had chicken drumsticks or thighs at $1.119 per pound, up to $2.99 for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pork loin chops at $2.99, Center cut boneless pork chops at $3.99, Jennie-O turkey Store Ground Turkey was $5.00 for a 16 or 20 ounce package. There were various forms of sea food from $4.00 to $8.99 a pound, ranging from breaded 'fish' to raw or cooked shrimp and some decent looking salmon near the top prices.

Rapid City does have quite a range of grocery stores. Several are new within past five to ten years, or less. It is fun to 'tour' them once in a while to see what 'city' folks can get. We are pretty lucky to have several small town within 30 miles which have about anything one needs, plus plenty we don't! They feature good sales, too, and quality is good. Dairy products seem pretty high, though, but I doubt locals have much control over that, what with high costs of transport. Midland, seven miles away, only has a Food and Fuel store, but has a surprising amount of groceries available, especially considering there are less than 100 residents in the town, and not a whole lot more within ten miles.

We must be in one of those 'food deserts' our government protectors worry so much about. The USDA will probably be bringing in a new store for us one of these days.

mrj