Transplanted some of my #BokChoy & purple #tomatillo plants into larger pots. These starters are all being picked up this weekend by a few of my regular plant buyers here. There's some folks who get plants from me, every year

Palestinians lined up for hours for food by a charity kitchen in central Gaza. http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TK66SZ #Gaza #Palestine #Charity #HumanitarianAid #FoodSecurity

A leaked document shows that vested interests may have been behind a “mud-slinging” PR campaign to discredit a landmark environment study, according to an investigation:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/11/pr-campaign-may-fuelled-food-study-backlash-leaked-document-eat-lancet

Africa: 'With Science, We Can Feed the World of 9.7 Billion By 2050': [IPS] Nairobi -- Animal scientist Lindiwe Majele Sibanda became what her grandmother earnestly prayed for she was growing up on a farm in southern Zimbabwe. http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TK5Hlw #Africa #Science #Sustainability #FoodSecurity #Innovation

An explosive whistleblowing memo from an anonymous group of food industry executives has warned the sector is heading for an economic disaster bigger than the pandemic, with companies’ resilience planning based on “wishful thinking” and “false reassurances” to investors.

#FoodSecurity #ClimateEmergency #Farming #Agriculture #FoodIndustry

https://archive.is/VC72M

7.4: Enhancing the local values chain with community gardens feat. Doug Jones

In this episode, Ariel interviews Doug Jones from Waterloo Region Community Garden Network, and he discusses about how the Network was started, what it does, and the benefits of gardening for the health and wellbeing not only for you but for your entire community. We discuss gleaning, food insecurity, access to land, and much more; this is an episode you’re going to want to listen to, especially if rising cost of food and food security are concerns for you these days.

I (Ariel) have included some links to the local organizations he mentions, as well as some that expand on some of the topics we discussed, which you can check out in the YouTube description or on our blog.

#SolarPunk #SolarpunkPresentsPodcast #podcast #food #FoodProduction #LandAccess #CommunityGardens #CommunityGardening #FoodSecurity #Ontario #Canada #RegionOfWaterloo

https://youtu.be/jgj-6UCOkWY?si=M9jGWRTiBh8v3ZcZ

"Cuts of 30 to 70% are rumored at USDA next week. NIH & NSF funding is being destroyed & the agencies themselves facing cuts.

About 3,500 nonfederal entomologists depend on these agencies. We'rerisking research that protects #ecosystems & #foodsecurity."

It's difficult to keep up with all the atrocities, but we amplify the gravity of the losing these experts, the firings, existential threats... of the #TrumpMusk admin.

#DOGE #Firings #Science #USDA #NIH #NSF #USPol https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/04/some-usda-rif-plans-take-shape-department-warns-employees-major-cuts/404247/

"Microplastics are now a ubiquitous part of our daily physical reality. They suffuse our #air, our #soil, the #food we eat and the #water we drink. They’re being detected everywhere, from Antarctic sea ice to human brains. A new #study published reveals how #microplastics hinder #photosynthesis across a wide range of plant species—including crucial food #crops." https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/microplastic-pollution-is-messing-with-photosynthesis-in-plants/

#OrganicGardening Soil #Inoculants - Benefits Of Using A Legume Inoculant

By Heather Rhoades
May 18, 2021

"Peas, beans, and other legumes are well known to help fix nitrogen into the soil. This not only helps the peas and beans grow but can help other plants later grow in that same spot. What many people don't know is that a significant amount of nitrogen fixing by peas and beans happens only when a special legume inoculant has been added to the soil.

"Using pea and bean inoculants is simple. First, purchase your legume inoculant from your local nursery or a reputable online gardening website. Once you have your garden soil inoculant, plant your peas or beans (or both). When you plant the seed for the legume you are growing, place a good amount of the legume inoculants in the hole with the seed. You cannot over inoculate, so don't be afraid of adding too much to the hole. The real danger will be that you will add too little garden soil inoculant and the bacteria will not take. Once you have finished adding your pea and bean inoculants, cover both the seed and the inoculant with soil. That's all you have to do to add organic gardening soil inoculants to the soil to help you grow a better pea, bean, or other legume crop."

Read more:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/beans/soil-inoculants.htm

However, the inoculants for most legumes will not work for peanuts...

"Will soybean inoculant work in peanuts?

A. No. The product may be similar in name, but the species of bacteria needed for these two legume crops are different. Bacteria know what their primary host is and the signal chemicals sent out from the roots of the soybean are different than those sent out by peanut. The soil is full of many different types of bacteria, but those signal chemicals tell exactly which bacteria to respond. Putting a soybean inoculant on peanuts is simply wasting money.

"To get the benefits of nitrogen fixation and the resulting vigorous root growth, disease protection and, ultimately, a boost in yields, an inoculant specially produced for peanuts should be used."

https://peanutgrower.com/feature/inoculant-guide-q-a/
#Gardening #SolarPunkSunday #GrowingPeanuts #Peanuts #GrowingBeans #SoilInoculents #GrowYourOwn #FoodSecurity

So, I had already picked up some "seed peanuts" from the local feed store (which reminds me -- almost time for seed potatoes and baby onions), and I've grown them in the past. However, I've never tried growing them from store peanuts, so if someone else has, let me know how it worked out. Also, peanuts are another plant that benefits from inoculants -- however, peanut inoculant is different than bean inoculant! (More about inoculants in my next post).

How to Grow Peanuts in Soil from Store-Bought Nuts
Lois Capone by Lois Capone
March 25, 2025

"I’ve always found something magical about growing food from everyday grocery items. Peanuts, in particular, are one of those crops that seem almost too simple to grow, yet many people assume they require a specialized process."

Read more:
https://gardenandcrafty.com/how-to-grow-peanuts
#Gardening #SolarPunkSunday #GrowingPeanuts #Peanuts #GrowYourOwn #FoodSecurity

Earth's Storage Of Water In Soil, Lakes And Rivers Is Dwindling - And It's Especially Bad For Farming
--
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-earth-storage-soil-lakes-rivers.html <-- shared technical article
--
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adq6529 <-- shared paper
--
#water #hydrology #waterresources #global #management #watersecurity #soil #lake #river #snow #groundwater #agriculture #sealevelerise #SLR #climatechange #farming #overuse #waste #moisture #soilmoisture #ecology #ecosystems #storage #model #modeling #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #rainfall #drought #consistency #wateruse #crop #plant #vegetation #irrigation #foodsecurity #evapotranspiration #ET #surfacewater #flux #GIS #spatial #mapping #remotesensing #earthobservation #waterstorage #depletion

The #nutrition quality of rice—a staple for half the global population—is crucial. Iron deficiency #anemia affects billions, esp. in rice-consuming regions. #Biofortification offers a sustainable solution… (1/2) doi.org/10.5010/JPB.... #foodsecurity #health

CRISPR-enhanced iron accumulat...

Millions of bees in the U.S. have died over the last 8 months. Bees pollinate 75% of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the country.

#UnitedStates #Ecology #Food #Insects #Bees #Pollination #FoodSecurity #Environment

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bee-deaths-food-supply-stability-honeybees/#eidtk5zfdo4wbo9hwgaeeocdmws6rdbn

HT @AgroecologyMap

Northey Street City Farm in #BrisbaneAustralia

"We consider the vital connection to the elements of nature to be integral to learning and offer practical skills that can be utilised every day in your own garden space or working environment. Being based in the Magical #Bundjalung Country - the Northern Rivers 'Rainbow Region' of Northern #NewSouthWales, Australia, 'Growing Roots' offers a huge range of functional and cutting edge experimental #permaculture systems for students to explore. From the intensive, highly productive market gardens of ‘The Farm’ at Byron Bay through to Rural #FoodForests, #Agroforestry Systems, #BushTukka Gardens and the Great Wilderness of our Subtropical and Cool Temperate Rainforests, the teachings of nature - and humans creative dance within it - are vast and profound. We utilise the following 12 principles of Permaculture."

Learn more:
https://agroecologymap.org/l/northey-street-city-farm-in-brisbane
#AgroEcology #sustainability #regenerativeagriculture #FoodSecurity #Permakulture #AgroForestry #BushTucker #BuildingCommunity #SolarPunkSunday

#Tennessee: #NashvillePublicLibrary, Green Hills Branch

Vegetable #ContainerGardening
When: Thursday, April 3, 2025 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Green Hills

Description: "Learn how growing plants in containers can expand your gardening options! Discover you can easily and successfully grow a variety of vegetables, flowers, and fruits in containers as varied as pots, tires and satellite dishes."

Contact: Green Hills (615) 862-5863

https://events.library.nashville.org/cal/event/eventView.do?b=de&href=/public/cals/MainCal/CAL-8a3e8e4b-9569b067-0195-b50201f3-00007226.ics
#SolarPunkSunday #LibrariesRule #VegetableGardening #FoodSecurity #BuildingCommunity #Gardening

A local food charity was asking about what kind of platforms might be available instead of Instaram?

I don't have good answers; except that as we have seen in the research that you must stay on instagram but create an alternative home which has all of the functionality you need and then point people from the place you dislike, towards the spaces you like

Within reason, of course.

Has anyone here has cause to develop food pantry communication systems?

Hey, you! Yes, YOU! Are you planting a garden and a couple fruit trees yet? Even if you rent a townhouse, you can use big pots on your porch. And learn to cook. Because the US govt is cutting 3500 more FDA jobs as well as 2400 at CDC... and these people keep infant formula, farm pesticides, meat packing plants, and bird flu from being even more unsafe than they already are.
Scroll down a bit to find the article.
https://civileats.com/food-policy-tracker/#usda-moves-to-permanently-increase-line-speeds-at-meatpacking-plants #FoodSecurity #food

This is an interesting article, worth a full read, on an aspect of Climate not always talked about in much detail.

«… The drying out of soil “increases the severity and frequency” of major droughts …, explains Dr Benjamin Cook, an … Earth system scientist … “Droughts are one of the most impactful, expensive natural hazards out there, because they are typically persistent and long lasting. Everything needs water – ecosystems need water, agriculture needs water. People need water. If you don’t have enough water – you’re in trouble.” … The study points to two factors driving gradual depletion of soil moisture over the last quarter century: fluctuations to rainfall patterns and increasing “evaporative demand”. … the atmosphere’s “thirst” for water …»

When I read about these things, I think of the danger to the food system and human society. It saddens me beyond measure that we've got a society run by capitalists who, like locusts, just want to efficiently consume every last resource the planet has to offer with no apparent regard for the future.

The article also mentions it will be expensive, though. Does that matter to any of you capitalists? I know risk of societal collapse is not a worthy concern to you, just something to monetize. But it could affect prices along the way. Is THAT perhaps a concern, at least? Sigh.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/global-soil-moisture-in-permanent-decline-due-to-climate-change/