Africa: From Kansas to Kakuma - How Us Wheat Helps Power Humanitarian Aid: [WFP] American farmers play a key role in WFP's hunger-fighting mandate http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TL7j0n #WFP #HumanitarianAid #HungerRelief #FoodSecurity #USWheat
Why You Should Shop at Your Farmers Market This Summer https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/06/02/Why-Shop-Farmers-Market/ #food #foodsecurity #economics

When the sea moves inland: A global climate wake-up call from #Bangladesh's Delta

As sea levels climb and #weather grows more extreme, coastal regions everywhere are facing a creeping threat: salt. #Salinization of #freshwater and #soils adversely affects 500 million people around the world, especially in low-lying #river #deltas.

The western parts of the delta, already more prone to tidal influence, showed the fastest increases in salinity. The data suggests that the combination of #SeaLevelRise, reduced freshwater flow, and increasingly frequent storm surges are all contributing to the inland movement and retention of saltwater.

Since about 2007, many parts of the delta have experienced stepwise increases in salinity, often linked to powerful storms like #Cyclone #Sidr. These changes can devastate crops, erode #FoodSecurity, and force communities to move. While the analysis focused primarily on environmental data, it underscores how salinity intrusion is increasingly a threat to livelihoods, public #health, and regional stability.

https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/university-portsmouth/when-sea-moves-inland-a-global-climate-wake-call-bangladeshs-delta

#ClimateCrisis
#ExtremeWeathe
#WaterSupply

#TucsonArizona - #TuscanVillageFarm Midweek Market

"We sell TVF grown produce, farm-fresh soup, focaccia bread, chocolate chip cookies, and MORE. Prices will be posted at the farm.

Cash, cards, ApplePay, SNAP, and DoubleUp Bucks accepted.

Our retail space will be open as well. We have items like TVF cookbooks, handmade soaps, chapsticks, screen printed shirts, and more!

Every purchase supports us in our mission to provide health and agriculture education to Arizona youth."

2201 East Roger Road
(look for the windmill)

When
4 – 6 p.m., June 4, 2025
4 – 6 p.m., June 11, 2025
4 – 6 p.m., June 18, 2025

Source:
https://tucsonvillagefarm.arizona.edu/events/midweek-market-0

More about Tuscon Village Farm:
https://tucsonvillagefarm.arizona.edu/

#SolarPunkSunday #FarmToTable #NatureBasedLearning #FoodSecurity #Arizona #UrbanFarms

Midweek Market

Tucson Village Farm

More from the #UniversityOfGeorgiaCooperativeExtension - Home Garden #GreenBeans!

"Green beans are one of the most popular vegetables for the #HomeGarden. Fortunately, they are easy to grow as well. Green beans are a warm season crop that can be planted as soon as the danger of frost has passed in the spring. Green beans grow best when air temperatures range from 65°F to 85°F. Soil temperatures should be at least 55°F for good seed germination. Air temperatures above 85°F can cause flowers to drop and slow production.

Types of Beans

Green beans come in three different types based on their growing characteristics. Bush beans are compact varieties that grow in a bush form and need no external support. They are great for raised beds and gardens limited in space.

Pole beans are similar to bush beans but grow in a vining manner and require some type of cage or trellis system for support. Pole beans can reach heights of 6 feet or more, so the support system should be strong and high enough to accommodate them. An advantage of pole beans is that they are easier to harvest; you don?t have to bend over completely to pick them like you do bush beans.

Half-runner beans are a cross between pole beans and bush beans. Half-runners can be grown without support but they spread out more than bush beans and need plenty of room to grow.

Planting

Green beans grow best in a well-prepared and organically amended soil. They should receive six to eight hours or more of sunlight every day for optimum growth. Green beans can be directly seeded in the garden and do not need to be started as transplants. Soaking seeds overnight in warm water will help speed up the germination process after they are planted in the soil. Most green beans do best when planted about 1 inch deep and 6 inches apart in the rows with 3 feet between the rows. After planting, be sure to firm the seed bed with your hand, garden tool or cultipacker. This will help ensure good soil contact and better germination.

Fertilization

Green beans are legumes and don?t require a lot of fertilizer. Green beans prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of approximately 6.5. Soil test for a more accurate recommendation of lime and fertilizer needs. In the absence of a soil test, add 5 pounds of 5-10-15 fertilizer per 100 feet of row. Fertilizer should be applied at planting time and again after small beans begin to appear. Additional fertilizer can be applied throughout the growing season to keep beans producing until the summer heat takes its toll.

Watering

Irrigate beans immediately after planting. Keep the seed bed moist, but not soggy, for the first week until germination occurs. Reduce watering to once every three days after the first week. Water as needed after beans become established, usually about twice a week.

Harvesting

Green beans should be ready for harvest 45 to 60 days after planting, depending on the variety. Harvest beans while they are still immature and not fully developed. This will produce a bean that is tastier and tenderer. To encourage the plant to maintain production, continue to harvest beans as they become ready. Beans should be stored in a cool, dry location and kept fresh for several days, or they can be canned for long-term storage.

Problems

Although green beans are easy to grow, there are a few problems that can occur. Insect problems include leaf beetles, aphids and spider mites. Disease issues include #anthracnose, rust, powdery mildew and grey mold. Most of these problems can be prevented or controlled by using sound cultural practices and planting resistant varieties. Occasionally an insecticide or fungicide may be needed to control insects and disease problems."

Source:
https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1006

#SolarPunkSunday #Gardening
#GardeningHacks #GardenPests
#VegetableGardens #GrowYourOwnFood #GrowYourOwn #FoodSecurity

Home Garden Green Beans

Green beans are one of the most popular vegetables for the home garden. Fortunately, they are easy to grow as well. This short publication provides basic information on growing green beans in the home vegetable garden.

A short, but informative piece from #CornellCooperativeExtension on #ContainerGardening

"Container gardening is a great alternative for people who have limited space, poor soil or would like to grow vegetables with less effort. Instead of a plot in your yard, you can grow your plants on a patio, balcony, porch or just about anywhere else as long as there is adequate light. Container gardening helps gardeners avoid some common pitfalls like weed competition, poor drainage, and time required to maintain a conventional garden.

"Suitable containers come in all shapes and sizes and are made of various types of materials but there are a few important requirements. All containers must have drainage holes to ensure healthy roots. They must be large enough to support your plants when fully grown and they must be able to hold soil adequately. Beyond that, the sky is the limit. Some common containers to consider are plastic and clay pots, bushel baskets, barrels, garbage cans, window boxes, milk cartons, tubs and more. Regular and elevated raised bed gardens available from garden supply companies are also very popular.

"There are a couple of very important keys to success in container gardening. Number one on the list is to provide adequate water to your plants. Container gardens will need to be watered more often than conventional gardens once they become established. The larger your container plants get the more often they need water. This becomes especially evident as we get into warm summer days and some plants may require 2-3 applications per day. Frequent watering will wash nutrients from the soil so you will need to feed container plants with either water soluble plant food or slow release fertilizers. Frequent watering also requires that containers drain well.

"A light weight soil mixture is ideal for your container gardens. You can find commercial container gardening soil mixes at your local garden center. Most of these contain various mixtures of peat moss [try and find peat substitutes like coconut coir] , perlite, vermiculite, #compost or other organic materials. Do not use normal garden soil in containers since it is usually too heavy and slower draining.

"If you are growing larger plants like tomatoes in containers be careful to choose varieties that are limited in size. Smaller fruited types or those labelled as determinate would be better choices than tall vining tomatoes. Dwarf cherry tomatoes work exceptionally well in containers. [I grow Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. Easy to grow and tasty!]

"It is easy to underestimate the size of container needed if you are doing this for the first time. If you are using smaller containers like half or one- gallon pots or milk cartons try 2-3 lettuce or spinach plants or maybe one pepper. A five gallon pail will support a smaller growing tomato plant but I usually prefer a 10 or 20 gallon garbage can for large tomatoes, or multiples of other deep rooted plants.

"Plants in containers need much of the care that plants in gardens need. Most vegetables will do best with full sun conditions with the exception of leafy greens that will tolerate some shade. You may need to thin out carrots, radishes, beets and others in containers so they don’t become overcrowded.

"Check your pots at least once a day and more often on hot days. Wilting and drooping of leaves is a sign that water is needed. Tomatoes in containers will be more prone to blossom end rot if they dry out between watering.

"If you are a beginner and want to try something simple you could pick up a patio tomato or salad bowl garden, or herb planter at your local garden center. These are already planted in appropriate containers and just need sun and water. For everyone else, use your imagination and have fun growing fresh produce.

"For more information on container gardening contact:
John Farfaglia, CCE Niagara County Horticulture Educator"

Source:
https://cceniagaracounty.org/gardening/food-gardening/container-gardening

#GrowYourOwnFood #ContainerGardening #SolarPunkSunday #FoodSecurity #Gardening

Container Gardening

Container Gardening for Vegetables

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Everything you need to know about growing #Tomatoes! (from #VirginiaCooperativeExtension )

Excerpt:
"Wire-cage tomatoes develop a heavy foliage cover, reducing sunscald on fruits and giving more leeway when bottom leaves become blighted and have to be removed. Many staked plants are nearly naked by late summer. Caged plants are less prone to the spread of disease from plant handling, since they do not have open wounds and must be handled less frequently than staked plants. However, it helps to space the plants somewhat further apart (3 feet is good) to allow good air circulation between plants; humidity is higher because of the foliage density, and diseases, such as late blight, spread rapidly in humid situations. If well-nourished and cared for, caged tomatoes can produce exceptional harvests and make up for the extra space with high production. This type of culture is especially suited to indeterminate varieties."

Learn more:
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-418/426-418.html

#FoodSecurity #SolarPunkSunday #Gardening #GrowingTomatoes #GrowYourOwnFood

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are valuable garden plants in that they require relatively little space for large production. Each standard tomato plant, properly cared for, yields 10 to 15 pounds or more of fruit.Diane Relf, Retired Extension Specialist, Horticulture, Virginia Tech Alan McDaniel, Extension Specialist, Horticulture, Virginia Tech Ronald Morse, Former Associate Professor, Horticulture, Virginia Tech Reviewed by John Freeborn, Assistant Master Gardener Coordinator, Horticulture, Virginia Tech

So, I did some research on #CooperativeExtension websites last night for today's #SolarPunkSunday . It seems that #UMaineCooperativeExtension is one of the few that has a lot of free advice (many others have workshops, some with fees). I did find a few other ones -- #GeorgiaCooperativeExtension, #VirginiaCooperativeExtension. But the #UAFCooperativeExtension (University of Alaska - Fairbanks) had some really cool information about foraging for native Alaskan berries which I'll be posting later today!

#SolarPunkSunday #FoodSecurity #Gardening #GrowYourOwnFood #Composting #ContainerGardening #FoodPreservation

🚨 Proposed federal cuts to SNAP ($267B) & Medicaid ($698B) could jeopardize free school meal access for millions.
Advocates warn this threatens universal meal programs & child nutrition security.
#PublicHealth #SNAP #ChildNutrition #FoodSecurity #RDNLeadership https://www.k12dive.com/news/cuts-to-medicaid-snap-could-hinder-student-access-to-free-school-meals/749041/