My #photos #slideshow from the raised bed builds, last weekend.
https://lifecyclesproject.ca/our-projects/welland-community-orchard/
#CommunityOrchard #FoodSecurity #Gardening #GrowFood #nonprofit #FoodSystems #LifecyclesProjectSociety #WellandCommunityOrchard #teamwork #RaisedBed #WorkPhotos #photography #CommunityBuilding #CommunityWork
Strait of Hormuz: Gulf states’ food security is at immediate risk but wider shortages could push up consumer prices globally
#StraitOfHormuz #Iran #War #GlobalTrade #FoodSecurity #Oil #Gas #Inflation #GulfRegion #Qatar #MiddleEast #BrentCrude #SuezCanal
https://the-14.com/strait-of-hormuz-gulf-states-food-security-is-at-immediate-risk-but-wider-shortages-could-push-up-consumer-prices-globally/
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/05/big-burden-for-farmers-gulf-shipping-crisis-threatens-food-price-shock. "The global #fertiliser #supplychain could face significant disruption if the effective closure by #Iran of the strait of #Hormuz persists, prompting concerns from analysts about #crop #production & #foodsecurity... Between a quarter & a third of the global trade in the raw materials for fertiliser passes through the strait, as well as a fifth of seaborne crude #oil & #gas."
War on Iran and the metabolic rift. Another argument for agroecology rather than high (fossil fuel) input industrial agriculture. Of course such a transition can't be done overnight.
How the Iran war could create a ‘fertiliser shock’ – an often ignored global risk to food prices and farming https://theconversation.com/how-the-iran-war-could-create-a-fertiliser-shock-an-often-ignored-global-risk-to-food-prices-and-farming-277552
About 25% of the global nitrogen fertilizer trade moves through that bottleneck. And unlike oil, fertilizer markets lack meaningful strategic reserves—making them particularly vulnerable to disruption. #War #Iran #Trade #CommodityMarkets #Fertilizer #Nitrogen #FoodSecurity
The Guardian: ‘A big burden for farmers’: Gulf shipping crisis threatens food price shock
Iranian blockade of the strategic strait of Hormuz is hitting global fertiliser supply chain
"...Between a quarter and a third of the global trade in the raw materials for fertiliser passes through the strait, as well as a fifth of seaborne crude oil and gas.
The de facto closure of the strait is affecting the transport of ammonia and nitrogen, which are key ingredients in many synthetic fertiliser products...."
Predictability Of Earth’s Greenness [incl. spatial]
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2026.02.038 <-- shared paper
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https://phys.org/news/2026-02-global-greening-earth-green-shifting.html <-- shared technical article
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https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2024/2/7/24057308/earth-global-greening-climate-change-carbon <-- shared technical media article
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0220-7 <-- shared (2019) paper
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#Earth #greenness #deeplearning #AI #usecase #productivity #vegetation #foliage #greening #forecasting #geomorphometry #vegetationindex #NDVI #GIS #spatial #mapping #earthobservation #remotesensing #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #satellite #global #landuse #landcover #management #biomass #agriculture #crops #environment #ecosystems #forestcover #sustainability #foodsecurity #soilmoisture #treecover #temperature #parameters #forest #forested #landmanagement #agronomic #irrigation #fertilisation #croprotation #pestcontrol #attentionmodel #metrics
Africa: Ethiopia - a New Phase of Support for Safety Nets Will Foster Resilience and Create Pathways to Decent Jobs: [World Bank] Washington -- The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a new phase of support for safety nets in Ethiopia under the Productive Safety Net Project 6 (PSNP 6), a project designed to create jobs, enhance food security, build climate resilience, and support vulnerable… http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TRJM7H #Ethiopia #WorldBank #SafetyNets #FoodSecurity #JobCreation
Keep your eyes out for the return of the #VictoriaSeedLibrary!
#SeedDonation bins will be popping up this month at library branches across #VictoriaBC & #seeds will be available to take out at the Downtown Public Library during opening hours. Support local #SeedSecurity by saving and donating seeds. 🌱
#LifecyclesProjectSociety #nonprofit #FreeSeeds #SeedLibrary #LocalSeeds #ShareSeeds #CultivatingCommunities #SeedsForCommunity #YYJ #FoodSecurity #FoodSystems #FoodEquity #gardening #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PublicLibraries
Our Spring workshops at #WellandCommunityOrchard are ready for registrations. Please check out the variety of hands on learning workshops offered by #LifecyclesProjectSociety at Welland.
I'll be at almost every workshop, documenting them.
https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/lifecycles-project-society-14358549166
We offer some free/lower cost spots for folks with financial insecurity/marginalized folks.
#nonprofit #FoodSecurity #FoodSystems #FoodEquity #Educational #LearnWithUs #ViewRoyal #Saanich #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland
Hopefully this is the year #BC and #Canada growers and grocery stores make a breakthrough in getting more Canadian produce into mainstream markets. My local grocery stores carry 90% US produce still, even for carrots, potatoes, beets, lettuce and other storable, viable crops for cooler BC growing seasons/climates.
We are at the mercy of the USA for much of our #foodsecurity and I don't see it being taken seriously. It's a real problem.
We are looking for someone to fill a paid 45 hour #WorkExperience position at Welland Orchard this month!
To be eligible for this position, you must currently be receiving income assistance such as BCEA, PWD, HA, PPMB, or similar. If you (or someone you know) is eligible and interested, take a read through the detailed description below and send in your resume and/or a statement of interest for the position to welland@lifecyclesproject.ca. We are hoping to fill this role as soon as possible, and will continue to accept applications until the position is filled.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
Title: Welland Orchard Assistant
Term date: Immediately- March 31st or 45 hours have been compleated
Hours/week: 10-20 hours/week
Stipend: $675 for 45 hour work experience
This role is funded by the United Way Work Experience grant.
To be eligible, a WEOG Participant must be:
- BCEA recipient or qualified to receive assistance under the Employment and Assistance Act; or
- On disability assistance or qualified to receive assistance under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act; or
- Hardship Assistance (HA) recipient
- Income assistance through the Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers to Employment (PPMB) benefit
- Qualified to receive assistance from a Treaty First Nation that is funded through the Federal Department of Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada; or
- Qualified to receive assistance from a First Nation Administering Authority that administers an Income Assistance Program on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada.
- Legally able to work in British Columbia
NOTE: Current WorkBC Wage Subsidy recipients are not eligible for this funding.
ABOUT THIS WORK OPPORTUNITY:
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
This person will report directly to the Welland Coordinator.
Orchard Management
Assist with orchard maintenance at the discretion of the Welland Coordinator
The position will primarily involve outdoor work with a focus on spring tree health and weed management
Orchard tasks will include:
General maintenance work (flipping compost, mulching, etc.)
Weeding
Assist with holistic management of fruit tree pest and disease concerns
Orchard inspections (checking for newly broken branches, diseased, dying, stressed trees, weeds taking over, correctly identifying weeds versus intentional plants, etc)
Assist in the coordination and management of Welland Legacy Park supplies and tools
This role may also assist with other LifeCyles projects as needed including the seed library, food processing and farm gleaning, and can include some indoor computer based work depending on the interests of the applicant.
LifeCycles cultivates healthy communities by bringing people together to grow, harvest, and share local foods. Working in urban gardens and orchards, we are reimagining the way that we live and eat in cities. We believe that food is at the heart of thriving, diverse communities and a healthy planet. Our programs distribute fresh local produce to community members and service agencies, while mentoring the next generation of food leaders. Through transformative learning experiences, we strengthen our connections with each other, the food we eat, and the land it comes from. In doing so, we are building a more resilient and equitable food future.
Our projects operate on unceded Coast Salish Territories, specifically the lands of the Lekwungen and WASÁNEC peoples. For more information about what we do, visit: http://www.lifecyclesproject.ca
#VictoriaBC #YYJ #YYJJobs #BCWork #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #FoodSecurity #HelpWanted #WorkOffer #nonprofit #JobPosts
🇺🇳 🍞 Humanitarian supply lines across the Middle East are coming under increasing strain as rising security risks disrupt maritime routes and close airspace, the World Food Programme warned on Tuesday.
Challenges in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea are driving up transport costs and delaying deliveries, while the agency adapts by shifting to alternative routes.
#Iran #IranWar #WFP #foodSecurity #UN #UnitedNations #MiddleEast
Spending our day working destributing manure on the farm.
Farming isn't just about growing crops, it's about nurturing communities, preserving traditions, and feeding futures. Let's celebrate the backbone of our food system and the farmers who work tirelessly to bring food to our tables!
# Uganda Sustainable Community Initiative
#FoodSecurity #nature #climatechange #gardening #environment #mastodon #vegetables #humanity
Tech firms and AI farming tools ‘playing with the food system’, warns thinktank https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/03/tech-firms-ai-farming-tools-food-system-security #GlobalDevelopment #Agriculture #FoodSecurity #FoodScience #AiArtificialIntelligence #Technology #TechnologySector #Farming #Microsoft #Google #Amazon #Alibaba #Ibm #Environment
*This* is how #FoodSecurity is an issue in #Toronto:
On the left, about 29 ounces of pure, unadulterated junk food. These cookies were priced to clear, discounted from $5.29 a package to $2.22 each. I’m not about to knock saving nine bucks, but *good* food this is *not*. Total purchase price: $6.66.
On the right, about 26 ounces of Ontario-grown hothouse tomatoes. Reasonably good food that’s a source of Vitamins A and C. Total purchase price: $6.64.
Anybody *else* see the problem here?
#UMaineCooperativeExtension - Bulletin #4311, Planning and Managing a Community “Giving” Garden in Maine
By John Jemison, Extension Professor, Soil and Water Quality, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
"Fifteen years ago, I taught an Environmental Sustainability course for University of Maine Cooperative Extension. It was a seven-evening session involving approximately 20 hours of education/training. I asked participants to return 20 hours of service to the community. I also suggested (having never really gardened in a group or community setting) that we might consider taking some unused town land and starting a garden where we could supply food to the Birch Street Senior Citizen Center in #OronoME. A low-cost lunch is offered at the center four days a week, which helps ensure that Orono seniors do not go hungry. I thought some fresh food would be nice. The original plan fell through, but we altered the plan to grow diverse fresh vegetables and bring a bag of vegetables with a recipe to people living in low-income senior housing near the garden. We have delivered many tons of food over the past 15 years and made great connections with seniors in the area. All of us have learned a great deal about the challenges and rewards of growing food and working together. This publication is an effort to capture what we have learned and give others a guide to do this type of a program in another area. The information provided here should be reasonably applicable across all New England.
Guide Organization
This guide is intended to help anyone who has an interest in community gardening to do that task with skill and capacity. Gardening isn’t difficult, but gardening well is not easy. This guide can be useful for anyone who gardens, but I have designed it intentionally to help people start community gardens and community giving gardens. This guide provides information on gardening methods; pest management; what, when, and how to plant specific vegetables with a focus on #NewEngland growing conditions; delivery program basics; and putting the garden to bed for the winter. I have also included some links to recipes that can be given to the food recipients so that they know what to do with the foods we provide."
Learn more:
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4311e/
#SolarPunkSunday #CommunityGardens #FoodSecurity #Gardening #GivingGardens #BuildingCommunity #FreshFood
#war #politics #uspol #foodsecurity #climatechange #climate #klimakrise #cambioclimatico #changementclimatique
Below is a report from the country of Guyana on how wars/conflict affect food security looking at the social, environmental and economic aspects.
This administration’s warmongering, bombings and kidnappings has the potential to spiral out of control globally. This war affects us all.
https://op.gov.gy/the-cost-of-war-and-conflict-to-the-environment-and-food-security-2/
#Maine - #CommunityGarden Map
via #UMaineCooperativeExtension
"Community gardens are 'collaborative projects on shared open spaces where participants share in the maintenance and products of the garden, including healthful and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables'. Community gardens are important resources for towns and neighborhoods as they have the reciprocal effect of benefiting the community, environment, and individuals who participate.
Numerous health and wellbeing outcomes have been reported as a result of participating in a community garden:
- Promote a sense of belonging: The social aspects of community gardens can attract residents who may not normally engage in gardening activities, but see it as an opportunity to be seen or remain active in their community.
- Expand social networks: Many families with children have found community gardens to serve as a social network, and in some cases, a safe space for kids to play while adults tend to their plots.
- Improve physical health: Community gardeners often experience improved physical health through the natural ways in which gardening serves as exercise and increases their daily consumption of vegetables.
- Enhance mental health: Engaging in gardening activities provides residents with the opportunity to relax, decompress and enjoy their time outdoors.
The purpose of developing this community garden map is to help connect Mainers with community gardens in their area and how they can become involved. There are three major categories of community gardens on the map we’ve developed, and they include:
- Individual: Gardens to grow your own food on your own plot
- Collective: Gardens where a group grows food for community need
- Both: Gardens that have both individual plots and collective growing for community need"
Read more:
https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/community-garden-map/
#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwnFood #GrowYourOwn #BuildingCommunity #CommunityGardens #MaineGardens #FoodSecurity
