At the Bottom of the Box was Hope

Yes this but also: relearn preservation skills!!

Double also: getting in touch with heirloom varieties and growing traditions again! You can have tomatoes in march that still taste and feel fresh if you seek out the right hanging storage varieties - a guy named Hans Fama has been in the spotlight lately for developing / re-finding some of those breeds, but delicious storage varieties exist for most crops, especially the ones humans have been domesticating and nurturing for millennia... combined with chilling and refrigeration techniques, you get cool facts like that even most "fresh" supermarket apples are over a year old before they get to you!

For my fellow southwest US and central Mexico friends, I highly reccomend seeds from Native Seed Search: https://www.nativeseeds.org/

Washing is better than nothing, but it doesn’t guarantee safety. The parasite is known for being difficult to wash off and can hide particularly well in stuff with nooks and crannies (like raspberries).

OK I keep seeing people refer to the Michigan parasite outbreak and then others will chime in “it’s in my state too!” so to clarify this for everyone it is a NATIONWIDE outbreak reported in 31 US states as of today, July 12th 2026. There is no reason to assume it is not present in the rest of them

The CDC is tracking cases but they are significantly lagging behind the states on numbers (their data is weeks behind) so it’s probably going to be most effective to check your individual state’s infectious disease tracking.

that last part is extra important. nearly every one of these produce outbreaks are because of poor hygenic practices on the fields, and particularly, because field workers do not have adequate access to bathrooms. nobody wants to poison your food, but they often don't have a choice. they also often lack proper access to water, cooling equipment (such as sun hats and portable fans), and management; this can make it significantly harder to think clearly and make a wise decision, let alone survive the day. when this comes up in conversation, call this out. make sure everyone around you KNOWS that the reason the lettuce is constantly unsafe is because farms are not giving a shit about worker welfare, and the people growing and picking your lettuce have to walk ungodly distances in 100+ degree weather without water just to take a shit. oh, and if they DO choose to do that, they may be punished for taking an unscheduled break.

My body is getting weaker, but a parent’s love is stronger than hunger.

@dawoudi and I speak almost every day. Every day I ask him how he's doing and hope he can tell me he's been able to eat something. He tells me not to worry, but I can't help it, because my heart is breaking.

And in that moment, I understood.

We at the @gazavetters team extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift recovery and complete safety to our brother AboAhmed @dawoudi and his honorable family.

What more can be said?

I’m deeply thankful to be back home, surrounded by my children. Though my body is tired and frail, my heart still beats with strength, and my will remains unshaken.

You scared me. I'm glad you're ok. I know you're strong and you will keep going, but I still worry.

Vetted! #15 on @/gazavetters vetted gfm list, promoted by @/gazavetters here, promoted by nabulsi (x, x, x, x).

A year ago, during the famine, my father was forced to survive for seven full days on nothing but water because there was simply no food.

affirmations for my printer: