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In conclusion, the response from 12306 regarding the allowance of knives on trains highlights the importance of considering the implications of such policies on safety and security. As we navigate these discussions, it is essential to prioritize the well-being of passengers and ensure that appropriate measures are in place to mitigate any potential risks. Only through careful consideration and collaboration can we strive to create a safe and secure environment for all passengers in public transportation.The Renminbi (RMB) experienced a sharp increase in value recently, breaking through the key level of 7.25 against the US dollar. This sudden surge in the Chinese currency has caught the attention of investors and economists worldwide, sparking debates and speculations about the implications of this significant move.Shannon and Mike Farrell started what would later become their local farm from one pumpkin. “We started with a small garden and a friend of ours laughed at a pumpkin we grew. So I kinda went... Well, I’ll show you!” Mike said. “Poor Shannon,” Mike chuckled. “We started growing pumpkins en masse.” “To show that friend,” Shannon added. The two are the married team behind Comox Valley’s Shamrock Farm. They agreed to meet up with The Discourse during the farm’s winter market — which took place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 — to share some of what they’ve learned over the last 30 years of running a local farm. The farm has been in operation since 1993. Mike said things began slowly, with the two introducing things little by little over the years to their 20-acre property in Little River, Comox. Since the pumpkin, the family farm has grown into a diversified local business with year-round crops and some goats, pigs and chickens. They are always experimenting, but some crops include pumpkins, garlic, lavender, squash, carrots, radicchio, tomatoes, greens, and one of Shannon’s favourites — kalettes, a cross between brussels sprouts and kale. From 1999 to 2019, the farm also offered field trips to school children. Shannon said this was a good way to spread the word about the farm before social media took off in the 2010s. The two were also busy raising their three boys at this time. One of their biggest focuses over the years has been the importance of not using pesticide or herbicide sprays even while opting not to undergo the cumbersome organic certification process. “Our philosophy was to be able to pull it out of the ground, wipe the dirt off and eat it,” Mike said. The farm scales up a bit every year and they focus on trial and error to grow and diversify their crops. “We have to be able to rotate into different areas all the time,” Mike said. This helps the farm maintain soil health, control pests and weeds, and enable diverse crop production on limited acreage. “It’s kind of a jigsaw puzzle, actually.” Mike said the hardest part about having a farm that doesn’t use pesticides is the weeding, which increases the cost of labour. “We weed everything by hand so that puts our costs up,” Shannon said. “We have a great crew though.” And sometimes the farm does lose crops to bugs. “A few bitten bok choy leaves people will buy but when it gets really bad people won’t buy that vegetable.” Shannon said. Then there is the balance of pricing the vegetables. The Farrells said you can’t have them too expensive because then people won’t buy the vegetables. But if you price them too low, it’s not enough to keep the farm going. When COVID-19 hit, the team started thinking a lot about food scarcity and the supply chain issues that were hitting the Island at the time. “We were like, let’s plant as much as our fields can handle,” Shannon said. The farm did well. Shannon said she noticed a shift in how many people began to value local food. “People were worried about where their food was coming from, and I finally felt like the farm was supporting the family.” A family endeavour Autumn Farrell, Shannon and Mike’s daughter-in-law, has been helping out on the farm since she was in high school. Back then, her now husband Jesse Farrell asked her to help out because his parents needed some help on the farm. Now, a decade later, Autumn is still a lead farmhand weeding and harvesting vegetables, ordering seeds, operating the website and social media and sending out newsletters. “Over the years, I’ve just continued to work here. I also work in a hospital, and this is just a completely different environment for me. I really value being able to work outside and getting your hands dirty,” she said. “It’s so good to be... in nature and connecting with the soil and the earth.” “We focus a lot on diversity too,” Autumn said. Shannon added that their focus on diversity ensures there is something else to fall back on if a crop fails. It’s important for the long-term resilience of the farm. A diverse range of crops is also fun and gives them room to grow and experiment, she added. “I find it really cool, you’ve got these seeds and some of the varieties are really old heirloom varieties that have been passed down from all those generations,” she said. You save that seed, and then you grow it again, and it keeps going. I love that,” Shannon said. Shannon chuckled and added that sometimes this diversity doesn’t succeed because the farm is always experimenting. But that ends up helping them grow in the long-term. “Every year we usually try to find a few new weird varieties that people haven’t heard of before,” Autumn said. This year, it was forced radicchio. Radicchio — a type of chicory from Italy, is known for its white and purple to dark red leaves. They planted different varieties of radicchio for the farm this year, and Shannon experimented with “forcing” the plant. “So in Italy, historically, they would take their radicchio, which is field grown, inside and cover it, shade it from light, and change the water everyday... but because it doesn’t have light, you get these beautiful tender leaves that are dark red and pure white.” The lack of light reduces chlorophyll production, which also softens the bitterness that is often associated with radicchio. Radicchio is a winter vegetable, and Shannon added that she likes being able to grow during all four seasons. “Outside right now, we’ve got all of the brussels sprouts and kale and radicchio and all the winter cabbages and kalettes. Carrots are outside right now, radishes are outside right now. We are lucky that we can grow right through the season.” There are also lots of vegetables in the high tunnel right now, which is like a greenhouse but there is no heat. “We don’t like to waste anything, because obviously that’s money thrown away. So if something doesn’t sell, we pickle it right away, preserve it right away, or put it in the freezer for now in the winter.” Trial and error The goats, they said, are part of the diversity gamble. The goat’s milk is used for the soap made on the farm, but the goats are a bit of a luxury, and the soap barely covers their cost. But the six pigs were a success. The farm had a forested area that needed some clearing, so they put the pigs in the area to clear it. Having animals for meat was a new experience for them, but the farmers said they see a need for serving people concerned about where their meat comes from. They even had one of the workers on the farm break a mainly vegetarian diet after seeing how well they were raising the pigs. “She could see where they were, they were outside 24/7, getting fed, they had their big wallow. They were getting all our vegetables.” Shannon said it was amazing to see how the pigs were helpful in clearing the land and is looking forward to seeing how things grow there now. They sold most of the pig meat but still have some cuts left. Straight from the farm Shamrock Farms can often be found at the Comox Valley Farmer’s Market, and their products are also in many local restaurants. But most of their products are sold straight from the farm at their markets. Now that the winter farm market is complete, locals can look forward to the spring plant sale in May. Come July, the farm will host a lavender and garlic market then In late September and early October a fall harvest market. Shamrock Farm offered some advice for those who may want to get into farming: “Start small and pay as you go. Don’t reach for the moon and borrow a ton of money,” Mike said. Farming is tough, and the farmers said it’s important for the farm to be sustainable for not only the food they grow. “With sustainable farming, it has to be sustainable for the people who work on the farm too,” said Shannon. She said that the job can be exhausting and that breaks are important too. They also added that it’s important to have another form of income before going all-out in farming. In other words, don’t put all your eggs into one basket (pun intended). To learn more about Shamrock Farm, go to https://www.shamrockfarm.ca/ or email info@shamrockfarm.ca .
Horse and cattle owners see shortage of veterinarians willing to take the reins of large animal careIn conclusion, the story of Xue Jianing visiting Zhao Lusi once again and the outpouring of support from netizens highlight the beauty of good friends being together. Their friendship serves as a powerful reminder that in a world full of chaos and uncertainty, having someone you can rely on and share your joys and sorrows with is truly a priceless treasure. As we celebrate the bond between Xue Jianing and Zhao Lusi, let us also cherish and nurture the friendships that bring light and warmth into our lives.
A project is currently underway to utilize land owned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the Port of Colombo (POC) for solar energy harvesting, aiming to produce green hydrogen under the port’s Green Energy Initiative Programme. This was opined by Eng. Ganaka Hemachandra, Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) as a panelist during a discussion on ‘Future Fuels, the Planet, and Shipping Clean Energy Efficient Integrations and Green Robotics in Ports,’ at the Colombo International Maritime & Logistics Conference recently at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo. He noted that the port currently consumes 25% of the total energy usage in the city of Colombo, equivalent to nearly 50 MW. “It is crucial to discuss how we can implement effective measures to immediately address greenhouse gas emissions in all port-related activities, which is a pressing global concern. Currently, only about 42% of Sri Lanka’s total energy generation is from green sources, while the remainder comes from non-green sources. This is a serious issue that requires urgent attention and action,” he emphasized.’ Eng. Hemachandra highlighted the need to encourage innovation and simultaneously adopt advanced technologies in the local port sector to produce green energy for future requirements and ensure the sector remains environmentally sustainable. “The Port of Colombo is also exploring the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to minimize both energy wastage and greenhouse gas emissions. While achieving this is no small feat due to the substantial investments required, we are committed to aligning with the global targets outlined in the IMO’s 2030–2050 programme,” he added. He also revealed that the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Port of Colombo, which will be the port’s first semi-automated terminal, is set to integrate clean energy into its operations. The terminal will also leverage green robotics and AI-based technologies for ship and yard planning. By 2025, the port will also be equipped to supply green shore power to vessels calling at its terminals. “Several constraints in the past barred our capability to establish a fossil fuel refueling center. However, with emerging opportunities, we must consider how our port can evolve as a green energy refueling center as we transition from the present to the future. Optimum usage of energy is now a mandatory requirement,” he said. The global call to reduce carbon emissions and other harmful gases has created a demand for new energy sources to power ships and ports effectively, thereby reducing the carbon footprint that impacts the planet’s health. This transition involves every stakeholder in the global supply chain, from consumers to manufacturers and intermediaries. The industry must adopt sustainable green energy solutions, advanced robotics, and new infrastructure to support global trade.
Despite the grandeur and extravagance of these bathhouses, there is a palpable sense of camaraderie and community among patrons. The shared experience of relaxation and rejuvenation creates bonds that transcend social barriers and cultural differences. Laughter echoes through the halls, conversations flow freely, and friendships are forged in the soothing waters of the baths.
When things are going well, Celtic's AGM is a strange but intoxicating affairThe Springboks were dominant throughout at the Principality Stadium, scoring seven tries to two in a relentless display that matched attacking accuracy with defensive brutality and set-piece mastery. The result meant the Boks, who wrapped up the Rugby Championship title this year, finish their season with 11 victories from 13 Tests, having used a whopping 52 players and scoring 57 tries. “The first two games we weren’t happy, there was so much we could have done better,” Springbok captain Siya Kolisi told TNT Sports of opening November victories over Scotland and England. “Results are important but it’s how you do things.” It was also the first time South Africa have won all their matches on their November tour since 2013 and means they will see in 2025 as World Rugby’s number one ranked country. The Boks’ sole losses were one-point defeats by Argentina and Ireland, a record of which Gatland and his backroom staff could only dream. Wales’ last victory came over pool opponents Georgia in October 2023 at the Rugby World Cup, with Gatland having to blood a raft of inexperienced players after a host of seniors hung up their boots. The pre-match entertainment included choirs singing “Yma O Hyd”, the Dafydd Iwan folk song that has become the go-to song for Welsh football’s “Red Wall” support. Ironically, it translates into English as “Still Here”, albeit in reference to Wales and the Welsh language and not Gatland per se. The Welsh Rugby Union has its AGM on Sunday where discussions are expected on the New Zealander’s future. “You don’t make a decision straight after a game,” said Gatland. “Let’s just see what happens over the next few days.” Wales captain Dewi Lake told TNT Sports his side had showed “a lot of heart and character”. “They are double world champions, that’s not for no reason,” he said. “We have to keep the faith, the second we lose our faith in ourselves then it’s pointless us stepping on the field, we can definitely see a light at the end of the tunnel.” The scene was set within the opening eight frantic minutes in the Welsh capital as the visiting lock pair of Franco Mostert and Eben Etzebeth each crossed for a try after deft attacking lead-up play by Kurt-Lee Arendse on both occasions. Kolisi was held up over the line by James Botham, but the Boks fired back to the Welsh line and Arendse got his just rewards for his strong start, stepping inside Blair Murray’s attempted tackle with ease. Jordan Hendrikse converted two of the three tries to make it 19-0 after the opening quarter. Murray did well to hold up Aphelele Fassi over the line and Kolisi had a try disallowed, but the toll on Wales was beginning to show. How long could their defence hold out? Not long as the Boks promptly pushed Wales off their own ball at scrum time and flanker Elrigh Louw barged over for the visitors’ fourth five-pointer after a quick tap penalty by Jasper Wiese. A rare Welsh incursion into the opposition half saw the home side, wearing white to avoid a colour-blindness clash with the green of South Africa, go for an attacking line-out, but the Boks repelled two 12-man mauls. The ball was eventually moved wide and Welsh winger Rio Dyer showed a brilliant flash of raw pace to scorch the defence for a fine individual try. Sam Costelow missed the conversion to leave the score 26-5 at half-time. Fassi crossed for South Africa’s fifth try after the outstanding Arendse split the Welsh line early in the second period. A raft of replacements for both sides gave Wales a degree of respite, but it was not long before Gerhard Steenkamp was driven over from short range. Things turned scrappy and the 67,236-strong crowd turned attention away from the action and Welsh hymns to foot-stomping Mexican waves, always a sure sign the game was well and over as a contest. Hendrikse crossed for the Boks’ seventh try and converted for a personal game tally of 15 points before a Botham consolation try converted by Ben Thomas.Title: Granddaughter Responds to 89-Year-Old's Survival in the Wilderness for 5 Days with Wild Herbs and Vegetables