This summer the UW Farm received a request from UW Farm CSA member and Senior Archaeologist Amanda Taylor, ’12, of Willamette Cultural Resources to dig soil pits at the UW Farm as a training opportunity for archaeology field technicians, Tribal representatives, and Tribal staff. This free training to identify types of sediment soil and signs of archaeological sensitivity was offered to address and dismantle systemic inequities to accessing careers in archaeology.
In a July email, Dr. Taylor wrote, “the Burke Museum is also involved in the training. We just did one big group last weekend and dug holes (at a park). The Tribal members who'd like to be involved prefer a weekday event.” The UW Farm—established by students as a place for hands-on learning about urban farming and building community—was able to accommodate that request.
As an outdoor living laboratory at the UW since 2006, "Offering space to dig soil pits made sense with the mission of the Farm, especially since the site at the Center for Urban Horticulture is rich with geologic and human history. I was very curious what they would find, which also might inform future classes at the UW Farm," said Perry Acworth, farm manager.
In fact, The Urban Farm summer course (ENVIR 480A) curriculum included studying soils, so the holes were left open (but covered with a pallet to prevent accidental falls) and students came the following week to view the layers of soil (or landfill). At the conclusion of the course, UW Farm volunteers filled the holes and remove the pallets.
The UW Farm supplied hand tools, wheelbarrows, pickaxes, shovels, gloves, and masks for the trainees. The Farm is equipped with a hand wash station and compostable toilet and offers free parking at the UW Botanical Gardens. The farm manager was on-site coordinating both the archaeology group and a harvest team. These groups were able to comply with COVID-19 occupancy guidelines since the site is approximately an acre and they could work in separate areas.
This Week's Recipes:
Peperonata (Sweet Bell Peppers With Olive Oil, Onion, and Tomatoes)
A Southern Italian side dish of sweet bell peppers melted in olive oil with onion, garlic, and tomatoes.Vicky Wasik
Why It Works
Slow cooking over very low heat breaks down the vegetables and concentrates their flavors.
Few dishes feature bell peppers as the one and only main ingredient, which makes Southern Italian peperonata not only a delicious summer side dish, but also a fairly unique one. Starring sweet summer bell peppers stewed in olive oil with onions, garlic, and tomato, it's wonderful with roasted meats or spooned onto slices of country bread. Italian Carmen Peppers, (or Corno di Toro, translating to “horn of the bull”) can be substituted, as they are a sweet pepper as well.
Serves: 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 medium cloves garlic, (in CSA box #13) thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick, or remove the green tops of scallions (in this week's CSA) and chop the bulb ends into thick wedges or rings. (Save tops of scallion greens for another recipe)
4 pounds bell peppers or Carmen peppers (in this week's CSA box). About 6 large bell peppers or 10 Carmen peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick. Traditionally red, yellow or orange peppers are used, but any color peppers will do.
1 cup pureed tomatoes (see note)
2 sprigs basil (in this week's CSA box) or oregano
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
Directions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just starting to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in onions, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 20 minutes.
Add tomato and basil or oregano sprigs and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat to maintain simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are very soft, about 1 hour. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt. Stir in vinegar (see note). Discard herb sprigs. Serve right away, or chill, then serve reheated, slightly chilled, or at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
This is another one of those dishes that's good hot, but even better served at room temperature after spending a night in the fridge. It's great alongside roasted meats or as a side dish that's part of a larger spread, as well as spooned onto good, crusty rustic bread.
One bite is enough to make me believe that bell peppers are capable of a lot more starring roles than they're given. But even if they're destined to be a one-hit wonder, this is a heck of a hit.
Notes
For the pureed tomatoes, you can use a puree of fresh peeled and seeded tomatoes that have been briefly cooked to concentrate their flavor, or canned whole tomatoes that you've blended with their juices. Better yet, cook some UW Farm fresh tomatoes for a few minutes (those over-ripe ones) that and then strain them through sieve if you do not want the seeds in your dish.
If you make this with beautiful, ripe summer peppers, they should provide enough sweetness to balance the small amount of vinegar. If your peppers are less sweet and the peperonata tastes a little too tart, add a tiny bit of sugar, a pinch at a time, until the flavor is balanced.
Local farmers are at the heart of our food system. And yet, the barriers that they face are staggering, especially for marginalized growers. From finding and affording land to keeping it productive and resilient in the face of climate change, local farmers need our support now more than ever That’s why Washington Farmland Trust and Viva Farms are teaming up for the second year in a row on a virtual benefit concert to support a resilient, equitable future for farming. Join us for an evening of inspiration, music, and community as we aim to raise $330,000 for local farms.
Offering live captioning in both English and Spanish, as well as verbal Spanish translation for this event.
Volunteer with us!
The UW Farm is experiencing a record low number of volunteers right now. If you have some time to spare and would like to know more about how to grow food, come volunteer with us!
Every year, we have the capacity to grow more food and increase our educational and research program at the UW, but not without your support. Every contribution goes to work immediately, helping us better serve students. Your support can sustain our momentum and help seed new opportunities for student internships, academic work, and future growth. Please consider making a gift to the Farm online
The Weekly Dirt is produced once a week by the University of Washington Farm, a program of the UW Botanic Gardens, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment. It is published nearly year-round for educational purposes and the majority of the content is written or contributed by students and farm staff.
This issue's contributors:
Editors: Jessica Farmer, UWBG Adult Education, Diana Knight, Advancement & Communications Manager | Department of Chemistry
Around the Farm: Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager
CSA Veggie Photo and Key: Sarah Elgin, UW Farm Student Staff and Perry Acworth
This Week's Recipe: Perry Acworth Photo Credits: Header, Perry Acworth
Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
In a July email, Dr. Taylor wrote, “the Burke Museum is also involved in the training. We just did one big group last weekend and dug holes (at a park). The Tribal members who'd like to be involved prefer a weekday event.” The UW Farm—established by students as a place for hands-on learning about urban farming and building community—was able to accommodate that request.
In fact, The Urban Farm summer course (ENVIR 480A) curriculum included studying soils, so the holes were left open (but covered with a pallet to prevent accidental falls) and students came the following week to view the layers of soil (or landfill). At the conclusion of the course, UW Farm volunteers filled the holes and remove the pallets.
