by Russell Botulinski, UW Farm Intern/Organic Certification and Research Lead
I’m a senior studying ESRM: Restoration Ecology & Environmental Horticulture. My first introduction to the UW Farm was this Spring, when I enrolled in ENVIR 240, The Urban Farm class, taught by Dr. Eli Wheat.
I fell in love with the course and the farm, and became a TA for the summer session ENVIR 240 class, assisting Madison Bristol. I also completed a summer internship at the farm, renewing the organic certification with WSDA. When the farm needed some extra help this fall, I was offered a student staff position and have been testing the soil to help understand nutrient cycling within our plots.
Through my multiples farm experiences, I have learned that farming is a LOT of work and it’s so much more than just food production. The UW Farm represents an opportunity for everyone who visits, and I think that is why we see such a diversity of visitors. Diversity in the people, the plants, and disciplines that use the farm for research and education.
Personally, it has been an opportunity to grow an amazing community, practice land management, people management, public speaking, learn about food production, enjoy the outdoors, get exercise, do research and have fun and meaningful experiences!
I look forward to continuing my relationship with this land and fellow land stewards. When my employment is at its end, I’ll be working on my senior capstone project, volunteering, and connecting with the community. There is always progress towards a more sustainable, regenerative, and innovative urban food practice, and I’m excited for the future of the UW Farm.
This Week's Video:
WSU brings us, "Farming on the Urban Edge," a 5-part series that begins November 12 and continues through March 2022. launched by WSU.
Photos and Recipe by UW Farm Education Intern, Liz Rauscher, majoring in Public Health-Global Health
Making this stew is a great way to stay warm and use up any leftover vegetables that you have in your kitchen. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add pretty much any vegetable to it and if you don't have one of the ingredients listed below, no worries! You will still be able to create a delicious and healthy stew to warm up on these chilly fall days. The recipe I provided makes about 3 servings, so adjust the amounts based on how many people you need to feed.
Ingredients:
1 cup of cubed butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (In this week's CSA box)
1 cup worth of potatoes, washed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (Fingerlings such as the To-Le-Ak in this week's CSA box, are an easy, no-peel option)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (in last week's CSA box)
olive oil
1 small Red Carpet onion, or any onion, sliced (in this week's CSA box)
3 small tomatoes (diced)
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups of chopped mixed kale and collard greens (in this week's CSA box)
1 cup Jacob's Cattle Beans (in this week's CSA box), kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas (or any other bean you have on hand)
Seasonings
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
Instructions:
Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel and cube your butternut squash, To-Le-Ak potatoes, and carrot. Don't forget to scoop the seeds out of the butternut squash. These can either be discarded or tossed in oil and roasted on a baking sheet at 275 degrees F for 10 minutes and used as a crunchy topping for the stew.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot at a medium low temperature.
Add your chopped butternut squash, potatoes, carrots and your seasonings. Sautee this while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
Slice up your onion and chop your tomato.
After about 10 minutes, add the onion and let that cook for another 5 minutes.
Then, add in your diced tomatoes and vegetable stock. Adjust your seasonings at this point. You can add as much or as little as you like. Let that come to a boil and then bring it back down to a simmer.
Add your mixed greens and your beans.
Cover with a lid and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots are soft enough for your liking.
Adjust the seasoning levels one more time and enjoy!
Nutrition Corner:
To-Le-Ak Potatoes
The To-Le-Ak potatoes included in CSA boxes this week and served at the UW Farm to Table dinner a week ago, not only have an incredibly interesting history, but also provide many nutritional benefits.
To-Le-Ak potatoes have been grown by the Quileute nation, near La Push, Washington for quite some time. The exact origin of the crop is not 100% known. They can have a bitter flavor, which is why it is recommended to roast or fry them rather than boiling them. Because they are a fingerling type of potato, the skins may be left on, making them more nutrient dense.
They are a good food source for vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B6. They are also free from sodium, cholesterol, and fat. These qualities can be beneficial for health because diets low in sodium, cholesterol and fat may help reduce someone's risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. Including foods with these properties will help keep the overall levels of these components lower.
The UW Farm would like acknowledge and thank Cultivariable seed company and the Quileute nation for caretaking this potato variety.
Washington State University in partnership with Oregon State University announces “Farming on the Urban Edge”, a series of online Conferences starting throughout winter 2021 through Spring 20-22 that will launch the new Peri-Urban Agriculture Network. The mission of this initiative is for farmers, policy-makers, educators, and food system stakeholders to learn strategies to improve the viability of farming in urbanizing areas, and ways that communities can sustain and enhance the growth of peri-urban farms and food economies.
Registration is required. Attend one or all sessions.
Mark your calendars for this year's Tilth Conference! It's Friday-Sunday, November 19-21, at the Lynnwood Convention Center in Lynnwood, WA.
"The Innovative WA Farmer: Sharing What We've Learned"
Over the course of three afternoons, farmers, food system professionals, researchers and educators have the opportunity to learn from one another and share best practices, catch up with old friends, and make new connections. To learn more and see the schedule of speakers and events for the three day conference visit THIS LINK
Volunteer at the UW Farm!
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:
Around the Farm: Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager
Editor: Jessica Farmer, UWBG Adult Education and Diana Knight, Advancement and Communications Manager, Department of Chemistry
CSA Veggie Photo and Key: Sophia Falls, UW Farm student staff, CSA lead
This Week's Recipe: Elizabeth Rauscher, UW Farm Nutrition Education Intern, Public Health-Global Health major Photo Credits: Header, Perry Acworth
Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
I look forward to continuing my relationship with this land and fellow land stewards. When my employment is at its end, I’ll be working on my senior capstone project, volunteering, and connecting with the community. There is always progress towards a more sustainable, regenerative, and innovative urban food practice, and I’m excited for the future of the UW Farm. 
