12.1.21

by Liran Zimand, UW Farm Student Staff, HFS & Athletics Produce Sales Lead 
 

I have been working on the farm since March of this year, but I have been a member of the UW Farm Club Dirty Dozen since my first week on campus as a freshman in 2019.

The name "Dirty Dozen" originates back to the founders of the UW Farm. The graduate students that started the farm had several committees that were responsible for various aspects of the farm, such as a committee focused on pizza bakes, the Gallus Group that took care of chickens (yes! there were chickens on campus consuming veggie scraps) and the Dirty Dozen that focused on crop care and planning.
 

Students  getting involved with the Club Plot at Mercer Court, part of a mutual support partnership with the UW Farm

These days, the Dirty Dozen is not a committee for the UW Farm itself, but rather the RSO (Registered Student Organization) associated with the farm that supports the farm in various ways (tour guides, volunteering, events) and has its own agenda. The club hosts pizza bakes at the farm a few times a year. With Traditionally, the pizza bakes are open to the general public, feature fresh farm veggies from the farm's wood fired cob oven, are a chance to build community, share a meal, and meet other students excited about agriculture and urban food systems. 

It was at one of these pizza bakes that I was first introduced to the UW farm. I was a typical freshman, nervous about making friends and trying to find my place in a big school. My roommate and I saw a flyer about a pizza bake and decided to stop by. From that very first night at the farm, eating delicious food, seeing the beautiful fields, and hearing the passionate students giving the tour, I was hooked.
 

  
Cob oven at the farm site at the Center for Urban Horticulture

A pickling party I attended my freshman year, 2019

In addition to organizing pizza bakes and other community meals the Dirty Dozen manages a small plot at the UW Farm Mercer Court location. On this plot we decide what we want to grow and go through the entire process of ordering seeds, planting, caring for, harvesting, and eating our own crops. This is made possible through an informal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UW Farm and the RSO, outlining responsibilities, roles, mentorship, and mutual support. 

Right now, like farms across the country, the Dirty Dozen is settling down and preparing for winter. While we won’t be planting any time soon, we still have a lot going on! This winter we will be:

• planning our spring crops
• creating an Education Committee
• having film festivals 
• hosting podcast clubs
• training tour guides for classes and groups that visit the UW Farm sites
• exploring mushroom production

I am so thankful for the Dirty Dozen RSO, for all it has taught me about urban agriculture, introducing me to some of the coolest people at UW, and of course for connecting me with the UW Farm.

Keep up with the Dirty Dozen’s progress by following us on Instagram, joining our Facebook Group, or sending us an email at dduw@uw.edu. We welcome new members!

This Week's Video:

News and Noteworthy:

Barriers to Revitalizing PNW Traditional Food Cultures Seminar December 4

Hosted by the Nakani Native Program
 
Saturday, December 4th at 10am-12pm

An online seminar featuring a presentation on the Barriers to Revitalizing PNW Traditional Food Cultures followed by a quick cooking demonstration that will incorporate some common traditional ingredients.

Featuring Native Environmental Scientist, Linzie Crofoot (Tlingit Nation/Colville) will present a history of the traditional PNW Coast Salish diet and discuss the events that led to the health ramification of Native peoples from being separated from their traditional foods. The presentation will also highlight the barriers that Native Peoples face today accessing their traditional foods and revitalizing their food cultures. This free online Zoom seminar is open to all tribal and community members.

For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/

Getting Involved around Thanksgiving and Christmas

Most Food Banks organize non-perishable food drives during the holidays. While you are shopping for your dinner, check out these links to see what you can pick up to donate to your choice of food bank:

• Salvation Army will hold food drives at more than 30 QFC supermarkets across Western Washington 
• UW Food Pantry: The UW Food Pantry | Any Hungry Husky (washington.edu)
• Northwest Harvest Food Donation sites: Public Drop Sites – Northwest Harvest
• University District Food Bank: Donate Food and Items – University District Food Bank (udistrictfoodbank.org)
• Food Lifeline: Volunteer – Food Lifeline

Washington Organic Seed Summit December 6-8

The first ever Washington Organic Seed Summit will be held online this year and includes virtual roundtable conversations focused on different themes each day as informed by participants. We’ll gather December 6 through 8, 2021 on the Organic Seed Commons virtual platform. Agenda and meeting times TBD.

The Summit provides a unique opportunity for experienced Washington-based seed growers of specialty seed crops (vegetables, herbs, and flowers) to network, exchange knowledge, and develop collective actions to build sustainable, profitable, and resilient seed systems in the state.

Pre-registration using the form below is required to participate, and details for joining Organic Seed Commons along with Zoom links will be emailed to you prior to the event.

Register by December 1, 2021 or to learn more, contact Aba Kiser

UW Farm Volunteer Information  

If you have some time to spare and would like to know more about how to grow food, come volunteer with us! 

Please note that we are closed  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week, November 24-27th.

See details and learn more about how to sign up by visiting THIS LINK:
https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/center-for-urban-horticulture/gardens/uw-farm/volunteer/

Help The Farm Grow!

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

Copyright © 2021 The UW Farm, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
The UW Farm
3501 NE 41st St, 
Seattle, WA 98105

On campus mailbox
Box 354115

NEW email address:
uwfarm@uw.edu