Jun 8, 2022 / The Weekly Dirt / persis

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The Weekly Dirt 6.08.22

"The Weekly Dirt" on top of a photo of orange flowers in a field

06.08.22

Around The Farm

Meet Our Intern: Daniel Orsborn

By Daniel Orsborn, UW Farm Intern, Environmental Science Major, College of the Environment 

Daniel wearing a hat smiling at a table. He has a tray with tasting spoons of sauces in front of him while his hand is holding his phone.
Hello! I’m Daniel. I am fourth year undergraduate majoring in Environmental Science. This spring was my first quarter being involved with the farm and I am currently interning for credit. I initially intended to volunteer so that I could be eligible for a paid internship this summer. However, I quickly realized that I was putting in way more hours than I needed to be, and I still wanted to do more. I fell in love with the day to day of being outside and learning about agriculture. I am still very new to all of this, but I find it immensely rewarding to show up knowing that I will learn something new every time.  

My summers used to be spent working for the WSDA doing invasive species trapping which gave me a great experience doing field work. But I wasn’t as invested in checking empty bug traps as I wanted to be. Luckily, I found the farm right as I was trying to pivot away from my insect trapping days. It feels good to be involved with something that I feel connected to.  

I am from Lynnwood, Washington which is a quintessentially suburban city and after seeing farm sites like McMahon and Mercer Court, it makes me realize how much potential for growth there is when it comes to urban and suburban community agriculture programs. 

Year at UW: Senior 

Hails from: Lynnwood, WA 

Hobbies: Cycling, sewing, camping, and climbing 

Favorite Fruit or Vegetable: Carrots, cantaloupe, bananas 




A photo of gloved hands in the dirt. The text over the photo reads "Would you like to grow food for the community? We're Hiring! AmeriCorps Position UW Farm Food Security Lead" a link is provided - the url is bit.ly/UWFGI

Veggie key for CSA. Includes Bok Choy, Spinach, Rosemary, Pea Shoots, Broccoli Raab, Siberfrill Kale, and a UW Farm Tote Bag.

Key of the produce above

This Week's Recipe:

Sprouting Broccoli, Broccoli Raab and Ricotta Frittata

Photo from Food and Wine of Broccoli Rabe Ricotta Frittata

A new produce item in this year's CSA is sprouting Broccoli, Broccoli Raab. Broccoli rabe can be bitter and sometimes the bitterness can be overwhelming. Blanching the vegetable in boiling salted water for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe tempers its strength.

The recipe below is brought to you by the ever famous, Food and Wine
 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound broccoli rabe, tough stems removed
  • 9 eggs
  • 3/4 cup ricotta (about 1/3 pound, optional
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)
Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1

    Heat the oven to 325°. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the broccoli rabe until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse the broccoli rabe with cold water and drain thoroughly. Cut the broccoli rabe into 2-inch lengths and set aside.

  • Step 2

    In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the ricotta and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and the pepper.

  • Step 3

    In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the blanched broccoli rabe and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

  • Step 4

    Evenly distribute the broccoli rabe in the pan and then add the egg mixture. Cook the frittata, without stirring, until the edges start to set, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and bake until firm, about 25 minutes.

News and Noteworthy:

Black Star Farmers Drop-In Stewarding Days
When: Thursday, June 9th, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Where: MLK FAME Community Center (3201 E Republican St)
Hosted by: Black Star Farmers

A flyer of the Black Star Farmers drop in hours.

On Thursday, we will be working at MLK FAME Community Center from 12-4PM. Feel free to come for as much of that time as you can! We have a myriad of tasks to complete onsite as well as planting starts and seeds and revamping our compost system.

Find out more about this volunteer opportunity and register here.

Grow Your Own Mushrooms
When: Saturday, June 18th, 10:00 am – 1:00pm
Where: Good Shepherd Center
Hosted by: Tilth Alliance

photo of homegrown mushrooms

Ever wanted to grow your own edible mushrooms? Learn the basics of cultivating mushrooms and a simple method for growing them at home without specialized equipment.

In this three hour class you will:

  • Learn about mushroom ecology, growing habits and cultivation basics
  • Explore different cultivation methods, with a focus on simple approaches for growing mushrooms at home
  • Assemble your own oyster mushroom growing kit to take home, using treated straw, wood or newspaper pellets, and other easily obtained materials
  • Have time for questions and answers with a mushroom expert

Find our more and register for this event here.

Agriculture and Food Systems Employment Opportunities:
photo of 2 pitchforks in the ground with someone's shoe behind them. This is taking place in a garden plot.

Food Access Resources

The UW Farm donates regularly to the UW Food Pantry. During peak season we also donate to nearby food banks. The links below are resources to help you or someone you know with food access.  

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

 

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: Daniel Orsborn, UW Farm Intern, Environmental Science Intern, College of the Environment
Editors: Dannette Lombert, UW Farm AmeriCorps Member- Food Security Lead, Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager, Diana Knight, Advancement and Communications Manager, Department of Chemistry; Jessica Farmer, Adult Education Supervisor and Community Education Lead, UWBG
Photo Credits and Other Content: Dannette Lombert, Perry Acworth
Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections 

Copyright © 2022 The UW Farm, All rights reserved.

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The UW Farm
3501 NE 41st St, 
Seattle, WA 98105

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