By Daniel Orsborn, UW Farm General Intern, Environmental Science Major
A Reflection on My First Season Farming
Hi, I’m Daniel and I’ve been a General Farm intern at the UW Farm for the past nine months. In less than a week, my time at UW will be coming to an end. I was hoping to write something practical that I learned during my time here and publish it in the farm newsletter. However, all I can seem to think about is reflecting on the people and connections that the Farm has given me, rather than agriculture skills.
I’m in awe of what I’ve learned and the person I’ve become. I started volunteering because I was hoping to find a paid internship for the summer. I had never been all that interested in farming and my most relevant experience was accidentally killing a houseplant. But the atmosphere was so welcoming that I felt like I needed to stay. Being around Perry, the farm manager, and all the interns has made my experience rewarding beyond my expectations. I can safely say that the community on the UW Farm has been the best part of being at the University of Washington.
Even though I never had Dr. Eli Wheat as a teacher, his guidance as my internship advisor has been more valuable than any instructor I’ve taken a class from. Our conversations have helped me develop an understanding of who I want to be, personally and professionally. His friendship and advice is something I will treasure moving forward.
As I approach graduation, part of me doesn’t want to move on from the Farm. I want spring to come and I want to get right back to working in the field, next to my friends, giving time to this place that I love. But I know the farm isn’t mine. The value of this space is inherent to the constantly rotating cast. I’m comforted by all the new faces mingling with the familiar. Feeling the potential that their experience here may be as personally impactful as I have found mine.
This Week’s Recipe
Apple Carrot Cake
By Audrey Sun, Public Health-Global Health: Nutritional Sciences Major, UW Farm Fall Nutrition Education intern.
This week’s recipe will take apples and utilize them to add a zing to your common carrot cake recipe. Apples are the flavor of fall, and although a little late, this recipe will be a celebration of the sweeter side of cold weather. A nice slice of apple carrot cake and a cup of warm milk does wonders for keeping you warm this winter.
Apples are one of Washington’s biggest crop. Historically, humans have been cultivating apples for almost 8,500 years. Apples originated from Kazakhstan and were spread throughout the east by traders from the Silk Road. Washington produces about 60% of the apples consumed in the US. Personally, I remember going on trips on the East Coast and the hotels I stayed at would have free Washington apples. A piece of home while so far away.
This recipe calls for adding carrots, apples, oil, and yogurt in order to keep it moist. Greek yogurt is an often overlooked ingredient in cakes and breads. I love putting it in my banana bread or carrot cake because it adds moisture, creaminess, and a slight tanginess to balance out the sweetness. I have not included a recipe for the cream cheese frosting because I also just like eating the cake plain, but you can use this recipe for reference. Like all my recipes, feel free to adjust the seasoning and fillings to your preferences. For example, you can substitute any type of nuts for walnuts or leave them out completely, and if you don’t have greek yogurt or sour cream you can just use more oil.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or even coconut)
½ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups packed grated carrots
1 1/2 cups packed grated apples
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a large 9 by 13 pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat your eggs, brown sugar, oil, and yogurt together until lighter in color.
In a separate bowl, mix all your remaining dry ingredients.
Gently fold the dry mix into the wet until just combined. Next add in your grated carrots, apples, and optional nuts.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve this plain or with a cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition Corner: Apple
Nutrition Corner:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Did you know! Apples are low in sodium but high in potassium which promotes healthy hearts. Apples are packed with fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals which help regulate your body functions and may provide benefits like anti-cancer, regulating blood sugar, and maintaining healthy weight.
One medium 7-ounce (200-grams) apple (similar between all types) provides:
Calories: 104
Carbs: 28 grams
Fat: 0.3g
Sodium: 2mg
Fiber: 5 grams
Sugars: 20.8g
Protein: 0.5g
Vitamin C: 10% of the Daily Value (DV)
Copper: 6% of the DV
Potassium: 5% of the DV
Vitamin K: 4% of the DV
No matter if you only have a tiny apartment deck, small garden space, or plenty of acreage you can grow fresh food in a healthier, more environmentally friendly way.
With an overall focus on limited space/resources, and the combined challenges of western Washington weather and soils, this series of speakers and topics will help beginners, as well as long time gardeners, l
When: Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: online using the Zoom platform.
Fee: $5 per class, or…save and take all 15 Growing Groceries classes for $50
Oct. 12 Starting a Vegetable Garden Nov. 9 Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants Dec. 7 Raising the Onion & Beet Families Jan. 11 Irrigation & Weed Management Jan. 18 Pruning Fruit Trees Jan. 25 Pea/Bean Family & Cover Cropping Feb. 1 Raising Berries in W. Washington Feb. 8 Seed Starting & Raising Transplants Feb. 15 Raising Broccoli & Buckwheat Families Feb. 22 Raising the Tomato/Potato Family Mar. 1 Using Hoop Houses & Greenhouse Mar. 8 Raising the Cucumber/Squash Family Mar. 15 Raising Carrot, Lettuce, & Corn Families Mar. 22 Raising Culinary & Tea Herbs Mar. 29 Pests, Predators, & Pollinators
Register online at GrowingGroceries.Eventbrite.com. For more information about all classes in the series, visit snohomish.wsu.edu/growing-groceries.
Sponsored by the WSU Snohomish County Extension Growing Groceries and Master Gardener programs. For more information about the program, contact Kate Ryan, (425) 357-6024, kate.ryan@wsu.edu
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.
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 General Intern, Environmental Science Major Recipe: Audrey Sun, UW Farm Fall Nutrition Education Intern, UW Nutrition Sciences Program Editors: Perry Acworth, Farm Manager and Chrina Munn, AmeriCorps Volunteer 2022-23 Photo Credits: Perry Acworth. Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
something practical that I learned during my time here and publish it in the farm newsletter. However, all I can seem to think about is reflecting on the people and connections that the Farm has given me, rather than agriculture skills.
personally and professionally. His friendship and advice is something I will treasure moving forward.
