09.27.23

Around The Farm

Capstone Project Leads to World Cultural Kitchen Garden Design

by Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager

Many students from departments across the University of Washington choose to pursue projects, research, internships and paid positions at the UW Farm as part of their university experience.

Over two dozen students have completed a farm-based capstone in the 15 years since students first planted vegetable seeds in the dirt surrounding the Botany Greenhouse (now the Life Sciences Building), the first site of the campus farm. Some of which ar cataloged in the UW Farm Virtual Learning Library

A capstone, which can take the finished form of a paper, presentation or project, often represents the culmination of a student's degree experience. One capstone project was recently completed by Keya Roy and Miguel Symonds Orr, two undergraduate students enrolled in the College of the Environment and the College of Built Environments respectively.

In early 2023, Keya and Miguel were inspired upon learning from the UW Farm Manager about the construction of a World Cultural Kitchen (WCK) at the farm site just west of the Center for Urban Horticulture. Plans for a rain garden that would be planted with culinary herbs caught their attention. 

To be more involved, Keya signed up a for the Neighborhood Design-Build Studio course and helped build the first phase of the WCK, which was completed on June 8, this past summer. 

A short time later, Miguel joined Keya in helping to create a design for the garden adjacent to the kitchen that would receive the roof run-off water and supply a diversity of plants for incorporating into dishes prepared by users of the WCK. The Farm Manager had recently secured funding for the installment through a generous donation from the Seattle Garden Club.

Keya and Miguel spent four months volunteering long hours researching the soil, plants, designs, hydrology, climate restrictions and demographics of Seattle and the campus community. Their goal was to create a design for informing the planting of the rain garden with as many culturally significant culinary species as possible. 

Ken Yokum & Julie Johnson, along with the UW Farm Manager, have been advisors and continue to help move this project forward. The capstone product document will be passed on to students interested in implementing the design. It is the hope of the UW Farm that a student or a team of students will be able to install the garden by June 2024. 

Below or pictures and copies of slides from their finished project. See this LINK to view all projects including the entire World Cultural Kitchen Culinary Garden: Design Proposal document on our capstone page. 
 

This Week's CSA Veggie Key:

Recipe of the Week:

Korean Cabbage Soup (Baechu Guk)

Sourced from Naomi Imatome-Yun
 
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups
 

This week CSA shareholders will receive 'Bilko' Napa or Chinese cabbage in their boxes this week. Popular as the main ingredient in Korean cabbage soup, also known as baechu guk, is a staple in Korean households. Healthy, low fat, and rich in nutrients and vitamins, baechu guk is Korean comfort food and is especially popular in the fall and winter months.

This soup is made with napa cabbage, a popular ingredient in Asian cuisines. Napa cabbage is an oblong-shaped, white to pale green cabbage that is easy to prepare and used in stir-fries, salads, noodle dishes, soups, and dumplings. This cabbage has a mild flavor that when cooking gets sweeter, this sweetness transports itself into the soup. Taking less than 30 minutes to prepare and get on the table, napa cabbage soup is made with only six ingredients—the napa cabbage, beef broth, doenjang (Korean soybean paste), garlic, scallions, and some black pepper—and cooked until the cabbage is tender. 

Serve this Korean cabbage soup with some rice and kimchi for a delicious lunch or dinner. 

News and Noteworthy:

UW Farm Internship & Employment Opportunities

NEW! UW Farm Staff – Work Study Eligible Position

NEW! Beekeeping Internship

Farm Education Internship

General Farm Internship

Nutrition Education Internship

More available paid and unpaid opportunities to check out on our website.

Off Campus Career Opportunities in Agriculture & Food Systems:

• Seed To Table seeks Executive Director
• Pike Place Farmers Market Food Access Coordinator
• Kirsop Farm – Hiring Multiple Positions
• EarthCorps – Hiring Multiple Positions
• Red Dog Farms – Multiple Positions Available
• Seed Savers Exchange – Multiple Positions Available
• Superstar Farmer's Market Staff
• Farm Steward – Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust
• Seattle Public Schools – Farm to School Specialist
• Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Facilities Lead
• Seed Inventory/ Quality Assurance Manager – Adaptive Seeds

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.  

• 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

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

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