10.11.23

Around The Farm

UW Farm Cultivates Quinoa

By Kove Janeski, Masters of Landscape Architecture, Farm Staff

The UW Farm has been experimenting with cereal cultivation this growing season: we have grown and are processing multiple wheat varieties at the Center for Urban Horticulture Farm site and are also testing out a small planting of quinoa within Mercer Court’s Chenopodiaceae plot. Alongside the Farm’s other chenopods, such as beet and chard, the Farm’s quinoa has grown over 6 feet tall!

Quinoa, along with amaranth and buckwheat, is considered to be a pseudocereal This means that they are not grass-like crops, but their seeds are cultivated and used in ways that are similar to that of true grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own, meaning that quinoa is a complete protein. Cereals like wheat and rice, however, need to be combined with other foods like beans or lentils to provide a complete protein.

Quinoa’s consumption has skyrocketed in North America and Europe over the last 15 years after its rediscovery as a ‘superfood’, and the US is the biggest importer of the pseudo grain. Most quinoa is imported to the US from Bolivia and Peru, from where the crop originates.

The name quinoa is the Spanish spelling of the Quechuan name of the plant, kinua. Though international interest in the pseudo-grain has benefited farmers in South America, many consumers in South America can no longer afford quinoa. In Bolivia, for instance, Quinoa’s consumption was reduced by nearly one-third as the crop’s demand and price increased.

More recently, however, as growers beyond South America began producing quinoa, the price of quinoa in Bolivia and Peru has dropped. As farmers across the globe experiment with quinoa as a commercial crop, researchers at Washington State University have also began a quinoa breeding program. Creating different varieties of quinoa, curated for the Pacific Northwest and more recently Rwanda, future varieties of quinoa coming may be able to provide proper nutrition for consumers and financial security for farmers.

As the UW Farm prepares to harvest and process our quinoa, we hope that local Pacific Northwest farmers will continue to adopt the crop. In the years to come, we also hope that global interest in the crop can act as a source of empowerment and not exploitation for South American growers and consumers.

This Week's CSA Veggie Key:

Recipe of the Week:

Quick Green Tomatillo Salsa

By Martha Rose Shulman, Writer and Chef

Image Source: NYT Cooking

Ingredients:

• ​​1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 to 4 jalepeño or serrano chiles, to taste, coarsely chopped (and seeded, if you would like a milder salsa)
• 1/4 cup chopped white or yellow onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved (optional)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste

Steps:

1. Heat broiler, positioning a rack at the highest setting under the heat. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place tomatillos on top, stem side down. Broil 2 to 5 minutes, until charred on one side. Turn tomatillos over and broil 2 to 5 minutes longer, until charred. Transfer tomatillos to a blender, tipping in any juice that may have accumulated on the foil.
2. Add chiles, onions, garlic (if using), cilantro and ¼ cup water to blender and blend to a coarse purée. Transfer to a bowl and thin out as desired with water. Taste and adjust salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to develop.

Recipe Inspiration: Quick Green Tomatillo Salsa

News and Noteworthy:

UW Farm Summer and Fall Internship Opportunities

Environmental Justice Internship – Open for Winter 2023

Dani Elenga Urban Farming and Environment Paid Internship – Open for 2024

Urban Farming and Campus Food Systems Paid Internship – Open for 2024

Community Supported Agriculture Lead Paid Internship – Open for 2024

Beekeeping Internship – Open for 2024

Food Security Internship – Open for 2024

Nutrition Analysis Internship – Open for 2024

Vermiculture Composting Internship –  Open for 2024 

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

Career Opportunities in Agriculture & Food Systems:

• Red Dog Farms – Multiple Positions Available
• Seattle Public Schools – Farm to School Specialist
• Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Facilities Lead

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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