12.13.23

Around The Farm

Saving Seeds: Increasing Biodiversity and Food Security

By Perry Acworth, Farm Manager

At this writing the UW Farm team is receiving glossy seed catalogs in the mail and diving head-long into crop planning for 2024. We begin by coming together as a team and reviewing what varieties grow well, are disease-resistant, heat -tolerant, tasty, easy to harvest, and give the greatest revenue per square foot. We consider cost factors such as price, bed space, and labor to cultivate.

We recently sent out a survey to learn our CSA shareholders favorites. We also reached out to our community partners at UW Dining and the UW Food Pantry to hear their Top Ten choices of crop varieties. We consider rare and culturally significant crops such as Lower Salmon River winter squash, Nez Perce beans, and Brandywine tomatoes, which help to preserve dwindling seed biodiversity and cultural food traditions.

Seed-saving can occur throughout the growing season. As plants mature, bloom, and are pollinated, we leave some plants to go to seed specifically for this purpose. These are open-pollinated seed varieties that are not patented by a seed company. The practice of saving seeds and other reproductive material is the traditional way growing spaces were maintained for last 12,000 years.

One Farmer's Perspective

The first time seed-saving appeared on my radar was in the off-season, in January. In an email, I learned about the King County Seed Lending Library swap event happening nearby and decided to head out in the rain, simply to drop off old seeds that I no longer needed because thrift and sharing are part of my DNA.

Held in the basement of a community center, I was greeted by tables and tables of various packets and jars of seeds. Some commercial vendors were facing the inner circle of seed tables, loaded with catalogs and advice. In the back, preparations were being made for a free DIY seed saving workshop.

I walked around the periphery, looking for a place for my worn out seed packets. Eventually, I found some white envelopes with handwritten notes from personal experience with that seed. There were jelly jars containing papery pods and dried flower heads. What was most interesting was the volume of home seed savers and their vast knowledge. The varieties saved were those that did well in Seattle, in the microclimates of particular neighborhoods. Thought-provoking.

My next experience with seed saving was working at a farm that saved its own tomato seeds. Apparently some favorites were always sold out, so the farm manager scooped the innards of the last, over-ripe tomatoes and plopped them into a bowl of water. Two days later the clear plastic wrap was peeled back, the seeds were washed, and then placed on a paper towel to dry. Tomato seeds, I was told, need to be fermented so the gelatinous coatings can be removed and the seed can eventually germinate.

When I took over the position of Farm Manager at UW in April of 2018, most of the seed for the season had already been purchased. So I discovered the favorites of the previous manager and what "worked" at the campus farm. Most were certified organic, but a fair amount were not. None of them were genetically modified, and few were patented, or F1 crosses. Over the course of that year and the next, I began to focus on using up seeds that were not organic or open pollinated with the goal of applying for organic certification.  I also noted how expensive some seeds were, such as arugula and herbs. My interest in seed saving started to grow alongside my realization that it could help us manage costs as well as guarantee organic seed for the following growing season.

Some seed-saving requires real dedication and a high level of skill, such as Brassicas and Cucurbits, but there are numerous plants and tubers that can be saved with only a beginner's knowledge, such as peppers, corn, potatoes, garlic, and flowers.

Seed Sovereignty

One of the most gratifying aspects of seed-saving for me is empowerment and independence. Self-reliance and decision-making power is held by the seed saver. Choosing which crops to plant means being in control of what is grown, -when and how, and not being dependent on a distant corporation.

According to research conducted at the University of Michigan, the seed industry has been consolidated into only four companies, Corteva, Chemchina, Bayer and BASF. Furthermore, "These four firms are now estimated to control over 60% of global proprietary seed sales".

But local seed companies are sprouting up and here in Seattle, many neighborhoods and communities host annual seed saving and swapping events. WSU also promotes seed saving and libraries, as a great way to connect in urban agriculture and try new varieties that your neighbors may already have relationships with.

A few of the aforementioned value-driven seed companies are Deep Harvest, Uprising, West Coast Seeds, Territorial, Wild Garden Seed and Ed Hume. A few of my favorite BIPOC-owned seed companies are True Love Seeds, Native Seed Search, and Seed Savers Exchange.

A simple search on the Miller Library online catalog leads to over a dozen of the most notable books written on the subject, from beginner to advanced. If you are going to purchase seeds for your garden next season, I highly encourage checking out one of these books. Alternatively, purchasing at your local bookstore and then donating to a Little Free Library in your neighborhood is a great way to support seed-saving knowledge in your community!

UW Farm Seed Saving Video

Recipe of the Week:

Easy Veggie-Loaded Pasta Sauce (from scratch!)

By Taesha Butler

Image Source: The Natural Nurturer

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 1 ½ cups carrots, grated
• ½ bell pepper, deseeded and diced
• 2 cups chopped spinach, loosely packed
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup vegetable broth, water
• 2 bay leaves

PREPARATION

1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat and heat up the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. Saute for about 4 minutes or until onions are translucent.
2. Add zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, and spinach to the pot. Saute the veggies until they are softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, and stock to the pot. Stir until combined and cover. Once sauce starts to boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook UNCOVERED for 15 minutes.
4. Once done cooking, remove bay leaves.  Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce to preferred consistency. If you can, use a regular blender to blend this sauce in batches, but transfer it carefully as it will be hot!
5. Taste and add extra salt or garlic powder if desired.
6. Serve over your favorite pasta or spiralized veggie. Enjoy as is or add cooked ground meat or meatballs. 
7. Allow leftover sauce to completely cool before transferring it to an air-tight container. Store in fridge for up to 6 days or freeze to have on hand for months to come. 

Recipe Source: The Natural Nurturer

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:

• Community Garden Program Manager- Salish Roots Farm, Squaxin Island Tribe
• Remote Facilitator- Farmer Circles Affinity Groups- Organic Farmer Association
• Program Manager for Student Civic Leadership Development– UW CELE Center
• Director of Food Equity- Ecotrust- Portland, Oregon
• Children's Cooking Instructor– Rainy Day Dinner Club
• Multiple Positions Available– Red Dog Farms

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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