The UW Farm provides a multitude of experiential learning experiences for 24 academic and program units across campus. Often students volunteer and earn credit or discover topics to write about, research, and document. In the Fall quarter of 2023, Lluvia Chavez, a UW Journalism student, sought out the farm for a class assignment and volunteered a number of times. She then shared her summative piece with us. To read more and to see the full article, visit her website HERE.
Unveiling the Outdoor Living Laboratory of Urban Agriculture at UW Farm
Republished, from Lluvia Chavez, Undergraduate Student, Journalism Website
The UW Farm is a 1.5-acre learning facility where students, regardless of their major, are welcome to explore sustainable urban agriculture. The origins of this farm are based on student, faculty, and community efforts back in 2005. UW Farm Manager, Persis “Perry” Acworth says “It was a selection of Ph.D. students in biology who started it to be a place for discussion.” Now the farm is much more than that as it supports students through labs, capstone projects, and internships. It also feeds hungry students by sending thousands of pounds to the campus food pantry all year long. These education opportunities are offered through three UW Farm locations at the Center of Urban Horticulture, the Mercer Court, and McMahon Hall. All of which yield produce that is distributed to campus dining, the UW food pantry, a subscription-based weekly box to households (a CSA), and other community programs. Acworth enjoys seeing students from a variety of majors engage with the farm in their own unique way, “we are a place of experimentation and learning,” she says. At the UW Farm students can bond with like-minded individuals and create a sense of community in the outdoors.
While Artichoke dip is commonly made with spinach, this recipe replaces it with collard greens. Collard greens give an earthy taste to the artichokes and cheese, adding depth and substance to the dip.
1 can of chickpeas, (about 14 oz), rinsed and drained
¼ cup vegan milk
1 cup vegan Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese or cheese of choice
1 tablespoons chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons tapioca starch, optional, but great for cheese pull!
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a blender or food processor, add chickpeas, vegan milk, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, vegan cheese of choice, and optional tapioca starch.
Blend/Pulse on high for 2-3 minutes until mixture is completely smooth. Once blended, set aside.
Heat a pan over medium heat, add chopped collard greens, allow to wilt for about 5-6 minutes. Add artichokes to the pan with a pinch of salt. Stir together until fully combined.
Place cooked collard greens and artichokes in a baking dish (9” X 5”). Pour the blended sauce mixture on top and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy on top. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped rosemary.
Allow to cool slightly, then serve with chips. Enjoy!
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:
Managing Editor: Siffre Tooth, UW Farm Food Security Lead ’23-24
Around the Farm: Lluvia Chavez, Undergraduate Student, Journalism Recipe of the Week: Zereen Gesmundo, Nutrition Education Intern, Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health, Art Contributing Editors: Perry Acworth, Farm Manager; Siffre Tooth, UW Farm Food Security Lead ’23-24 Photo Credits: Perry Acworth. Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
The origins of this farm are based on student, faculty, and community efforts back in 2005. UW Farm Manager, Persis “Perry” Acworth says “It was a selection of Ph.D. students in biology who started it to be a place for discussion.” Now the farm is much more than that as it supports students through labs, capstone projects, and internships. It also feeds hungry students by sending thousands of pounds to the campus food pantry all year long. These education opportunities are offered through three UW Farm locations at the Center of 
Urban Horticulture, the Mercer Court, and McMahon Hall. All of which yield produce that is distributed to campus dining, the UW food pantry, a subscription-based weekly box to households (a CSA), and other community programs. Acworth enjoys seeing students from a variety of majors engage with the farm in their own unique way, “we are a place of experimentation and learning,” she says. At the UW Farm students can bond with like-minded individuals and create a sense of community in the outdoors. 
