Under the Surface: Adventures of a UW Farm Resident
By Taylor Bernard Clark, Undergraduate Student, Environmental Studies, College of the Environment, Vermicompost Intern
Today, we have a special guest joining us. This remarkable creature resides in the heart of our urban farm, working tirelessly to transform kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost. Prepare yourself to be amazed as we take a peek into a lifetime spent in (literal) shadow. As the UW Farm’s vermiculture intern, this guest is very near and dear to my heart. Please join me in welcoming the humble red wiggler worm to the spotlight!
A Day in the Life of a Red Wiggler
Hey there! I’m just your average worm living in the UW Farm’s bustling vermicompost bin. Let’s wriggle through a day in my underground life.
Rise and shine, it’s morning routine time. I usually start my day with a good stretch– being three inches long doesn’t stop me from being flexible! Then, I move through our cozy bedding in search of breakfast. I can always find my buddies lined up at the buffet. Today, they’ve found some mushy tomatoes and banana peels, yum! Our job is to break down this organic matter, turning it into nutrient-rich compost.
After our light snack, it’s time to get down to business. Tunneling through the layers, we begin agitating the layers of bedding. This helps the beneficial microbes flourish by aerating the compost. For keeping our bin in good health, our movements are crucial.
Midday, I enjoy some me-time, exploring the depths of the bin. Under hundreds of pounds of material, it’s peaceful down here, away from the hustle and bustle of the human world.
In the afternoon, the shed opens up and light pours across our bin. Incoming, everyone! Looks like we’ve got a delivery of fresh food waste coming our way. Time to chow down! We red wigglers aren’t picky. Whether it’s carrot tops from campus cafés or pastries from the UW Food Pantry, organic waste is added by the bucketful. After the food is added, a thick layer of leaves, grass clippings, and coffee grounds blankets the top of the bin. This carbon-rich bedding provides the bulk we need to increase airflow.
As the sun sets on the world above, our bin bustles with the cacophony of contented munching. We’ll continue to feast on our food throughout the week, enriching the soil with our castings. The mucus membrane from our skin keeps moisture and nutrients in the soil, making vermicompost an incredibly efficient fertilizer.
Though red wiggler worms are small, we pack a punch in the world of regenerative agriculture! Churning trash into treasure, decomposition kick-starts the benefits of healthy soil. So next time you think about your kitchen scraps, remember us worms– composting’s secret weapon, working tirelessly beneath the surface.
Until next time, keep composting, and remember to appreciate the little guys. Goodnight from your friendly neighborhood decomposer!
This toast is as much about the lemon za’atar mixture as it is the crispy, buttery, delicious breakfast radishes that sit on top of it. It might not be your typical French toast, but this savory treat is a fun and easy morning delight!
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk of choice
1 teaspoon fresh za’atar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
1 large slice of bread of choice
1 tablespoon of salted butter
3-4 small breakfast radishes
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese or vegan cream cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, za’atar, salt and lemon juice. Drop in the bread and let it soak up as much of the liquid on one side before flipping to let the other side soak, the goal is to have all of the liquid absorbed.
Place a large pan over medium heat and add the butter, let it fully melt before adding the bread. Cook until nice and golden, about 3 minutes on each side.
There should still be a bit of butter left in the pan when you remove the bread, add the radishes in, give the pan a quick shake to coat and let them cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Give them a flip, season with a pinch of salt and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the French toast to a plate and swoosh the ricotta (or vegan cream cheese) on top. (I love a swoosh) Pile on the radishes! Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a few cracks of black pepper.
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: Taylor Bernard-Clark, Environmental Studies, Vermicompost Intern
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
Prepare yourself to be amazed as we take a peek into a lifetime spent in (literal) shadow. As the UW Farm’s vermiculture intern, this guest is very near and dear to my heart. Please join me in welcoming the humble red wiggler worm to the spotlight! 
