Around the Farm: Seed Saving Season by Kove Janeski, UW Farm Student Staff
As the growing season wraps up in the PNW, the UW Farm team is hard at work threshing, collecting, counting, and storing seeds for the future. Seed saving is an important task for many farms and gardens that aim to be more sustainable and cost-effective.
At the farm, we collect seeds from the most productive open-pollinated and self-pollinated plants throughout the growing season to pass on genes that are more likely to be regionally adapted to the microclimate at UW. 

by Liran Zimand, UW Farm Student Staff, HFS & Athletics Produce Sales Lead
I have been working on the farm since March of this year, but I have been a member of the UW Farm Club Dirty Dozen since my first week on campus as a freshman in 2019.
The name “Dirty Dozen” originates back to the founders of the UW Farm. 

Around The Farm

All over the nation many individuals and families will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week. What that looks like depends on a number of things, including where you live, access to food, and history of your culture.  There are regional differences and different views on this holiday.
November is also Native American Heritage Month and as a result many valuable sources of this American (or European) tradition are readily available. 

21 U.S. Urban Agriculture Public Garden-Community Partner Collaborations Awarded Funds

If you have ever plucked a ripe fig straight from the tree, the sap oozing from the jam-like interior and suspended at the bottom of the fruit, you know that you have to grow your own figs to fully appreciate their wonder.

The UW Farm planted more asparagus plants as an act of hope for Earth Day and for those challenged by COVID19, because we will not harvest until 2022. The UW Farm highly recommends planting asparagus in your garden, due to the ease of growing and harvest and nutritional benefits.

My name is Adam, and I’m an Americorps member serving as the Assistant Farm Manager at the University of Washington Farm. The UW Farm is a two acre student-powered farm located across three sites with varying scales, challenges, and opportunities. At our largest site at the Center for Urban Horticulture, we demonstrate productive market gardening, while at the Mercer Court dormitory complex we model how farming can fit into urban environments. 

My Experience As A Member Of The Farm Team

Organic…All-Natural…non-GMO…no additives. So what do these all really mean? My summer as a graduate student farmworker has given me the opportunity to investigate this appetizing discussion frequently circling food communities and connoisseurs. Now I am far from claiming myself a food guru, but my time so far on the UW Farm has opened tremendous insight on the day-to-day experience of an urban farmer. 

From Football to Farming

This is Duke’s first year as one of three UW Farm student staff. Originally from Woodinville, WA, Duke was on the University of Washington football team his freshman year. During that first season as a Husky, he sustained a back injury that ended his playing career. However, he continues to be connected to the team, working as part of the UW Football film crew that tapes games and practices. 

Ilea Howard is completing an internship with UW Botanic Gardens this summer. She is a student at Oregon State University where she’s majoring in sustainability and horticulture. The internship, which runs June through August, will provide her with credit hours and experience trying new things, such as driving a tractor!
Before starting work each day, Ilea puts on her work pants and sturdy hiking boots.