09.11.24

Around The Farm

Introducing Erica, the new UW Farm Americorps Volunteer

 
by Erica Fong, 2024-25 Americorps Education and Outreach Lead at the UW Farm 
 
My name is Erica Fong and I’m so excited to be joining the UW Farm as the new Americorps Education and Outreach Lead for the 2024-25 school year!
Primarily, my role will be supporting urban farming and food systems education activities. 

09.04.24

Around The Farm

Tomato Growing at the 47th Parallel

By Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager
Off the vine, juicy, ripe tomatoes are my favorite crop to grow and savor. Hands down. As a child, however, I was not a fan. To my younger self, they tasted mealy, lacked flavor and were tough-skinned. It wasn’t until 1990, fresh out of college, that I grew my first tomatoes in the backyard of an old rented farmhouse in Vermont – the bright red ‘sweet million’ cherry tomato. 

08.28.24

Around The Farm

Hive Hiccups: Swarming Explained

By Mara Tarino, UW Farm Beekeeping Intern, Majoring in Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment
As a new beekeeper at the UW Farm, I’ve discovered that maintaining a happy and healthy hive involves a lot more than I initially thought. I used to believe that beekeeping was straightforward, with bees managing themselves and providing us with the delicious honey we love. 

08.21.24

Around The Farm

Farm ‘Fits
By Zereen Gesmudo, UW Farm Nutrition Education Intern, Majoring in Art:3D4M in the College of Arts and Science & Nutrition Minor in the School of Public Health
Of all of the exciting new things that I learned at the farm, from how to properly harvest peas to pruning tomatoes, the one thing that always stuck out to me is ensuring I have functional and weather-appropriate clothing for farm work. 

08.14.24

Around The Farm

The State of The Hive
By Amaya Saunders, UW Farm Beekeeping Intern, Majoring in Linguistics, College of Arts and Sciences
As we edge towards the end of summer, the bees have wrapped up their busiest pollinating season, meaning it’s time for honey! Weighing hives is an important part of beekeeping – it helps estimate the activity of the hive without disturbing the bees. 

08.07.24

Around The Farm

The Importance of Food Safety on Farms
By Kristin Choe, UW Farm Intern, majoring in Food Systems, Nutrition, School of Public Health
My name is Kristin and I am a General Farm intern with a food security focus for the summer quarter. I am focusing on food safety and security, which is related to my major. Although this is my first season on the campus farm, I have gained so much knowledge about food safety and security that I cannot wait to share with you! 

07.31.24

Around The Farm

The Children’s Garden
By Leyna Doty, Program on the Environment: Environmental Studies, Children’s Garden Intern

After the COVID pandemic shut down the farm to visitors, the Children’s Garden sat vacant, except for a few straggly plants and once-accurate painted rock labels. This season, the Children’s Garden has been an ongoing project to bring back a welcoming space to kids who visit for day camps, field trips, and a sunny stroll from the neighboring Union Bay Natural Area.  The children’s garden sits towards the northwest corner of the farm, behind the high tunnel. 

07.24.24

Around The Farm

Agroecology in Action on the UW Farm
By Phoebe Clifton, Program on the Environment: Environmental Studies, Vermicompost Intern
Ever since its creation in 2004, the UW Farm has committed to strengthening people’s connection to both food and the environment, recognizing that the two are deeply intertwined. Agroecology is the practice of using local ecosystems to shape agricultural practices, rather than imposing unsustainable growing practices that will eventually degrade the land and harm nearby communities. 

07.17.24

Around The Farm

Sweet Farm Sestina
By Abigail Ipjian, English: Creative Writing & Environmental Studies Minor, Education Intern
Some days I wake up missing the joy
I try so hard to lead my life with. The sunshine
spills in my window, yet stepping into it is more work
than I feel capable of. By now I have learned
that with time, my spirit will grow
so I can rise and remember my role on this earth. 

07.10.24

Around The Farm

The CSA: 7 Reasons Why
By Alex Ball, Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health, School of Public Health, Dani Elenga Intern; CSA Assistant Manager
 
A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a model in which consumers pay a lump sum at the beginning of a farm’s growing season, and then receive a weekly share of whatever produce that farm grows.