Sometimes your professional career takes you in a straight line, other times it involves a few twists and turns. For Jesse Miller, it involves looping back around a couple times, at least geographically. His new position as the Botanist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP) is the second time he has landed in Olympia – the first was as an undergraduate at Evergreen State College. 

Washington polemonium (Polemonium pectinatum) is a distinctive perennial Washington endemic. As the Latin name implies, its leaves are pectinate, a term that describes its feathery, pinnately compound leaves that have 11-17 narrow leaflets. These unique leaves make this species stand out amongst other members of the genus in Washington. In mid-May to early June, its branched inflorescence blooms with light blue to lavender flowers that sometimes have faint maroon veins. 

In early June, Rare Care volunteers Mickie Chamness and Janelle Downs stumbled upon a population of small evening primrose (Eremothera minor), a state sensitive plant species. It was actually on their way to another primrose monitoring assignment that they noticed the small population of 30 plants in the tracks of the dirt road they were hiking. This population of small evening primrose is one that Rare Care had previously searched for three times in that exact location, but never found any. 

This past September, Rare Care completed a three-year study to assess the vulnerability of rare alpine plants. Working with the National Park Service (NPS), Rare Care staff and seasonal interns mapped and monitored 159 populations found in National Parks in Washington to climate change, installed 26 long-term monitoring plots, collected seeds, assessed 26 focal species’ vulnerability to climate change, and developed adaptive management strategies that NPS could employ to mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

04.12.23

Around The Farm

By Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager
 
Seattle Sister City is First in France to Offer Degree in Urban Agriculture 
A year ago three delegates from Nantes, the sixth largest city in France requested a tour of the UW Farm. With the help of a translator, provided by the Seattle-Nantes sister City Association, and vocabulary learned from my high school french language class decades ago, I explained how we manage three different models of urban farming on campus and how we engage with students. 

Champion Trees of Washington Park Arboretum
 
What is a Champion Tree?

A Champion Tree is the biggest tree of its species in either circumference, height, or spread (how far the branches spread out to either side). Their measurements are given a point valuation in American Forest Points and then sent to either the state, national, or international registry who all keep track of Champion Trees with the highest point values in each species. 

04.05.23

Around The Farm
By Dan Cook, UW Farm Community Volunteer and Seattle home gardener.
Jamming, Part 3 – The Final Chapter!
OK, two weeks ago, I talk about making fruit jams, and last week I talked about the equipment I use for my jamming. This week I will talk about the step-be-step process of converting the ingredients into Tasty Jam! 

1)   Picea abies                                                                             Norway Spruce

This evergreen conifer displays a beautiful pyramidal shape that adorns the entrance of the Asian Maples when coming from the Graham Visitor Center.
In its native habitat, the mountains of northern and central Europe, this tree matures to 100 – 150 feet tall. However, naturalized trees planted in temperate regions of North America mature to 40 – 60 feet tall. 

03.29.23

Around The Farm
By Dan Cook, UW Farm Community Volunteer and Seattle home gardener. 
 
Jamming! Part Two
In last week’s newsletter, I started talking about making fruit jams, one of the easiest and tastiest ways to get started with preserving food. I provided you with one of my go-to recipes for making blackberry mango jam, and discussed the various ingredients (fruit, sugar, pectin, citric acid) that make up the recipe. 

03.22.23

Around The Farm
By Dan Cook, UW Farm long-time volunteer 
 
Jamming! Part One
When my wife, Lily, and I moved from Las Vegas to Berkeley, California, we started growing tomatoes in a small 10’ x 20’ garden plot in the front of our rental house. We were soon facing what any successful urban farmer faces at some point in time, that is, the “too much produce” dilemma.