Upcoming Farm Events Thursday, June 10 Awards of Excellence Ceremony Farm honoree Beth Wheat 3:30 pm @ Meany Hall Thursday, June 10 Farm Graduation 5 pm @ the UW Farm _______________________ Work this week
Finals Week - Come help out! Wednesday 8-10am, 2-4pm
Thursday: 9-3pm
Friday: 9-2pm
______________________ UW Farm website UW Farm Blog Send all submissions for summer's monthly newsletter to uwfarm@u.washington.edu During the summer, the newsletter will go out once a month. The next newsletter will go out Monday, July 5 ______________________
This Week's Farm Tasks
To Do List: Finals Week! Spring Quarter 2010
-Plant cukes around outside of B7 after adding compost, log it on the planting poster in the GH!
-Work on wall climbing bean trellis (See brady's work times)
-Chop down, cut in buckwheat cover crops-they are flowering
-Spray aphids of fruiting kale in B8 with high power hose nozzle
-Finish wood border for sunflower bed along burke by the campus compost pile
-Harvest artichokes
-Wood chip around new staircase down from the farm sign to the Burke
-Harvest turnips in buckets in area D, they are getting hit by aphids, leaf miners, and root maggots- they were planted too closely likely, but they are big and tasty
-Sow parsnips in long concrete D bed next to taters where there are gaps of no germination
-mound up soil around all potatoes everywhere
-Weed everywhere
-Do a bed area, what's growing assesment of the farm
-Help peas by the plant lab annex find their trellis
-Put in a beer dish as slug control in the concrete lettuce bed near the UW Farm Milpa
-Finish melon trellis in Herb area
-Use rest of manure, chopped up (with machete) plant material, paper shreddings to make new compost
-Harvest bolting items, and big leafs of stuff on the green roof.
Being Harvested Now
-Green onions, wild strawberries, lettuce, turnips, snow peas, radishes, radish fruit pods, arugula, bolting (damn!) daikons, tatsoi, chard, all kinds of delicious weeds
| FARMmonth
June 7 - July 5
UW Farm Updates
End-of-Year Pizza Bake Joyous Despite Rain (or maybe because of it!): Photos
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
The Farm's end of year pizza bake brought in a great crowd of people that made pizza, listened to live music, and danced in the rain.
UW Farm Graduation: Celebrate UW Farm Graduates on June 10
The farm wants to get the word out about the upcoming farm graduation. we will get together on Thursday, 10 June, 3:30 pm at Meany hall for the awards of excellence ceremony where Beth will receive her teaching award! this is a really important recognition of her immensely hard work and what it has meant for the growth of the farm. afterward we will move down to the UW farm to celebrate graduates of many kinds at 5:30 pm and carry the party on to golden gardens (bike parade!) after the appreciations for a BBQ potluck.
if you are graduating and are able to attend, please let Amalia know by putting your name on this list. Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?
The better question is, HOW did the chickens cross the road? And the answer is... In a chicken tractor!
Hi, Rachel here. For my individual project as a Farm intern this quarter, I headed up the design and construction of a chicken tractor to get our four ladies out and about. What is this tractor I speak of? It's a bottomless, wheeled enclosure that you move over garden beds so that the chickens can peck, scratch, eat grubs and weeds, poop, and generally have a big time between crop plantings. Our tractor has a box with a trapdoor in the upper half to put the chickens in as you move it. I'm hoping that future Dirty Dozens will be able to integrate the chickens into our crop rotation, letting them fertilize a bed after harvest and before new planting. For more information about chicken tractors, check out the book Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil by Andy Lee and Pat Foreman and this website with lots of pics: http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html. And keep an eye out for the ladies as you walk along the Burke!
![]() ![]()
Off Farm Stuff
Exciting New Job Opportunity at OED: Healthy Food Business Coordinator Community Development Specialist - Healthy Business Food Coordinator Salary Range: $29.45 - $34.31 per hour The City of Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) is seeking qualified applicants to fill a full-time, two-year grant funded Community Development Specialist position. The person selected will implement a pilot business incentive program to encourage food businesses, in particular grocery stores in low income areas, to improve access to healthy food and beverages. This program is part of the Seattle-King County Public Health Department's "Communities Putting Prevention to Work" (CPPW) grant, a two-year, $26 million project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Specific duties include outreach to corner store managers and customers in South King County, Seattle Central District, and Southeast and Southwest Seattle about the benefits of increasing healthy food options in stores; coordinating a needs assessment of participant stores and matching them with appropriate services, such as: advertising and marketing assistance, mentoring and coaching, food display assistance, voucher programs to support shopping, loans or grants to purchase equipment or make façade improvements. The federal stimulus grant awarded via Seattle King County Public Health supports the position from April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2012, therefore the position will sunset March 31 2012, unless new funding is secured or the grant period is extended. Note: The title and salary of this position is subject to Legislative approval. Minimum Qualifications: Two years of experience in planning, research, architecture, real estate, program management, or related experience, and a baccalaureate degree in business or public administration, urban planning or architecture (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class). Desired Qualifications: Demonstrated experience working with small business owners and/or knowledge of Seattle's food industry. Possess understanding of food systems economies, and social justice related to the availability of healthy food options in low-income communities, or other relevant food issues. To apply, please visit the City of Seattle's official website This position closes on June 15, 2010. Summer Internship with Lettuce LinkHours per Week: 10-3
Work Schedule: Generally T, Th, F, S, 10am-3pm
Compensation: Farm fresh vegetables, free organic gardening lessons & mileage reimbursement.
When: June 22nd 2010 – October 2010 (ongoing until filled) Job Description Work at Marra Farm, Seattle's only Urban Community Farm by preparing soil/beds, planting vegetable starts and seeds, maintaining crops, composting, irrigating, harvesting, washing produce, and distributing produce to the community food bank. Co-teach age appropriate nutrition and gardening to elementary school children at Marra Farm. Work collaboratively with staff and other volunteers to deliver a cohesive, fun, positive and engaging program. Assist with community outreach and fundraising events Required Qualifications · Interest in food security issues, learning about community nutrition and working on an urban organic farm. · Friendly, reliable, and self-motivated · Ability to pass a Washington State Patrol background check (if working with children) Desired Qualifications · Background in organic gardening and experience working with children · Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds · Access to a personal vehicle · Ability to speak Spanish
Application Instructions: Apply to lettucelink@solid-ground.org with a description of your interest and a completed volunteer application. Brief interview required if you are co-teaching.
AMERICORPS Community to Community positionComunidad is excited to announce two new Community Health Promoter positions.
This is an AmeriCorps position made available through the Washington Service Corps in partnership with the Washington Health Foundation. It is open to bilingual (Spanish/English) candidates available for full time work between September 1, 2010 and July 15, 2011. We are recruiting nationwide. Please take a moment to look at the job descriptions and pass it on through your networks. I appreciate the assistance and look forward to hearing from interested candidates.
Community to Community is a women-led, place-based, grassroots organization. We are committed to systemic change and to creating strategic alliances that strengthen local and global movements towards social, economic and environmental justice.
Cocinas Sanas Health Promoter: Cocinas Sanas program development, outreach and education:
In 2005 Community to Community's Food Justice Program began dialogues with Latino farmworker women and youth around health, diabetes, obesity, and their connection to our current food system. Together, the idea for the Cocinas Sanas' Healthy Kitchens Program began. The position involves working with key stakeholders to develop and implement an outreach program and curriculum for Cocinas Sanas with the goal of increasing health, and combating diabetes and obesity in the Latino community. Additionally, they will assist with the development of a peer to peer educational program for Latinas to pass on their knowledge to other Latina women and youth. By engaging stakeholders in culturally appropriate hands-on education that emphasizes high quality, healthy, organic foods in traditional diets the program seeks to promote good nutrition, healthy eating habits, exercise, and engagement in understanding the local food system. The member will receive leadership development, understanding oppression, undoing racism and similar trainings to assist in working towards the organization's mission to restore justice to food, land and cultural practices.
For full job description, click here
To Apply: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=36783
Contact Erin Thompson with any questions
O2 Recreation Leader, Seattle Parks and Recreation Job Opportunity Title of Position: O2 Recreation Leader
Organization: Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation
Accepting Applications: now to June 15, 2010
Address: 3801 W. Government Way, Seatte, WA 98199
Description: RECREATION LEADER Outdoor Opportunities (O2) Program
POSITION DURATION: Six Month Assignment (July 2010 - December 2010) with Possible Extension.
SALARY: $18.24 / Hour plus 5% premium pay
WORK HOURS: Up to 40 hrs/wk. Varies. Some evening and weekend work.
This position will coordinate programming for the O2 branch location at Seward Park in Southeast Seattle. The position will organize, plan, implement and lead outdoor recreation and environmental education activities such as weekly workshops, and monthly overnight events and service projects. Examples of O2 events include: camping, hiking, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, snowboarding and snow shoeing. In addition to program orchestration, this position will also be responsible for the associated environmental education curriculum development. Experience working with high school age teen populations in an outdoor recreation and / or education setting is a plus. E-mail or send a letter of interest and a resume to Bob Warner at: robert.warner@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/parks/teens/o2/.
Article in The Seattle Times Highlights Urban Farming in Seattle
"Edible gardening and urban farms are thriving throughout Seattle, but the idea of urban farming for profit is another matter. As the once-common practice returns to cities across the country, at least two efforts in Seattle — Harvest Collective and Magic Bean Farm — aim to show that it can be done."
Read full article here.
Edible Conversations: An Evening with Ben Hewitt, author of The Town that Food Saved This will be the first event in a series on food, sustainability and community we are calling "Edible Conversations", and will take place on June 8th at 7pm at Tom Douglas' Palace Ballroom. Jill Lightner, the editor of Edible Seattle will interview Ben Hewitt about his life as a farmer, and the way a group of farmers and entrepreneurs banded together to create a comprehensive food system and revive the dying economy of Hardwick, Vermont. Like many rural communities in America, Hardwick, Vermont was build on a industry that had packed up and left long ago, and the town had suffered from a depressed economy for over a century. With an unemployment rate of 40% and in the middle of a crippling recession, a small group of young farmers and community leaders embarked on a quest to create a comprehensive, functional and vibrant food system, bring jobs to their region and create new ways for them to make a living off their farmlands. As Ben tells the story of his one town's transformation, there will be lessons for all of us who believe that a healthy, local agricultural system can be the basis of community strength, economic vitality and food security. Joining Jill and Ben will be local chefs, Sequim farmer Kia Kozun of Nash's Organic Produce, Chris Curtis, the Director of Seattle's Neighborhood Farmer's Markets and Mary Embleton, Director of the Cascade Harvest Coalition. Price: $15 - $25 This will be the first event in a series on food, sustainability and community we are calling "Edible Conversations", and will take place on June 8th at 7pm at Tom Douglas' Palace Ballroom. Jill Lightner, the editor of Edible Seattle will interview Ben Hewitt about his life as a farmer, and the way a group of farmers and entrepreneurs banded together to create a comprehensive food system and revive the dying economy of Hardwick, Vermont. Like many rural communities in America, Hardwick, Vermont was build on a industry that had packed up and left long ago, and the town had suffered from a depressed economy for over a century. With an unemployment rate of 40% and in the middle of a crippling recession, a small group of young farmers and community leaders embarked on a quest to create a comprehensive, functional and vibrant food system, bring jobs to their region and create new ways for them to make a living off their farmlands. As Ben tells the story of his one town's transformation, there will be lessons for all of us who believe that a healthy, local agricultural system can be the basis of community strength, economic vitality and food security. Joining Jill and Ben will be local chefs, Sequim farmer Kia Kozun of Nash's Organic Produce, Chris Curtis, the Director of Seattle's Neighborhood Farmer's Markets and Mary Embleton, Director of the Cascade Harvest Coalition. The $25 per person price includes appetizers and Theo chocolate confections; a cash bar will be available as well. Copies of The Town That Food Saved will be available for purchase and signing at the event. See website here, or purchase tickets at brown paper tickets. |
