Cook, Shop & Live Healthy

The Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health is offering the free course 'Cook, Shop & Live Healthy' on Fridays and Saturdays in December and January. Contact Greg Cooper to register for the Friday class, and Paige Zaitlin for the Saturday class. The classes will be offered on UDC's Van Ness campus.  

DOEE launches Green Fellows Program

The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) has launched and is accepting applications for Green Fellows. The highly competitive program will offer four paid graduate student fellowships for four graduate students attending DC-based higher education institutions. Each fall, the Green Fellows program solicits applications for paid positions within the DDOE areas of: Natural Resources, Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Sciences. 

More information is available here.

Seeking volunteers for East Capitol Farm on Dec. 4!

Sign up here! To get you in the mood ahead of volunteer day, we encourage you to watch this amazing DCBIA Community Improvement Day video by Chris Spielmann.  

Nursing students provide health screenings for Institute of Gerontology

Here in CAUSES, we promote interdisciplinary and collaborative learning. We take every opportunity to integrate academics with our landgrant programming. Just recently on Nov. 18, students in our RN to BS in Nursing program partnered with the Institute of Gerontology for their monthly In-service, offering health screenings to 64 senior volunteers. The BSN students provided glucose, blood pressure and body mass index  screenings and counseling to the seniors. 

When asked about the benefits of the collaboration, BSN professor Anne-Marie Jean-Baptiste explains: 
"It's threefold. (1) It increases visibility of the nursing program in the community; (2) It gives the students the opportunity to transfer theoretical knowledge into practical or experiential learning; and (3) the members of the community benefit by receiving the screenings."

The program was arranged by Ms. Claudia John, project specialist, Institute of Gerontology, to provide beneficial services and information to the senior volunteers with the Institute.

"One of the seniors had an elevated blood sugar level. Had it not been for the health screenings, the gentleman would not have known how high his blood sugar was," said Ms. John. "The seniors expressed to me that it was a blessing to have the UDC Nursing Department provide them with health screenings." 

 The RN to BS in Nursing program earlier this year received accreditation for another eight years. Contact the Institute of Gerontology at gerontology@udc.edu or (202) 274-6697. 

Additional photos are available on our Facebook page.

1400 lbs. harvested on Gleaning Day!

On Saturday, November 21, UDC staff, students and members of the community gathered at the UDC research farm to harvest 1,400 lbs. of kale, Swiss chard, collards and sweet potatoes. 

"Because we do not sell our produce, it would be a shame for the food we grow to go to waste. What better way to bring the community together for a good cause -- especially when Thanksgiving is right around the corner," explained Che Axum, director, CAUSES Center for Urban Agriculture. "At a time when more people than ever are struggling to feed their families, this is not only a privilege, but also our duty." 

The harvest was donated to DC Central Kitchen. For their time, volunteers received a free bag of produce to enjoy over the holiday. Thanks to everyone for coming out! Additional photos are available on our Facebook page.

Abstract submission deadline extended for ISEE 2016!

The submission deadline to submit an abstract for ISEE 2016 has been extended until Dec. 15 - please share! 

Theme: Transforming the Economy: Sustaining Food, Water, Energy and Justice

As the Science of Science of Sustainability, Ecological Economics must advance the transformation of the economy to support rather than debilitate the processes that sustain our living planet. Most fundamental to such an economy is its support of basic live support systems like food, water and energy, and its support of social justice and a quality of life for all. 

Submit your abstract here!

Farmers market closes for the season

After a successful six month season, the UDC farmers market has closed for the year.

"This has been one of the best farmers market seasons to date, thanks in part to student market managers, Maria Watkins and Jude Hare," said Dr. Dwane Jones, director, Center for Sustainable Development. "I would also like to thank Rudy Arredondo and the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Association for their continued partnership and the David A. Clarke School of Law."

The Center for Sustainable has been working on an economic analysis and would appreciate your feedback. Please take a few minute to take their survey. 

Providing great closure to the season was the recent mention of the UDC farmers market by Chef Dalliah of neighborhood bakery Bread Furst in Washington's Surprise Attraction: Urban Farmers' Markets:  

"On Saturdays from May until the end of November, Mr. Dalliah heads to the nearby farmers market at the University of the District of Columbia for produce to turn into dishes such as pickled carrots and onions, grilled cauliflower with tahini and caramelized onions, and kohlrabi slaw with beets."

Thanks, Bread Furst! And now, here is a pictorial look back at the season:

Maria and Jude!

Recipes: Asparagus and Brussels sprout saute, savory brown rice

Chef Herb  Holden from the CAUSES Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health shared a couple of healthy side dish recipes just in time for the holidays!

 Looking for a soup recipe? How about tomato basil or sweet potato and kale?

Food safety tips for preparing turkey

As we embark upon the holiday season, it is essential that all necessary hygienic precautions are taken in the kitchen. Chef Herb Holden with the UDC Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health shares the following tips: 

• As always wash your hands before and after handling the raw meat.
• Make sure that all utensils, equipment and surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
• While cooking, it is vital that the correct temperatures are reached so that bacteria are destroyed and any potential food safety problems are avoided.
• If you are cooking a fresh turkey, store it in the refrigerator until you are absolutely ready to prepare it. Raw poultry should not be kept out of the fridge for very long.
• For frozen turkeys, ensure that the bird is completely defrosted before you begin your preparations.
• Raw or frozen turkeys should be separated in the refrigerator away from other food beforehand.

Roasting times for turkey

Roasting time (unstuffed)       Roasting time (stuffed)

       6-8 lbs—2 1/2—2 3/4 hrs       6-8 lbs—2 3/4—3 1/4 hrs

  8-12 lbs—2 3/4—3 hrs            8-12 lbs—3—3 1/2 hrs

    12-14 lbs—3— 3/4 hrs             12-14 lbs—3 1/2—4 hrs

     14-18 lbs—3 3/4—4 1/4 hrs     14-18 lbs—4—4 1/4 hrs

            18-20 lbs—4 1/4—4 1/2 hrs     18-20 lbs—4 1/4—4 3/4 hrs

             20-24 lbs—4 1/2—5 hrs           20-24 lbs—4 3/4—5 1/4 hrs

How to harvest kale

Ever wonder how to harvest kale? Prof. Clarence Pearson, director, Architectural Research Institute, sketched this just for you: 

East Capitol Farm featured on WAMU!

WAMU asks: Are Mobile Urban Farms A Good Use Of Space In D.C.? 

The article, which was authored by Vera Carothers, begins:

An abandoned island of grass and dirt sloping between Capitol Heights Metro station and busy East Capitol Street is getting new life this fall.

Far from a flashy new development, the site will soon be home to D.C.’s largest urban farm, covering 3 acres near the Maryland border. The project is headed by the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and backed by a diverse coalition of a dozen or so groups ranging from unlikely ally Walmart to local non-profits to the federal family through the Urban Waters Federal Partnership.

Why build such a large farm in the middle of a rapidly developing neighborhood? UDC and its partners aim to help solve the food desert problem in this Ward 7 area east of the Anacostia River.

Continue reading here or listen to the audio!

Institute of Gerontology Coat Drive!

DCist article on urban farms

We were mentioned in The Federal Forager: D.C.'s Urban Farms Make the Most of Limited Real Estate by DCist, which features many organizations involved in DC's urban agriculture movement: 

"And the nascent East Capitol Urban Farm, on which volunteers broke ground for September 26, has one really cool feature aimed at taking advantage of vacant lots that often are only temporarily available: It moves."

Read the full article.