I.

Background
Housing and Food Services (HFS) serves UW students, employees, and visitors through housing
and dining services on the UW campus. HFS is a primary stakeholder of the UW Farm, as detailed in the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both parties in 2014, in which a funding agreement
was made to help maintain the UW Farm Manager’s salary. The various HFS dining locations served by
the UW Farm cater to various population sizes. Some, like Center Table and the District Market serve
large population sizes with 3,000 to 5,000 people visiting weekly.8 The following sections highlight
utilization of the UW Farm by HFS through produce purchases and revenue generated by these
purchases.

The UW Farm offers both fresh produce and decorative flowers to HFS locations. Flowers are
extremely beneficial to the UW Farm as they attract pollinators that can then pollinate produce,
increasing their crop yield. These flowers are essential in producing the high quantities of squash,
cucumbers, peppers, and other crops that HFS frequently utilizes.

II. Methods
The 2018 and 2019 data utilized in this report was obtained from weekly Fresh Sheets -
spreadsheets generated by the farm to show produce available to order for each HFS location. The data
utilized in this report focused on produce purchased by each location, as available produce is not always
immediately harvested if it is not ordered. The data was cleaned and converted into comparable units
(pounds and flower stem) for analysis. A survey was then utilized to measure the future impact of the
UW Farm, and was sent to all HFS locations with direct access to the UW Farm’s services.

To measure current and potential expansion of the UW Farm’s impact on HFS locations, a survey
was disseminated to location contacts including managers, purchasing agents, and chefs. The survey was
created by the Capstone team in coordination with the UW Farm Manger, Perry Acworth. The finalized
survey sent to HFS locations consisted of 11 questions within a Google Form format that inquired about
current use of UW Farm services, areas of improvement, and areas for desired expansion of service.

In reading this analysis, it is important to note that produce allocated to the HFS location Center
Table for free is not included in total sales calculations, although this produce is included in the total
pounds produced for HFS. This is due to an agreement reached in 2016 between the UW Farm and
Center Table that re-allocated the caretaking of plots to the UW Farm in order to safely harvest, wash,
and package the produce.1 Produce cultivated on these plots were originally cared for by UW Grounds
and used by Center Table, and is the reasoning behind Center Table receiving select produce for free.1 In
this analysis, all references to “produce purchased” will include the produce given to the Center Table for
free, however this produce is not included in the calculation of any revenue. Additionally, revenue values

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between 2018 and 2019 reflect price changes made, therefore some produce item ratios of revenue to
pounds are not fully comparable.

The 2018 and 2019 results presented in graph form are split between pound production and
revenue production. For readability, graphs depicting pounds produced are in dark green and graphs
depicting revenue production are in light green.

III. 2018 Results

In 2018, 1,715 pounds of produce and 1,244 stems of flowers were allocated to Housing and
Food Services (HFS). The revenue of these crops equates to a total of $7,059 in conventional value, with
$537 of this revenue generated by flower sales.

In 2018, a total of 13 HFS locations were offered UW Farm produce through the Fresh Sheets
ordering system (see Table 1A). Of these locations, however, McMahon was only offered produce
through the first week of September and the Center Table was given Fresh Sheets access much later, the
week of September 18th. Therefore, only 12 HFS locations were being offered produce at a single point
in time within 2018. Of the 13 HFS locations served in 2018, only seven requested produce (see Table
1B).

Table 1A: HFS Locations offered UW Farm produce in 2018.

HFS Locations offered UW Farm Produce, 2018

1. Cultivate
2. Center Table*
3. McMahon**
4. District Market
5. Husky Grind
6. UW Club***
7. Local Point
8. UW Medical Center
9. Rotunda
10. By George
11. HUB Kitchen
12. Bay Laurel Catering
13. Conibear
*Center Table: UW Farm produce access began September 18th, 2018.
**McMahon: UW Farm produce access ended September 18th, 2018.

Of these seven HFS locations who requested produce in 2018, Local Point, the District Market,
and the Rotunda purchased the most produce. Together, these locations purchased 696 pounds, 433

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pounds, and 250 pounds, respectively (see Table 1B). These locations alone purchased $4,957 in produce
in 2018, contributing 76% of the total produce revenue in 2018, and 70% of the total revenue of 2018. In
2018, five HFS locations purchased flowers (see Table 1B). The District Market and the Rotunda
purchased the most flowers, by stem, with 735 stems and 273 stems purchased, respectively (see Table
1B). The District Market and the Rotunda purchased $342 worth of flowers from the UW Farm, making
up 64% of the total flower sales revenue of 2018, and 5% of the total revenue in 2018.

Table 1B: Produce (in pounds) and Flowers (by stem) purchased by HFS
locations in 2018.
UW Farm HFS production, 2018 Pounds / Stems

Total pounds of produce harvested for HFS 1,714.987 pounds

Local Point 696.105
District Market 432.607
Rotunda 249.547
Cultivate 163.391
Husky Grind 123.597
Center Table 39.74
Bay Laurel Catering 10

Total stems of flowers harvested for HFS 1,244 stems

District Market 735
Rotunda 273
Cultivate 131
Husky Grind 75
Center Table 30

“In 2018, Local Point, the District Market, and the Rotunda purchased the most
produce...These locations alone purchased $4,956.65 in produce in 2018,
contributing 76% of the total produce revenue in 2018, and 70% of the total
revenue of 2018.”

Across the seven HFS locations who purchased produce in 2018, the top produce items
purchased, by pound, were tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, and herbs, with 282 pounds, 187 pounds, 171
pounds, and 112 pounds purchased, respectively (see Figure 1A). The top revenue-generating items
purchased by HFS locations in 2018 included tomatoes, herbs, flowers, and lettuce (see Figure 1B).
Tomatoes brought in the most revenue at $1,115, followed by herbs at $967, flowers at $537, and
lettuce at $531. Of the top ten produce items purchased, herbs have the highest revenue to pound ratio,

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at $8.61 per pound, followed by kale at $5.59 per pound, tomatoes at $3.96 per pound, and peppers at
$3.88 per pound. This indicates that herbs are the greatest revenue-generating item in demand by HFS.

“Herbs are the greatest revenue-generating item in demand by HFS.”

Figure 1A: Top 10 produce items purchased by HFS in 2018, by pound.

Does not include decorative flowers; Order of “Produce Item” remains consistent to Figure 1B: Top 10 revenue
sources among produce items purchased by HFS in 2018; Braising Mix: a Kale and Collard Green mix available
for purchase

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 Figure 1B: Top 10 revenue sources among produce items purchased by HFS in 2018.

Order of “Produce Item” remains consistent to Figure 1A: Top 10 produce items purchased by HFS in 2018, by
pound; Exception: Flowers, indicated in light green, are not included in Figure 1A; Salad Mix: sum of the
Salanova Blend, Gourmet Blend Lettuce, and Alstar Lettuce Salad Mixes available to HFS

Grouping each produce item into food categories (see Appendix D for category breakdowns),
leafy vegetables made up the greatest share of produce purchased by HFS in 2018 with 498 pounds.
Leafy vegetables were followed by other and root vegetables categories with 409 and 307 pounds,
respectively. Leafy vegetables and other food categories generated the most revenue in 2018, with herbs
following, then root vegetables. Leafy vegetables produced $2,193 in revenue and the category other
produced $1,497 in revenue (see Appendix E for figures with all pound and revenue data by category).
The food category other includes tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. The highest revenue per pound
producers in HFS in 2018 were within these top three categories, with kale categorized under leafy
vegetables, peppers and tomatoes categorized under other, and herbs categorized as herbs. Therefore,
these category results continue the trends shown above with the produce item analysis.

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 Figure 1C: Total produce purchased by HFS in 2018, in pounds, by month.

Does not include decorative flowers

Figure 1D: Total flowers purchased by HFS in 2018, in stems, by month.

Produce production and purchasing among HFS locations in 2018 was greatest in September and
October, with 450 pounds and 409 pounds purchased, respectively (see Figure 1C). Produce sales were
nonexistent in January, February and March of 2018, potentially due to a lack of farm management for
these months.1 In April, Perry Acworth accepted the Farm Manager position, and farm sales increased
immediately (see Figure 1C). For flowers, the highest production and purchasing months were June and

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July, with 576 stems and 348 stems sold to HFS, respectively (see Figure 1D). Farm revenue attributable
to HFS in 2018 peaked in September and October, with revenues of $1,627 and $1,750, respectively (see
Figure 1E).

Figure 1E: Revenue from HFS sales in 2018, by month.

“Produce sales were nonexistent in January, February and March of 2018...In April,
Perry Acworth was hired for this position, and farm sales increased immediately"

IV. 2019 Results

The overall amount of produce allocated to HFS in 2019 was 2,637 pounds, as well as 1,861
stems of flowers. This equates to a total of $9,334, of which $1,329 is from flower sales. Since 2018,
flower sales have increased by 248% and produce sales have increased by 123%.1 In February 2020,
some plots of the UW Farm were granted organic certification, which is projected to increase the
revenue of the farm going forward. However, the impact of COVID-19 on HFS services has resulted in a
decrease in produce purchases. Therefore, organic produce projections are better suited to reflect
potential increases in revenue for 2021.

“Since 2018, flower sales have increased by 248% and produce sales have
increased by 123%.”

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 Table 1C: HFS Locations offered UW Farm produce in 2019.
HFS Locations offered UW Farm Produce, 2019

1. Bay Laurel Catering

2. By George
3. Center Table
4. Conibear
5. Cultivate
6. District market
7. Fueling Station*
8. HUB Kitchen
9. Husky Grind
10. Local Point
11. UW Medical Center
12. Rotunda
13. UW Club
*Fueling Station: UW Farm produce access began January 2019

Produce is offered to 13 HFS locations each week (see Table 1C). Of these locations, only nine
requested produce in 2019 (see Table 1D). Local Point, the District Market, and the Rotunda requested
the most produce of these locations, purchasing 840 pounds, 629 pounds, and 448 pounds, respectively
(see Table 1D). These locations alone purchased $5449 worth of produce from the UW Farm, making up
68% of the produce revenue and 58% of overall revenue for 2019. These HFS locations also purchased
the most produce in 2018. Six HFS locations participated in flower purchases, with the top three
purchasers in 2019 being the District Market, Cultivate, and the Rotunda, purchasing 948 stems, 441
stems, and 352 stems, respectively (see Table 1D). These locations purchased $1241 worth of flowers
from the UW Farm, making up 93% of flower revenue and 13% of the overall revenue for 2019. Of the six
locations that purchased flowers in 2019, only four also purchased flowers in 2018. Local Point began
purchasing flowers in 2019 while Center Table stopped purchasing flowers after 2018.

Table 1D: Produce (in pounds) and Flowers (by stem) purchased by HFS
locations in 2019.
UW Farm HFS production, 2019 Pounds / Stems

Total pounds of produce harvested for HFS 2,642.16 pounds

Local Point 839.748
District Market 629.208

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 Rotunda 447.915
Cultivate 202.211
Center Table 198.418
HUB Kitchen 187.627
Husky Grind 55.164
Fueling Station 41.745
Bay Laurel Catering 40.125

Total stems of flowers harvested for HFS 1,858 stems

District Market 948
Cultivate 441
Rotunda 352
Husky Grind 97
Local Point 20
HUB Kitchen 3

“These locations alone purchased $5449 worth of produce from the UW Farm,
making up 68% of the produce revenue and 58% of overall revenue for 2019.”

Across all HFS locations, the top produce items purchased by pound in 2019 were squash,
cucumbers, kale, onions, tomatoes, and herbs (see Figure 1E). Squash, tomatoes, and herbs were also
among the top produce items purchased in 2018 (see Figure 1A). Of the top produce items purchased,
there was 617 pounds of squash, 312 pounds of cucumbers, and 158 pounds of kale. However, the
produce items creating the most revenue included flowers (by stem), herbs and kale (see Figure 1F).
Flowers brought in the most revenue at $1329, followed by herbs at $1013, and kale at $880. Of the top
10 produce items purchased, herbs, kale, peas and peppers have the highest revenue to pound ratio at
$9.37, $5.58, $4.54, and $4.38 per pound, respectively. Herbs, kale, and peppers maintained a high
revenue to pound ratio in 2018 through 2019. This indicates herbs and kale to be the most sought after
and revenue producing items by HFS, with herbs holding this title from 2018 into 2019.

“Herbs and kale to be the most sought after and revenue producing items by HFS,
with herbs holding this title from 2018 into 2019.”

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Figure 1E: Top 10 produce items purchased by HFS in 2019, by pound.

Does not include decorative flowers; Order of “Produce Item” remains consistent to Figure 1F: Top 10 revenue
sources among produce items purchased by HFS in 2019; Braising Mix: a Kale and Collard Green mix available
for purchase

Figure 1F: Top 10 revenue sources among produce items purchased by HFS in 2019.

Order of “Produce Item” remains consistent to Figure IH: Top 10 produce items purchased by HFS in 2019, by
pound; Exception: Flowers, indicated in light green, are not included in Figure IE; Braising Mix: a Kale and Collard
Green mix available for purchase

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 When grouping each produce item into food categories, the highest produced category in 2019
was squash with 617 pounds produced, followed by root and stem vegetables categories with 275 and
207 pounds produced, respectively. However, flowers, root vegetables, stem vegetables, and herbs
produced the greatest revenue, with each contributing over $1,000 in proceeds. This continues the trend
shown above with the produce item analysis (see Appendix E for figures with all pound and revenue data
by category).

Figure 1G: Total produce purchased by HFS in 2019, in pounds, by month.

Does not include decorative flowers.

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 Figure 1H: Total flowers purchased by HFS in 2019, in stems, by month.

Cultivating and purchasing produce among HFS locations in 2019 was greatest in July and
August, with 473 pounds and 772 pounds purchased, respectively (see Figure 1G). For flowers, the
highest producing month was July as well, with 586 flower stems sold to HFS (see Figure 1H). However,
the revenue produced by HFS purchases are relatively consistent between April and October, with every
month except September making over $1,000 and a peak of $1,485 in August (see Figure 1I).

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 Figure 1I: Revenue from HFS sales in 2019, by month.

V. Survey Results
The survey developed for HFS to measure future impact of the UW Farm on HFS locations, was
sent to 28 location contacts including managers, purchasing agents, and chefs on April 14th, 2020.
Consisting of 11 questions disseminated through Google Forms, the survey closed with 13 responses on
May 14th, 2020. The results of the survey will be presented by respondent rather than by location.
However, the HFS locations represented among these respondents are listed in Table 1E. A copy of the
survey is included in Appendix I.

Table 1E: HFS Locations represented in the Impact

Survey responses
Survey Respondents: HFS Locations

1. Bay Laurel Catering

2. Center Table
3. Cultivate
4. District Market
5. Fueling Station
6. HUB Kitchen
7. Local Point
8. Rotunda
9. The Nook

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 Survey respondents indicated a desire for greater availability of squash, legumes, sweet fruits,
bulb vegetables, and other produce categories (see Figure 1J). Some common requests included more
tomatoes, leafy vegetables, and sweet fruits. There were some requests for items that are either not
frequently grown or have never been grown by the UW Farm such as brussel sprouts, eggplants, and
parsnips. A full list of specified requests is included in Appendix E.

Figure 1J: Produce categories which HFS locations would like to see higher availability in the future.

Participants were asked, “What type of produce have you not seen from the UW Farm that you would like to see
or have a higher availability of? Please select all that apply. See the following question for further elaboration.”;
see Appendix D for categorizations

Five of the nine locations who responded to the survey reported purchasing between 0-10
pounds of produce on average from the UW Farm each week. Of these locations, two reported
purchasing greater than 100 pounds of produce total, from all suppliers, each week. Center Table, the
District Market, and Local Point reported themselves as purchasers of between 11 and 50 pounds per
week from the UW Farm. This is a relatively low amount in comparison to the overall amount of produce
these locations reported purchasing from all suppliers per week (greater than 300 pounds). This analysis
indicates there is extensive room for the UW Farm to grow and provide a greater share of HFS’ produce.

“There is extensive room for the UW Farm to grow and provide a greater share of
HFS’ produce.”

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 Figure 1K: Reasons for UW Farm use by HFS locations.

Participants were asked, “Why do you utilize UW Farm produce? Please select all that apply.”

Of survey respondents, 77% (10 of 13) cited the produce being local as a top reason they
purchase produce from the UW Farm. Eight of the 13 respondents (62%) also indicated the high quality
of the produce as a top reason they support the UW Farm (see Figure 1K). However, nine respondents
(69%) indicated that the UW Farm does not have enough of the product they need (see Figure 1L).
Respondents reported other barriers to UW Farm utilization, such as the high price of the produce,
limited varieties of produce available, and infrequent delivery. It is important for the UW Farm to
diligently monitor fluctuations in produce sold resulting from price increases due to organic certification,
as some locations already cite price as a barrier to use.

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 Figure 1L: Impediments and barriers for UW Farm use among HFS locations.

Participants were asked, “What are impediments or barriers to your utilization of UW Farm produce?
Please select all that apply.”

Areas of interest for expansion of UW Farm services offered to HFS locations include making and
selling value-added products such as pickles, sauerkraut, and jam, and providing education and training
on farm techniques and harvesting to HFS location staff. These were the most requested services,
however other expansions were also suggested (see Figure 1M). Four respondents did not answer this
question. One respondent provided an individual response to potential expansion that reflected an
interest in partnering with the UW Farm to offer a subscription box, picked up at their HFS location. This
is an opportunity for further exploration and inquiry into who this would serve (HFS locations, students,
faculty, etc.) and the basis for this request. These areas of expansion would strengthen the community
partnership between the UW Farm and HFS in addition to increasing revenue opportunities for the UW
Farm.

“Areas of interest for expansion of UW Farm services offered to HFS locations

include making and selling value-added products such as pickles, sauerkraut, and
jam, and providing education and training on farm techniques and harvesting to
HFS location staff.”

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 Figure 1M: Areas of interest for potential UW Farm expansion of service to HFS locations.

Participants were asked, “Besides supplying produce, how can the UW Farm be more of service to you? Please
select all that apply.”

VI. Discussion
In 2018, 1715 pounds of produce and 1244 stems of flowers were produced, equating to a total
of $7,059 in revenue. In 2019, 2,637 pounds of produce and 1,861 stems of flowers were produced,
equating to a total of $9,334 in revenue. Between 2018 and 2019, flower sales increased by 248% and
produce sales increased by 123% (see Figures 1N, 1O, and 1P).

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Figure 1N: Comparison of total produce purchased in pounds between 2018 and 2019 by HFS,
stratified by month.

Figure 1O: Comparison of total flowers purchased by stem between 2018 and 2019 by HFS, stratified
by month.

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 Production and purchasing of produce in 2018 was greatest in September and October. In 2019,
production and purchasing of produce was greatest in July and August (see Figures 1N and 1O). The
revenue production was more steady in 2019 than 2018, with consistent monthly revenue between April
and October in 2019 but a spike in revenue occuring in September and October of 2018 where 48% of
the total revenue for the year was made (see Figure 1P).

Figure 1P: Comparison of total revenue between 2018 and 2019 by HFS, stratified by month.

The HFS locations Local Point, the District Market, and the Rotunda purchased the most produce
in both 2018 and 2019, making up 76% and 68% of the total produce revenue of that year, respectively.
Herbs were the most sought and revenue producing item purchased by HFS in 2018. In 2019, herbs and
kale held this title. Due to indicated interest in more availability of leafy greens among HFS location
survey respondents, the high revenue to pound ratio of kale provides emphasis for recommending
increased production of kale varieties. A limitation of this data is the conduction of the survey question
discussing requests for higher availability for produce categories. This question did not include cut
flowers or herbs, reducing the validity of the results due to the high purchase of these products shown
through the 2018 and 2019 data. The 2018 and 2019 data, however, indicate high purchasing of herbs
and decorative flowers, as well as high revenue output. Therefore, these items should be expanded in
production moving forward.

The highest revenue and purchase yield opportunities include expanding UW Farm services to
make and sell value-added items such as pickles, sauerkraut, and jam. Additional production and
availability of tomatoes, leafy greens, sweet fruits, and bulb vegetables as well as beginning or increasing
production of items such as brussels sprouts, eggplant, and parsnips were specifically requested and
should be addressed in future crop plans.

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 Additional areas for improvement of service for the UW Farm to HFS locations identified through
the 2020 Impact Survey include increasing crop production for desired items such as tomatoes, leafy
vegetables, and sweet fruits, among others (see Appendix E for a full list of requests). An easily
addressed barrier identified by one respondent were difficult-to-use conditions of the produce upon
arrival. This includes dirt, sand, and slugs, for example, on the produce. Implementing and enforcing
in-place washing stations year-round would help to address this barrier to UW Farm produce use. The
UW Farm should also provide the option for additional deliveries if requested by a location. Finally, the
UW Farm should revisit the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UW Farm and HFS. The
Nook, an HFS location that is not a part of the current MOU, responded to this survey and was unaware
of the UW Farm produce service but expressed interest in purchasing and selling UW Farm produce at
their location. This suggests that HFS locations not included in the MOU may be interested, and
therefore an outreach survey to understand the level of interest among other HFS locations should
occur. Depending on interest, a discussion should take place to update the UW Farm’s MOU with HFS in
an effort to include other locations. A limitation of this survey, however, is the low numbers of
respondents. This may have been due to the COVID-19 pandemic placing additional responsibilities on
HFS locations to protect their customers, and the limited time they may have as a result. However, due
to the low numbers of respondents, these results are only representative of a fraction of HFS locations in
which the UW Farm serves, and should not be generalized as the requests of HFS as a whole.

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