Photo Gallery

blueandyellowmakes

Author • Speaker • Homesteader
Executive director @theutopianseedproject
Communications manager @sowtrueseed
My book: The Whole Okra.

I'm so excited, I wet my plants... This is a rare

I'm so excited, I wet my plants... This is a rare okra gifted to me by the wonderful Kris Hubbard of @wildwood_farms_ky.
The packet reads: A nearly extinct okra variety from the Catawba Nation, but is also a rare African heirloom that was preserved from runaway slaves hiding, absorbed into Catawba.

These seeds will grow plants that will be closely cared for, and we'll save pure seed to rematriate to the Catawba Nation.
#seedsaving #okra #OkraLoversUnite #TheWholeOkra #InDefenseOfOkra #africanokra #catawbanation

I've actually been having some okra germination is

I've actually been having some okra germination issues this year, mainly with seed I don't know much about. Embarrassingly, I've shared seeds without testing, which have turned out to be duds.
So, I've developed what seems to be a fool proof model. Here's what I know:

1. Soaking seeds speeds up germination.
2. When seeds are first soaked, the ones that float will have 0% germination (see a previous post. Experiment since replicated twice with same results).
3. After 12 hours of soaking, some seeds that first sank will now float, but they still have great germination (left side of the photo).
4. The seeds that sink show great (near perfect) germination, right side (seeds still emerging).
5. If not sowing soaked seeds immediately, or if sharing seeds, then seeds can be briefly float tested and then sinking seeds can be rapidly dried (I use the fan only setting, no heat, of my dehydrator). No more embarrassing okra seed sharing and 100% sow to germination rate.
#TheWholeOkra #InDefenseOfOkra #seedsaving #germinationhacks #okraloversunite

I am OKRA happy, not just OK(ra)... Today the @bea

I am OKRA happy, not just OK(ra)... Today the @beardfoundation announced that The Whole Okra won a James Beard Award. CRAZY. I can't believe my okra journey has brought me here, but it's pretty exciting.
As always, many thanks to @chelseagreenbooks and my editor, Fern Bradley. I'm sure there are not that many publishers who would take on a first time author writing an entire book on okra, let alone one that includes author-okra conversations throughout... I have a few boxes of books under my bed that I'm happy to sign and ship out if you want to buy a copy!
#TheWholeOkra #OkraLoversUnite #InDefenseOfOkra #okra #jamesbeardaward #jbfa2020 #jbfa

Walk in the woods. Found some slug-reishi. Got wet

Walk in the woods. Found some slug-reishi. Got wet feet.

#reishi #adventuring

Going for a five kale kimchi-ish kraut, but one of

Going for a five kale kimchi-ish kraut, but one of the kales is a collard, and five Brassica oleracea kraut just doesn't roll off the tongue.... #kraut #kimchi #kalekimchi #fermenting #kale #collards #growyourownfood

Ducklings seem to like the outdoor shower! #duckl

Ducklings seem to like the outdoor shower!

#ducklings

I think I made vinegar... #vinegar #meadfail #that

I think I made vinegar... #vinegar #meadfail #thatsok

Green garlic is the best bonus crop from garlic th

Green garlic is the best bonus crop from garlic that's a little too tightly spaced, or double stalks, or just small plants that don't look like they'll get all that big. Early, tasty harvest.

#garlic #greengarlic #earlygarlic

I'm panicked by the rapidly disappearing @thechefs

I'm panicked by the rapidly disappearing @thechefsfarmer fermented hot sauce (absolutely delicious), but inspired by a freezer full of jalapenos.
Defrost. Salt. Blend. Ferment. Wait. Strain. Enjoy.

I added some old powdered fatali peppers for kick, and some green garlic for spring flavor. Excited.

#fermentation
#fermentedjalapenos #feedthebiome #hotsauce #jalapenos

Zoe loved @fermenti.foods sauerkraut, so I added t

Zoe loved @fermenti.foods sauerkraut, so I added the left over juice to a fresh batch to try and infuse some Fermenti magic ❤️ #saurkraut #fermenting #fermentation #feedthebiome

Love Emmy ❤️

Garlic scapes in olive oil in an old @burlapandbar

Garlic scapes in olive oil in an old @burlapandbarrel cumin jar, where the aromatics still linger. Yum.
#garlicscapes #eatseasonally

Erm, why are my oyster mushrooms full of small whi

Erm, why are my oyster mushrooms full of small white, black-headed larvae?! #mushroomissues

After almost two months at home, we feel very luck

After almost two months at home, we feel very lucky to have a cousin with an empty beach house!
With all the qualifiers that Covid-19 has devastated many people's lives, I have to admit that I am actually enjoying the forced slow down, the extra time with my children and my garden.

But being on the beach with my feet in the cool water, running the shoreline, digging in the sand, felt like freedom. It was uplifting in a way I didn't expect. Maybe because I grew up on the coast.

Would I trade this freedom for people's lives? No, obviously. But I guess I understand the desire to be free, and the struggle as we redefine what that means.

Being a parent is hard, but being a parent with tw

Being a parent is hard, but being a parent with two young children crashing off chocolate overload is really hard.
Happy Mother's Day.

#chocolatefondue #mothersareamazing

Take Number 57... Sometimes you're just #mediokra.

Take Number 57... Sometimes you're just #mediokra... But don't settle for it! Edit is complete and going live at @utopianseedproject soon.

@frannysfarm

Today, a bow and arrow. Tomorrow, we eat squirrel.

Today, a bow and arrow. Tomorrow, we eat squirrel.

#archer #squirrelfordinner #youthinkimjoking

From left to right we have dandelion-violet flower

From left to right we have dandelion-violet flower vinegar, straight apple cider vinegar (the base for the other infusions), and 'spring vinegar' which is a wide mix of spring garden forage by Zoe and Emmy (under supervision, but they're pretty good!). #vinegar #vinegarinfusions #applecidervinegar #springtonic

Duckling snuggles. #ducklings

Duckling snuggles.
#ducklings

When you discover you're a James Beard Award final

When you discover you're a James Beard Award finalist for writing a book on okra, it's definitely time to crack out the okra flower vodka bloody Mary with okra pickle garnish and an okra petiole straw. Maybe they'll let me on @splendidtable now 😉

Winners announced May 27.

Massive thanks to my publisher @chelseagreenbooks and @ptpix for most of the incredible photography, as well as a huge amount of other people!
#TheWholeOkra #InDefenseOfOkra #okra #OkraLoversUnite
#pickledokra #okravodka #okrastraw

@beardfoundation

Zoe feeds chicks. Dad admires oyster mushrooms. Be

Zoe feeds chicks. Dad admires oyster mushrooms. Beautiful morning.

#chicks #toddlers #mushrooms

Instagram post 2301097996856988038_2052967375

Instagram post 2301097996856988038_2052967375

Looks like this may be my pawpaw year! #pawpaws

Looks like this may be my pawpaw year!
#pawpaws

These potatoes volunteered in the hoop house somet

These potatoes volunteered in the hoop house sometime over the winter... Pretty awesome to have a baby potato harvest at the start of May.
#potatoes #purplefood

A little Saturday morning fishing. #fishing #truc

A little Saturday morning fishing.

#fishing #truckpond

Today, I'm ready for anything. #iwasbornready #je

Today, I'm ready for anything.

#iwasbornready #jesuisnepret #yonacilisto

Look what @black_trumpet_farm dropped off today! P

Look what @black_trumpet_farm dropped off today! Perfect timing for my most recent blue oyster flush and planned #mushroompizza
#chestnutmushrooms #oystermushrooms #mushrooms

This asparagus traveled approximately 25 meters an

This asparagus traveled approximately 25 meters and took about 25 minutes to get from the garden to my gut (via the grill). #gardentogut #asparagus #homesteading

Our 13 chicks were reduced to 4 by Trouble less th

Our 13 chicks were reduced to 4 by Trouble less than a week into their lives. It was pretty terrible.
However, a few weeks on and Emily is taking good care of the remaining 4, one of which is called Roseberry (technically Roseberry the Second, since as the first Roseberry was part of the dog massacre). #chicks #notallfunandgames #dontadoptadognamedtrouble

Sometimes when enough people say something then yo

Sometimes when enough people say something then you accept it as truth, but sometimes I like to verify that knowledge... I've always ditched any okra seed that floated when the seeds were covered in water, but this time I kept them and did two germination tests. One with sunk seeds and one with floating seeds. I'd say the results were pretty conclusive!
#okra #germination #InDefenseOfOkra #thewholeokra #seeds

We're collaborating with @slowfoodavl to spotlight

We're collaborating with @slowfoodavl to spotlight the awesome variety, Aunt Hettie's Red, as part of their Heritage Food Project.
Emmy, Zoe and I just packaged seeds saved by @thechefsfarmer for local farmers and community gardens.

#aunthettiesredokra #dontsettleforbeingmediokra #okra #indefenseofokra #TheWholeOkra #seedsaving

Goats on the bonnet! #goats

Goats on the bonnet!
#goats

Load More... Follow on Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Warning: The account for blueandyellowmakes needs to be reconnected.
Due to Instagram platform changes on March 31, 2020, this Instagram account needs to be reconnected to allow the feed to continue updating. Reconnect on plugin Settings page