Urban Farm Hub

It’s easy!

Pick Indigo leaves before the plant blooms.

Sprinkle with salt and massage leaves. You may need to add a little water.

Massage in the cloth or yarn you want to dye and let it sit for 30-60 minutes.

Here’s the rinsed yarn.

I like this teal colored silk!

Put the plucked stems in water and they will root. Indigo makes a nice houseplant or you can plant outside in warm weather.

What’s crunchy, spicy hot and really good for you?  Kimchee!  Here’s how to make your own.  It’s much easier than you would think.

The first step is to chop your veggies and spices:

Next mix the spices together:

Mix in the veggies:

Once all is well mixed put in a jar and let sit until it’s fermented:

Once your kimchee is ready invite friends over and eat!

Here’s a recipe with more detailed instructions.

So much squash! It’s pickle time.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons dill and/or mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Directions:

• Bring vinegar, salt, water, sugar and garlic to a boil, simmer for two minutes
• Put spices into jars
• Pack jars with squash
• Pour in vinegar mixture and put lid on jars

Let sit for a few days for flavors to blend. Keep this in the refrigerator up to two months. (Because it’s not water bath canned it needs to be in the fridge.)

How do you know if a plant might make a good dye? Rub it between your fingers and see if it stains. If it does give it a try!

To help the dye “bite” the yarn or fabric you need to use a mordant. Pickling alum is one I like to use; easy to find and non-toxic. Different mordants will give various shades so try a few!

Use the least processed, non-machine washable wool you can find. If it’s been treated it won’t take dye well.

Believe it or not this is grey from bright red day lillies!

Oregon Grape – I’ve just tried the berries but I’ve read the leaves and roots can be used for a yellow dye.

Purple from Oregon Grape with alum mordant.

Oregon Grape

Deep yellow from mature dock seeds.

Pale green from fennel

Walnut

I used some alum but due to the natural tannin in the walnuts a mordant isn’t needed. The color is fairly long lasting and it’s a good idea to wear gloves!

Walnut stewing

Mulberry from Richland, WA.

Here’s wool dyed with mulberry. The different colors result from longer and shorter times in the dye bath.

Lady’s Bedstraw

Here’s the color when the roots are used.

Here’s the color produced from using the flowers with an alum mordant.

Tansy makes a nice yellow and it’s a noxious weed so no guilt in picking it!

Bracken fern

Tansy in the middle and Bracken fern on each side.

Bracken in a cast iron pot.

There are lots of things you can do with this versatile berry from ketchup, to syrup to a deep purple dye.

Black Hawthorn Berry – ripe late July

First find the berries. As with any gathering be absolutely sure you’ve correctly identified the plant. If you have any doubt don’t use it.

Sharp thorns help identify this plant.

Here’s the recipe:

• One cup washed berries
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste

Put the berries, water, salt and vinegar in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until berries split. Add sugar and stir until thickened.

Push through a sieve to remove seeds and season. Enjoy!

Push through a sieve then season to taste.

All ready for dipping!