Welcome
back to another episode of Lost In the Farmers Market, in respects to things
going on nationally this episode will be a special one. Nine years ago on this
blog I posted an article called ‘Brothers In Arms’ which shed light on a piece of
horticultural history that is worth remembering. The following is a nearly verbatim posting of
the exact script I used to make the thirtieth episode of LITFM Garden Shorts
with some noteworthy changes to add details that simply did not fit into the
video format.
As
I stated earlier, I will be discussing a section of American history that
should be remembered if only so that we do not repeat it. Right now as a result of the killing of
George Floyd on May 25th 2020, in combination with the Covid-19
pandemic the nation has seen a series of riots, protests and a political
movement the likes of which have very little comparison. The former event did
not happen in a vacuum, because it was at the time the most recent and
outrageous of killings of African-Americans by the police under questionable
circumstances. There are many other names of individuals killed by the police
in ways that deserve detailed information and yet at the risk of bogging down
this post with a list of names and circumstances that would take several blog
posts just to discuss. It highlights that the peculiar institution of racism
permeates America’s police forces who have been systematically overburdened
with duties beyond the proper scope of what they should be doing. If you add in
politics and the fact that many police departments have their origins in the
slave catchers of the past you get a professional culture of bias. This is a
mirror for American culture as a whole, we got rid of Slavery on December 6th
1865, and Jim Crow laws replaced it in some parts. The last of the Jim Crow laws
were stricken down in 1965, somewhere in between Peonage happened and was
finally stricken down in the 1940s. Now we have the unfair housing policy, the pipeline
to incarceration, gentrification and other economic and political policies that
continue on in the shadow of what should be “The Land of the Free”. Compared to
real demonstrable policies and practices that truly disenfranchise people of African
descent in comparison cultural appropriation becomes a distracting joke that that
serves to act as bait to get your eyes off the prize. But of course you are
here for a taste of agricultural history that should never be forgotten and
with that we have the 2020 version of ‘Brothers In Arms’
The
plants being discussed today are a pair I often refer to as 'Brothers in Arms'
and no that's not Cacao and Marijuana, in fact it's a pair far more common and
overlooked. Cotton and Okra have been a part of American agriculture for quite
some time but their origins in agriculture go even further back. These two
plants often go unquestioned to a point that some think they originated in the
United States. Nothing could be further from the truth however; there are few
plants that have such deep roots in the slave trade, abolition, genocide,
subjugation and rebellion as these two.
Both Cotton and Okra are in the Malvaceae family which is more commonly
known as the Mallow or Hibiscus family. If there was any doubt of the fact one
need only see the flowers of either and all doubts are cast aside.
 |
| Abelmoschus esculentus 'Baby Bubba' - Baby Bubba Okra |
The
scientific name of Okra is Abelmoschus
esculentus, esculentus means
edible, and thus far the meaning of Abelmoschus
remains unclear but this plant’s seed pods are a staple of southern cuisine.
Okra isn’t native to the Americas and it arrived via New Orleans from Africa
circa 1700. It is no surprise that Okra caught on as its foliage could be used
as a medicine, its pods were used to thicken soups and stews and its seeds
could be roasted into a coffee substitute. Okra originates from Africa, the
very name 'Okra' is a perversion of one of the original names for this
agricultural favorite. Some of the original names for it are Ocro, Guiabo,
Guimgombo, ngombo and, Nkru. Ngombo is from the Bantu language southern Africa
and may be the originating word for ‘Gumbo’. The word Nkru in respect was found
to come from the Ashanti Language of western Africa. The cultivation of okra was
developed enough to have become a major staple of Egypt for centuries before it
was spread to the Far East and the European nations and finally the
Americas. In medicinal light Okra is
noted to have been used as a means of abortion by African slaves to prevent
their children from being forced to live under slavery. In the states that
allowed slaves to grow their own food it has been said that the ‘off’ color
okra varieties were left to them, while the more traditional green types were
grown and sold by their owners as a cash crop. Interestingly in my research it
turns out that the Okra variety ‘Red Burgundy’ is not an African-American
Heirloom variety, it was developed by Leon Robbins at Clemson University in
South Carolina in 1983. With that said, at the Market, I am never shy about
telling visitors about the origins and nature of Okra. I often get a variety of
responses ranging from a knowing nod to gratitude for telling the stories,
anger over a system that was even more flawed than had been previously thought
and occasional disagreement. A few years back I got into a heated argument with
a visitor who was absolutely certain I had made the whole history of Okra up.
He was certain I was just ‘race-baiting’ and he dropped a few more modern
political labels that I won’t repeat here. The fact is America has a pretty
ugly history and some don’t want to even consider that any of negative stuff
happened.
This leads to a discussion of
Cotton. We know cotton, if you think about how often it is represented in film
and on television, if there is a scene shot that is supposed to be in the south
you are going to see a field of cotton somewhere. What you see there is probably American
Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Everyone knows what the fluffy cotton bolls
look like as they look like white clouds dangling off strange looking plants
that seem to lack good foliage and you almost never see the flowers. Cotton in
respects was a wide spread plant grown in several differing continents and
climates but one the original varieties brought to the Americas Gossypium herbaceum is thought to have
been originally cultivated in Ethiopia or southern Arabia. Cotton was a major product of the southern
American economy and became economically important with the mechanization of
the industry and the rise and expansion of slave labor in the Americas.
 |
| Gossypium hirsutum 'Red Foliated White - Red Foliated White Cotton | |
120 days [From SSE member Alice Gamewel via Charles Hoehnle. Introduced 2008 by SESE.]
A beautiful plant with dark red stems and leaves. 3-5 ft. tall, grows
well in a container or in a flower bed. Green when it first emerges but
soon develops its red coloring. The cotton is a short staple white.
https://www.southernexposure.com/products/red-foliated-white-cotton/
The
interesting thing about Cotton is that during the American slave trade, slaves
were prohibited from growing white cotton for themselves. Since white cotton
was the major economic export the slave owners plainly wanted to sell as much
agricultural product as was possible.
The end result was that slaves were allowed to grow assorted colored
varieties such as Nankeen, Mississippi brown, and Green Lint types. The
intentional disparity in which cotton to grow became a symbol of the slave
trade in America and the systemic institution of racism. When it comes to the
harvesting of cotton few realize how much effort it takes. Typically the Cotton
bolls are easy enough to identify, but the plants tended to bear them low. The
actual pods from which the cotton fiber bursts often were hardened off sharp
and dangerous to the unwary picker. If one were to add in the heat of the
southern sun and the humid weather during harvest time harvesting cotton could
be likened to a sampling of hell. It is
no wonder that the Anaconda plan during the American Civil War was aimed at
preventing supplies of cotton from getting to Europe. General Sherman’s march
to the sea wasn’t coincidental; by destroying thousands of tons of cotton,
financially his march broke the economic back of the Confederacy.
 |
| Gossypium hirsutum 'Mississippi Brown' - Mississippi Brown Cotton |
130 days.
[Pre-1860. Once grown by enslaved Africans, this seed came
from a plantation near Natchez, Mississippi via seed saver John
Coykendall.] Drought-tolerant 5 ft. tall plants produce an
abundance of light tan to golden brown cotton. Some plants have deeply
lobed leaves like Nankeen.
https://www.southernexposure.com/products/mississippi-brown-cotton/
Finally
it is important to note that on the medicinal front, some slaves were known to
make a tonic of sorts from the root of Gossypium
herbaceum in the attempt to cause an abortion no doubt for the exact reason
noted above in the information for Okra. The harvesting of Cotton may be one of
the experiences that a lot of gardeners could use if only to get a feel for the
weight of the history. When I say Okra and Cotton are brothers in arms they may
as well be, they are related, and they have become opposite sides of a
proverbial coin upon which an entire nation's future rested. I must admit, the
aforementioned is unusually dark by LITFM standards but American history is
full of such things, even in the field of agriculture there are unpleasant
things that get buried in the progress of the years.
 |
| Gossypium hirsutum 'Erlene's Green Lint' - Erlene's Green Lint Cotton |
130 days. [Family heirloom from Erlene Melancon in east Texas.
Erlene said that she has been spinning green cotton for years and that
her grandmother loved using colored cotton in her quilts.] The
fibers are light olive green and can be spun off the seed. Harvest the
bolls shortly after they open so that the fiber does not fade in the
sunlight. Once it is spun and washed it turns yellowish-green. 5 ft.
tall plants.
https://www.southernexposure.com/products/erlene-s-green-cotton/
Now
for those still wishing to grow Okra and Cotton here is how you grow each. Both
Cotton and Okra are easy to grow; they require a well-drained soil and can
tolerate a variety of nutrient issues and soil structure problems. Okra is more
tolerant of poor soil whereas Cotton is a heavy feeder and will require
fertilizer in most cases. The one thing
neither will tolerate is being constantly wet, both get root or stem rot very
rapidly if they are kept too wet. Both plants are transplant-sensitive and may
appear to stop growing briefly when transplanted, the truth is both plants
generally establish heavy networks of roots and their top growth often lags
behind. Cotton is an attractive plant
once mature as it forms a dense shrubby habit and its mature leaves are glossy
lobed and resembles giant Ivy leaves. The flower of cotton varies in color based
on species but it is always quite pretty and large in typical mallow fashion.
Okra is a strictly upright plant with a conical shape, depending on variety and
climate its height generally tops off at about six feet. Okra typically has
deeply lobed leaves and some heritage varieties come in hues of yellow, orange
and red tones. Okra flowers are no less attractive then cotton flowers with the
exception that they seem to only come in a cheery butter-yellow. The general
time from flower to okra pod is usually about three days and okra pods ten to
be ready for picking in less than a week after the flower fades.
With
all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to
advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably
don’t much like advertisements, but by booth at the City Market helps to cover
the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research &
Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up
the backbone of this blog. Also, as of
the start of 2019, my booth can now process credit or debit cards thanks to the
acquisition of s a Square reader so your payment options have doubled. With
that said, if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic vegetables, herbs and
fruiting shrubs come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell
Street in downtown Fayetteville between the Hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on
Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look
for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.
Plants
& Stuff Available Now:
Food
Plants:
Peanuts,
African Runner: $3.00
Herbs:
Herb,
Basil – Eritrean: $3.00
Herb,
Basil – Holy: $3.00
Herb,
Cuban Oregano – Cerveza & Lime: $3.00
Herb,
Horehound: $3.00
Herb,
Oregano, Italian: $3.00
Herb,
Roselle – Thai Red: $3.00
Herb,
Thyme – English: $3.00
Herb,
Horehound, 5" pot: $4.00
Herb,
Oregano, 6” pot: $5.00
Herb,
Italian Oregano, 5” pot: $4.00
Herb,
Bristol Cross Oregano – 6” Pot: $5.00
Herb,
Sage, 5" pot: $4.00
Herb,
Shiso, 5" pot $5.00
Herb,
English Thyme, 5" pot:$4.00
Ornamental
Plants:
Cotton,
Erlene’s Green: $3.00
Cotton, Mississippi Brown Lint: $3.00
Cotton
, Red Foliated White: $3.00
Marigold,
Pineapple Crush: $3.00
Marigold,
Signet Red: $3.00
Zinnia,
Golden Star: $3.00
Milkweed,
Hairy Balls: $4.00
Rudbeckia, Prairie Glow: $4.00
Coming
Soon:
[TBA]
Due
to the current Covid-19 situation and the state’s requirement that all citizens
are not to gather in groups of more than ten, the weekly Sustainable neighbors
meeting is online. Please check the sustainable neighbors Meetup.com page for
more info about how to attend our online meeting.
https://www.meetup.com/SustainableNeighbors/
Since
our meetings have an open-door policy you don’t need to sign up for anything or
join anything, you can come on in and join the meetings. If not, you can always
send me questions through this blog or visit the farmer’s market. This brings
to a close the fourteenth LITFM post of 2020; stay tuned the next episode which
should be posted on the 7th of August. There will be more garden
updates and other cool stuff.
