February 2023 Speaker
Kudzu Culture
We were pleased to have LB from Kudzu Culture come and talk to us about what it is they do and how they are helping is "eat the vine that ate the South." LB discussed the relationship between people and plant that was once symbiotic, beginning in China, then to Japan, and finally making its way to our shores.
Kudzu was billed in the 1800s as an elite and wonderful screening plant, like wisteria. It didn't become widely planted until around the 1930s. The South was about to experience the same erosion as the west did with the dust bowl. To circumvent this catastrophe, the US government sought out seeds and plants of at least 12 types of kudzu. The kudzu was then sold to farmers as protection from erosion as well as feed for animals. Farmers loved the plants as they did exactly what the government had promised. Unfortunately, changes like World War II and the selling or re-purposing of small farms caused the vine to go unchecked. With no other real predator other than humans to keep it at bay, the vine has run amok. Why did this happen? Because we didn't know all the uses for kudzu.
And many uses it has! Aside from the leaves being great for farm animals, LB showed us various fabrics that were woven with kudzu fibers. Depending on what it is woven with, it can be quite soft. There is a seasonal elixir drink that uses kudzu blossoms to give it a unique grape flavor. Kudzu's starch is used as a thickener for culinary use, like a corn starch or arrowroot. Currently, the culinary starch is expensive as it is very labor intensive. Kudzu can be made into a jelly as well as a tea. We sampled some tea and it had a light sorghum flavor. It can be combined with honey to cut any bitterness. Kudzu consumed either as a starch or tea can help with digestive issues, colic babies, addiction symptoms, anxiety, etc.
LB showed us what the Kudzu roots look like as well as how to take the bark off of the vines for lashing. She also explained all the amazing things that they are doing company-wise. They are connecting people and businesses to create a complex and wonderful collaboration to really start to get this vine back under control as well as used in our various industries. Move over hemp, there is a new fiber in town!
Kudzu Culture hosts a lot of free and informative events. In March 5th, they are showing how to make birdhouses. April 29th, learn to identify young kudzu growth shoots; how to harvest shoots; identify and mark clusters of native ephemeral species emerging in kudzu growth. Pickled kudzu shoot snack samples will be served. Sign up at their website as well as learn more about this incredible plant, www.kudzuculture.net. Thanks again to LB!
Next month, The American Chestnut Foundation will be speaking with us about their endeavors in chestnut restoration.