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Indigo & (Liquid) Gold: Community Science Explorations
This summer, we collaborated with Putney School educator and artist, Rosi Olivan, to grow Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) fertilized with urine. We were excited about this project to:
- Learn about urine-fertilizing indigo to inform future farm-scale research and share with indigo growers
- Demonstrate how urine can be used to not just complete the food nutrient cycle but power other aspects of our plant-entwined lives, such as fertilizing natural dyes!
- Develop experimental protocols for home gardeners to run their own mini experiments at home as part of our expanding community science project (pending funding)
Plants were grown locally at four locations following our experimental regime, including the Putney School and Rich Earth’s Research Center. Plants received urine fertilizer at a high dose (1 L / sq foot / season), a low dose (½ L / sq foot / season), or were left unfertilized.
Photo Credit: Rosi Olivan
It’s been amazing to see the synergies that arise from reclaiming the ancient practice of fertilizing with urine alongside the ancient practice of creating natural dyes from indigo. And learning the heaviness of the history of indigo dye production with enslaved peoples deepens our dedication to ensuring the urine we reclaim helps to fertilize a more just future for how both food and clothes are made.
Learn more in Rosi’s presentation from the Rich Earth Summit: From Yellow to Blue: Exploring Indigo Cultivation and Fermentation with Liquid Gold.
We hope to expand this community science project, pending funding support.
Interested in exploring the relationship between urine fertilization and indigo? Please get in touch so we can keep you posted on this project!
Already urine fertilizing your own farm or garden? Share what you’re learning in our Urine My Garden Survey or submit to our community-created zine project.
