(Writing and photos by Nick Routledge)

Dr. Alan Kapuler’s reputation extends globally – you’ll stumble across deep seedgeeks paying homage to his work and example in everything from French seed catalogs to Chinese websites.

His worldwide influence finds its genesis in the local – as it happens, just an hour north of Eugene-Springfield in the harmonic chaostrophy of “Brown’s Garden”, a 3-acre plot on the outskirts of Corvallis. It is here that ‘Mushroom’ or ‘Shrume’, as he is affectionately known to family and friends, and his wife Linda, tend an astonishing array of plants alongside their extensive, constantly-evolving food-plant breeding efforts.

Here’s a record of the friendship call that Sarah, Andrew, Nick and Nori (a botany geek lurking as an Americorps volunteer at the FFLC youth farm) made to garden on Saturday, September 16, 2006, and the delightful time we shared together, in the dirt, around the table, for peace.

  • Part I: Road trip, shucking corn for seed, scientific developments update, harvesting zucchini seed, touring the garden and greenhouse.
  • Part II: Harvesting lunch. A stopover at local cafe on the way to the Kapuler’s home for lunch to check out an exhibit of ‘Shrume’s art. Luncheon. Checking out the seedroom. Travelling-home.
  • The Kapuler Papers: Most of ‘Shrume’s musings have been hand-circulated through the years. Here we present, for the first time, are some of his key papers, webbed.
Headed in with Andrew at the wheel, and Sarah and Nori riding shotgun. And Nick, holding the camera, relegated to the bed of the truck. Where’s respect for your elders, I ask ya!
First shared task of the day. Collecting, then shucking corn for seed

Musrhoom was trained as a scientist. Indeed, he graduated top of his class at Yale at age 19, then went on to claim a Ph.D in Life Science; Molecular Biology and Nucleic Acid Biochemistry. ‘Nature’ magazine is a constant companion, as is the library at nearby OSU. Mushroom’s passion for science affords him an unusual role within the organics movement – an ability to interpret the latest advances in scientific understanding and determine how they relate to the life of the soil, in a language comprehensible to gardeners. A new paper demystifies. Here are some recent Kapuler Papers.

More seed saving. This time of a zucchini.
The first of many walks around the garden, this day.

‘Shrume has a long and speciated history with sunflowers. Here he shows us a sunflower volunteer with a highly unusual structure.

A glaze lacinato. F5.

Inside the greenhouse. A banana in fruit.

Mushroom’s 3-root beet grex.

Digging the Andean food crop, Yacon. ‘Shrume is the de facto U.S. authority on this Andean food plant and has tirelessly educated ag circles to its remarkable qualities. It has been fascinating to witness the introduction of this plant to his garden, the handing on of it to local avant gardeners and farmers, and its follow-on appearance on the shelves of local health food stores – who can’t get enough of it. His paper, Yacon – the Apple of the Earth touches on some of the wherefores.

Visiting Friends (continued): Part II