Fullsteam

The Kudzu Chronicles: Volunteering in Rutherfordton from Fullsteam Brewery on Vimeo.

Henry and Edith Edwards are, respectively, the Kudzu King and Queen of North Carolina. So in our mission to learn about all things kudzu, it made perfect sense to call them back up and see about meeting them, learning all there is to know about the root, leaf, and flower of this misunderstood plant.

My timing was impeccable. Why? Because Mr. Edwards needed some help moving bales of kudzu onto a truck, and he figured this here city slicker might be willing to help him out.

And he was correct. It sounded like just the ticket: getting away from brewery planning and spreadsheets to take a three-hour drive to The Kudzu Cow Farm in Rutherfordton.

My wife and daughters and I left at 7am, arriving just after 10am. Immediately I was put to work — as in, immediately. I said to Carolyn, “Hold on — they need me to do something. I’ll be right back.” And the next thing I knew, I was in the back of a trailer hauling bales of two-year-old kuzdu for three hours straight.

I was able to grab a few shots of the process toward the end of the project. I’m sorry that the film doesn’t offer much in the way of a cogent narrative, but suffice to say, I learned a lot about kudzu and enjoyed meeting one of North Carolina’s great treasures, the Edwards family.

If you don’t see the video within this post, you can check it out here: http://www.vimeo.com/6322847

Many thanks to the Edwards family for their hospitality, education, and passion for this misunderstood vine. Here’s to your continued great health.

MORE

• video featuring Henry and Edith Edwards and other kudzu experts
• article on eating kudzu
• feature on Henry Edwards harvesting kudzu