Saturday morning, I loaded up the boys and headed back out to Kangrow Hydro Farms to visit our friend Jimmy Vo and take part in a “Botany for Beginners” cyanotype workshop.
I spoke about Kangrow Farms last year and their dedication to supplying Wichita’s culinary scene with hydroponically grown microgreens, edible flowers, garlic scapes, figs, jujubes and other specialty produce grown on the property near 55th South and Meridian, across from Campus High School. This year, the farm is expanding its community programming through conservation and sustainability workshops in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Saturday’s workshop focused on cyanotypes, an early photographic printing process that uses sunlight to create deep indigo images. With temperatures climbing into the 90s and steady south winds rolling across the prairie, the day felt like a reminder of the sun’s intensity and importance.
Artist Anna Pauscher-Morawitz guided us through the process. We coated paper with a light-sensitive solution, then wandered the farm collecting plants and flowers to press into silhouettes. Theo found a weathered cattail, while Arlo gathered dandelions, thyme, sorrel and violas. After exposing the prints in the sun and rinsing them in water, our collections appeared in bright white against rich blue backgrounds.
Later, everyone gathered in the red barn while Jimmy served japchae noodles with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, peppers, snow peas, fava shoots, garlic scapes and spinach seed pods, followed by slices of cold watermelon for dessert.
It was one of those afternoons where art, agriculture and food all met in the same place — a reminder that Wichita’s culinary community continues to grow in thoughtful and unexpected ways.
