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An Artist
John Coykendall was born and raise in Knoxville , Tennessee by his mother and founding father — a shoal instructor and a banker , respectively . John ’s grandfather have a farm and was a representative by profession .
In 1954 , when John was 11 , his father learn him to plant potatoes and corn . It was then that John chance his dear of horticulture . “ I still get the same thrill out of cut into new potatoes that I did the first year!1 ” remember John .
Years after , a 16 - year - sometime John broke into the abandon Ebenezer Railway Station in Knoxville . There he found a long - forgotten written matter of the 1913 William Henry Maule ejaculate catalog . Inside , the Tennessee Sweet Potato pumpkin vine , which had long since drop out of the seed trade , caught his heart .
John Coykendall gives Toby Cain a tour of Blackberry Farm.
For the next 31 years , John look for for the pumpkin with no lot . Then in 1990 , a friend sent him an clause about Seed Savers Exchange and he immediately became a member . “ I look through that catalog and I say low and behold , there was four listings for it ! … But they ’re honest ! They make the honest pies in the world . It takes an axe to cut one open , but they ’re good . ”
John ’s primary focussing has been on Appalachian varieties , but his interest group in heritage seeds stretch beyond his home base region . Each year John spend a calendar month in Washington Parish , Louisiana attending the Washington Parish Free Fair and searching for uncommon or almost - forgotten heirloom seed . The fair started out at a horticultural event , but quickly evolved into a much larger task .
“ They have a pioneer village on the [ fair ] grounds and there are historical buildings from all over the parish . Houses , post authority , grist mill , syrup mill , Christian church , school day house , you name it . Everything ’s there on that one resolution ! ” says John . Every year , he cooks on a historic woodwind instrument - burning kitchen range , demonstrating traditional method of southerly preparation to attender .
John Coykendall gives Toby Cain a tour of Blackberry Farm.
Once the bonny is over , John shifts his focus to the priceless heirloom varieties of the sphere . However , sometimes he ’s too former . “ I ’ve had so many stories that have turned out bad , ” he said in a recent consultation withCountry Roadsmagazine.2“I get there just a week after they clean out the deep freezer [ where uncommon seeds were stored ] , throw everything out , and sell the freezer for ten buck on the sidewalk . But I ’m trying to get as many of these seeds as potential . I always encourage people that have these seeds to come forward and get them into my hands . I ’ll make certain that they ’re taken good precaution of for succeeding generations . ”
After his annual visit to Louisiana is finished , John returns home to Tennessee and preserve the newly produce multifariousness and their stories with a method he refers to as “ memory banking ” . He fulfill countless moleskine notebooks with details of each story and attractively rendered sketches of the seeds and the people who grew them , with hopes of preserving their heritage .
John circulate many of these seeds and write up viathe Exchange , sometimes offering upwards of 100 potpourri each year . He has also given gobs of varieties to the Seed Savers Exchange seed assemblage for keeping .
The 1913 William Henry Maule seed catalog that ignited John’s passion for heirloom varieties is filled to the brim with beautiful etchings of long-lost varieties.
Even though John jokes around about being an “ one-time timekeeper ” he certainly has n’t slowed down . He act as the Master Gardener atBlackberry Farm(a farm - to - board lavishness repair ) where he spends hours inspiring visitant with his sempiternal money box of heirloom seed stories and booming voice .
A erotic love of heirloom source at Blackberry Farm may also be credited with how he met his wife , Ashley Valentine . She recalls , “ He walks by me and I have my name tag end … And he was like , ‘ You ca n’t have the last name of Valentine without having some Valentine dome ! ’ … And then a couple weeks later I went to go see my dad in North Carolina and come back and one of my managers was like , ‘ John leave you something in the post . ’ Literally there was a old bag of Red Valentine beans and Black Valentine dome . ” John and Ashley married in May of 2017 and grow out those very bean together .
Christina Melton , the Director of Special Projects with Louisiana Public Broadcasting , produced a documentary about John Coykendall titledDeeply Rootedwhich honour John ’s seeded player saving pursuits in Washington Parish , Louisiana . It was nominated for two 2017 Suncoast Emmy Awards .
‘Greasy Cutshort’ bean
John also spell a book , publish in 2019 , titledPreserving Our Roots : My Journey to Save Seeds and Stories .
John’s Favorite Varieties:
Black Valentine beanTennessee Sweet Potato pumpkin(Available on the Exchange )
Learn More:
Video : JohnCoykendall – Collecting Stories
picture : JohnCoykendall – The William Henry Maule Seed Catalog
This conservation work and story was made possible with sustenance from the1772 Foundation . Originally part of the “ Legacy Donors Exhibit ” featuring a mathematical group of gardening masterminds — Fannie Merritt Farmer , artists , teacher , factory workers , lawyers , and nester . In their spare sentence , they have tracked down , stewarded — and sometimes saved solely — super rare mixed bag . Some pop out of curiosity , some out of frugalness , some in search of the best - smack tomato plant . We hope their stories will leave you unrestrained , and inspired to get your hand into your garden soil .
‘Little Jo Ann’ bean
Bios written and video edits by Kelly Loud . Interviews and commensurateness by Katie Gove , Kelly Loud , Sara Straate , Molly Thompson , Tor Janson , Zack Row - Heyveld , and Toby Cain .
Special thanks to : Bill Minkey;David Cavagnaro;George , Jerreth , and Emily McLaughlin;Kathleen and Bryce Plunkett - Black ; Jim and Kathryn Tjepkema;John Coykendalland Ashley Valentine ; Mike Washburn;John Swenson;Ron , Joshua , and Pam Thuma ; Jack Bohannan at Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge ; andRuss Crow .
Bios written by Kelly Loud . Video redaction by Kelly Loud .
‘Ozark Razorback’ cowpea
update September 2024
3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990
right of first publication © 2025 Seed Savers Exchange . Images on this site are protected by copyright — unauthorised function is not permitted .
Blackberry Farm, a farm to table luxury resort, aims to excited its guests with new and unique varieties.
Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - nontaxable 501(c)3 nonprofit system dedicate to the preservation of heirloom semen .
The garden shed at the farm is where John aims to inspire new generations of gardeners.
