These pink-hued tomatoes have ancestry in the Beit Omar/Hebron region of the West Bank. As a baal (rain fed) variety, they are traditionally not irrigated in Palestine, but seeded in March and transplanted into a 10-12 inch hole filled with water. The soil around each plant is covered with hay or dry grass, not to be watered for the remainder of the season.
In the United States, last grown in Hurley, New York at Hudson Valley Farm Hub, this variety was irrigated and grew many pink fruits both in the high tunnel and field.
From makloubeh to kalayat bandoura, Ayed Arafah from Qastina Designs illustrates beloved Palestinian foods onto a number of tote bags and aprons. With art, recipes, and the storied histories behind the food, these designs are truly works of art. And we recently had a conversation with Ayed to learn more about his inspiration and experiences with making these designs for totes and aprons!
Since 2016, Ayed has been making these recipe designs to honor his mother’s cooking. He was initially interested in handmade designs and in making designs in a digital form, especially those that belong to and express the rich Palestinian culture. During his travels abroad years ago, he found recipe notes from his mother. And though he mentioned that he needed his mother’s recipes to make food that tasted like hers, he realized these recipes could be turned into designs. So the recipes and designs we see on his totes and aprons today have really become a celebration of his mother’s food.
PHSL is an interactive art and agriculture project that also aims to start conversations, exchange knowledge, and share the stories of food and farming that have been buried away, waiting to sprout like seeds.
