Quick Navigation
Main Navigation
About Us
Education & Events
Ways to Give & Membership
Preservation
Shop
Stewardship Stories
Homesteaders
Even though George McLaughlin ’s donnish and professional background is in theology rather than biological science or agriculture , George has been playing in the dirt for as long as he can remember .
“ [ My parent ] made me a sandbox and I remember my mommy lend me out watermelon vine while I was playing with my truck , and I neglect a seed , ” he recalls , “ It come up in the sandbox and then my pop spot it and was like , ‘ That ’s a watermelon , you’re able to grow that ! ’ And so I in reality did . I stopped jab and we give rise ( by frost in New Jersey ) a watermelon that was not quite entirely good , but it was the best watermelon I had ever had cuz ’ my mom buy the farm out and picked it and made a big to - do about it.1 ”
While a student at Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake , Indiana , George bonded over gardening with professor Dr. Don Fowler . Dr. Fowler explained that he grow a noggin he had acquired from a family unit in California ; who had been growing it ever since their ancestors carry it over the Oregon Trail . George was thrilled about the variety ’s heritage and Dr. Fowler surprise him with a handful of bean .
George and Jerreth McLaughlin on their Oklahoma farm.
George named them the ‘ Fowler ’ bean in honor of his friend and mentor and start listing the assortment in the Exchange . “ Theyarea superscript bean , they are very popular in the Seed Savers Exchange , they took off from the start ! ” says George .
He and his wife , Jerreth , started listing in the Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook in 1985 and continued to do so for the next 27 years . Together they have grow , save , and shared over 130 different multifariousness with gardeners in the Seed Savers Exchange community and have contributed over 60 varieties to the SSE seeded player collection .
In plus to the ‘ Fowler ’ edible bean , the McLaughlins have offer other fellowship favorites in the Exchange , like the ‘ Barksdale Wax ’ bean from Jerreth ’s grandparents .
George and Jerreth McLaughlin on their Oklahoma farm.
“ This bean had been in Grandma and Grandpa Swalley ’s garden for at least 20 year ; they receive it from their honest-to-god neighbour , Claude Barksdale whose Aunt Lavera Halsclaw arise the attic for 40 or 50 years . [ It was ] one of the garden form which taught me the most about seed saving , ” George explains.2
He remembers that he planted the bean belatedly that first year , and doubted their fortitude until August when it started to cool off . “ [ The beans ] exploded into production . In short rules of order I stopped trying to glean pods from the other varieties , which were sagging . I could cull more than we could use from that 10′ run-in of Barksdale Beans ! ”
After graduating from Seminary , George and Jerreth spent the next 14 years in Mexico as missionary in both Tlatlauquitepec , Puebla and at the Instituto Bíblico El Camino de Vida ( The Path of Life Bible Institute ) in Ixmiquilpan , Hidalgo . Each place had its own climate and dirt , but they made sure to garden in both office .
The McLaughlin family spent years living as missionaries in Mexico before returning to the United States to homestead in Oklahoma.
In a letter of the alphabet to a fellow seed saver at the clock time , George explained how much trouble they had keep some of their heirloom varieties . ‘ Salem Split Leaf ’ mellisonant potatoes barely produced , but even then he “ just keep it going for the sake of kinsfolk heritage.3 ”
However during this time , George and Jerreth follow in collecting recipes , memories , and new seeds as they start along . “ There ’s a squash deglutition that we determine about when we lived in Mexico call atole … [ it ] is a hot crapulence normally and it ’s angelic . It ’s traditionally take , where we were in Mexico , around Christmas clock time , ” George says , “ When we came back to the state I decided I needed to figure out how to make it ‘ cuz I had neglected to get the formula . I figured it out and then I added an American twist and expend pumpkin pie spices in it … It ’s wonderful on a cold winter night ! ”
While While at the Institute , George taught Theology , Personal Computing , and Agronomy . “ We did hare , chicken , some turkeys , a feeder squealer as needed , gardens to supply solid food for the students and module on campus , and , for a while , bees . ”
Part of George’s curriculum as a teacher at the Bible Institute included teaching students to raise rabbits as part of the agronomy program.
Eventually George and Jerreth settled in Oklahoma , where they homestead on their farm which produce small breed livestock , yield trees , and a immense vegetable garden . In plus , they both work full - sentence at Northeastern State University , but still find meter to produce mental object for their own instructional internet site , homesteadingedu.com .
George and Jerreth were inspired to create the website after several old age of hosting prospective homesteaders who worked at the McLaughlins ’ farm in trade for homesteading lessons . “ That was a blast , but you may only do that with like one group in a year , ” says George , “ The last couple we had here came up with the approximation of starting a website- an educational website where we could in reality instruct people these very same thing but in larger number of people . ”
Their classes aim to bring students from the level of an absolute beginner , to proficiency in that issue . “ We have I think 6 or 7 course of study up and we have materials to do loads more courses! … We contrive on dealing with small beast farming , band and lots of horticulture , seed saving , worm culture- vermiculture , and a lot of cooking because cooking is foundational for good sustenance . ”
The McLaughlin’s homestead.
( As of September 2024 , web site no longer exists . )
In plus to their website , the dynamical couple also facilitate the Green Country Seed Savers internet ; which aim to plug in nurseryman in their area with sort best beseem to the climate extremes of the realm . The mathematical group holds monthly meetings in local restaurants while the Green Country Seed Savers web forum allows for penis to put forth head and answers , recipes , and posts about general homesteading and community .
George’s Favorite Varieties
Available on the Exchange
Tomato Rocky tomatoOle Timey Cornfield pumpkinMesquakie Amerindic corn
Learn More:
Video : GeorgeMcLaughlin – Tomato Rocky
TV : GeorgeMcLaughlin – Gardening Advice
picture : GeorgeMcLaughlin – My girl ’s First Garden
George and Jerreth McLaughlin operate as a team, each pulling their own weight on the farm. Jerreth not only works the farm, but also designs and builds homesteadingedu.com.
Video : GeorgeMcLaughlin – Murupi Amarela Peppers
This conservation employment and story was made possible with support from the1772 Foundation . earlier part of the “ Legacy Donors Exhibit ” featuring a mathematical group of gardening masterminds — farmers , artists , teachers , factory workers , lawyers , and homesteaders . In their spare metre , they have track down , stewarded — and sometimes save up entirely — exceedingly rare variety . Some started out of oddity , some out of frugalness , some in hunt of the well - savor tomato . We hope their stories will leave you excited , and inspired to get your hands into your garden soil .
Bios written and video edits by Kelly Loud . Interviews and correspondence by Katie Gove , Kelly Loud , Sara Straate , Molly Thompson , Tor Janson , Zack Row - Heyveld , and Toby Cain .
Part of George’s philosophy is to invest in the future of gardening and farming by making your kids excited to be a part of the cycle; for that purpose, he recommends ‘Old Timey Cornfield’ pumpkins and their impressive stature.
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 . telecasting editing by Kelly Loud .
Updated September 2024
‘Warsaw Buff Pie’ pumpkins are a must in the McLaughlin’s home for pumpkin pie atole every year.
3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990
Copyright © 2025 Seed Savers Exchange . figure on this site are protected by right of first publication — wildcat use of goods and services is not permitted .
Seed Savers Exchange is a tax - nontaxable 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the saving of heirloom seeds .
‘Tennessee Cutshort’ beans snake their way up a power line in George’s yard.
