Alabama Red Clay Ink

February 2024

Sent to me in the mail by my sister who resides in Alabama.

Boiled for a bit on stovetop with distilled water to kill unwanted beasties from the soil.

Poured into large glass jar and allowed to cool and separate for a few days.

Using baster, siphoned off clear water.

Sediment separated into layers: finest rose to the top.

Scraped off only fine sediment which had a pudding-like consistency and placed into glass bowl, reserving rougher soil for further processing.*

Added liquid gum Arabic solution (warm distilled water and powdered gum).

Used whisk to mix. Used pestle to finely grind pudding to even finer grains.

Poured over old flour sifter strainer into glass beaker. Put sediment back and bowl and continued to use pestle to grind. Sifted out impurities (discoloration, small roots or hairs) by hand and with a glass dropper. Repeated grinding and sifting until all ink was smooth and silky.

Bottled and added liquid gum Arabic (gum, distilled water, glycerin, honey), preservative, few drops of clove and wintergreen essential oil.

*Poured reserved rougher sediment into flexible plastic cup and set out in sunny window to completely dry out; this took a few weeks. Scraped into coffee grinder to grind further. Bagged for later use.