Growing and harvesting indigo leaves is only the first step to making indigo dye. While there are many ways to extract the dye, we became fascinated with the traditional process of sukumo (Japanese for compost). In this tradition, 450 lbs of dried leaves are needed, as well as a special composting floor to make a dried leaf concentrate, that turns into the blue dye. We quickly realized we needed more indigo! In 2019, with support from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Cleveland Foundation and Gund Foundation, we hired Rowland Ricketts to build our very own composting floor in the garage behind Praxis. Also that year, we doubled the size of our crop by adding a lot in South Collinwood on the property of our partners at Hospice of the Western Reserve. This lot was located across from Hannah Gibbons school and allowed for a wonderful engagement with 3-8th graders there. 

It took three years of growing and harvesting indigo leaves to collect enough to create sukumo, but we made it! Shortly after, in April, 2020, we started our very first, natural, fermented indigo vat. Momentum was strong in 2020, and although the pandemic altered many plans, we continued to grow and harvest indigo. In this year, instead of asking volunteers to join us on our lots, we asked them to grow indigo in their home gardens. Participants followed weekly YouTube videos to learn how to grow and harvest the plants. In exchange for bringing their harvested leaves to Praxis at the end of the season, we taught them how to dye in our natural indigo vat. ​​​