A Seed Takes Root: A True Story

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A Seed Takes Root: A True Story, by acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner, is an homage to the natural world and to one very special banyan tree in particular.

A Seed Takes Root describes a decades-long relationship between the author and a banyan tree that begins when the author is a young girl. For her, the tree is a place for play, for refuge, and also a source of inspiration. While this is a true story of one tree and one girl/woman/artist that celebrates a particular banyan tree, it is also a testament to the quiet power shared by all trees. Further, this beautifully told story is not only of the relationship between an artist and a tree, but is a strong environmental statement made more effective by being non-polemical.

The banyan tree featured in the book is in the process of being designated a City of Miami Beach heritage tree. In 2021, Michele Oka Doner was officially proclaimed guardian of the ninety-five-year-old banyan tree by the City of Miami Beach. A book and work of art that defies classification, A Seed Takes Root is simultaneously an art book, a poetic meditation, a memoir, a fable, and a tale suitable for children and for readers of all ages.

"An 'artist's book' in the best sense of that term, with the touch of the artist who created it palpable everywhere in its pages." —Leonard S. Marcus

“Conveys a materiality that leaps off the printed page” —Galerie Magazine

“Will certainly plant loving seeds in young souls, who will want to have an intimate relationship with trees, just like the artist. The publication’s carefully crafted splendor will make it a true treasure in their lives.” —Suzanne Ramljak, Chief Curator, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Hardcover, $24.99, 72 pages, 8.5 x 11.22 inches, ISBN: 9798986640648

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 1/4 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and fibers
removed
2 onions, grated
6 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Cumin seeds
2 pinches of ground cayenne
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ½-in. Fresh ginger, peeled
and finely chopped
2 cups coconut cream
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Topping
4 to 6 tbsp. Crème fraiche or olive oil
4 to 6 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp. Cumin seeds, toasted

Cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Sauté the onions in a large pan with the olive oil, cumin seeds, cayenne, garlic, and ginger. Add the pumpkin and sauté for 5 minutes without browning. Pour in the coconut cream and cook for about 30 minutes until everything is tender. If there is not enough liquid in the pan, a splash of water may be added. Blend the soup in a blender until it’s smooth or use an immersion blender in the pan. Strain the soup. If necessary, push the last remaining soup through the sieve with the rounded side of a spoon. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds added to each bowl and a sprinkle of cumin seeds. Serve with breadsticks.