SCOBY is an artists' book published by Asplenia Press. Each book is hand stamped, stapled, and bound with a rubber band. The rubber band serves as a secondary binding for the book and can be used in the fermentation process to tightly seal a cloth to the glass jar, allowing for the SCOBY to breathe while keeping pathogens out.

The image on the wrap-around cover is of the strains of bacteria and yeast in a milk kefir SCOBY magnified to 7000x. Each unique strain of bacteria and yeast collectively composing a milk kefir SCOBY is credited at the end.

The first page reads: “A SCOBY is a sensitive living being which relies on human care to survive. In response it gifts the caretaker with a protein-rich live probiotic food.”

The last page reads: “This SCOBY and accompanying booklet are not for sale. Each is free, as is any reproduction of the original SCOBY or (cited) text.”

The latest edition was supported by the New York City Foundation for the Arts City Artist Corps Grant, and the Penland School of Craft Winter Residency Fellowship.

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