The 'Hokk' plants are actually nitrogen starved soybean plants, which frankly need fertilizing. Growing in nitrogen poor soil caused the chlorosis, yellowing, of the leaves. Or possibly it is late in the season; as soybeans mature the plants go from green to yellow to brown and dry and then are harvested.
Dutch says her fuzzy flannel looking bedding is 3000 count Qureshi Delta linen. Fabric thread count is the number of threads per linear inch. A burlap sack might be a 15 thread count while high quality bed sheets might have an 800 count. The higher the count the smoother the fabric, but also the thinner. A 3000 count fabric would be like the finest microfiber.
The actress Lisa Ryder is known for playing Beka Valentine, on the SyFy show Andromeda. Also a sci-fi adventure and filmed in Vancouver. In this episode she plays the character Keera Deen.
John suggests that on Leith they can earn some Joy and "blow it all on pumpkin beer and grackle". Every good science fiction show has to throw in new words to sound all futurey. But 'grackle' is already a common* word used for a whole family of dark colored birds related to blackbirds and orioles. *well, common among bird watchers.