Support Organic Farming for Native Americans

After the last rush of fall harvest and saving seeds it is time to start turning inward and sharing stories around the circle once again. And, it is definitely time to start planning for next season! This fall, Solar Warrior Farm (SWF) hosted two workshops on food preparation, nutrition and preserving the harvest in the local community. In 2015, our goal is to host a more involved mid-season, 4-day workshop on food sovereignty and indigenous foodways. We have changed our wishlist to reflect this new opportunity. If you want to sponsor a student, tuition includes instruction, materials, lodging at the Sacred Earth Lodge, and food for the duration of the workshop.

Why did we change our focus for the training? In many Native communities, including Pine Ridge, almost all food produced on the reservation is sent elsewhere, while nearly all food consumed locally is brought in from outside the community. This sets up a cycle of poor diet and a lack of access to fresh produce - commonly known as a "food desert". By reclaiming both indigenous knowledge of foods and control over how, when, and what food is available for families, Native people can break that historical cycle and have more choices. It is an exciting move forward as we will be calling upon the expertise of some great Native leaders in the food sovereignty movement to inform our work in this area. More on that in the next update!

Meanwhile, we are making plans to diversify the activities at the Farm by laying the groundwork for covered, raised beds, and networking with other Native programs that collect and share seeds. We will be looking at our successes and failures to improve selection and harvest.

Having a full-time intern at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center will help us keep continuity across the seasons. Dan Hartman-Strawn has already proven that he is both a great planner and doer! Thanks to him, the greenhouse will soon have a new roof, which will be an important asset to extend growing season and protect equipment. He will also be working with us to create more opportunities to volunteer on local projects and visit the Black Hills area at the Sacred Earth Lodge. Let us know if you are interested. We will have at least two SWF related projects in 2015.

As we set a new course for the next year, we are very grateful for your continued support! With your contributions, we can go even further. Yakoke - many thanks!!