Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa Meskwaki Nation Tama, IA Jennifer Vazquez Local Foods Planner & Farm Manager mfsi.econdev@meskwaki-nsn.gov Laura Kleiman Local Foods Coordinator lfc.econdev@meskwaki-nsn.gov
Community Food Web School Garden CSA /TSA Garden YOU Restaurants Distributors FARMS Gathered Foods Farmers Markets Farm Stands What does the community have? What are the opportunities? Adapted from Linn-Johnson Local Food Task Force quarterly meeting
By Skylar Papakee, Meskwaki Settlement School student
Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Initiative Local Foods Activities Red Earth Gardens
We re Young! 2012 Year One Mid-2000s Conversations about local food systems in the state, region and in Indian Country 2010 - Title XI grant got idea started for a garden for the Senior Center Late 2011 Economic Development Dept. hired Local Foods Planner to help coordinate current efforts and start new ones February 2012 Received grant to host AmeriCorps VISTA program and developed 4, year-long positions Spring 2012 Re-Started Senior Garden & School Garden Distributed over 9,000 lbs of food to elders! May 2012 First workshops! July 2012 First 4 AmeriCorps VISTA members started September 2012 First of 3 Strategic Planning Mtgs developed survey October 2012 First traditional community meal Winter 2012 Began serious conversations about starting a Tribal Farming Enterprise
We re Busy! 2013 Year Two January - Sent food sovereignty assessment survey to entire community February 1 st Annual Food Film Festival March Finished community food system assessment! March September More workshops and some led by community members April Began working with Meskwaki After School Program to start garden programming and activities April Started Tribally-run produce farm on 40 acres! May Increased size of Senior Center Garden and School Garden; received small grants; growing Meskwaki seeds! July Finished 1 st draft of Food Sovereignty Strategic Plan November Generated ~$6,500 in revenues from farm
We re Still Young! 2014 Year Three January Received funding from NAFSI to start a community garden incubator at farm- Meskwaki Growers Cooperative January - Community vote new name and logo for farm: Red Earth Gardens February Hired Local Foods Coordinator to manage community education and outreach (including VISTA program) March Organized first Maple Syrup camp at PK-12 Tribal School March Hired Community Organizer and launched Community Garden at the farm! April Built greenhouse at farm - volunteers May First ever community seed and transplant giveaway; started Community Garden incubator with 11 families! June Started TSA Share (like a CSA) at Red Earth Gardens September - Generated ~$10,000 in revenues from farm so far September Working with high school class to can tomatoes from Red Earth Gardens and Senior Garden for Senior Center pantry
cultural & social benefits of food system control Increase consumption of traditional and healthy, whole foods Promote more active life ways and community interactions around food Meskwaki worldview & knowledge put into practice in today s terms Care for the land (ex: fallow lands) Traditional crops Care for the body Historical relationship with the land is honored
why sustainable farms Direct-to-market farms can be profitable Direct-to-market farms can be economically, environmentally and culturally sustainable Increase food sovereignty by providing revenue, employment, environmental conservation and by providing healthy food options to the community
Food Sovereignty Assessment Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool First Nations Development Institute Community input Identifying Goals, Resources and Barriers Tell the community s story of food, farming, eating & culture. How has it changed? What s next? Working towards sustainability Food purchases - numbers Integrate with other Tribal agricultural policies
Exchange Information What can we do together?
We need to provide for our own needs first and build the relationship back; we should have more buffalo and eat more buffalo ourselves first. No fishing on this river! (pollution) Anything cultural taught to the children at the school and to community members would be extremely beneficial to the livelihood and the prosperity of the Tribe. Community Food Sovereignty Assessment Responses & Comments As long as they allow EVERYONE to attend workshops offered by community members, not just enrolled members. Hunting and fishing on the Sett for enrolled AND descendants! Very supportive of featuring local foods and traditional foods at casino. Do You Support the Following Activities? Senior Garden 98% Food Gathering Walks, Daily Farm Stand, Nutrition Classes, Meat Locker/Butchering Services Community Local Foods Meal, Gardening Lessons, MSS School Garden, Community Kitchen Strongly Support/ Support 96% 94% Volunteer Program 93% Cooking Classes 92% Tribal Greenhouse, Seed Saving Exchange Hunting, Fishing on the Sett, MSS F2S Program 91% 90% Other Community Gardens 89% Commercial Buffalo Herd 88.5% Workshops by Community Members 88% Tribal-Run Farm, Small Farmer Business Training Tribal Members Operating a Farm, Local Food Advisory Council 78% 77%
Community Food Resources What happens to food produced in family gardens or personal gardens? 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 83.0% 45.3% 66.0% 22.6% 3.8% 0.0% 15.1%
Farmers Market Farm-to-School Chapter Community Harvest Meals Health and Nutrition Food Security Senior Center Garden Meskwaki Settlement School (MSS) Garden Community & Economic Development Community Gardens Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Initiative Meskwaki Cultural Curriculum on Food + Sustainability Community Outreach + Workshops Education Cultural Education Data on Food System Education + Outreach on Farm Businesses Food Sovereignty Assessment Community & Economic Development
What is Farm to School? F2S programs connect schools to local farms with the goal of providing healthy food to students, providing nutrition and agriculture education to students, meanwhile supporting the local economy Examples of F2S activities: fresh local carrots at lunch, growing tomatoes in a school garden, a field trip to a local orchard, a presentation on nutrition, the ideas are endless!
Meskwaki Settlement School Garden Traditional Meskwaki beans and squash Salad bar veggies, tomato, cucumbers, peppers, onions, eggplant, etc. Melon patch In process of planning a corn plot for 2014-15 school year
Meskwaki Afterschool Program (MAP) MFSI hosts MAP students 2 days a week in 2014-15 school year MFSI has worked with MAP students of all ages School garden and green house provides hands-on, experiential learning Agricultural, food system, and nutrition education integrated into afterschool program lessons
Curriculum in the Classroom MFSI staff works with community members, tribal departments and school teachers/staff to develop culturally appropriate curriculum for use in the classroom MFSI staff works with teachers in all areas of study: Meskwaki Foods and Regalia Class Consumer Sciences Foods I and II Culture classes Singles living Biology
Curriculum in the Classroom
Maple Syrup Camp: Revitalizing Tradition Week long Maple Syrup Camp/demonstration Identifying tress Making spouts and tapping Boiling and preparing syrup Associated written curriculum
Maple Syrup Camp
Family Friendly Programming: Workshops, Meals, Annual Film Festival Workshop programming is accessible for community members of all ages MFSI encourages families to attend events Workshops and community meals include activities and information for all ages Provides an opportunity for kids to interact with elders and community members to share traditional knowledge MFSI holds an annual film festival; 2-day event based around showing films that showcase native agriculture, food system knowledge and environmental issues
Family Friendly Programming Weekly work-nights are held at Senior Center Garden, families are encouraged to attend; this facilitates family learning. Events geared towards kids garden art project Summer Youth Employment Program
Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Initiative Local Foods Activities Red Earth Gardens
Food & Agriculture 30% of Meskwaki community members would like to receive training in farming and/or farm entrepreneurship on the Settlement and 30% are not sure. The four main barriers to farmer entrepreneurship on the Settlement are: 1) The lack of farm land and allocating it (38%), 2) farming equipment (29%), 3) farming costs and expenses including rental fees and leases (23.5%), 4) not enough farming and business knowledge (23.5%). Business What would you buy from a Farm Stand on the Sett: Vegetables 40% Fruits 25.5% Tomatoes 23% Beans, Potatoes 21% Sweet Corn 17% Indian Corn, Berries, Cucumbers, Squash 15% Baked Goods 11% Melons, Fresh Produce, Onions 8.5% Herbs 6%
Red Earth Gardens 40 acres Certified Organic (transitional now) Fruits, Vegetables, Hay
Photo Credit Iowa Public Radio's Pat Blank Red Earth Gardens was recently featured during a Practical Farmers of Iowa field day http://iowapublicradio.org/post/red-earthgreen-earth
Community Garden Incubator Photos Courtesy of Delonda Pushetonequa