Blog post via Farm to School
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Throughout the past several years, National Farm to School Network has collaborated with three Native school communities with the goal of revitalizing traditional Native foodways. By supporting the expansion of farm to school activities as a key strategy, we help to build resilient communities that deepen the connection between Native youth and Native foodway wisdom.
As our current iteration of the Seed Change in Native Communities project comes to an end, we celebrate the incredible ongoing work at our partner school communities!
The Hardin School District on the Crow Reservation in Montana utilized funds to plant native trees, shrubs and other native medicinal plants and also installed a high tunnel on the school site! In addition to expanding the high school farm, the Hardin School District designed taste-testing classroom activities for the Crow Elementary School. Last but not least, they built widespread partnerships with food sovereignty, public health and Native education stakeholders.
"Farm to school enriches the community. It provides healing through reconnecting with the land" — Latonna Old Elk, Program Director at Little Big Horn College, Montana
The Indian Township School located on the Passamaquoddy Reservation in Maine utilized funds to improve greenhouse infrastructure and increase ADA accessibility. They also organized a native tree giveaway at school and aligned the school garden to meet community needs!
The Mala`ai Kula: Kaua`i Farm-to-School Pilot of Kauai Island in Hawaii operated a summer feeding program that supported 1000 families each week on the island. They produced a suite of family engagement, campus garden, and procurement projects, while also serving 15 early care and education sites that reached 848 Keiki and supported 28 food producers, of which 54% were minority-owned.
Future iterations of the Seed Change in Native Communities project will aim to strengthen participation from Native youth and traditional food practices like native food foraging, food forestry, meat preservation, and cultivation of medicinal plants.
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