Progress report for CNE25-012
Project Information
Communities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut face challenges to food access, land connection, and cultural preservation due to colonial legacies. These challenges result in significantly higher rates of food insecurity and poverty among some populations compared to regional averages. This project, led by the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT), seeks to address this by advancing food sovereignty, revitalizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), training the next generation of tribal leaders, and fostering intertribal collaboration. The initiative will support 50 families across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut through backyard gardens, a community garden, and a medicinal garden. These spaces will equip families to grow their own food and medicine, fostering self-sufficiency, improving food security, and rebuilding connections to land and culture. Hands-on training will be provided throughout the season to help families apply traditional gardening practices. Two new staff members will be trained under the guidance of experienced program leaders to build skills in traditional gardening, land stewardship, and community-based agriculture. To further strengthen the impact, the project will facilitate trust-building and collaboration among the Pocasset Wampanoag, Narragansett, Pequot, and Eastern Pequot Tribal communities. Through shared initiatives and community gatherings, the project aims to address historical divisions and create a foundation for mutual trust, cooperation, and solidarity.
Evaluation of the project's success will include regular family garden reports, interviews, and surveys to track progress, measure knowledge and skills gained, and assess the program's overall impact.
The objectives of this project are as follows:
- Support Tribal Families to Grow Their Own Food and Medicine: This program will support 20 existing and 30 new Native families in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island in growing their own food and medicine through the addition of five backyard gardens, a community garden, and a medicinal garden. Addressing the challenges of food and economic insecurity, the program's primary goal is to equip families with the knowledge, skills, and infrastructure to achieve self-sufficiency. Combined, the family, community, and medicinal gardens will impact 50 families and an estimated 250 individuals.
- Revitalize Connections to Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): This project provides technical assistance and hands-on training to help tribal families reconnect with the land and apply Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in their gardening practices. These practices prioritize agro-ecosystem health through natural methods companion planting, organic (fish) fertilizers, and natural pest control. By tending these gardens, families strengthen their relationship with the land while also preserving cultural practices that are deeply tied to language, ceremonies, and community traditions. In addition to traditional gardening practice training, hands-on, collaborative learning sessions on a variety of topics will also be conducted.
- Mentor the Next Generation of Tribal Leaders: This project prioritizes training and mentorship to support new tribal leaders in building skills and knowledge in traditional gardening, land stewardship, and community-based agriculture. As part of the program expansion, two tribal members will learn from experienced mentor and program leader, Musquant Nompashim Netas. These staff members will receive training and serve in paid roles to support project activities, strengthening the program's long-term impact and fostering community ownership of its initiatives.
- Strengthen Intertribal Relationships: The gardens offer a unique opportunity to foster trust and collaboration among the Pocasset Wampanoag, Narragansett, Pequot, and Eastern Pequot Tribal Communities. The Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT) is committed to supporting all Tribal Peoples in the Northeast, but regional divisions have historically hindered collaboration. By facilitating community gatherings and shared initiatives, we aim to strengthen relationships among these tribes, creating a foundation for mutual trust, cooperation, and solidarity.
Indigenous communities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut consistently face profound systemic barriers to food access, land connection, and cultural preservation. This systemic disconnection perpetuates cycles of poverty and food insecurity. In Rhode Island, over 20% of tribal households experience food insecurity compared to the state average of 8-10% (www.feedingamerica.com), while poverty rates for Indigenous adults (42%) and children (54%) are among the highest in the region (RI Dept. of Health, RI Health Facts, 2015), with similar disparities persisting in Massachusetts and Connecticut. These statistics reflect more than numbers—they highlight a deeply fractured food system where mainstream solutions to food access have failed communities more broadly, prioritizing quantity over cultural, ecological, and nutritional relevance. We came to understand this need through decades of grassroots organizing, the lived experiences of Tribal members who serve as staff at the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust (PPLT), and ongoing, direct relationships with the families and communities with whom we work. Conversations with community members, coupled with programmatic feedback from PPLT’s existing tribal food sovereignty program, established in 2021, consistently underscore the importance of reclaiming food sovereignty. Families have shared how the erosion of traditional practices has not only impacted their ability to feed themselves but has also diminished their connection to land, culture, and intergenerational knowledge. Addressing these challenges is vital for restoring dignity, resilience, and self-determination to all tribal communities. Food sovereignty is a path to healing systemic harm, seeing food as medicine, revitalizing cultural traditions, and fostering sustainable, ecologically-based practices that ensure long-term ecological care and stewardship.
This project serves Indigenous communities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, with a focus on the Pocasset, Narragansett, Eastern Pequot, and Mashantucket Pequot Tribes. These populations are diverse, spanning rural and semi-urban regions, including Fall River and Freetown in Massachusetts; Westerly, Narragansett, South Kingston, and Charlestown in Rhode Island; and Mashantucket, Stonington, and North Stonington in Connecticut. Households are typically multi-generational and low-income earning, and the majority of families rent their homes.
The Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe calls northeastern Rhode Island and parts of Southeastern Massachusetts their home. They are a member of the original Pokanoket Federation led by Grand Sachem Massasoit and were one of the original signers of the 1621 Treaty at Plymouth with the Pilgrims. Up until King Philip’s War in 1675, the Pocasset were one of the largest and most powerful tribes in the Pokanoket Federation. Today, the remaining (<500) members continue to steward the Watuppa Pond Reservation in Massachusetts, the first reservation in the country.
The Narragansetts are descendants of the aboriginal people of the State of Rhode Island. There is much history between Narragansett and Pocasset Wampanoags. In 1675, the Narragansett allied themselves with King Philip and the Wampanoag Sachem in King Phillip’s War. Following the conflict, many of the remaining Narragansett retreated deep into the local forests and swamp lands. The current population stands at approximately 2,400 members, with the majority of tribal members living in Rhode Island.
The Eastern Pequot Tribe arose from the ashes of the 1637 massacre at the Pequot village in Mystic, Connecticut. Today the majority of Eastern Pequots reside in North Stonington, CT and Westerly, RI. The Mashantucket (Western) Pequots once consisted of an estimated 8,000 members in Southeastern Connecticut before the colonists arrived and subsequent wars occurred in the 1600’s. Now the hundreds of remaining members mostly reside on the Mashantucket Reservation in Ledyard, CT.
Historically, internal politics have made partnerships between New England Tribes difficult to navigate. This initiative, however, provides a common goal (food sovereignty) to build trust and strengthen relationships between the struggling communities to each other and to the land. PPLT has come to understand the needs of these communities through the lived experiences and leadership of its team. Senior Gardener, Musquant Nompashim Netas, and Apprentice Gardener, Bow Johnson are Narragansetts and have close family ties to both Pequot and Eastern Pequot tribal members. Chief Sequan Pijaki of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe has decades of experience organizing around cultural, economic, and environmental issues facing tribal communities across New England. For most of his life, he has worked to promote the acknowledgement, heritage and culture of Native people, and to encourage the tribes to work together.
PPLT is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a mission to support the tribal people of the Northeast region and a set of core values. . Our founder and Executive Director is Chief Sequan Pijaki, Chairman of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation. The majority of staff and Board members identify as tribal. populations.
Each year, PPLT leadership and staff draft a strategic plan that is aligned with our core values and mission statement. The plan is reviewed and ultimately approved by the Board of Directors. Once approved, PPLT leadership is tasked with creating (or continuing) projects that support the strategic plan. Project goals and objectives are often detailed in grant applications or proposals and communicated to the project team at the kick-off meeting. Many of our programs, originate within the communities we serve.
For the IFS project, Narragansett clan Chief Musquant Nompashim Netas came to PPLT with an understanding of the tribes struggles with food insecurity. He also provided the idea for backyard and community gardens that would promote self-sufficiency, connect the people to their culture and to the land, and strengthen the bonds within the community. The program has been a success because assessment, planning, and implementation have all been led by the stakeholders. PPLT supports the work through fundraising, reporting, communications, and financial administration.
Tribal communities become empowered through this work by obtaining food security, not just food access. A food access program can be a food pantry, soup kitchen or SNAP benefits, none of helps the participants with self-sufficiency. The IFS program creates independence by providing the participants with knowledge, infrastructure and skills to grow their own food. Similar community-driven approaches will be taken as the IFS program expands to include the Pequot, Eastern Pequot, and Pocasset tribal communities.
PPLT is committed to building a resilient and just food system in the Northeast. All of our agricultural programming, including this proposed Tribal Food Sovereignty initiative, are holistic in perspective and work towards providing accessible, sustainable communities.
Our work fits into broader regional efforts, such as the 50 x 60 vision for New England, which strives to have 50% of the food consumed in New England produced in New England by 2060 (www.foodsolutionsne.org/a-new-england-food-vision/). We are also active participants in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program and the 2501 program, which was formed to help farmers, ranchers, and foresters who have historically experienced limited access to USDA programs and services. (Note: The IFS program is currently not supported by any federal funding.)
For the past four years, we have supported approximately eighty veteran, beginner, limited resource, and farmers through a variety of services, including financial literacy courses, marketing workshops, grant writing support, beekeeping training and implementation, ‘project implementation, business planning intensives, farm to school facilitation, natural resource conservation workshops, NRCS (EQIP) application assistance, soil health testing training, and interpretation and translation services.
The proposed IFS program will ensure that the Native American communities in the Northeast, who do not have access to lands or the resources to own and operate farms are not left behind in the evolving food system. As detailed previously, food insecurity among Indigenous communities and communities of color is prevalent throughout the New England. Grassroots community solutions, such as community, medicinal, and backyard gardens are essential to ensuring that food access is available to our region’s most vulnerable populations.
In addition to the novel intertribal work detailed in this proposal, the IFS project also sets up potential collaborations in the future with other organizations to help the tribal communities, including the Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA), who could train families on soil health, nutritional education, and food preservation; the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ISLR) for education on composting; and Open Farms Retreat, who are skilled in mushroom growing, among other farming techniques.
Cooperators
Research
The activities for this project are:
- Recruit mentees and families (Summer 2025): Two new staff mentees will be recruited and trained by Senior Gardener, Musquant Nompashim Netas on all activities listed below. One staff member will be trained on backyard and community gardens and another will be support the medicinal garden site. Musquant Nompashim Netas and Principal Investigator, Chief Sequan Pijaki, Chairman of the Pocasset Wampanoags will conduct outreach among their respective tribal circles, social contacts, and networks to identify program candidates and potential mentees. If necessary, promotional content will be published on the PPLT website and social media platforms. PPLT staff will conduct interviews with potential candidate families to determine needs, challenges and commitment/interest level. Staff will travel to residences to survey the land availability for garden implementation.
- Design and build gardens (Summer/Fall 2025): PPLT staff will visit each family's residence to determine the appropriate garden design. Supplies will be purchased, and garden plots will be prepared. If no land is available (apartments), raised garden beds (or some other solution) will be implemented. Typical garden sizes will be 100 ft2, producing an estimated 50-100 lbs. of food each season. The community garden and medicinal garden will also be designed and built by PPLT staff. Families input and feedback will be integral to the design process for all gardens.
- Winterize gardens (Fall 2025): In Autumn, gardens will be prepared for the winter weather using cover crops, fall crops, and compost. Raised garden beds may be covered completely with tarps or moved inside a garage or storage area.
- Crop planning (Winter 2026): PPLT staff will work with families to develop a crop plan that details plant selection, garden layouts, and companion planting strategies for each garden for the 2026 growing season.
- Prepare, plant, and manage gardens (Spring/Summer 2026): Using the crop plan, PPLT staff will train families in all aspects of garden preparation, planting, maintenance, care, and harvesting. The community garden site and medical garden site will be managed by PPLT staff, families will provide the bulk of the hands-on work. All produce and medicine will be distributed to tribal families.
- Host harvest gathering (Fall 2026): PPLT Staff will host a harvest gathering in southern Rhode Island in the Fall of 2026 to bring participant families together to reflect on the program, review outcomes, and strengthen the Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Pocasset and Narragansett intertribal relationships.
- Quarterly Reports: PPLT will generate quarterly reports to summarize and track program deliverables, budget, and schedule. Reports will include interviews with families to determine knowledge, skills gained, garden health, yields, family involvement, food consumption, and challenges with garden care. Data will be collected through interviews of family members by Musquant Nompashim Netas. Surveys, questionnaires, and other tools will be designed and used where necessary.
Table 1: Activities and Results Timeline
|
Activity |
Results |
Start |
Complete |
|
Recruit tribal families and mentees |
30 new families and 2 mentees to participate in program |
06.01.25 |
07.30.25 |
|
Design and build gardens |
5 vegetable gardens, community garden, and medicinal herb garden built |
07.01.25 |
10.31.25 |
|
Quarterly report #1 |
Project assessment |
09.01.25 |
09.15.25 |
|
Winterize gardens |
50 families trained in winterizing gardens |
10.01.25 |
11.30.25 |
|
Quarterly report #2 |
Project assessment |
12.01.25 |
12.31.25 |
|
Crop planning for 2026 season |
50 families trained in garden crop planning |
12.01.25 |
01.31.26 |
|
Quarterly report #3 |
Project assessment |
03.01.26 |
03.15.26 |
|
Spring soil prep and planting |
50 families trained in soil prep and planting |
04.01.26 |
05.31.26 |
|
Quarterly report #4 |
Project assessment |
06.01.26 |
06.15.26 |
|
Garden care and harvesting |
50 families trained garden care and harvesting |
06.01.26 |
10.15.26 |
|
Quarterly report #5 |
Project assessment |
09.01.26 |
09.15.26 |
|
Harvest gathering |
Host event for all program participants |
09.01.26 |
09.30.26 |
|
Winterize gardens |
50 families re-trained in winterizing gardens |
10.01.26 |
11.30.26 |
|
Final report |
Final project assessment |
12.01.26 |
12.31.26 |
In 2025, the project supported 112 tribal community members across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, with a focus on strengthening food sovereignty and culturally grounded food access. Of those served, 96 individuals were in Rhode Island, 5 individuals in Massachusetts, and 11 individuals in Connecticut.
The program directly benefited members of two Indigenous communities: 98 Narragansett tribal members, and 9 Pocasset tribal members. Participants included elders, adults, and youth from multigenerational households, ensuring that programming honored intergenerational knowledge transfer and community traditions.
Food production and distribution were facilitated through a network of 27 community and/or home gardens, including 22 in Rhode Island, 2 in Massachusetts, and 3 in Connecticut. These gardens served as a platform for Indigenous-led cultivation of fresh, culturally relevant foods, enabling communities to reconnect with traditional agricultural practices, strengthen local food systems, and share harvests within families and networks.
(Note: this work was already ongoing when the SARE program began in July. The impact/results of the SARE award will be observed more clearly in 2026)
Conclusions will be reported at the end of the 2026 growing season.
Education & outreach activities and participation summary
Participation summary:
Outreach activities are conducted by Musqant Nompashim Netas (Rocky Johnson) of the Narragansett Tribe and Chief Sequan Pijaki (George Spring Buffalo) of the Pocasset Tribe. Chief George has been focused on expanding the program reach into the Pocasset and other regional tribes. Currently, most participants are from the Narragansett tribe. In 2025, he was able to bring one Pocasset, one Metis, and one Chappaquiddick family into the program. In 2026, he will work to grow these programs within these tribes. Rocky, on the ohter hand, has had to throttle the outreach work within the Narragansett community as need greatly outweighs our current capacity.
Education consists primarily of 1:1 mentorship and consults between Rocky and the program participants. He estimates 3-4 x/week he works with participants in caring for their gardens and becoming independent in food production. The most common topics reviewed are: planting, crop planning, cover cropping, pest control, trellising, no-till practices, weeding, mulching, irrigation, and pruning.
Learning Outcomes
Changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness will be observed during the 2026 growing season.
Ideally, the participant families will be able to plan, plant, maintain, harvest, and winterize their gardens by the end of the 2026 season.
Project Outcomes
Funding for this program began in June of 2025, midway through the growing season. We spent the late summer, fall, and early winter preparing for the 2026 season. This includes grant writing (4 grants, $54,000 awarded) to supplement this work with skills mentorship training, community composting education, and expansion (outreach) into the Metis and Chappaquiddick Tribes.
We also doubled the size of the community garden site in Charlestown, RI and identified two more potential sites for community gardens, if needed.
Our top-level objective for 2026 is to scale this work to accommodate 50 tribal families.
It is too early in the project to answer this question. Project approach, including successes and challenges, will be assessed after the 2026 growing season.