Cultivating Local Experts: Training Educators to Grow Community Gardens and Regenerative Food Systems on the Rosebud Reservation

Commodities

• Fruits: berries (brambles), berries (strawberries), grapes, melons, pears, plums
• Vegetables: asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), leeks, onions, parsnips, peas (culinary), peppers, radishes (culinary), rutabagas, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips
• Additional Plants: herbs, native plants, trees
• Animals: poultry
• Animal Products: eggs

Practices

• Crop Production: agroforestry, crop improvement and selection, crop rotation, food processing, high tunnels or hoop houses, irrigation, low tunnels, no-till, nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers, pollinator habitat, row covers (for season extension), seed saving, shade cloth, water management, windbreaks, winter storage
• Education and Training: mentoring, networking, study circle, workshop, youth education
• Farm Business Management: apprentice/intern training, new enterprise development
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
• Pest Management: field monitoring/scouting, mulches - general, physical control, row covers (for pests), trap crops
• Production Systems: holistic management, organic agriculture, permaculture
• Soil Management: composting, organic matter, soil analysis
• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, community planning, community services, employment opportunities, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, food access and security, food sovereignty, leadership development, local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, partnerships, public participation, quality of life, social capital, social psychological indicators

On the Rosebud Reservation-where grocery stores are scarce and nearly half of families live in poverty-food insecurity is a daily reality. Community gardens have often started with good intentions and funding but failed for one reason: too few people with the knowledge and support to keep them growing.

The Boys & Girls Club of Rosebud will change that by training a new generation of Garden Gurus-Lakota youth who know how to grow food, teach others, and build something that lasts.

This two-year professional development program serves Indigenous teens growing up in one of the nation's most persistent food deserts. Year One focuses on the basics: planning, seed starting, planting, and harvesting. Year Two layers in advanced skills-composting, pest management, soil fertility, and season extension-while youth apply and share what they learn in five community gardens and with local families.

Activities include: short skill-building workshops, hands-on learning and teaching in community gardens, and the creation of simple garden plans and "how-to" materials that make growing food accessible for beginners.

By the end of the project, 10-15 credentialed Garden Gurus will be leading community and home gardens, supported by hundreds of local youth and families. Five community gardens will be thriving instead of fading. This project fills a critical educational gap-turning short-term garden efforts into long-term food security by equipping young people hungry for change with the skills to feed their people and teach others to do the same.

This project will create a structured, replicable professional development model that combines hands-on experience, formal instruction, and peer teaching to strengthen food system education across the Rosebud Reservation.

Training Outputs and Participants
Over the two-year project, at least 10-15 participants will complete the full training program and earn credentialing as Garden Gurus-local educators equipped to lead and sustain community-based garden initiatives. Garden Gurus will gain practical skills in soil fertility, composting, irrigation, crop planning, and annual and perennial food production, as well as experience teaching others. Each Guru will demonstrate competency through hands-on practice, peer instruction, and participation in community workshops.

In addition to the core cohort, approximately 20 community members at each of five community gardens (roughly 100 individuals total) will engage in seasonal workshops and field sessions. These participants will receive guided support from Garden Gurus and BGCR staff as they apply new techniques at their sites. Within the Boys & Girls Club program itself, an estimated 400 youth will participate annually in hands-on gardening and food-system activities led by the Garden Gurus and staff.

Educational Products
Key educational products will include:

• A Garden Guru Training Curriculum, outlining lesson plans, activity guides, and seasonal workshop templates adaptable to other rural and tribal communities.

• A Beginner's Garden How-To Booklet with illustrated planting templates, supply lists, and a regional planting calendar-designed for new gardeners and schools starting small-scale plots.

• A Garden Guru Toolkit, containing composting guides, irrigation diagrams, seed-starting instructions, and checklists for running community garden programs.

• Presentation materials and handouts co-developed with SDSU Extension, Sicangu Co, and Sinte Gleska University for use in future training and outreach.

All materials will be available in both digital and print formats to ensure accessibility and will be shared with partner organizations and other youth programs across the region.

Community and Partnership Outputs
By the conclusion of the project, five community gardens will be fully functioning demonstration sites managed collaboratively by BGCR staff, Garden Gurus, and local volunteers. Each site will serve as a living classroom for hands-on education, produce fresh vegetables for local families, and host regular community workdays and tours.

The project will also formalize a regional partnership network among BGCR, SDSU Extension, Sicangu Co, and Sinte Gleska University. This network will meet quarterly to exchange data, coordinate educational outreach, and align resources for continued garden-based education.

At least two public field days or demonstration tours per year will showcase project results, highlight success stories, and distribute educational materials.

Summary of Target Outputs

• 10-15 credentialed Garden Gurus trained and active.

• 5 community gardens successfully managed and producing.

• ≈100 community participants engaged in workshops.

• ≈400 youth reached annually through Club programs.

• 1 comprehensive training curriculum and 1 beginner booklet created and distributed.

• 4 public field days or demonstration events.

• Ongoing partnership network sustaining education beyond the grant period.