The Oneida Composting Project

Project Overview

FNC21-1313
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2021: $8,718.00
Projected End Date: 07/31/2023
Grant Recipient: Oneida Nation
Region: North Central
State: Wisconsin
Project Coordinator:
William VerVoort
Oneida Nation

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Crop Production: organic fertilizers
  • Education and Training: demonstration, workshop
  • Natural Resources/Environment: soil stabilization
  • Pest Management: compost extracts
  • Soil Management: composting

    Proposal summary:

    There are 15,272 American Indians living in the Outagamie County-Brown County area. Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing to today the American Indian people living in this area have had much of their traditional agricultural culture stripped from them of which composting was a major part. This project will reintroduction various traditional activities related to soil preservation and enhancement and their effects on food production and nutrition. It is our belief that by bringing Native people back to their traditional food production and consumption methods we can improve their health, strengthen the community’s food sovereignty and food chain, and increase the community’s access to fresh foods. Our project would introduce several types of usable composting units onto our farm and make them available to the community as a means of disposing of food waste and later as a location where composted materials can be obtained for gardening and crop production. We would focus on the use of composters as tools not just for commercial or personal use, but as a tool for the preservation and protection of the environment. Our project would also, in addition to demonstrations, include the sharing of educational materials with local school districts.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    1. To reintroduction various traditional activities related to soil preservation and enhancement.
    2. To assist Native producers, including farmers market producers to utilize compost production methods as a means of improving soil health and increasing garden production.
    3. To demonstrate several types of useable composting units and make them available to the community for their use.
    4. To introduce the next generation of agriculture producers to the idea of composting as a farming tool.
    5. To share our findings with local community through newspaper articles and on site demonstrations.
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.