Rosebud Producers Develop WIC Markets

Rosebud Producers Develop WIC Markets

Summary

On the Rosebud reservation in south central South Dakota, in the 2002 gardening season, residents responded to education, encouragement, and demonstration by Program Assistants and their Youth Interns in their own neighborhoods. Residents/participants are becoming less dependent on government assistance by tending their own food gardens, became beekeepers, produced surplus beyond the needs of the neighborhood, and brought that surplus to the self-operated Gardeners' Market that they have established at the Reservation/Mission crossroads.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Note: each objective is sought through lessons and practice, participants demonstrating to others, thus disseminating information and encouragement to other potential producers.

OBJECTIVE #1
Strengthen adult and youth self-confidence and leadership skills in their own community.

Rationale
In order to create profitable self-employment and strengthen rural communities, residents must be self-confident and able to take initiative and responsibility.

OBJECTIVE #2
Convince reservation residents that gardens and thickets are sources of wholesome food and that gardening and gathering are acceptable activities that a person can do by him/herself.

Rationale
Gardening and gathering are self-employments appropriate to the reservation and can lead to improved economics, nutrition and self-esteem.

OBJECTIVE #3
Develop community farmers markets to provide local producers a local market and to afford access to wholesome food to local residents; to serve generators of income and as business models for other possible micro-enterprises.

Rationale
These farmers markets will begin to overcome the decades of dependence on the government. This marketing will provide entrepreneurial experience and be incentive to foster locally-owned business or employment.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Note: each objective is on-going. Indicators of progress are evident.

OBJECTIVE #1

Strengthen adult and youth self-confidence and leade4rship skills in their own community.

Rationale for Objective
In order to create profitable self-employment and strengthen rural communities, residents must be self-confident and able to take initiative and responsibility.

Accomplishments toward Objective
Numbers of gardens and gardeners increased as did the number of communities actively participating. Last year’s beekeepers persevered and together harvested honey with the first co-op extractor; new beekeepers started. Successes and pride strengthened self-confidence.

Work Left To Do
This funding period is over, but the Permaculture Program will continue to encourage and support, participants becoming models for others.

OBJECTIVE #2
Convince reservation residents that gardens and thickets are sources of wholesome food, and that gardening and gathering are acceptable activities that a person can do by him/herself.

Rationale for Objective
Gardening and gathering are self-employments appropriate to the reservation and can lead to improved economics, nutrition and self-esteem.

Accomplishments toward Object
Promotion of gardening and reestablishment of wild fruit thickets continued, and response increased with more gardeners, rejuvenation of gathering (and solid start of reestablishment of thickets/shelterbelts). Eating wholesome food has become an accepted goal and producing a surplus is seen as viable economic activity. Three of last year’s new gardeners are this year experimenting with mini-greenhouses for an early planting start.

Work Left To Do
This funding period is over, both the Permaculture Program will continue to educate and promote, and make sure that actual opportunities are available.

OBJECTIVE #3
Develop community farmers markets to provide local producers a local market, to afford access to wholesome food to local residents, to serve as generators of income and as business models for other possible micro-enterprises.

Rationale for Objective
These farmers markets will begin to overcome the decades of dependence on the government. This marketing will provide entrepreneurial experience and be incentive to foster locally-owned business or employment.

Accomplishments toward Objective
Gardening to provide for WIC families did not make much progress; WIC families themselves showed only small interest in fresh produce and almost no interest in gardening. The project’s gardeners, instead, began providing to the cooks of the Elderly Nutrition Program in the gardening communities. This spread with enthusiasm, including the Elders pushing their adult children to garden. Additionally, the Saturday “Reservation Gardeners’ Market” became fully established, with gardened produce, gathered fruits, and to everyone’s delight—local honey, home-baked breads and crafts! EBT was authorized. Buyers outnumbered vendors; the Mission Chamber of Commerce began support to the market.

Work Left To Do
This funding period is over, but the Permaculture Program will continue to promote and support the gardeners and the market, and serve as "omsbudsman" as needed.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

1. Impact – Production Levels
In this second year of the funding, last year’s new gardeners increased their table-size garden plots to whatever they could care for well, 25’ x 25’, a few 100’. New gardeners raised their production from zero to handfuls; the second-year gardeners produced enough for their families plus some for the Elderly Nutrition cooks and to sell at the Gardeners’ Market. Honey becomes available.

2. Impact – the Environment
Those who are now gardening are taking interest to control wind erosion and in restoring the ground in the housing clusters that is compacted and oil-soaked by operating and junk cars. They have planted fruit-bearing shelterbelts to protect their gardens and have now also begun Cedar windbreaks. Beekeeping has raised the knowledge or the role of pollination. All in all, a revival of awareness of (mutual) care of/by Mother Earth is resulting.

3. Impact – Families/Communities
Gardening participants, as well as Program Assistants and Youth Interns, are demonstrating their self-confidence through their gardening, their beekeeping, the improved diet of their households, and in being venders at the Gardeners’ Market. This new self-confidence (and successes) has been noted by others who are anticipating starting next season. This progressive activity is giving a boost to family and community health and attitude, and toward small economic development.

4. Impact – How this Activity Benefits Other sin the North Central Region
We have many inquiries from (somewhat) nearby counties about how we started the Gardeners’ Market on the reservation which is also Todd County. Many small-farm ranchers seek “value added” and also occupation for family members. They have seriously considered vegetable gardening, but have not gotten together with neighbors or approached their county administrators for help in organizing. The success of the Reservation Gardeners’ Market is providing incentive to others toward activating the niche of farmers markets in their own areas.