Growing for Tomorrow

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: beans, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), sweet corn

Practices

• Crop Production: cover crops, low tunnels, nutrient cycling, weed management
• Education and Training: extension, farmer to farmer
• Pest Management: mulches - living, mulching - plastic
• Production Systems: holistic management
• Soil Management: composting, soil analysis
• Sustainable Communities: social networks, sustainability measures

“Growing for Tomorrow” is an educational project that demonstrates the use of traditional Mohican methods of soil preparation combined with modern agriculture applications to create a sustainable growing environment, building biologically diverse and healthy soils while producing fresh vegetables. The Stockbridge-Munsee Community (SMC), Band of Mohican Indians, is an Native American Tribe located in rural North-central Wisconsin.

The Tribe owns 500 acres of agricultural land and most of the soil types are sandy loams. Due to improper farm management of the previous tenants, the land has become depleted of nutrients and organic matter. Over the past ten years the Tribe has developed initiatives in an effort to reconnect SMC farmers with the land and make the soil fertile again.

Food producers will be educated with hands-on learning in an educational growing area. Demonstrations will incorporate soil amendments, such as: compost and biochar. Additionally, organic weed prevention tools, such as, plastic mulch and a flame weeder, will be combined with low tunnel season extension tools. Four crops will be featured in this area including: corn, beans, squash, and lettuce. Educational outreach will be done through field days, a video blog, fact sheets, and an annual case study report.

1. Educate local farmers on best management practices of utilizing biochar soil amendments, compost, low-tunnel season extension covers, shade cloth, flame weeding, and plastic
2. Host a series of ten farmer-led, hands-on, educational workshops for community members, local farmers, and children on fresh food production and
3. Collaborate with local farmers and agricultural experts to identify and implement culturally and regionally- relevant traditional and conventional food production practices to increase the number of local food
4. Author electronic and hard-copy educational materials on each production technique, emphasizing design, implementation, maintenance, productivity, and