Cheyenne River Youth Project — Traditional Lakota Herbs, Fruits, and Roots Garden

Project Overview

YENC20-155
Project Type: Youth Educator
Funds awarded in 2020: $4,000.00
Projected End Date: 01/31/2022
Grant Recipient: Cheyenne River Youth Project
Region: North Central
State: South Dakota
Project Manager:
Julie Garreau
Cheyenne River Youth Project

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: native plants

Practices

  • Crop Production: agroforestry, pollinator habitat
  • Education and Training: demonstration, youth education
  • Sustainable Communities: leadership development, local and regional food systems, quality of life, culture revitalization

    Proposal abstract:

    As part of a 50 hour internship in Food Sovereignty and Sustainable Agriculture, interns learn about 50+ different native plants of historical Lakota value. This includes common name, Lakota name, parts used for food, medicine or utility. Installation and maintenance of this garden offers further tools to education  youth about the horticulture, processing and entrepreneurial avenues of pursuit specific to the context.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    1. Improve plant identification skills of teenage interns through the cultivation of traditional native plants.
    2. Diversify the garden with perennial native plants of historic Lakota value.
    3. Obtain Harvests for traditional foods, herbal medicines, ceremonially used plants, crafts, and construction.
    4. Reinforce Lakota identity of youth interns with a traditional Lakota garden.
    5. Project results will be shared through various conferences, social media such as Facebook page, and website (lakotayouth.org).
    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.