Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/10
Outputs
The Center for Lifelong Education at IAIA has been designated the Land Grant outreach office for the College, thereby increasing credibility in our established outreach programs and strengthening the relationships and partnerships with the New Mexico land grant university, New Mexico State, as well as the USDA. In the summer of 2010, the Center hired a USDA Projects Manager, Luke Reed, who already had strong connections to our local Pueblos, the USDA, and New Mexico State University Extension staff. He has been instrumental in increasing our outreach capabilities and relationships with Pueblo farmers in the area. Outreach to tribes through technical assistance in areas of sustainable agriculture, and health and wellness activities/diabetes prevention through healthy foods within the Santo Domingo and Santa Ana pueblos. Memoranda of Agreement were entered into between IAIA and those Pueblos to collaborate on various projects. Mr. Reed, who previously taught agriculture classes at the Santa Fe Indian School, has also assisted in the planning and nascent development of an Indigenous farming/garden program and curriculum, and has been aggressive in hiring students to assist in the preparation and planting of the IAIA demonstration garden/farm, which will foster learning about various aspects of traditional and Western farming methodologies. In addition, an Ethnobotany professor has been hired at IAIA under a separate program, and his classes have a substantial enrollment; Mr. Reed is in consultation with him and they will partner on a number of projects now and in the future. And in accordance with our original project goals, a conference entitled 'Native Foods and Farms' was hosted by our department, featuring discussions on farming techniques, entrepreneurship, and seed sovereignty by Indigenous farmers from the New Mexico Pueblos, The Oneida tribe of Wisconsin, the Hopi Natwani farming project, as well as restaurant chefs who purchase organic produce from Native food co-ops and farmers' markets. Goals for the community garden were not entirely met in a timely fashion because of the loss of key personnel (project manager) and the inability to hire a qualified replacement until the summer. Further delays for the farm/garden projects were caused by weather conditions. Winter weather conditions, including frequent and deep snow, existed until early May of 2010, inhibiting many activities at the Pueblos with their demonstration gardens and outdoor projects, as well as the planting activities at the IAIA demonstration garden. PRODUCTS: Project Manager Reed has established a strong relationship with Mr. Lawrence Shorty of the USDA 1994 office, and we anticipate a long and fruitful liaison. The IAIA campus demonstration farm/garden was established with twenty-one fruit trees, a drip irrigation system, and winter wheat and rye grasses. A Memorandum of Agreement was entered into between IAIA and the Pueblo of Cochiti to establish research/demonstration plots; this will be an ongoing project. Thirty acres were planted with wheat and annual rye grass. They plan to plant traditional seed crops to establish a community seed bank in order to preserve traditional seeds for future generations, and maintain the purity of the seeds. Student workers were hired under the IAIA work study program, and during the academic year assisted staff with soil preparation, planting, and other necessary tasks in the community garden. Photographs of projects and participants are available on request. A new website for the Center for Lifelong Education is in final development. Photographs, documents pertaining to Indigenous gardening, etc. will be available through that site by at least October of 2010. Within the next year, the fruit trees planted in the community garden will produce a substantial yield and products will be served in the Campus Cafeteria. OUTCOMES: Over one hundred community members from eleven New Mexico Pueblos tribes attended our Native Foods and Farms conference. The Memorandum of Agreement with Cochiti Pueblo will result in a long-lasting relationship between the parties, and assist the tribe in aspects of capacity building and self-determination in food systems and food security. A request has been made by the Governor of Santa Clara Pueblo for our Project Manager, Luke Reed, to assist in evaluating the Pueblo's sustainable agriculture plan. The Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo Livestock Association has requested technical assistance to evaluate the devastation and damages caused by a recent hailstorm. Discussions have begun with the Deans of Extension and Research at New Mexico State University to establish an initial partnership and discuss future collaborations. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: As mentioned above, the new CLE website will be unveiled in approximately October of 2010, which will provide us with an improved venue with which to disseminate information on conferences, special events, research and informational articles, and progress reports with photographs and other digital media. Our distance learning program, housed at the CLE, can potentially provide online or multi-media courses in Indigenous farming and agriculture, to be augmented by site visits. These classes may be offered for credit, or for personal development, to IAIA students as well as the general population. It may be possible for these classes to be integrated with Pueblo or other Indigenous school courses. The Marketing and Communications department at IAIA continues to announce and publicize activities on campus and those sponsored or facilitated by IAIA staff and faculty. The annual Health and Wellness conference is well advertised in the local community/ies through print and online media notices. And of course, the progress reports submitted each year to USDA are available on the CRIS website, as they will be available on the CLE website. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The community garden and agriculture projects will continue. We are hopeful that within the next three to five years the fruit trees and various vegetable plants will be yielding enough produce to feed students and visitors in the IAIA cafeteria. We will also continue educating students and community members in areas of Indigenous farming practices and methodologies, and are hoping for a continued relationship with USDA departments as well as other funding agencies that support work in Native communities.
Impacts
In adherence to the directives and requirements of a 1994 Land Grant institution, we will continue to enhance our outreach and extension services for the surrounding New Mexico Pueblo communities. Impacts of our various outreach and campus projects are: Campus Garden: The IAIA campus garden project will continue to teach students and community members the values and benefits of Indigenous farming techniques, as well as the health benefits of mindful, cultural food production. We will continue to expand research and demonstration services to three additional Pueblo communities. Course development in agriculture and, possibly, animal science will be developed on the campus. Students will learn valuable skills in farming, agriculture, etc. as well as issues with traditional and "Western" practices.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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