Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target is the NHSC student body, faculty/staff, and campus. This comprises approximately 250 students, 50 faculty and staff. Secondarily, we are targeting the larger MHA Nation community of tribal organizations and families who can benefit from healthy nutrition. We made special efforts to reach out and include rural communities (e.g. Twin Buttes, White Shield). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One staff on the project completedpermaculture certification, which has been incorporated into our gardening programs. Three staff working on this project completed Master Gardener training through NDSU Extension, with two completing volunteer hours to receive Master Gardener certification. InOctober 2018, the Nutrition/Cafeteria Director and the Land Grant Director attended the Seeds of Native Health conference in Shakopee, MN. Our new Garden Manager/Local Foods Coordinator (start date 11/28/18)attendedworkshops and seminars in Spring and Summer of 2019, includingthe Indigenous Farming Conference, Northern Plains SustainableAgricultureConference, North Dakota Famer's Markets and Growers Association's Local Foods Conference, NDSU Extension High Tunnel Workshop, and Integrated Pest Management Producer Training Workshop at Dakota College at Bottineau. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our public events and educational seminars have been advertised all throughout the MHA Fort Berthold Reservation, including radio, print, and socialmedia. A newspaper articlewaswritten and appeared in our local newspaper on ourSeed Starting Seminar in March2019. Our NHSC Storm newsletter has written and published a number of articles on the garden harvest and community educational seminars provided, including the salsa and preservation workshops. Nutrition posters and banners have been hung in our cafeteria, promoting healthy food choices and the importance of sustainablelocal foods. Garden produce posters are hung in the NHSC cafeteria that provide information on the garden produce being "highlighted" when that particular produce is being utilized in the NHSC cafeteria menu for the day. Posters on "acceptablecompostable items" appear next to the compost bucket in the cafeteria. Additionally, we have developed a very active social media page on Facebook to concur with our increased activities:NHSC Ag-tivities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
October 2018, the Nutrition/Cafeteria Director and the Land Grant Director attended the Seeds of Native Health conference in Shakopee, MN. The conference brought together tribal officials, researchers, practitioners, and others to discuss the current state of Indigenous and academic scientific knowledge about Native nutrition and food science. In addition to Local Food and Food Sovereignty seminars, we attended a garden tour and seminar on preparation of healthy traditional food. September of 2018 we offered a series of Farmer's Markets at the NHSC Gardens. The events featured produce from NHSC gardens, local produce from other community members, as well as crafts from local artisans. Our plans for Fall 2019, include revamping our Farmer's Market to be relocated to a high traffic area during prime weekday hours, benchmarking other successful area Farmer's Markets. In Spring 2019, we offered the following seminars: Garden Planning & Seeds starting hand-on seminar in March 2019. NHSC students continued to help with the seeds and watering until May 2019 when they were planted in the gardens. We also held a two-day Seed Starting seminar series in April 2019. Additionally, we hosted North Dakota State University's Master Gardeners classes on campus: Jan-April 2019. Spring, 2019 our newly hired Garden Manager/Local Foods Coordinator attended the following professional development seminars: Indigenous Farming Conference, Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Conference, and North Dakota State University Extension High Tunnel Workshop. The NHSC Agriculture Department partnered with Dakota College at Bottineau in the Integrated Pest Management Specialty Crop Project for the 2019 growing season. Our Garden Manager/Local Foods Coordinator attended the IPM Producer Training Workshop Spring 2019 at Dakota College at Bottineau, ND. NHSC was trained in IPM techniques and collected pest management data which was used to assist in determining action thresholds and recommendation practices for pest management. Throughout the Full Circle Project, we have significantly increased participation in our Community Gardens. In 2015 we had 5 community gardeners, 10 in 2016. In years 2017, 2018 and 2019 we had 20 community gardeners each year, with 3 student lead gardens in 2019. Part of the Full Circle Project was the installation of 34 ft x 36 ft hoop house, which we continue to use each season. We use the hoop house primarily for hot season crops--tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and season extension. In Fall 2019, harvest began August 2019 and continued through the fall. Produce was harvested for use primarily in the NHSC Cafeteria. This year we have expanded the varieties of crops produced immensely, with varied harvest dates, to be more effectively utilized by the cafeteria. Early crops included swiss chard, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, bell peppers, summer squash, yellow onions, green beans, jalapeno peppers, okra, eggplant, beets, zucchini, garlic, potatoes, and basil. For our Fall 2019 harvest, we supplied to the NHSC Cafeteria the following: potatoes (385 lbs), squash (300 lbs), carrots (10 lbs), sweet corn (220 lbs), peppers (40 lbs), tomatoes (71 lbs), onions (10.1 lbs), cabbage (25 lbs), melons (30 lbs), cucumbers (23.5 lbs), eggplant (12 lbs), swiss chard (17 lbs), garlic (25.25 lbs). honey crisp apples (80 lbs), and plumbs (30 lbs). Additionally, we supplied basil, beet tops, beets, green beans, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, okra, rhubarb, sun choke, and turnips in limited quantities. Any additional produce that was above and beyond what the cafeteria could utilize (total of 790 lbs) was donated to the North Segment Elder's Meals (91lbs). An additional 298 lbs was sold at our 2019 Farmer's Market, held downtown New Town with community partner, Elbowoods Memorial Health Center. The Farmer's Market also provided space for local producers to sell their produce. To date, this has been our most successful Farmer's Market. We plan to continue a downtown Farmer's Market series next fall. Fall 2019 community seminars provided include a salsa workshop and beet pickling workshop in partnership with NDSU Extension. We continued work with the NHSC Cafeteria in our successful composting program. We produced over 100 gallons compost from May - September 2019, utilizing our unused cafeteria produce (134 lbs) along with wood chips, which allowed us to complete the "Full Circle" returning our compost to our gardens. This year, we added composting educational materials and posters in our cafeteria and provided a composting "bucket" for students to use, expanding awareness of the importance of composting and sustainable methods. Throughout the Full Circle Project, we reached out to our community to increase the composting program to include local partners - JC Java and Jason's Superfoods. In addition, our NHSC Equine program's partner at the Healing Horse Ranchprovided manure compost to our gardens expanding our "Full Circle" in the NHSC family. 2019 Data Produce Provided to NHSC Cafeteria: 790 lbs Produce Donated to North Segment Elder Meals: 91 lbs Produce Compost from NHSC Cafeteria: 134 lbs Produce Sold at 2019 Farmer's Market: 298 lbs
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target is the NHSC student body, faculty/staff, and campus. This comprises approximately 250 students, 50 faculty and staff. Secondarily, we are targeting the larger MHA Nation community of tribal organizations and families who can benefit from healthy nutrition. We made special efforts to reach out and include rural communities (e.g. Twin Buttes, White Shield). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Our co-PI completed permaculture certification, which will be incorporated into our gardening programs. Additionally, staff has attended local foods conference and sustainability conferences. Plans are for our Cafeteria Director to attend a Native Foods Health and Nutrition Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our public events have been advertized all throughout the MHA Fort Berthold Reservation, including radio, print, and social media. Additionally, we have developed a very active social media page to concur with our increased activities. NHSC Ag-tivities Facebook. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We still have a lot more we want to achieve. Increase volume and variety of foods served from garden to cafeteria. Have additional canning and preserving classes, as well as composting. Increasing partnerships continues to serve our own as well as overall tribal wellness goals. A harvest schedule to give the cafeteria an idea of what vegetables, when, and an approximately how many will be developed. This will help the cafeteria plan meals toincorporate the garden produce more effectively.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
May 2017 --Spring planting day. In conjunction with Elbowwoods Community Health Clinic, hosted more than 30 participants for a field day in our gardens. The day included gardening classes and a group work project to plant a garden and trees. Disbursed seeds to community gardeners. · July-August 2017--began harvesting produce for the NHSC cafeteria. Early crops included spinach, kale, and radishes. As we got into late summer and early fall, we supplied potatoes (1,000+ pounds), squash (100+ pounds), pumpkins (30-40), carrots (100 pounds), sweet corn (150-200), beans (20-30 pounds). We supplied tomatoes, broccoli, peas, cucumbers, cabbage, Jerusalem artichokes, onions/garlic, beets, swiss chard, rutabagas, parsnips in limited quantities. Overall we have significantly increased participation in our Community Gardens. In 2015 we had 5 community gardeners, 10 in 2016. However, both in 2017 and 2018 we had 20 community gardeners each year. Utilizedour new hoop house (34 ft x 36 ft hoop house). Usedprimarilyfor hot season crops--tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and season extension. We found that it did get too hot during summer months, so have plans to adjust next year for sides to roll-up to increase air flow. At this time, the college cafeteria has begun acomposting program and further development (including food compost,and a worm compostingoperation). We produced more than 100 gallons of compost with our on-campus vermiculture composting system by using cafeteria organic waste. Completed a circle by returning our compost to our gardens. Additionally, we continue to partner with our community to increasecomposting program to include local partners - JC Java and Jason's Superfoods. In addition, our NHSC Equine program's partnerat the Healing Horse Ranch (which provides boarding for horses and access to an indoor riding arena for our EquineStudies program)provided manure compost to our gardens expanding our "full circle". With our current team and resources, we were able to offer the first full-fledged farmer's markets, Fall of 2017 offering an event in August and another in October. The events featured feature produce from NHSC gardens, local produce from other community members, as well ascrafts from local artisans, and draft horse wagon rides. The events weresuccessful serving well over 50 community members.Additionally, garden tours were provided which peaked interested by community members to reserve a community gardenplot. Additionally in Fall 2017, we provided the following educational seminars related to the Full Circle project: Compost Seminar, Pumpkin & Potato Lunch Day (NHSC cafeteriautilized NHSC garden potatoes and pumpkins in the meal and provided nutritional information on the benefits of each), pickling workshop, and a canning series of workshops (3 sessions). .
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target is the NHSC student body, faculty/staff, and campus. This comprises approximately 250 students, 50 faculty and staff. Secondarily, we are targeting the larger MHA nation community of tribal organizations and families who can benefit from healthy nutrition. We made special efforts to reach out and include rural communities (e.g. twin buttes, white shield). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Our co-PI completed permaculture certification, which will be incorporated into our gardening programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We plan to present at the upcoming FALCON conference. Our public events have been advertized all throughout the MHA Fort Berthold Reservation, including radio, print, and social media. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We still have a lot more we want to achieve. Increase volume and variety of foods served from garden to cafeteria. Have canning and preserving classes scheduled, as well as composting. Increasing partnerships continues to serve our own as well as overall tribal wellness goals.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
·Spring 2017, hosted Seed Keeper event, 15 participants. ·Spring 2017, began greenhouse production, focused on tomato and cucumbers. ·Increased community garden plots from 10 in 2016 to 20 in 2017. ·Summer 2017--Increased composting program to include local partners--JC Java and Jason's Superfoods. ·Summer 2017--Created partnerships with local people to increase organic matter in soil and reduce waste. Gained regular access to wood chips and manure compost to build soil fertility. ·Summer 2017--Increased pollinator habitat. ·Spring 2016--Local food cycle concept initiated. We created the goal of growing our own food for our cafeteria while recycling our waste as compost. ·May 2016--Spring planting day. In conjunction with Elbowwoods Community Health Clinic, hosted more than 30 participants for a field day in our gardens. The day included gardening classes and a group work project to plant a garden and trees. Disbursed seeds to community gardeners. ·July-August 2016--began harvesting produce for the NHSC cafeteria. Early crops included spinach, kale, and radishes. As we got into late summer and early fall, we supplied potatoes (1,000+ pounds), squash (100+ pounds), pumpkins (30-40), carrots (100 pounds), corn (several hundred ears of sweet corn), beans (20-30 pounds). We supplied tomatoes, broccoli, peas, cucumbers, cabbage, Jerusalem artichokes, onions/garlic, beets, swiss chard, rutabagas, parsnips in limited quantities. Just a baseline, starting point. We learned we need to improve our food preservation/canning skills and train kitchen staff on how to incorporate some of these items into the menu. Prime harvest time does not entirely coincide with academic year. ·Increased our Community Garden participants from 5 in 2015 to 10 in 2016. ·August 2016--hosted a Harvest day at the gardens. Held classes on canning, nutrition, fitness. Potluck of garden produce-based dishes. 20-30 participants. ·September 2016--installed 34 ft x 36 ft hoop house for 2017 use. Will primarily use for hot season crops--tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and season extension. ·Fall semester 2016--held 3 Local Food Seminars. Topics were Seed Saving, Cultural Gardening, and Beekeeping. Presented in a Cultural Gardening course in February 2017 on Permaculture. ·Attended an event in August 2016 on Seed Saving put on by the Indigenous Seed Network in Bismarck. Will host our own event here in May 2017. ·In 2016, produced more than 100 gallons of compost with our on-campus vermiculture composting system by using cafeteria organic waste. Completed a circle by returning our compost to our gardens.
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