Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The FRTEP has been in existence on the Fort Peck Reservation since 2000. We strive to meet the needs of local producers with gardening, farming, and ranching operations. MSU Extension provides outreach with research-based information, as well as culturally sensitive information. We use the 4-H program principles for both traditional and non-traditional 4-H work. This builds life-skills for learning decision making skills, project and skill development, communication, and networking. This also helps with future career opportunities to lead locally, Tribally, and within peer groups such as the Native Youth Council. Youth learn advocating, public speaking, classroom instruction, and how to fill out paperwork for loans, grants, contracts, and work applications. Target programming audiences for agriculture relates closely with the Fort Peck Reservation with conservation style activities, improving food security, address native farmer and rancher management, and increase food sovereignty. Changes/Problems:Regionally, we continue to be impacted by drought. This is the 4th year of the drought and it is severe. We also have grasshopper infestations that not only impacted the reservation, but the entire eastern half of Montana. Staffing is a large problem as we are currently seeking someone to fully fill this position, but also another county based position that we closely work with. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The FRTEP program was able to present their project on "Montana Beekeeping and Pollinator Education" at the National Association of County Agriculture Agents Professional Improvement Conference. This was also accepted for a SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) proposal to be presented at the educational session. A poster was created. It was awarded 2nd place for the poster and received national finalist award for the Agriculture Awareness and Appreciation Award. The Fort Peck FRTEP program also presented at the National Association of 4-H Youth Development Professionals for their work with the Ag Safety Day program. Other professional development opportunities were the Indian Agriculture Conference, pesticide training, 4-H Congress, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Training, and Montana State University Extension Annual Conference and Agriculture Update. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information was shared to all. Methods used were educational meetings with local and state speakers to provide information. We had a farm safety bin demonstration at a farm tour, hand-on gardening workshops in the Tribal Extension Garden, Cooking demonstrations at Senior Tribal Elderly Feeding sites and Commodity Distribution Centers, some online learning. We also worked with Fort Peck Community College, NRCS, Natural Resources Program, HPDP, Community Services, BIA (lands department), and local producers for farm one-on-one consultations. Information was also provided through social media, newspaper articles, magazine articles, radio, and newsletters. Youth programming was disseminated through school classwork, 4-H club work, regional 4-H work, the local fair, and teacher workshops. In addition to sharing information to clientele, internally with Montana State University Extension, they have sought and provided training for our colleagues in extension to learn about how programming works in the FRTEP program and across reservations of Montana. Through a statewide needs assessment, it was advocated for learning how to work in and with reservations, agents, grants, tribal entities, and departments. MSU sought out expertise from the FRTEP agents to provide this training at our annual conference bringing in a keynote speaker and breakout sessions. Furthermore, we are now holding webinar trainings to answer questions and provide answers that people may have about Indian Country. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?With the importance of food production and working with changing climates, we will continue to provide educational opportunities in this realm. Science-based information will be used, we have climate weather stations that are being installed in the reservation areas that were once areas of no information. This helps with weather data, insurance, drought monitoring, and crop conditions. We seek out professional development opportunities that align with our goals for the FRTEP program on Fort Peck Reservation. We will continue to do programming in ag safety, youth development, bee and pollinator classes, farming and ranching, cropping, farm bill information, soil health, and natural resources. We will be able to provide information on the alfalfa trials that are connected to this area. With the pedal bike system, we will now further use this in the schools, local celebrations as creative activities and healthy wellness, and power generation. 4-H club work will continue to expand, and the gardening projects for both youth and adults at the Tribal Extension Garden will continue. Meat and cooking classes will continue and build on learning aspects. A new project we are working on with the community services department is buying local foods and recognizing entities that sell them. Montana Extension Agents are hosting the national professional development and improvement conference for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. We want to also showcase the FRTEP program since there are 4 of them in Montana and bring awareness to what we do and how we are incorporated with extension and NIFA.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Fort Peck Tribes, Fort Peck Tribes Community Services Department, Natural Resources Department, Natural Resources and Conservation Service, and Health Promotion and Disease Prevention continue to support the large garden area with land, staff, and programming. The very large project aligns with the goals of the FRTEP project to provide both knowledge and agriculture productivity, healthy eating, and well-being. On our annexed portion of land the Fort Peck Tribes provide, we continue to grow fresh produce that is common and staple to diets on the Fort Peck Reservation. This helps to provide food sovereignty principal examples for the area. We also adhere to plant disease issues by growing Montana State Certified Seed Potatoes in the potato patch. Several varieties are available, but the largest volume is the Huckleberry Gold. This variety was specifically found and tested in Montana to be a low-glycemic index potato that is helpful with those struggling with diabetes, which is prone to our reservation. This potato is not a genetically modified potato, but rather a natural strain. Garden produce is given away to Tribal Elder Centers, food banks, used in cooking classes provided. Pumpkins are also grown as well and used as an agri-tourism program for the local Kindergarten classes-150 youth-to come and see the garden area and participate in activities learning about growing them. Other classes and departments also use pumpkin products for education opportunities. Introductory bee classes have also started being popular. Individuals learn about beekeeping since this area is ripe with crops and opportunities for honey. There is one commercial beekeeper that is also in the area. The classes help to learn how to raise bees, overwinter colonies because our weather can get to temperatures of -300F. We had successful hives overwinter. There are 4 active hives in the garden areas, and several other hobbyist beekeepers in the area. We even had one local tribal member finish the Apprentice Beekeeping Certification. Extraction classes also are held to learn the products portion of raising bees. The other benefit to beekeeping is learning about pollination and incorporating that into landscapes. We also successfully added this category to the local fair for entries. Other programming for farmers and ranchers included learning about the Livestock Risk Protection Program. This is an insurance program administered through local insurance agents but comes directly from the Risk Management Agency. At the Indian Agriculture Conference, we learned about additionally how it can be a benefit to socially disadvantaged producers. The FRTEP program held a local training on the LRP insurance, and also learned about livestock nutrition especially in our drought conditions. Initial pesticide training was offered in the area and included is the training that pesticide portion for reservation lands. They learn how to obtain the EPA add-on certificate to be able to use restricted-use pesticides on Indian Reservation lands. The FRTEP program has continued with the alfalfa trials planted last season and are starting to obtain results. This project is a demonstration project because there hasn't been any research or programming in our region on alfalfa in over 25 years. Alfalfa is a main feeding component to livestock operations. We also monitor for pest such as Orange Blossom Wheat Midge with insect traps, and closely monitor for Palmer Amaranth with is a threat to cropping systems. We also provided grain bin safety demonstrations at farm tours for adults. Working with youth, we have an active 4-H club -Fort Peck 4-H- that is accomplishing their goals. They are very active in the horse, art, dog, and craft projects. This club has also helped to reopen a horse arena closer to the area that is also an enclosed arena. They are looking towards being able to practice and learn in all the months then. We held an Agriculture Safety Day through the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. This ensures that all youth that live on the reservation and area understand rural safety-even if they don't live on a farm. There are agriculture practices all around with activities, but also having the reservation close to the river and railroads, these are where families recreate and understanding the dangers helps save lives. The students take home the items donated from local businesses and Tribal Programs and make their homes safer. They also learn healthy eating habits, protect skin from UV light, and protect from insects that carry West Nile in the region. 4-H camp was held at the west end of the Fort Peck Reservation. This regional camp had 45 youth and counselers and 11 adults. One of the programs that the FRTEP program showcased was a bike that is equipped with a blender attachment. We taught healthy eating classes and they used ingredients to make smoothies that they would then use the bike to power the blender and create them. They used teamwork skills, decision making skills to put ingredients together, and exercise to create their smoothies-plus it's super fun. We also used the blender bike locally in our 4-H program with cloverbuds. There is also a spin-art attachment that they used to create spin art by pedaling the bike. The bike system was also used at a teacher training to show how they could use it in their classrooms. The FRTEP program at Fort Peck is also continually called upon with programming in sausage making. This class was originally designed here at Fort Peck using meat and all hands-on activities in making fresh sausage, jerky, snack sticks, and summer sausage. The tribes provide us with buffalo meat to use in the classes. Over 127 students participated in the fresh sausage classes and 45 in the jerky class. They create their own recipes, grind the meat, encase sausage, and package it according to USDA food safety guidelines. They also learn portion sizes when packaging and they can take it home and feed their families, increasing their life skills development. With the limited number of staff, drought and insect conditions, and COVID-19 lasting impacts, the FRTEP program was still able to directly reach 912 Fort Peck Reservation members. Youth participants were 552 in number and adults 360. Indirectly with newspaper and magazine articles, it totals 5200. These programs are the pumpkin patch, sausage and jerky classes, garden products classes, bee classes, farmer and rancher production meeting, pesticide training and certification, teacher training, 4-H horse clinics, 4-H camp, food kits, container gardening workshops, and the ag safety day.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program has had a foothold on the Fort Peck Reservation since 2000. Meeting the needs of the local farmers and ranchers, positive youth development, home horiticulture, and natural resources has been the focus on education efforts. MSU Extension outreach provides essential research-based information and education to enhance agriculture profitiability and sustainability. We also trive to help to support youth education through traditional and non-traditional 4-H. These life-skills will build trust, better decision-making skills, project development, communication, and network relationships. These skills can help develop future career opportunities, leading Tribal governemnt, public speaking, advocating, and technical skills to overall improve their community. Agriculture is the largest sector of economics on the Fort Peck Reservation. The priority for agriculture are to address native farmer and rancher managment, improve food sovereignty, improve food security, and be conservation-minded. Changes/Problems:The region has been impacted by the third year of severe drought and grasshopper infestation. We have had a change of emplyment within the Fort Peck Project, so we are currently seeking someone to fully fill the position. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?I was able to present both a poster called "Freshly Fort Peck," and a presentation at the National Association of County Agricultural Agents about our sustainable food sovereighnty project. Other professional development opportunities were MSU Annual Conference, Pesticide Training, 4-H upate, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Training, and State 4-H Rec Lab. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To reach the communities in educational engagement, there have been a variety of methods. Educational meetings with sought speakers have come to various communities. Youth meetings have been utilized both in and out of school. Trainings have been held both on reservation and off-reservation to bring agriculture and community development information to members. Locally held hands-on workshops, seminars, online meetings, social media, and food kits were organized. Collaboration projects through Tribal Council, Community Services, Natural Resources, NRCS, Tribal Elderly Program, HPDP, and the Fort Peck Community College were similarly used to educate the public. We were also able to use newspaper articles, radio, and newsletters. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue with the food sovereignty project. The garden produce being grown will also be used and expanded to provide meal kits from the groups discretion. We will continue to provide science-based speakers on agriculture practices, focus on the new farm bill and its changes, and focus on soil health. We will also continue to provide educational classes as fits the needs of our constituents and goals of this project. Some of the projects have now become established and expected and sought after. Newer projects such the bee classes will expand and also topics such as pollination and pollinators will be provided. We will also continue to increase youth participation in 4-H club work, ag safety workshops, and youth development. We would like to increase our focus on food and nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
To accomplish the goals of the project, the educational focus was on agriculture improvement and food supply. The Fort Peck Tribes collaborated with 4 other deparments including NRCS, HPDP, Community Services, and Natural Resources to start providing more locally grown food. They annexed off a portion of a tribally owned land to be used for extension purposes. A large garden is grown there, bees hives are located at the end of the piece of ground, and an alfalfa trial has been iniaitated. With the results of the project, we used food sovereighty principles to grow local produce or from other Indian producers, and made a food sovereignty meal kit called "Freshly Fort Peck." It was a designed recipe that the ingredients were all from the Fort Peck Reservation. Some of the original ingredients were not able to be grown because of the excessive heat due to the ongoing severe drought and grasshopper infestation. The remaining ingredients were put together (buffalo meat, low-glycemic index potatoes, honey, and squash/pumpkins) were collected and given to Tribal Elders and the food bank. Over 135 kits were provided to low-income households with a market value of $40 each for a cost savings of $5,400. We also were able to dehydrate some of the foods and used them in winter soup kits. In addition to the kits, 29 other educational food sovereignty activities were conducted reaching 489 people. These were containter garden workshops, food demonstrations, sausage making, and bee classes. Apiary or bee classes have become a new favorite. Our area is prime with various crops and bee habitat. Other livestock, range, soil and pesticide seminars were also held throughout the year in conjunction with meetings to increase agriculture literacy. For youth development, we were able to fully enroll our first Indian 4-H Club. They are called "Fort Peck 4-H Club." They learned how to hold meetings, enroll in projects, learn 4-H curriculum, and write record books. They also exhibited animals and indoor projects at the county fair and are involved in the county horse committee. We were able to have learning workshops about small animals, horse clinics, and other group projects such as how to run a meetings, establishing by-laws, community service, and financial record-keeping. In addition to the traditional 4-H work, non-traditional 4-H work or youth development is also heavily utilized. This entails going into the classroom and teaching 4-H curriculum and project work such as arts and crafts, buffalo sausage making, and agriculture safety. We have been holding an agriculture safety day across different communities to increase agriculture safety awareness across our rural reservation. We hosted the Montana State 4-H Recreation Lab, which is a statewide event. Our focus was the local trading area and its dealings with the Native American culture and northeast Montana. Our Native Youth Council came and presented about tipi's and how they are erected. They talked of their significance and step by step procedure. Then using the audience of over 150 youth from around the state, they gathered them into the tipi using 58 individuals. We also had used local Tribal Elder and motivational speaker Tommy Christian speak, and had the Pretty Iron Feather dancers showcase some of their dances concluding with a round dance that engaged the entire audience.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
https://www.nacaa.com/file?id=a993f1ec-f87a-4061-be78-a1e2dd506b33&w=2000&h=2000
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
https://www.nacaa.com/admin/components/custom/members/presentationapplications/view-application?id=86cb1bbb-8f98-4b29-85e0-daefc1b3d4d2
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