Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for the program are Muscogee (Creek) Nation communities, Muscogee (Creek) citizens, and other members of federally recognized tribes. Changes/Problems:The CMN Extension Program is in its infancy, and at the onset, it was determined vital to get out in the community as much as possible. We will need to partner with MCN chartered community. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Attended FALCON conference. The extension Coordinator attended the OSU Extension Biennial Conference, Local Ag Summit, Mesonet training, andNationalExtension and Research Administrative Officer Conference (NERAOC).Extension Educator participated in the Children,Youth, and Family at Risk (CYFAR) conference. Attended the Coming Together for Racial Understanding Greenwood Rising Tour in Tulsa. Attended Coming Together for Racial Understanding National and State Meetings and Book Club. Participated in Racial Equity in the Food Systems (REFS) work group and meetings. Attend Okmulgee County Extension Master Gardner trainings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The CMN Extension Program is in its infancy and the onset it was determine vital to get out in the community as much as possible. With previous experience at the Nation, Staff members reached out to critical power brokers to share the good news about the developing 1994 Extension Program. The excitement was contagious and even resulted in a formal press release from the Principal Chief's Office. Principal Chief David Hill's quote is at the top of our Strategic Plan. At this time, information is being shared to stakeholders in the following ways: Direct Email. Mvskoke Media. CMN Social Media. "Chewing the Cud" Newspaper Article. Radio and Billboard Advertisement. YouTube Videos. CMN Website. Oral Communication amongst citizens - "the grapevine". Direct communication from CMN Staff via programming. Indian Community presentations is on the horizon for Fall of 2024. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Development of comprehensive marketing plan to include robust website, social media, YouTube, and interactive Program Evaluation and Reporting System (PEARS). 2. Proper build out of PEARS to allow for data driven decision making. 3. Implementation of FY 2025 Programmatic Endeavors which includes the following: Programmatic Calendar - FY 2025 OSU Ag Roundup Master Gardener Program at CMN. Canning Freeze Drying Cold Crops Seed Storage Master Gardener Program - Mvskoke Nation. Propagation Adaptability and Food Sovereignty. Food Safety/Food Labeling GMO Education Mesonet Medicinal Herb Class Making Hominy Corn Conference. Indigenous Values Workshop. Land Stewardship. 4. Work on development plans for each of our strategic planning objectives and priorities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Hired Extension Coordinator and Extension Educator. Conducted strategic planning for the program. Convened CMN Extension Advisory panel meetings aith two meetings. Hosted Mvskoke Gardening series at the CMN garden. Collected heirloom seeds and gave traditional plants to community members. Partnered with Muscogee (Creek) Nation to implement the Mvskoke Farmers Market at Looped Square Meat Company. Extension staff took a structured approach and hired a consultant to assist in developing a five-year strategic plan. The process began in December of 2023 and ended in May of 2024. CMN Extension used a number of the following managerial tactics to obtain a broad, well developed strategic plan: (1) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis; (2) Qualitative interviews of interested parties; (3) Organizational retreat with stakeholders. (4) Strategic Planning weighting of potential goals; (4) CMN Institutional review and buy-in. (5) Guidance from retired OSUIT President who was well versed in strategic planning initiatives. The Board of Regents unanimously approved the Strategic Plan at the May Board Meeting (2024). CMN administrative staff have officially incorporated the plan into CMN's existing Strategic Plan. With that said, many of the prioritized goals listed in the Strategic Plan are all directly linked to the goals listed in our Capacity Grant. Goal 7, Objective 1 - Develop agriculturally-focused training modules for the overall benefit and enrichment of the Muscogee people. 7.1.1. Design an Adult Ag Education program to advance best practices in animal and plant production. 7.1.2. Produce harvesting maps and make them accessible to Tribal citizens. 7.1.3. Implement an instructional series on environmental land management, fallow land regeneration, invasive species identification, and the conservation of natural resources. 7.1.4. Create an on-demand training library for Tribal citizens to access instructional videos on common agriculture education topics and other agricultural resources as needed. Goal 7, Objective 2 - Preserve tribal culture and traditional knowledge through the delivery of courses and services designed to put "culture" back into agriculture. 7.2.1. Create culturally-rooted courses to foster greater awareness of Tribal arts, customs, and ceremonial practices. 7.2.2. Facilitate the preservation of the Muskogee language by systematically infusing written and spoken components of the language into all curricular offerings. 7.2.3. Coordinate heirloom seed bank collection and distribution efforts to sustain the use of traditionally and historically important plants. Goal 7, Objective 3 - Establish an "Eco Park" to promote agritourism based on the ideals, core values, and traditional ecological knowledge of the Muscogee Nation and its people. 7.3.1. Offer fieldwork-based agronomy studies with greenhouse education and cultural gardening instruction. 7.3.2. Grow crops in a college farm setting to supply area food banks and other charitable organizations with fresh fruits and vegetables. 7.3.3. Manage an agriculture education research station in conjunction with other production operations. 7.3.4. Develop interactive exhibits and displays that feature traditional arts and crafts as well as a depiction of the ancestral lifestyle. 7.3.5. Establish public hiking trails and nature walks that promote native culture. Goal 7, Objective 4 - Enhance the economic vitality and resilience of Chartered Communities within the Muscogee Nation. 7.4.1. Provide expert guidance and planting materials to encourage widespread use of public community gardens among rural residents. 7.4.2. Locate extension office hubs in isolated rural communities and utilize community centers to make services more assessable to all Tribal citizens. 7.4.3. Cultivate the local talent base within small tribal communities through rural leadership training. 7.4.4. Encourage the ongoing establishment of farmers' markets in rural tribal communities. Goal 7, Objective 5 - Increase the yield capacity of Native businesses and provide supportive services for small businesses throughout the Muscogee Nation. 7.5.1. Help Native farms and other businesses improve their productivity through a comprehensive business development program. 7.5.2. Strengthen agribusiness and Ag economics within the Muscogee Nation with market entry and resilience training. 7.5.3. Partner with Looped Square Meat Co. to maximize its test kitchen and business incubator operations. 7.5.4. Support the efforts of Tribal artisans by developing a "Certified Muscogee" product line. Goal 7, Objective 6 - Nurture local young people into becoming productive Tribal citizens through proactive activities and youth development programming. 7.6.1. Initiate a "Muscogee Empowerment" training series to encourage self-sufficiency, goal attainment, and cultural pride among tribal youth. 7.6.2. Help local young people obtain valuable trade skills by arranging customized mentorship opportunities. 7.6.3. Organize a homegrown apprentice program for area youth to learn more about tribal culture and sustainable agriculture. Goal 7, Objective 7 - Provide learning experiences that promote voluntary adoption of healthy eating choices as well as other nutrition-related behaviors conducive to health and wellbeing. 7.7.1. Develop curricular offerings to teach healthy meal planning, comprehension of food labels, food gathering, canning, and food preparation skills. 7.7.2. Publish a Muscogee cookbook featuring indigenous foods and recipes. 7.7.3. Allocate resources to advise Tribal citizens about food sovereignty, food literacy, food sustainability, Agri-fitness, and the benefits of a traditional diet. 7.7.4. Advocate for the establishment of more farm-to-table options and natural foods within the diets of Tribal citizens. 5. Other activities as determined by the need and desires of the Mvskoke people.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
https://www.mvskokemedia.com/chewing-the-cud-with-cmn-extension/
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