Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience: The Sicangu Makoce (also known as the Rosebud Indian Reservation) is home to the Sicangu Lakota Oyate ("Burnt Thigh Nation"). The reservation is nearly twice the size of Rhode Island, and home to a fast-growing population, with roughly 30,000 members living on the reservation. There are 20 recognized communities within Rosebud; many of which are rural and very isolated from grocery stores or easily accessible foods. According to the USDA's Food Access Research Atlas, the Rosebud Reservation is considered a Low Income & Low Access census tract. The prevalence of food insecurity is 26% and limited access to healthy food is 14%, both of which are higher than the average prevalence in the state of South Dakota. Our program mostly targets community members in the 15-39 age range, though there is no age limit. The "Waicahya Icagapi Kte (They Will Develop Into Producers) or WIK" project focuses on recruiting more specific groups: High school students to participate in the summer internship program; Adults interested in farming/agriculture as a career/lifestyle; and Newly established farmers/ranchers/producers In Year 2 of the project, we have five adult Apprentices begin the program and three complete it. Of the three participants who graduated from the WIK program, two were Sicangu Lakota and the third was a member of the Crow Tribe. The summer internship component had five students this year. Providing high-quality youth internships is where the FSI first got its start in hosting and teaching interested community members about agriculture and food production. It is vital to reinvigorate interest in food production among our young people; we see this summer internship as an accessible introduction to agriculture for high school students and create a pathway between the summer participants and adult Apprenticeship program. Though the WIK program and the summer internship serve a smaller number of people directly, the wider impact of our project is important to note. The FSI hosts two weekly farmers' markets - there was increased produce for community members to purchase due to increased capacity at the Keya Wakpala Gardens, where the interns learn and assist in the daily maintenance and operations. The families and neighbors of the Apprentices benefit especially, as many of our participants have expressed an interest in growing on a smaller-scale that is better suited to community-level food production. This is a big takeaway from the past year and is something we are committed to incorporating and supporting as we move this grant project forward. Changes/Problems:As mentioned above and in last year's report, transportation remains a barrier. We tried multiple ways to address this so that we could keep the WIK program on-site. FSI tried to secure an agreement with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Transportation, which is the office that oversees public transit and shuttle services on the reservation. However, after numerous attempts, we were unable to schedule meetings to discuss an agreement and the Transportation office said that Apprentices would have to pay for the service; the Transportation office was unable to charge the FSI program directly. Since participants had to pay the Transportation office, FSI tried a reimbursement process next. However, this proved ineffective as many of the participants could not afford to pay the upfront cost of the transportation service. Compounding this is the fact that many community members lack vehicles of their own. One car may be shared among multiple people, or a person is dependent on friends or family to drive them. Providing gas cards doesn't address this issue, and having FSI staff provide rides using their own personal vehicles is not a sustainable option. Since this has been voiced as a barrier for every single participant, and lack of transportation is the reason why multiple Apprentices had to leave the program early, we are shifting to the home-based implementation for Year 3. This shift will make participation accessible to more community members, which will be an exciting adjustment next year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Most of the grant project is focused on providing training and professional development for the participants. This year, the FSI staff held an average of two trainings a week - a four-hour session on Monday and another one on Friday (these did occasionally get rescheduled to due holidays/office closures). Both adult Apprentices and youth interns received training on universal topics such as financial literacy, gathering wild foods and participating in a buffalo harvest. The WIK participants, due to the nature of the program, received more comprehensive trainings. Other topics FSI staff taught were carpentry, seed starting, planting planning, harvesting, packaging, food safety, business planning, budgeting and public speaking. Farm tours included going to Cycle Farms, Fruit of the Coop, Casellis Market Garden, all of which are in the Black Hills area. More locally, Apprentices visited Kaiyote Hills, Firefly Farms, Red Bird Flats and Cedar Creek Gardens. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?FSI staff conducted a survey of Year 1 participants to gauge knowledge and skills gained. Across the board, all Apprentices felt as though they came into their respective programs with no knowledge of what they were doing. At the completion of the WIK program, however, each Apprentice reported feeling confident in their ability to start and manage their own garden space. A variety of recruitment methods were utilized to get new applicants for this past year's cohort. Advertisements were posted through social media, newspapers, local radio and flyers. Community members also hear about the program through the farmers' markets and the TSA food box program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have learned a lot in the first two years of the project and are incorporating some adjustments going into Year 3 to best serve our community. The lack of reliable and consistent transportation has been a huge challenge throughout the project. The reservation is very rural and there are not public transportation options. To address this problem, we are shifting to a home-based experience for Year 3. Since this change will allow more people to participate, we will be increasing the cohort size for the third year. FSI staff will conduct regular site visits to check in on progress and address any challenges that may arise. Internet access will be necessary for Apprentices to be able to attend trainings and complete assignments. FSI plans to provide supplies and stipends to support computer and internet access. Other feedback we received from both Year 1 and Year 2 participants was that they would have benefited from having more time to write their farm plans. These farm plans are the culmination of the experience and are meant to be the framework for their own home garden operation. In Year 3, FSI staff will introduce the concept of the farm plan at the beginning of the program and will work with each Apprentice throughout their tenure to develop a viable plan. On the youth summer internship track, transportation has also been identified as a barrier. This program will remain on-site, but participants will receive support to help pay for gas costs. Additionally, to remain competitive with other youth programs on Rosebud, the FSI is increasing the hourly pay rate from $10/hour to $15/hour.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The second year of our project was another success! We had 16 people apply for the five open Apprentice spots, highlighting the community interest in the WIK program. Of the five Apprentices, three graduated from the program and two received seed money (funded through a different source). Apprentices' trainings included topics such as: financial literacy, basic cooking classes, seed starting, wild foods & buffalo harvesting, carpentry, auto mechanics, pruning and packaging produce for market. FSI staff and the Apprentices visited multiple other farms throughout South Dakota as part of their training, as well. Successful sales are vital if food production is to be a career for community members. To learn this side of being in agriculture, Apprentices assisted with the twice weekly farmers' market, supporting staff with the set-up and tear down of the booth, as well as selling products from the stand. The FSI runs a Tribally-Supported Agriculture (TSA) program, which is a seasonal food box that is distributed to community members. Apprentices worked with the Garden Manager on this program, learning how to plan out seeds/starter plants, harvesting and packaging. The summer internship was another highlight this project year; we had five youth complete the five-week program. Summer interns also received financial literacy training, assisted with a larger meat bird harvest and learned how to identify and gather wild foods. There are also exciting updates about Year 1 Apprentices! One graduate is now on staff at the FSI (but still maintains a garden at home), while another one began their own home production! This person had chickens, but lost them to some wildlife. However, they have been utilizing the skills learned during their Apprenticeship and has applied for multiple grants to replenish the chicken inventory and to get a small high tunnel.
Publications
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Progress 09/15/22 to 09/14/23
Outputs
(N/A)
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The SFSI Expansion had a successful launch! Objective 1: Five individuals will participate in a paid apprenticeship at Keya Wakpala Gardens annually, earning income while learning a viable and sustainable trade. Five individuals participated, and two are on track to complete the program on October 30. Retention challenges were connected to transportation issues. Those who complete the program will earn Seed Money to launch their farming efforts. Objective 2: By October each year, 100% of Apprentices will demonstrate increased skills in: social-emotional intelligence, technical agriculture, and financial literacy through assessments and self-reporting. All apprentices completed a full week of financial literacy training. They also completed public speaking training, auto mechanics workshops, carpentry workshops, training in computer literacy, and completed farm tours. Assessments showed growth for all participants. Objective 3: By October each year, 100% of Apprentices will be able to describe how self- and family-sovereignty connect with community sovereignty through the completion of a Farm Sustainability Plan, self-reporting, and reflections. Apprentice participants are currently finalizing their Farm Sustainability Plans, and are on track to present them for Seed Money at the end of October 2023. Objective 4: Annually, at least four Apprentices will receive Seed Money to launch new agricultural enterprises on the Rosebud Reservation (10 acres and under), resulting in the establishment of at least 12 new farm operations on the Rosebud Reservation by the end of year three. As described, Apprentice participants are finalizing their Farm Sustainability Plans and are on track to present them for Seed Money. Due to retention issues, two Apprentices will receive Seed Money. Objective 5: Annually, five youth participate in a paid internship program at Keya Wakpala Gardens. Three recently graduated High School Seniors completed a summer internship, growing food, completing community service projects, harvesting wild food, completing financial literacy instruction, participating in cooking classes, and contributing towards food sovereignty efforts. Objective 6: Annually, at least one youth intern graduate will move into the Apprenticeship program. Two students that completed the summer internship program are on track to apply for the Apprenticeship program this coming year. Additionally, project participants contributed to the dramatic increase of produce harvest! Through September 27 (not including the winter squash harvest), 3,137.63 pounds of produce have been harvested and distributed to support local food sovereignty. A second weekly Farmers Market was held, allowing produce to reach residents in Mission and Rosebud. Additional produce allowed the program to supply 22 Tribally-Supported Agricultural Subscriptions with weekly food boxes.
Publications
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