Fingerlakespermaculture mailing list

[Ryan Clover-Owens <ryancloverowens AT gmail.com>]

Hi Everyone, Here's an exciting volunteer opportunity I wanted to share with you.

-Ryan Clover
-----
Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota is one of the major food deserts 
in the US. Some people routinely drive 2 hours to the nearest town that 
has a grocery store – it costs them $50 in gas to buy groceries. Most 
people are at least one hour from the nearest store with any kind of 
fresh vegetables or fruits.  If they can’t afford to buy groceries, they
 get “commodities” which are heavily processed foods like macaroni and 
cheese, Spam, etc. A high percentage of children on the rez have 
diabetes and over 60% of adults have diabetes or pre-diabetic 
conditions.  Heart conditions, high blood pressure, etc are the norm. 
Infant mortality and life span rates are similar to 2/3 world countries.
 There is almost no organic food available on or near the rez.  There 
are a number of organizations that are trying to change that and we’d 
like to support them.


We would like to plant several food forests at Pine Ridge reservation in
 South Dakota this spring (May), and if this project speaks to you and 
you are available, we could use your help, starting now, or any time 
through early June, to pull this off!  We have been facilitating 
permaculture projects on the reservation since 2009 with our assistance,
 and have generated enough interest that a number of people are 
interested in food forests as a way to grow food sustainably on the rez .

There is precedent with the traditional Lakota diet including a variety 
of native fruits, nuts and herbs gathered from riparian areas and other 
protected areas.


There is a strong sustainability movement happening in parts of the rez 
and we would like to coordinate with that wonderful energy and put some 
food systems on the rez that are geared toward the needs of the tribe.  
 We have been observing and surveying people, living on the land off and
 on, and getting to know it for three years now and we feel we have 
observed and interacted enough to move forward with something that will 
be genuinely beneficial.  We are conscious of not only historical use of
 plants by the Lakota people but current ways of living, and are trying 
to integrate the design into real needs, resources and a cultural 
context.


We are partnering with three organizations that are working on food 
security for the rez and are respected in their area.  This project will
 have impact not only on this reservation but many others – as people 
from many different tribes visit this reservation and will see these 
systems.



This is an ambitious project (the first phase of five forests planted in
 three weeks – soils prepared, water systems being put in, windbreak 
trees planted, first phase of food plantings done, etc)  but we can pull
 it off with your help.  We have an opportunity to put in permaculture 
food systems with five different organizations on Pine Ridge reservation
 –

all will be seen by and shared with a variety of people, in different 
areas of the reservation.  We want to help create food security for Pine
 Ridge and this is a good step in that direction!  We are looking for 
experienced permaculturists, especially those experienced in growing 
food in similar climates (though few things are quite like the Northern 
prairies for harshness ), in capturing water in similar climates/soils 
(clay silt prairie drylands),  in organizing projects, and fund raisers.
  We can also use strong people with any level of experience to help 
with the planting.


The planting will be done in May, and we will be staging on the sites 
starting either April 19 or April 25, depending on a variety of factors.
 We will need volunteers during this time period (about 4-6 weeks) to 
help with planting, irrigation, swales, etc. Soil building has been 
occurring in most cases already and people will be preparing some 
aspects of the site (or have already done so) before we arrive.


This is strictly a volunteer project – you will need to pay your own way
 if you intend to come there in May and help plant. We can provide 
lodging and hopefully at least some of the food but the first priority 
for pay, if there is any, will be to the Lakota.


Last year, we dug swales and planted 600 wind break trees on one site 
and we have started installation of a kitchen garden and food forest on 
that site.

What we need right now is help coordinating the planning portion of these projects:


a. Lining up and coordinating arrival of volunteers

b. Coordinating with the project heads at Pine Ridge

c. Designing the sites (I have visited these sites, done some analysis, and we can start on pre-design work now)

d. Doing more thorough research on appropriate plants for the area (I’ve
 done a fair amount of this, researching invasives, plants toxic  to 
horses, cows, buffalo, some native edibles and medicinals, etc)

e. Getting donations of plants from a variety of sources (I have a partial list of places that may donate)

f. Raising funds for irrigation, fuel, etc.

If you want more info, or would like to get involved, please contact Koreen at:  cory AT permacultureguild.us

We do have a bit of a “get to know you” process, so please bear with us on that.

We would really appreciate your support, participation, experience, energy, for this project!

Mitakuye Oyasin

Koreen Brennan
Ken Benway
Permacultureguild.us
Facebook.com/

permacultureguild4