The Cheyenne River Youth Project® has announced that the canning classes it is hosting in conjunction with the South Dakota State University Extension Office and its representative, Marcella Gilbert, have been rescheduled for Tuesday, July 9 and Tuesday, July 16. Originally they were scheduled for Wednesday, June 26 and Tuesday, July 2.
The canning classes are scheduled for 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Tuesday. They’re open to ages 13 and up, with an enrollment fee of $15 per adult; youth ages 13 to 18 are free. Participants will learn to pickle, make jellies, jams and salsas, and more.
“We’re thrilled to finally be offering garden-related workshops and classes at our facility that are open to the public,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “Our relatives had these skills just two generations ago, but they’ve been overshadowed and even lost in recent years. So we’re committed to sharing those skills and this knowledge with as many people as we can — it’s another important step toward food security, sovereignty and sustainability in our reservation communities.”
The canning classes will incorporate fresh, healthy produce from Winyan Toka Win. Garreau also said she would like to remind community members that this produce also will be on sale in the CRYP Farmers Market every Friday starting July 1, courtesy of the 10 new market stands. Funding from the Northwest Area Foundation supported the purchase; it’s also supporting the canning classes.
“NWAF is dedicated to reducing poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity, focusing on organizations that are doing innovative, cutting-edge work,” Garreau explained. “We’re honored that they feel CRYP is such an organization, and we’re deeply grateful for their support. The NWAF grant is enabling us to make significant strides toward achieving our long-term vision —for our sustainable agriculture initiatives, as well as for the garden itself.”
To learn more and register for the upcoming canning classes at CRYP, call (605) 964-8200; if you’re interested in being an instructor for one or both of the classes, contact Marcella Gilbert at the SDSU Extension office at (605) 964-4955. To take advantage of fresh, nutritious foods from the Winyan Toka Win garden, don’t miss the weekly Farmers Market in Eagle Butte.
And to learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, visit the youth project’s Facebook “Cause” page. All Cause members will receive regular updates through Facebook.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project®, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.