This summer is a big one for us. Thanks to a grant from the Northwest Area Foundation and a nationwide grassroots fundraising campaign, our nearly 25-year-old nonprofit has been able to undertake a major expansion of sustainable agriculture initiatives.
NWAF supports efforts across eight states to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity, focusing on organizations that are doing innovative, cutting-edge work. Its $65,000 grant to CRYP will allow the youth project to hire a sustainable agriculture coordinator and will provide the means to construct eight Farmers Market stands, build an additional garden shed and purchase supplies for managing the 2-acre, naturally grown, pesticide-free Winyan Toka Win garden.
“We’re deeply grateful for NWAF’s support, since we now have the resources to meaningfully pursue our vision for our garden as well as for additional sustainable systems initiatives like the Farmers Market, the Keya Cafe and our gift shop,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director.
Additional fundraising remains necessary, however. Due to pressing need, CRYP must purchase new lawnmowers and a wood chipper, and Garreau said the youth project is turning to its supporters for help.
“Every dollar at CRYP is carefully budgeted, so when we have unexpected needs like this arise, we must find dedicated funding to support the required purchases,” she explained. “We’re hoping our friends around the country, and around the world, will help us with these items, which are so important to our garden and land-management programs here in Eagle Butte.”
Although CRYP has not yet hired a sustainable agriculture coordinator, it is actively advertising the position nationwide. In the meantime, the youth project has hired former volunteer Craig Martin to serve as its summertime garden coordinator.
Martin helped to kick off this year’s growing season on Memorial Day, when CRYP hosted a special garden blessing in Winyan Toka Win. Lakota elder Eagle Hunter conducted the blessing and Lakota prayer, and he regaled the gathered community members with tales from his childhood, when his family lived off produce from their garden.
“He said that kind of self-sufficiency and sustainability has been lost in recent years,” Martin said. “He told us that what we’re doing is really important, and that the community recognizes that, every time they drive by and see us out there.”
Martin organized an animated onion-planting session with the children in attendance, and Youth Programs Director Tammy Eagle Hunter surprised the young gardeners with homemade root-beer floats.
“Then they had some playground time,” Martin commented. “Altogether, we had about an hour and a half in the garden, which was really great.”
Martin, who hails from Upland, Indiana, first came to CRYP as a Christmas Toy Drive volunteer in 2010. He served for two more Christmas seasons, and when the garden coordinator position became available for the 2013 summer growing season, he said it was the right opportunity at the right time.
“My primary motivation to take the job was my love of this place, of the staff, of serving the kids and the community,” he explained. “The job intrigued me, too. I’ve learned a ton since I started at the end of May!” Martin’s mentor is Lakota elder Romey Garreau, who served as CRYP’s gardener for many years. And as Martin learns to take the reins in Winyan Toka Win, which he said was three-quarters planted at press time, he also will be developing garden-centric youth programming for young children and teens alike.
“It really is a hybrid position, a blend of gardening and youth programming,” Martin said. “It’s a great opportunity, to have such a powerful means to get kids involved.”
The 4- to 12-year-old children who attend The Main youth center will be able to participate in Garden Club throughout the summer months. This year, each child will have his or her own traditional Three Sisters mini-garden.
“The kids can pick their own beans, corn and squash, and then they’ll plant them and care for them,” Martin said. “We’re also going to have a ‘Sas-squash’ scarecrow. It’s going to be an educational program, but I’m going to make it fun.”
The teen garden programming was still in development at press time, but Martin said he hoped to incorporate the book “Prairie Smoke,” written by ethnobiologist Melvin Randolph Gilmore in the 1920s.