The Center Pole

COVID-19 Response

COVID-19 Response

The ultimate purpose of the project is to create an integrated model living landscape that includes grassland restoration, traditional permaculture, and soil regeneration, based on traditional ecological knowledge, as a sustainable food sovereignty, education, and ecotourism center on the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana. In addition the project will increase the community's investment in the restoration of reservation land, water, and wildlife through an internship training program and volunteer opportunities to help the reservation retain and increase the protection for and appreciation of its natural resources.

The project will increase traditional and healthy food access in the community by creating a healthy foods hub serving and distributing healthy and traditional foods. It leverages data collected via our community food sovereignty assessment. It will retain indigenous food knowledge, increase health and help us increase our lifespan.

The project will increase fresh healthy foods available to Native children on the rural Crow Indian Reservation by utilizing what would otherwise go to waste from urban areas. We would create a more efficient food bank and be able to expand the number of children we serve.

This project will increase local control over data on the local food system. This project will increase data driven knowledge and create community plans based on data collected from a community food sovereignty assessment.

The ultimate purpose is to 1) increase community awareness and knowledge of traditional food systems, their history and associated spiritual traditions, 2) show youth practical, healthy and fun ways to live based on a proud heritage that respects mother earth and is self sufficient, 3) increase community's participation, particularly youth, in understanding their food supply and see opportunities, 4) create economic and fundraising opportunities to sustain this project through an on-reservation farmer's market and store. Further, this project will help supply our 14-year-old food bank with fresh foods for community distribution to children and elders.