Growing our new land
One year ago, we announced that we had expanded our farm from 10 to 30 acres. We are working with partners to plan farm layout and buildings for the new land. Our farmers are very busy, not only growing food and caring for Indigenous seeds, but they will also be planting cover crops to regenerate the soil. Our vision is to provide additional space for our youth and community to gather, and offer growing space for new Native producers to feed our community with healthy Indigenous foods.
We are participating in #SpringForwardMN now through May 11th. You support will help us plant the foundation of the new land and regenerate our soil.
Grow with us! Stay tuned as we share more progress from Dream of Wild Health.
Growing Leaders
In one short month from now, our first summer program session at the farm. In summer 2020 we were able to safely host our youth programs without anyone developing COVID-19. Our youth expanded on their knowledge as Youth Leaders, staying active with DWH throughout the school year.
Here are are four different ways we delivered virtual school programs:
- Chef Internship: DWH Youth Leaders participated in the chef internship program with the Indigenous Food Lab and Gatherings Cafe.
- Three Sisters program with St. Paul Indian Education and Spring Lake Indian Education: New this year, DWH Nutrition Program Coordinator, Alanna Norris, and Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher, Hope Flanagan, delivered weekly virtual nutrition and culture lessons to Native youth.
- Sunflower Cookie Youth Leader Demo:
After a year of shifting our youth programs from in person to online, our youth were able to host the first Youth-led cooking demo! In previous years, DWH Youth Leaders have traveled across Minnesota to give lessons on and advocate for healthy, Indigenous foods. As part of Seed Week, three families and six DWH Youth Leaders joined the Sunflower Cookie Youth Leader Demo to share their stories and experiences from the farm.
Photo from Cooking demo
- Youth Leader Professional Development: Three youth participated in our Mock Money Moves professional development. Youthmcreated a 1 year, 3 year, and five year farm business plan. Youth were given unlimited funds and land space and told to create the best farm they could think of. The youth spent time researching the best plants, how much space animals needed, and even how they wanted to layout their land. At the end of this project youth presented to Dream of Wild Health Staff and their parents.
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Photo courtesy of the Hoam family.
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Youth Leaders highlight: Justice and Trinity Hoam
The Hoam youth participated in our chef internship this year, learning from the chefs at the Indigneous Food Lab.
"Justice (11 yo) and Trinity (14yo) are Ho-Chunk and have participated in our youth programs for the last two years. During the chef internship, we noticed that it wasn’t just Justice and Trinity participating, but their young siblings and parents joined in too! Six family members joined the zoom meeting every week to cook for two hours. The chef internship had a huge impact on the Hoam family as it allowed them to break from their busy schedules to come together and cook a healthy meal of Indigenous foods. Justice and Trinity would often help their younger siblings to the counter to help stir, taste test, or say hi to the DWH staff and chef. "
- Angel Swan, Community Programs Coordinator
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