Northern Cheyenne Good Medicine Garden Project

LAME DEER, MT. – Yvonneda “Henry” Thompson, Northern Cheyenne has been the architect of many innovative projects during her 25 years as Director of Extension Service of the Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC).  Yet, the current Extension service priority project, the Good Medicine Garden is one of the most exciting opportunities in her career, she recently told Native Sun News Today.

A natural follow up to gardening efforts conducted by CDKC Extension over the past few years, the Good Medicine Garden is in the making, a multi-year project, now in its second year.   When completed, the community-oriented area, located close to the CDKC John Woodenlegs Memorial Library will feature native plants, trees, and plants, walking paths, gardens, a gardening oasis, certain to be a peaceful, restful and inspiration place on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.  The project is funded by USDA-NIFA as a priority project for the CDKC Extension Program.in the current 4-year grant.

The Extension Service was established at CDKC, shortly after tribal colleges were granted land grant status by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  As Thompson explained, tribal colleges were granted that status in 1994.  However, it took some time for funding to be appropriated.  CDKC gained one of the first competitive grants to begin an Extension Service in 1997 and since, under Thompson’s leadership and with the support of CDCK leadership, has developed and implemented several innovative community development projects.

Thompson said that all tribal colleges that have qualified for Land Grant status have Extension Services programing.  She encourages readers (both tribal and non-Indian) who reside in such a service area to find out what is available in their communities.

“Most people in rural areas relate Extension service programs with 4-H and agriculture,” Thompson noted.  “But another aspect is community and economic development.  That is the category we chose, but in that context, we also work with agricultural producers, because that is a major source of business and economic impact on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation”.

In recent years, CDKC Extension Service has focused on food and sustainability.  Those efforts have included developing and supporting community gardens, youth gardens and teaching harvesting, processing, and preserving foods, focusing on both domestic produce and traditional native foods. Thompson estimated that about fifty percent (at least 25 families and 10 youth) of the people who originally received seeds, tools and assistance with gardens have continued to garden.

For example, at the Extension office “tomatoes are coming out of their ears,” free to anyone, indication of gardening success. “All the produce generated from the Extension Gardens is if gifted to students, elders and needy community members,” Thompson explained.

Throughout the CDKC campus the Extension service also cultivates edible gardens throughout the campus, available to anybody.

Last year, for example, a group of teenage youth participated in a CDKC summer program, Kids Kollege which focused on traditional foods, associated culture, and knowledge.  Linwood Tallbull and his son Randall Tallbull, who have considerable expertise in such matters were key to the program.  “They are walking books. We took the kids to the plants and to the country, places such as Crazy Head Springs, sacred to the Northern Cheyenne.” Thompson explained.  “They just ate it ups and actively participated, asking questions eager to learn their Cheyenne culture.  I think that style of learning appeals to them. A hands-on approach seems to engage them. Many of them have not had the opportunity to gain such knowledge from tribal elders who were the traditional teachers of such things,”

Thompson personally believes that sustainability through food production, harvest and preservation is a critical skill.  “Just think about how the country is going,” she reflected. “Years ago, our people had gardens, cows and chickens and hunted.  They were very self-reliant.  But that has changed.  Through the Extension Service program here at Northern Cheyenne, we hope to revitalize and encourage those skills.”

CDKC Extension has also fostered sister organizations dedicated to community development, such as People’s Partners for Community Development, (PPCD) a 501(c)3 non-profit which has over the past decade made phenomenal progress acquiring or developing several small business including the Courtesy Cash Store, a grocery store and meat processing plant and recently a Credit Union on the Reservation. CDKC served as an incubator for PPCD for several years providing office space, technical assistance, and support until PPCD could go independent.  “Former President Richard Littlebear was instrumental in that,” Thompson noted.  “He told us that we should help them get established, but not to hold on to them.”

A particular success for CDCK Extension has been tax preparation assistance to both tribal members and other local community members.  “When we first started providing assistance with tax return filing, in the late 1990’s it was a relatively new concept to many on the Reservation,” Thompson recalls. 

With the support of the I.R.S. and other qualified tax preparers, Extension staff and partners received training in tax preparation, services provided three different reservation locations, Courtesy Cash Store, Lame Deer; Extension Service, Lame Deer and St. Labre Family Services, Ashland. In the past 17 years, $19,052,034 in tax revenue has come back to the pockets of Northern Cheyenne people on the reservation. “We are very satisfied with that,” Thompson said. “Every year, more people participate.”

Along with tax preparation, Extension staff encourages tribal members to avoid predatory lenders, especially in nearby towns that border the reservation. Montana has a law against that, she said, but there are ways around that.

CDKC Extension service “the program” as Northern Cheyenne say, always has some new and innovative idea up their sleeve.  Later this month, they will hold a Fall Festival in celebration of the upcoming Good Medicine Garden, to be held at that site. Free to the public, it will surely be a good time.  This Native Sun News correspondent plans to attend and report on that. Maybe a little face painting, free hotdogs, fun games, food especially garden treats, some even pickled, might be very good medicine.

(Contact Clara Caufield at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

 

The post Northern Cheyenne Good Medicine Garden Project first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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