Sustainable Foodway Programing in Rural Utah Native American Communities
Sustainable Agriculture
Reagan Wytsalucy
Extension Assistant Professor
Utah State University
Monticello
Abstract
Native American culture, migrations, and spiritual history predominately revolved around food grown or gathered. This remains the foundation of Utah Native American nations in Southeastern Utah connected to the Four Corners region, otherwise known as the Colorado Plateau, in the United States. Revolving recent history has placed significant impacts to Southeastern Utah Native American land management systems and access to clean water supply, reducing the amount of horticulture farming operations in the last century. Limited occurrence of horticulture crop production has resulted in limited supply of heirloom seed sources and associated agriculture cultural practices within these communities. Traditional horticulture crops include the Three Sisters, melons, peppers, and fruit and nut crops. To counter current events, Reagan Wytsalucy is building Utah State University(USU) Extension programing and educational garden spaces that are culturally relevant for all communities in San Juan County, UT. The educational garden spaces serve to provide Horticulture production workshops for youth and producers, Master Gardener field training and volunteer certification, healthy food resources, food preservation education, and encompasses local cultural practices. Expected USU Extension programs to eventually include SNAP-ed and Create Better Health programs and to support and preserve Native American agricultural practices. Successful development of the garden space and initiating educational programing has been positively received in the local community and the volunteer base continues to grow. Participants receive greater access to healthy foods and associated Extension resources, the San Juan County Master Gardener volunteers’ needs for certification are met, and an avenue to preserve and retain Native American agricultural practices are continuing to be developed.
Authors: Reagan Wytsalucy
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Reagan Wytsalucy Extension Assistant Professor, Utah State University Extension, Utah, 84535