AmeriCorps VISTA 2012-White Earth Land Recovery Project-

The Summer Americorps VISTA program at the White Earth Land Recovery project was not only successful in their goals of food security and renewable energy but the program also left Vista members with many good memories and lifelong friendships. Summer VISTA members included: Tessa McLean, Zach Paige, Joe Farley, Alex Jimerson, and Kaisa Jackson (food security), Colin Neary (Radio station), and Cordero Hale, and John Shimek (renewable energy).

Gardening

Countless hours were spent planning, preparing, and nurturing the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s gardens this summer. Each garden was weeded, tilled, and planted. These gardens welcomed three sisters varieties (corns, beans, and squash) and planted the beans using hand crafted tri-pod polls which encouraged the beans to climb up while the squash grew below. We also planted tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, peppers, different lettuces, radishes, beets, cucumbers, basil, strawberries, onions, sunflowers, and sacred tobacco, as well as maintained an already existing sizable raspberry patch. The VISTAs worked hard to maintain a watering and weeding schedule at the different garden sites that were often 20-40 miles apart. There was a big commitment on behalf of the Vista workers to make sure these gardens had successful crop yields come harvest time.

This is a photo of Vista members as well as an Honor the Earth Summer intern celebrating a VISTA member’s birthday at the ‘intern house’. From left: Zach Paige, Rob Jenkins, Kaisa Jackson, Joe Farley, Alex Jimerson, Tessa McLean, and Colin Neary.

“I enjoyed learning about the bean tripods, fish gut fertilizer, that adding wood ash in the corn helps draw out niacin, and all the other farming knowledge I picked up.”

– Zach Paige, VISTA 2012

“My time spent in the garden was for the people. I thought of the generations of people who would benefit from the heritage corn I was watering or the family at the farmer’s market who would soon get nutrition from the tomato plant I was transplanting. It was this connection to the community as well as the goal of tribal food sovereignty that fed my passion to work hard.”

– Kaisa Jackson, VISTA 2012

Minwanjige Café

VISTAs also ran the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s Minwanjige Café for two months. Here, the VISTAs made traditional Ojibwe dishes (hominy soup, bannock, bison, and wild rice soup) as well as filling country breakfasts and tasty well-planned lunches. A new menu was created at the start of the summer providing many local and organic ingredients as well as some goodies from our own gardens. Community members as well as many tourists were able to enjoy a cozy atmosphere and good food all the while asking thoughtful questions about who AmeriCorps VISTAs are and what the White Earth Land Recovery Project is. A patron’s experience at the Minwanjige Café often consisted of an info session plus lunch. For that

Previous top left picture shows VISTA worker Zack Paige watering the garden at the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s Callaway office as well as what that garden looked like at the end of the season, to the right. The photo on the top right shows VISTA worker Kaisa Jackson holding a baby tomato plant grown in the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s nursery and then transplanted into the soil. Below are the mature plants thriving in their new environment thanks to the hands of the many summer VISTA volunteers.

reason, it was a great opportunity to build awareness of these two organizations’ missions and what they are working for as well as sharing with patrons how they too can become involved. It was not uncommon for VISTA workers to hear rave reviews from patrons saying they can’t wait to tell their friends about their unique and delicious dining experience.

Fun in the community

Summer VISTA workers also had a presence in various facets of the community including farmer’s markets and powwows. VISTAS helped serve hundreds of people hominy soup, bison brats, and fresh watermelon at the White Earth powwow.

Pictured on left, VISTA workers Joe Farley and Zach Paige at the Minwanjige Café preparing homemade bison brat buns for another day of service. Right, Tessa McLean makes her grandmother’s bannock recipe

The photo to the left was a VISTA worker favorite from the White Earth powwow. The photo in the center shows VISTA and Honor the Earth members working the White Earth Land Recovery Project booth at the powwow. The photo on the far right shows Radio VISTA Colin Neary takes a day to help serve White Earth powwow goers hominy soup, bison brats, and watermelon, with a smile.

“I realized how significant it was to me spiritually to do that project. It was like healing the land in a sense by bringing back those teachings of teamwork, sustainability.”

-Alex Jimerson, VISTA 2012

Renewable Energy

VISTA workers John Shimek and Cordero Hale were busy this summer working to create more opportunities for sustainable and alternative energy on the reservation. They also worked with renewable energy partners across state lines.

The picture on the left shows John Shimek posing by the Badlands in South Dakota while on a trip to connect with other reservations using wind energy. The photo on the right shows Cordero Hale suiting up to address a wind turbine issue.