At the time we developed the project plan and
grant application the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was still unclear.
As a result we were unable to do some of the activities we’d planned,
particularly those requiring travel or large gatherings. Other activities were
adapted for virtual delivery.
We did assess the food sovereignty programs offered by tribal colleges in North Dakota and concluded that partnering with an existing program would be more effective than launching an entirely new food sovereignty program.
We recruited students in the northeastern region of North Dakota for our Farm Beginnings course and served 15 students of which seven were from the northeastern region and six were Native American Beginning Farmers. The Farm Beginnings class met nineteen times starting
January 28 and ending April 22. The course included 40 hours of online material
plus readings, worksheets, podcasts, pre-recorded videos and a digital resource
library. Nine new Whole Farm Plans were created as a result of the course.
We also held a focus group to assess the demand for beginning farmer education on the Spirit Lake reservation. We found that there is interest in education on farm business planning, production methods, and especially Native American led education on traditional farming methods and uses of plants.
The North Dakota Local Food Development Alliance met monthly and doubled in membership and engagement. The Alliance gained several new members from the northeastern region. A food security initiative serving the Spirit Lake Tribe called Wana Wota joined the Alliance. The Alliance launched a Tribal Food Sovereignty working group with tribal members, NDSU Extension's Tribal Liason and USDA Rural Development's ND Tribal Liason all participating.