Chippewa Presents... The Community Garden Project

By Melissa Rickers on Jul 7, 2009

In June, 2009 nineteen youth began creating a garden plot at Rabideau Civilian Conservation Corps Camp on the Chippewa National Forest.

Nineteen youth from Beltrami County in Minnesota began creating a garden plot at Rabideau Civilian Conservation Corps Camp on the Chippewa National Forest, Blackduck Ranger District. Camp Rabideau is a National Historic Landmark, one of the best preserved Civilian Conservation Corps Camps in the Nation. A non-profit group has been conducting a pilot project at the camp, serving area youth by providing a wide range of conservation learning projects for them to participate in. The garden project is a new project that started in June 2009.

The purpose of the project is to teach young people about where their food comes from and how to start a garden and utilize native materials to construct fencing. The youth also learned how to construct a high tunnel green house to extend the gardening season which is very important in northern Minnesota. John Parmeter, an instructor hired though Northwest Minnesota Foundation and Initiative Foundation grants is teaching the youth about healthy eating habits, food preparation and different methods of food storage. Instructors from the Leech Lake Reservation Diabetes Program and University of Minnesota Extension along with John will be showing youth how to prepare healthy meals.

The garden project is part of a pilot program for the Camp Rabideau Conservation Academy and Learning Center (CALC). Rabideau CALC, is a non-profit organization that is underwritten by a two year grant from the Blandin Foundation. The Rabideau CALC received funding from the Northwest Minnesota Foundation and the Initiative Foundation for the garden project. John Parmeter, an instructor from the Bug o Nay Ge Shig school is leading the project. He has implemented several garden projects as an instructor at a tribal school. Master gardeners from Bemidji and the University of Minnesota Extension are all providing technical gardening advice to the youth. The Forest Service is providing additional supervision.

In a few weeks the youth will decide where to distribute the produce from the garden. They may donate the food to the Leech Lake Food Distribution Service, local food shelves or they may start a Farmers Market.

The youth have gained a life-long asset by participating in this program. They have learned how to produce food but will also learn about healthy eating and lifestyles. This program will also be brought into the local high school curriculum.