Our garden project, Onspewicakiyapi Wojupi (pronounced "ohn-shpuh-wee-chah-key-yapee whoa-ju-pee" and meaning "Learning Garden") is well on its way. I found out last week that one of the grants I wrote to the South Dakota Community Fund months ago came through. We have $10,000 on its way. My former 7th grade social studies teacher, Tim Kroening, came to visit this past week. He donated his time, tools, and lumber to build us six beautiful raised bed boxes. He also donated many garden tools he picked up at estate sales back home. I have established two partnerships to strengthen our Onspewicakiyapi Wojupi programming. The SDSU extension office will be building us a few more raised beds, connecting all our beds with drip irrigation, and providing us some veggie starter plants. We will have to wait on the hoop house, as it has to be disassembled at its current home on Pine Ridge, transported, and reassembled at our site. I have also partnered with the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Board of Health for our healthy cooking classes. They will be providing myself and our staff training as well as helping us teach cooking classes and providing incentives for participants. We are well on our way from the two long handled shovels we had last Monday. It was amazing to see a ten month dream come to life before my eyes with team work and a drill in my hands. Now we're just waiting on some dirt. I've spoken to two ranchers who are willing to donate and deliver us some. It'll be awhile yet on that, but no rush, considering we got 8" of snow today and still counting. We'll have to wait for everything to dry up before we can get the dirt moved. I'm glad I didn't put anything in the ground just yet!
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