Speaker 2 00:40 That was awesome. I was rocking to that. Hey, welcome to the American Indian month here in Minnesota on KFA AI and I have the privilege to be with the dream of wild health team. And, uh, I know a few of you know, a few of you, uh, and I've watched a lot of, uh, a couple of symposiums with hope and, uh, I wanna uh, first, uh, have everybody introduce themselves and I'm excited too that there's another whole chunk on here, so that's, uh, that makes my heart sing. So, Hey, uh, now can you, uh, introduce yourself please and I'll unmute you.
Speaker 3 01:16 Hey there, this is Neely Snyder. I am Ojibwe from st Croix. Um, but I also have family Molax and red Lake. I'm the executive director of
Speaker 2 01:27 thank you. And then, uh, Jessica, do you want to, uh, introduce yourself please?
Speaker 3 01:31 Yeah, good afternoon. It's good to see you Robert, and that you make my heart sing. Seeing our flag in the background there too. Um, I'm the, my name is Jessica Green dear. I'm ho Chung from Wisconsin and I'm the seed keeper and farm manager at dream of wild health.
Speaker 2 01:44 Awesome. Welcome and uh, Phoebe, do you mind introducing yourself?
Speaker 0 01:50 I'm sure thing. Hi there everyone. My name is Phoebe young and I'm the community programs coordinator here at Juma wilds health. Um, and I'm calling in from my mobile office today where we're doing the seedling and distribution at the Indian center.
Speaker 2 02:06 Wow, that's awesome. And then I'd like to introduce everyone a hope plan again and hope, uh, I've seen you on a lot of zooms and symposiums and I'm really excited to have you on, uh, your energy and a wealth of knowledge is just been a beautiful thing to watch on these rough times. So I really appreciate you being on and everyone would be a non communities yourself.
Speaker 4 02:32 Thank you Robert. I'm very grateful to be here. I work at drew wild health. My Ojibwe name is new Dennis sequelae. Uh, my clan is turtle clan, have been very fortunate to be able to be at drew wild health. This'll be my 12th summer, my 12th season growing season at dream wild health. So I'm very grateful to be here and working with the kids and working with the plants. It's beautiful. I'm very grateful.
Speaker 2 03:00 Exactly. Uh, you know, and we're, we're missing out seeing you and it's great that, uh, you guys are dropping off seeds and stuff like that, but it's also, you know, when I go to Minneapolis to the farmer's market and things like that last year, it was really great to see all of those students working with you. I'm wondering, uh, uh, could you introduce, uh, Nelly, uh, talk a little bit about, uh, what's been going on with, uh, dream wild health? I noticed an expansion. There's some exciting things going on. Could you fill our audience and maybe a little history too.
Speaker 3 03:34 Thanks for introducing us. So, um, so dream of wild health is a native American led nonprofits serving the native community Manatee mainly in the twin cities area. Um, that's like Minneapolis and st Paul and then surrounding communities. We have a large native American population in Minneapolis. Um, we also have an office located on American Indian cultural corridor and dream of wild health really began as a program of another nonprofit organization founded in 1986 to provide transitional housing and supportive services for native Americans. Uh, but in response to client requests for their reconnection with our cultural traditions, dream of wild health was created in 1998 to reclaim the traditional, uh, relationship between the people on the earth. So thereafter, um, the organization, the organization leased a half an acre of land in Farmington and they began growing some seeds out there. Um, eventually in 2004, dream of wild health purchased a 10 acre farm in Hugo, Minnesota, which is about 40 minutes North of the twin cities.
Speaker 3 04:41 And as dream wild health became the primary focus of the organization, the name was legally changed to dream of wild health in 2012. So dream of all health is now working to create and restore an indigenous relationship with the land and to offer access to healthy and traditional foods and lifestyles to our community. And we do this through our native youth education and leadership programs. Uh, we have a summer programming at the farm and we have a year round youth leaders program. We have our indigenous food network, um, and we're, Phoebe is calling from in Qatari. Um, they are also distributing, um, seedlings to some of our dream of wild health, uh, families. And so Jessica and the farm team have been able to grow some seedlings for our families. So that's also happening today. Um, we are working to increase the farm and food access.
Speaker 3 05:39 So for the past two years we've distributed about seven and a half tons of vegetables to our community is, and we do that through our youth programs. Our, um, we participate in the four sisters farmer's market at NAC, D on Franklin Avenue. We have an indigenous food share and that's our, uh, CSA model. Uh, we also have a workshare for those families who, um, might want to volunteer at the farm instead of making payment for their, um, share. And then we also do this at community events and workshops. And we're working with, um, you know, some of the native local, the local native chefs in our communities and those who are serving our community is, so, uh, one example would be the Minneapolis American Indian center where they have the gatherings cafe. Um, and we work with, we partner with them also so that they can provide food to our community.
Speaker 3 06:31 Um, finally we have our seed stewardship and social enterprise that the farmers farm team is working on. Uh, last year was the first year that we had a dedicated staff to work with the seeds and that was led by Jessica. Um, and she's really been able to see, um, to remake, create some of those seeds back to their tribal homes. So that's been really great. Uh, just over a month ago. So gosh, it's been a while. I'm on the 31st of March. We tripled our acreage from 10 acres to 30 acres. And, um, this came at a time when the Colvin 19 pandemic was just hitting us all. Um, and then we got the stay at home order and that continues today. So, um, through all this, we're seeing a much larger need for increased food access with families and our partners and can kind of foresee, um, barriers in our community is to accessing fresh and healthy produce with, um, business and school closures and things and, um, unemployment and transportation issues. Um, so therefore we're working to expand food access more immediately in response to that with our new acreage.
Speaker 2 07:42 That's awesome. I want to ask a, I want to ask Jessica A. Little bit about, can you tell me a little bit about how we preserve our original seeds and how you've been doing that with, uh, with dream of wild house?
Speaker 5 07:56 Yeah, of course. Robert. Uh, and that's a great question. I know a lot of people are concerned about the integrity or, or keeping their seeds true to type and, um, free from any type of cross contamination. So we do a couple of different methods of hand pollination at the farm and it includes, um, more so we're just babysitting our seeds and watching them hit every single life stage of, of their plant cycle. Um, we do a combination of, um, begging some of our corn. Um, and then, uh, yeah, having the, taking the pollen and then, uh, putting it onto the corn silks. And so, you know, the part that I want everybody to remember is it's not just a mechanical operation that we're, that we're, um, contributing to or making happen. You know, it's a part of humans asking permission to be able to be a part of that sacred, that's sacred act of, um, pollination and starting a brand new life together. Um, so it's, uh, we've, um, you know, it definitely turns into a very busy July and August, um, just to try to keep everybody, everybody together, but it's such a, such a beautiful part, um, such a beautiful part of being able to be a sea keeper and being a part of, um, you know, just to observe nature. Uh,
Speaker 2 09:26 yeah, I'm really happy when I can go to a black river falls and pick up some seeds from the DNR, you know, real dark seeds. I got a stash of those. I'm going to have to plant it with the three sisters right now. I was wondering if you could explain what that is real quick.
Speaker 5 09:43 Yeah, absolutely. So, um, you know, many nations have their own traditional styles of planting, um, and you know, the consistent corn beans and squash or Melba or, uh, companion planting that our ancestors knew so well, they knew, um, without the use of a microscope what each of those plants would help one another deal. And it's, it's simply amazing if you were to plant your corn by itself, your beans and squash all separate. And then when you bring them all together into the same exact system and growing space, it's beautiful of how much they, how much bigger they're going to be, how much more generous they're going to be, uh, when they can all live together.
Speaker 2 10:25 That should be a metaphor for life. That's, that's seriously, it's beautiful. I want to talk to the crew that's hanging out in their mobile office there and tell us, tell everybody what a little bit what you're doing today and what, uh, what you do for three miles house.
Speaker 6 10:42 Hi there joining you from the van in the parking lot at the Indian center today. Oh, well my name is Qatari title nine coordinator, program coordinator, the indigenous food network coordinator. And today we're out here, um, distributing some plants to our partners and some shifts. So we had gotten gifted about, uh, donated about 200 plants or, um, uh, distribution and we're able to give about 150 plants to our partners and about 50 plants to, um, some of our gatherings, cafe partnerships. So it's been a beautiful day. It's been a really nice time out here.
Speaker 2 11:21 How do I become a partner and get one of those plants?
Speaker 6 11:29 You got to answer emails and get, uh, you know, fill out order forms, but attend the meetings.
Speaker 2 11:35 Well, they're easy now, but I'm zoomed out. Uh, what now? So how many people are you going to give away? All 150 plants. Uh, at one place and there's going to be a lot of people, uh, replanting these gifts.
Speaker 6 11:49 Yeah. We just basically set up a distribution here. We
Speaker 0 11:54 had a really, really good systems put into place at Phoebe here have helped us kind of coordinate to make sure that we're cutting down on any sort of, uh, contaminants or spreading germs and whatnot. Um, we have about 10 people that had come and majority of our plants have actually gone to a community gardens. So
Speaker 2 12:15 go ahead, Phoebe.
Speaker 0 12:16 Oh, and then I was just going to add to that. Today, we also are distributing seedlings to our dream of wild health families as well. So back here we have some of our seed relatives that Jessica and the farm team have been growing out, um, and they've been hanging out in our mobile office with us. Um, so we're having, uh, about 10 families doing curbside pickup today. We got one pickup happening just now in the background. Um, it's an exciting time. Um, even though we're not able to, um, be with each other in person and community. Um, it's really exciting that through this work that we're able to do, we're still all able to stay connected and also to stay true to the heart of our mission.
Speaker 2 13:00 That's, that's beautiful. And I don't know if anyone on the zoom call could tell. I was trying to look over to see and, uh, uh, it couldn't see around the corner. Uh, because we are, we are on video. We're on video and it's not able to, but you guys, thanks a lot and hope I want to talk to you. Uh, one of the things, thanks ladies. And one of the things that really excites me is your knowledge. I'm looking out a side here and I'm looking at Daniel and so I'm looking at, uh, things that, uh, basically my front yard is concrete. It should be a, uh, a garden. What's your thoughts? Hope.
Speaker 4 13:38 Oh boy. Thank you, Robert. That's exactly what I've been doing a lot of talking about. I mean, people don't usually think that dandelions were brought here from Europe as a food source and so many of what has been sort of invasive came that way, you know? And, uh, my hope is that people can rethink the beauty of these plants and the plants that are giving such beautiful gifts to that. We don't have to say I'm going to put a toxin in there to deal with Danny Lyons instead thing. Oh my gosh, look, there's another food source. Another way to, to honor the plants that are here. They're giving us food, water. Uh, my clothing is cotton. It comes from plants. My breath comes from plants. Uh, I always was wondering where did that idea of a lawn come from? And I was told that that was a way to brag that you had so much land that you didn't have to farm it. Well, I don't think we need to be bragging that way anymore. Think we need to think about all the other ones that are here with us. Our human relatives, our animal relatives are pollinators. All of us are in this together.
Speaker 2 14:49 Well, we're like, uh, we have the, of, uh, of telling our, uh, ancestors and our young ones, uh, stories. How do people find out about plants that are medicine and animals? Ha. How do we go about that in a good way?
Speaker 4 15:07 Well, I personally see it as a lifelong journey. I'd like to say, uh, for me, I've been so honored to be around Jessica cause she holds so much knowledge. Um, and we, you run into these, these people that have been around different communities or have learned from different elders. And that's the way it's been passed on is if you can give those elders tobacco. And if you think of it to those plants, our elders, those animals, our elders. Um, almost on a daily basis when I'm around Jessica, I learned something that I never heard of before. And I'm so thankful for that. Um, that I believe that that's one of the reasons why we're, uh, trying so hard to remember those things that are of our traditional ways. Cause they're so valuable to survival as human beings, as our traditional belief systems. And it wasn't just relevant 400 years ago, five years ago. It's extremely relevant right now. So those traditional belief systems are bringing it back to a sustainable way of being and a spiritual connection, spiritual, mental, emotional, physical connection to all those other beings that are around us.
Speaker 2 16:22 That's beautiful. And I, you know, when, when the biters first came up, uh, I did, uh, urban, urban native thing. I went, I got to get some flat Cedar, make some tea, you know, but it's, it's gotta be more of a practice than a, uh, right. Hope I should be more, less panicky about what I'm doing with, with my medicines that are out in my front yard and all around us.
Speaker 4 16:48 It feels like it's a forever thing. I know, I feel like I'm just scratching the surface sometimes because, um, the plants have been really patient with us, but we need to be around them and spend real quality time with them and get quiet enough to listen to them. Um, I'm learning all the time from them and you know, spending time with elders to even our human elders. You know, we find some things out. We learned what their relatives did before them, so we're always finding out new things. But it takes that time, that getting quiet, that sort of heart to heart listening and spending some time with them.
Speaker 2 17:32 That's beautiful. Because I, I, I really connect with what you're saying. It's a spiritual connection. Um, or, you know, mother earth and father sky and, um, you know, I just really get excited when I hear you a whole, if I really, I really do because I want to plant a garden, you know, and, uh, I have Sage out in the backyard too. It's, it's the third year of Sage, so it's, it's growing really well. And, um, and now, uh, just, yeah, I'm really excited. Jessica. Um, tell us, uh, what you guys are planting out there, uh, in the, the new 30 acres,
Speaker 5 18:14 I guess. What aren't we planting, Robert? That, uh, and you know, like I asked forgiveness for my plant relatives too. I hope that they're generous with us, um, and have pity on us the season. But yeah, we've got a combination of a lot of things. Robert, we've got, uh, indigenous relatives that we're growing with this year. Um, corn, beans, squash. And then we have, uh, one of our male seed stewards is, uh, working with the tobacco and we have, um, uh, tons of market vegetables that we use for not only the indigenous food share or our CSA modeled food share program. Um, but also to our program. Uh, we know we gotta feed the kids, uh, when they come to the farm. So part of the produce will go there. And then continuing on to like some of our indigenous food network partners.
Speaker 2 19:06 Yeah. That's awesome. I want to ask the executive director one thing here that we have a lot of different people, people listening to KFA right now. And one of the, one of the things I would like you to do before I forget is if people can donate to a dream of wild health and how they can do that. What's your website and things like that if you don't mind?
Speaker 3 19:27 Absolutely. I'm a glitch for bringing that up so anybody can connect with us on social media or Facebook. Um, has, uh, a great following, but you can always find us
[email protected] and there's a donate button right on there. Um, and you know, typically we usually have community fees, but unfortunately we're unable to do that. Um, so I encourage folks to follow us on social media because then you can connect with, um, you know, folks like hope and Jessica, they have a lot of teachings that they, um, can share. And we've been able to do that virtually and our youth programs continue to be active and we're keeping them engaged. And so, um, Phoebe and the other team are working with youth, um, online on a virtual platform and they're able to even work with the native chefs at the gatherings cafe every week. So it's been pretty amazing, um, what our staff have been able to do, um, in response to this pandemic.
Speaker 2 20:29 Yeah. I, you know, it's funny too, I will go to something, uh, uh, happening in the community and I'll run into a student of mine working with you. And there you've had a great of a bunch of alumni that I've, uh, been, uh, I'm a high school teacher at Harding and, uh, have seen and, uh, it really makes my sing because these kids are really connected in the right thing. I don't, I don't want to name the names because I'll forget some names, but Phoebe, tell us, uh, tell us, uh, you know, how the kids get, but Phoebe and the crew over there and tell us what, how you guys recruit and reach out to young native workers.
Speaker 0 21:10 Sure thing. Robert, thank you for, um, for bringing that up. So, um, our garden warriors and Cortez kids programs for our youth ages eight to 18, um, a lot of, uh, recruitment that we've been getting in the past few years. Um, we've been very blessed and lucky to, um, have a lot of interests come to us. Um, I know hope and, uh, Ernie talked about having to go door to door, um, to do recruitment and promotion, um, back in the day, 10 years ago. But nowadays, um, a lot of youth are really, really interested in, um, food sovereignty and reclaiming, um, their culture and traditions. So the interest really comes to us, which we are always so grateful and humbled to have. Um, with our youth leaders program, which is our year round program for a teenage youth. Um, they tend to be recruited and retained through our garden warriors program. So if you had, um, you know, one session of garden warriors under your belt and you've demonstrated really strong leadership and interests, um, we invite you back to the youth leaders programs and that's an opportunity for you to really, um, delve deep into a lot of the different topics that we go through in garden warriors. Um, it's just two, three weeks long. Um, but everyone really wants to learn more. So we try to give them that throughout the year.
Speaker 2 22:29 Yeah. And it's exciting, um, uh, to have these young people learn through and I see them running booths and things like that where you're handing out free food to the community and, you know, nice little salads and, uh, nice drinks. And, uh, I really look forward to seeing it. I also, by looking at you guys, I want to get one of those shirts. How do I give them to those bread shirts? Hey, so, um, what, what else is going on? You were going to take a break here in a few minutes. Are you guys still waiting for people to come, come by?
Speaker 0 23:06 Um, we have a few more pickups, um, that we're, we've done. But yeah, we were hoping to be done around five, five 30.
Speaker 2 23:18 It looks like you're going to have to vacuum that band out when you're done too, before the four, before the executive director sees it. So, Oh, so hope, uh, you must give you a great, great satisfaction to see. I know it would for me to see the seedlings go and then go to people that start their garden and come back every year, year to year and get to knowledge and plants.
Speaker 4 23:46 Well, it's been such a joy to watch drew wild health grow. I mean, this additional 20 acres is just amazing. I remember, um, my first year we had one farmer with a shovel. That was, that was it. So it's just been a beautiful, beautiful fulfillment of, I feel like Sally O'Shea and Diane Wilson and Neeley have been able to really bring this vision together and say this is what it can be. And I've just been so tickled to see the seeds now get revitalized and it feels like there's a, instead of like, Oh, look at these beautiful seeds, it's, we're giving them the opportunity to grow and give back their gifts. So it's been a full circle, kind of a receiving the beautiful seeds now having them and now watching them be revitalized so they can go back to their traditional tribal communities.
Speaker 2 24:44 I will want to ask Neeley again to bring up the website and how people can support this great group real quick before I forget in the second half.
Speaker 3 24:52 Certainly. Thank you. Um, if you want to find out more about dream of wild health, please visit us at, uh, dream of wild health dot. O R G you can also search for us on Facebook. We're on Instagram. Um, yeah, just jump on there. And we usually share stuff all week long. So, and there's been a lot of, uh, Facebook live. We had a Facebook live when, um, I was at the Indian center today with some of the staff when we were distributing some of those plants. So a lot of activity happening.
Speaker 2 25:23 So you don't have a tick talk page yet. Okay. That'll be the next one. Right. Uh, but that's, uh, that's cool. So you can, there's a donut big donate button on there. And this is something that's been going on for a long time. Not a long time, but a long time. And it's something that's really worth supporting. You know, it's, it's, I don't know, whenever I see you guys in what you're doing, it seems pure and, uh, I, I want to give, uh, all you a shout out for that because I think your heart's in the right place. And, um, working with the youth and that's what it's all about. So, uh, Jessica, uh, that's talk out from some, from seed I want, I always want to say from script to screen, but from seed to plant, uh, let's talk a little bit what the process is. Do you have a greenhouse? Uh, do you do indoor, uh, just talk a little bit about that.
Speaker 3 26:18 Well, first of all, we're going to have to have you come out to the farm when, uh, when we're able to travel freely, uh, seek and have a good visit here. But, um, we do take our seeds. Some of, some of our seed relatives get started in the greenhouse earlier than others. And, um, we use essentially just your classic garden plug trays, uh, with some potting mix and get them started, harder them off and then
Speaker 5 26:44 they come out to the field, uh, when, when it's safe to plant. Um, but then we have other seed relatives that we plant directly into the soil or what people call direct seed. So a combination of both. Essentially why we do that is to help with our hand pollination process. So, um, if something needs a little bit longer time, uh, we'll get them started in the greenhouse. But if, um, we're also trying to offset a little bit of the hand pollination time because we're growing multiple varieties of corn and multiple varieties of squash. It helps us. Uh, yeah, it helps us keep things, keep things separated or else we'd be living in the garden every year, uh, to make sure we, we keep safe seeds.
Speaker 2 27:26 Yeah. Jeez. So hope one of the things I was hoping that I always need to be reminded to, uh, the right way to, uh, pick something. And I know I've been taught with tobacco and I pull out the road. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker 4 27:43 Yes. Yes. Thank you Robert for bringing that up. Um, there's so many ways of thinking about this, but I know, uh, that offering of tobacco is such an important act cause what we're, we're being reminded of is that we're really participating in this life, this life that involves all living beings. And that tobacco is, is the gift, the offering. And when you hear some of the songs, a lot of times you'll hear songs in the languages. It's, it's so often it refers to that being led by and guided by that tobacco because you're, you're asking for guidance from the unseen world. So, um, even the concept of tobacco can be a little confusing cause some people will say, well I was raised with a stick tobacco with red Willow tobacco or my relatives for generations and generations. The net man have passed it from Boyd, Amanda, boy to man.
Speaker 4 28:40 Um, but for me what I've always heard is be sure and offer your tobacco show your thanks if you don't have tobacco, don't pick. So that's what I was told, you know, because you've got to be able to give something before you take. And I think that they're there. It's so important to remember that cause I think if we are always just, Oh I'll put my tobacco down later, we get to be so self focused. We forget that we're just a little piece of this beautiful web of life that we're just that little strand. And when we're beings we're being reminded that we're thankful. It comes closer to us. So, like when you mentioned your Sage, it reminded me of that, that I was always told when you do your thankful thank yous for those plants, they know that the spirits know that and they come closer to you. So even right now when we're saying thank you for our health, thank you for our food. Thank you for our clean water. We're showing that we have and they come closer to us. Um, I remember my, my Neo and my, uh, my name or she said, um, if we don't honor our elders, there's gonna, they're gonna leave us. And then where will we be in? Our elders are the humans, but the plants and the animals too. When we thank them, they show up to help us.
Speaker 2 30:01 I know that the system is just so perfect too. I always, we talk a lot about, uh, on my other show, we talk a lot about sacred animals and just the example of what they did at Yellowstone park, bringing back the wolves and those things that revitalize, um, you know, things grow because they're not being eaten by certain animals and everything is the way it should be right home.
Speaker 4 30:32 Oh, definitely. I know Ernie white man. Um, and he, he's, his heart was always with us at dream wild health and his body was to, I mean, he loved that place. He would always mention about as he studied the tobacco and grew it year after year after year, he'd say, look at all the, the pollinators that have come back, our little native bees and a little native pollinators. They've come back to be here with this old traditional tobacco. So it's, it's the same way. It's the same thing as the Buffalo being returned or the wolves being returned and how much life thrives when things get back to, uh, the original, the original, uh, biome, the original habitat like that.
Speaker 2 31:16 I know it's a beautiful thing and, uh, I feel like, you know, we should check on the ladies and the van every once in a while. Make sure they're okay because I see them here on the zoom call and they know we're on radio so people can't see this. But I kind of feel bad for them. They're wearing their masks and they're just listening intently. That stuff that's check-in real quick. How are you guys? Are you guys do it out there?
Speaker 6 31:38 We're doing good in the band. It's a really beautiful day. So you don't mind being out here. And in all honesty, we haven't been able to be with each other like this as a staff for a while. So working together, being able to work together to do this for the community. It's actually, this is great. You know, we're having, we're good. We're good.
Speaker 2 31:56 Awesome. And I like, uh, like how your mask, uh, matches your shirt. That's good. Good for zoom calls. Good, good. Alright, well let's talk. That's good. That's good. Back to, to Neely again. Um, what, what is the vision now with a dream of wild health? What is a short term, longterm goal to keep this organization healthy and growing?
Speaker 3 32:23 Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. So I think, you know, um, Jessica really holds the longterm vision of the farm, but we've been talking a lot about that lately. And, um, you know, with the addition of the land, we were originally about, um, kind of slowly growing that out eventually. Um, but when the Colvin 19 pandemic hit, then we were like, all right, well we may need to respond a little bit sooner than that. Um, so currently right now we are looking for, um, additional funding to help help us get the soil ready, um, to get some trees planted there so that we're able to grow sooner. Um, so that we can distribute more food to our community. Um, you know, like I said, we were working with the Indian center, that's where the, um, the ladies are today, but we're working with the gatherings cafe to provide some produce in their efforts right now and they're feeding the elders in the community.
Speaker 3 33:22 And so they had started with, um, 100 meals and now they're up to one 50 and I think they're going for 200. So we're hoping that with the, um, you know, the additional produce even this season that we'll be able to donate to that we're also working with the division of Indian work in Minneapolis to provide meals to their youth and their families. And they are also using that as a way to deliver some curriculum lessons. And so we were, um, thinking of involving our youth and families. Um, but now it looks like we might be able to have some of our summer programming yet this, this summer. Um, those programs have been pushed back, but we will continue that. And so, um, you know, just growing out more space in that 20 acres, um, more produce and, and hopefully, you know, one day I'm teaching our community and our youth how to farm themselves.
Speaker 3 34:20 And so that will be another opportunity that we'll be providing, um, with Jessica's leadership out there. Um, we'll also create a space for our, um, youth when they come out there and our families so that we can gather, um, you know, like we've had this 10 acre farm for a few, you know, a long time now. But I think, um, this is another opportunity where we can create some more space for us to, to visit and be with each other. Um, but yeah, it's just providing produce, um, teaching our youth and families how to grow and how to eat better. Um, you know, just the, the longterm vision is just improving the health of our communities.
Speaker 2 34:59 Yeah, I think too, uh, about what we're dealing with, with a COBIT and, um, there's a Chinese word it's called, uh, for crises. They merged two symbols together and it's a dangerous opportunity, a dangerous wind and dangerous opportunity. So every crisis is a dangerous opportunity. And I feel like we are like rethink in our food. I for one, do not eat factory animals. I do not eat, uh, I'm more of a vegetarian than a vegan, but I try to be a vegan and, uh, just what they do in those, those, um, farms. And, um, so we're rethinking how we're eating. You know, and I think this is really, uh, Jessica, this is really, uh, interesting time and I think we're really, really at a point where we're going to see a shift and I, and you guys are going to be right in the front of that, don't you agree?
Speaker 5 35:54 Oh yeah. I couldn't agree more, Robert. Um, but you know, as native people, we've, um, you know, as so many of us are working on our own food sovereignty. And I think if this isn't, um, it's a shame that something like this had to happen before so many people started getting on board with wanting to learn how to garden, um, wanting to learn more about their foods and even, uh, trying to spend time with hope to get out and find, uh, find wild foods that are in their area. Um, so it's, I think it's definitely been a wake up call and of course we're going to continue to do everything we possibly can here at the farm, uh, and for community here. But, um, I would definitely encourage everybody to, to even grow one plant. Um, it doesn't matter what it is, um, just start growing something and it's, it'll, it'll change, uh, change your perspective on your food system. Um, but it will also ensure that you always have something to eat.
Speaker 2 36:49 They had some friends come over, uh, last year, um, and we were gifting them something that came, sat in her backyard. And, uh, my wife, uh, threw together one of those gardens that bring bees and hummingbirds and, uh, and this person had never seen a hummingbird before and it was just like, that's, that's where we're at worth a lot of our people. And I suppose they don't see the Eagles either because they aren't looking, but a whole pot, uh, how to, how do we, how do we know something, something, you know, on our yard. Because I think one of the things you were talking about at one of the symposiums I was watching, it's one of those prickly, uh, which I would think is a weed and pull out and get his medicine. So how do we, how do we know or how can we know or what, what, what is the medicine, what is food and what is good for you?
Speaker 4 37:46 It's a, it's a practice. It's something that, uh, you know, once you can find it, once you can identify weight, maybe you walk with somebody or maybe you see it on, even on the screen, maybe you see a picture of it and then you're sure of what it is. That's when you start to work with it. Or maybe, you know, it's spending that time. One of the beautiful thing that things that Phoebe's been doing is getting the young people to work with, uh, the cafe to create different recipes and things like that. And then they videotape it. So they bring them a box of food, all these teenagers, and then they get to produce, uh, a meal. And that's the kind of thing to me that really gives the gift is when you have hands on experience. So when you actually do it, then it's yours for life.
Speaker 4 38:36 You know, if you really know what it is. I want to say too that uh, what you mentioned was really touching to me because I think we're talking about this, uh, immunity issue. Well, we fortify our immune systems when we're eating healthy foods. When we look at our old traditional foods that are so high in nutrition and so high in proteins or niacin or whatever that we're not getting from the ones that aren't farmed in clean soil or haven't retained their original integrity. So if we rethink food, we can rethink our immune systems. So I think that's one of the things we need to do. These wild plants that just show up and you might go like, what is that? You know, making it make it a practice. Like for me, this happened last week. I saw a plant I'd never seen before. I'm like, how did I not ever see that plant before? So I asked a friend, she goes on, never seen it before. So then we went on a hunt and we were like, what is this plan turned out that this is a very common native plan to this area. It just knows how to hide.
Speaker 2 39:43 Wow. That's awesome. And I don't know, it's interesting. Well, what I want to say is this, I hope dream wild health and hope and, uh, the people that you guys did a symposium or you were on a symposium, I don't know who put it on, but that was exciting. And I think we need more of that. And I think people are getting used to doing the zoom calls. And, uh, it was very interesting and very enlightening to what, uh, what's out there. Not just a, you know, we, not just the, uh, Danny language, but there's so, so, so many things out there that is medicine and that we've, uh, some of us like me have lost our way and are taking ibuprofen instead of et cetera. Maybe some Daniel and whine or Danny Lang, uh, T. I mean I don't drink, but, uh, but, uh, so Hey, that's checkout. Phoebe, what do you, what do you have, uh, what do you guys have to say about that? Uh, you know, let's check with the guys from the band again.
Speaker 0 40:45 Yeah. So the update from the remote offices, we're still doing good. Um, you know, I think, um, I just wanted to thank hope for bringing up, um, you know, some of what we've been able to do with our youth right now. Um, a lot of what Katerina and I both do is, um, we kind of try to figure out how to coordinate, um, a lot of the wonderful work that we're doing at the farm and bringing it to our communities. Um, so whether that's through those zoom workshops or through, um, doing different youth activities, you know, if there's a will, there's a way. And I think, um, right now we've been in a really challenging time cause we're not able to kind of meet in a lot of those, um, ways that we're used to. And I think that's been really difficult on our community members and organizations. Um, and also on our youth. Um, and so I'm just really happy to be able to work with Qatari and with Jessica and hope and Neely and all of the other team members at tumor Wiles health to figure out how, you know, we take a lot of the exciting work and ways in which we're expanding and we bring that to our communities in a safe way and we just kind of keep that work going. So
Speaker 2 41:54 is there an outdoor stand where you're at?
Speaker 0 41:58 There is yes. And I'm going to hand it over to Carrie if she wants to show it to you.
Speaker 6 42:07 We're going to go,
Speaker 2 42:07 this is really good radio too.
Speaker 6 42:11 How's our office with Robert?
Speaker 4 42:18 I don't know if you are familiar with the work that uh, Terry's doing with the indigenous food network. It's beautiful work and bringing together agencies and even gardening areas in the, in our facility here in the urban twin city area to promote gardening. And even that is a great way to get started with plant ID if that's what you're interested in.
Speaker 2 42:42 <inaudible>
Speaker 4 42:43 find out when those activities are. Talk to Qatari cause we're, we're trying to build this network that's gonna put an arms around our community to provide food sources and access to teachings like that about gardening and how to garden and how to produce this food and make it available to our community.
Speaker 2 43:04 Oh, she's out there right now and I will ask her. She's showing it here. That's a go to the all four screen. Oh go ahead. Explain what we're, uh, we're looking at right now so our radio audience can grow on this too.
Speaker 6 43:26 Okay. So, so this was the stand where we had already done a lot of the distribution already for the IFN plants, um, earlier, um, all of the seedlings for and youth families are actually inside of the van in the back here. So, so we don't have any fun plans for the IFN anymore cause they, goodness we got them all out. But some of the seedlings from the farm that Phoebe is going to be giving out to her youth today. So that is today from four to five.
Speaker 2 43:56 Can you, can you tell me, I know you're now running around with the laptop, but can you tell me, uh, what you do, uh, for your work, indigenous food network and outreach? What does that, uh, are you the social media person or what exactly is your job title?
Speaker 6 44:13 No, I'm just on the social media a lot today just because we happen to be doing the Facebook live. Um, I've never done a Facebook live event before and we actually haven't really done a drive through or any sort of plant distribution like this. So kind of just making sure that we're taking advantage of every opportunity we get from, um, anybody distribute plans or to give our, or provide our community with healthy, healthy plants, tablets, probably food options and options to grow. So, yeah.
Speaker 2 44:41 That's perfect. That's perfect. And, uh, uh, Neely. Oh wow. What a crude you have here. Uh, I feel, I feel the, the positive, the positive energy through the screen here and over the airways here. Can you, uh, you're, you seem really blessed to have these great people with you.
Speaker 3 44:59 Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's been amazing. Um, our team, I call them my dream team, cause they truly are like, I learned something from somebody every day that I get to work with them. Um, but yeah, I like all of our staff, all of our team members, they have, um, they're doing something and they're doing something really special on a daily basis. And like I said, I learned from them all the time. So I'm really just blessed to even be in this organization. And I think, um, you know, they all feel that too. And, and it's just totally fun when we get to work together. Um, it's been really hard that we haven't been able to see each other face to face. So I was out there today and I'm like, wow, I haven't seen you for so long. It's kind of nice to see you. Um,
Speaker 2 45:42 I still haven't seen him. They're wearing masks.
Speaker 3 45:45 Yup. When I had mine on too. Um, but no, it's been, it's been an amazing a year, a little over a year that I've been there working with everyone. Um, and just to see the growth in that time has been really amazing. And all the new things that we've been doing since 2019 is, I mean, it's great. It's great what we're doing. And, um, also want to mention to, you know, we're working with all of these youth and last year was our first summer that we were able to hire one of our youth, um, as a, as a farmer who came on to work with us and she's interested in working with us again this year. So we've been able to see all of that come full circle and, um, you know, just really helpful for the future of our communities and our youth and generations into the future, you know, just always in our health and, um, reeducating folks on how to, um, grow the indigenous foods that we once had a long time ago. You know, and eating that way too. Just, it's, it's like you're, you're learning, um, new but old tricks.
Speaker 2 46:50 Exactly. I'm really excited about our youth and I think, uh, with hope, Jessica, you and the crew out in the band, I'm really positive that this is what our kids need, you know? Um, it really does. Well, we're, we're winding down here. We only have like about nine minutes left. And I wanted to ask Jessica, how did you become so good at what you do right now? What is the background and how did you find out to be such a good planter?
Speaker 3 47:20 You know, my, uh, <inaudible> and you know, I have to remember that Jessica
Speaker 5 47:30 doesn't do the planting. It's set as Satish who does it. And, um, you know, it's about being humble and setting all of the ego aside and working with our plants. Um, they're the most amazing teachers you could ever have. Uh, and when you listen to them, you know that they're not going to let you fail. Um, so it's, um, yeah, so that's, that's sort of what it is, is just being humble enough and, and knowing that not everything is going to make it. Um, and it's, and that's okay. It's the way it's supposed to be. Um, but the ones that do come, you know, and share their life with you for that growing season, that's, uh, it's a beautiful, a beautiful, beautiful thing to see. And it's, um, you know, I joke around that I sometimes get corny about it. Um, but, um, you know, it's, um, I'm just incredibly blessed that, um, you know, the creators brought me along this path that, um, if you would've told me 10 years ago I was going to be planting, I would have thought you were joking.
Speaker 5 48:33 Um, you know, I've spent time in the military, so this is completely different from what I used to do. Um, but I'm grateful. I'm grateful for the work that I get to do. Um, not only, uh, in the garden, but with the youth, you know, it's all about, uh, growing seeds and growing leaders and we need to make sure that our youth that come up behind us have, you know, are better than better than we were at that age. Um, and wanting to be who they need in their life, uh, to help them on their path and like, yeah, it's just, it's, um, a melding of so many beautiful necessary workings that happen, happen at the farm and within the organization.
Speaker 2 49:17 Yeah, it's totally a metaphor. And I can, I can really understand that and believe that the seeds of our youth and in the seeds to our future, um, yeah, that's, uh, this is, uh, I'm getting a lot more out of this than I originally thought. It's, it is a spiritual thing and, uh, everything is, but this has really been because, you know how some organizations, you know, it could be more of a colonized and I don't get that from you at all. And I, and uh, uh, and that's, that's, um, I'm kinda just here to speechless to, because I know, I know you guys around in the community and, and it's really great to hear what you guys are all about. I think in the, in the last couple of minutes here, I want to just go round Robin with everybody and uh, give me a couple, two minutes of what you want somebody out there to know about, uh, wild health. And I wonder if I can start with, uh, the, the crew and the band.
Speaker 0 50:19 Thanks, Robert. I, you want to go? Okay. Um, this is BD talking. Um, I think the biggest thing for me is just, um, I would want everyone to know how incredible our youth are and how incredible our families are. Um, I think much as you've been gifted an incredible collection of seeds and plant relatives. Um, we also have been gifted an incredible community of, um, native relatives here in the cities. Um, and I'm just so incredibly thankful each day to be able to work with all of them. Um, and they amaze me and they teach me new things each and every day. So, um, I just, I think that's the biggest thing I could go on, but
Speaker 6 51:01 pass it over tickets here. A food sovereignty is just really important right now. It's just something that's coming up. It's developing. It's something that people are very, very interested in. Um, we're continuing to do the work with the IFN and the indigenous food network, um, with our core partners, including Nancy and knack. And, uh, I can't even, I can't even name them all right now, but, um, it's just a really exciting times because there's a lot of things that are being developed right now. So I guess what I just want everybody to know is, um, if anybody has any questions about the indigenous food network, you can definitely contact me Qatari through Memorial health. And there are a lot of different things that are going to be coming out over the next couple months. So just stay tuned to all of our social media. And, you know, I just, I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization. I've been with this organization since September. I'm from st Paul, so I really, really care about this community and I've been here, um, for a long time. Uh, both my parents were educators, so, um, Minneapolis and st Paul and our urban native community are just very dear to them. So I'm proud to do the work and I'm proud to be a part of a whale help here. So thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 52:18 Well, that's awesome. And what's really awesome is you're from st Paul too, so, uh, home, sorry. KFH Minneapolis. Uh, so that's, uh, Jessica, you had a lot just previously. I wonder if you could just wrap it up like 30 seconds and then we'll go to open. Uh, nearly and, uh, and we'll be done with the show. What do you think Jessica? What do you want people to know about it?
Speaker 5 52:45 I feel like it's a, a Grammy award or something like that and I get a quickly run off before the commercial hits. Um, uh, you know, Robert, I love, I love my work. Um, I love this. I love this job. Like this is coming to dream of wild health has been my dream. Um, I've been a fan from afar. Um, but being part of part of the team and part of the community, I mean, um, we have, Phoebe said it too. We have so many great kids. All of them come with something and there's even as much as they come here to learn, there's so many things that we learn from them
Speaker 3 53:24 and the kids, you know, the youth just give you so much life and so much hope in the future. And that's what, that's what I love about our work at dream of wild health.
Speaker 2 53:34 Wow. What a great show. I hope you're up.
Speaker 4 53:37 Oh gee. How can I top that? I want to go back to what she said about dream because I've always been thought thankful that the name of dream wild houses, dream of wild health. If we go back to our old ways, I mean that's what you're always looking for is your dream. You know when you, you get your vision for your life. I know in the Ojibwe language it's the same word and what Jessica had said about, you know, she gets Jessica out of the way. I know for me like I have to get hope out of the way and be Nunez sequelae, which that little wind woman, somebody else carried that name before me. So it's taking on that responsibility more than anything and getting my physical being out of the way and doing the work of our relatives and our ancestors. So that dream of wild and to me that implies the things that came before us and before that and before that. And then health is that piece of li living that good clean life and eating those good, clean foods and enjoying being in this, this human condition as we are right now as well as fulfilling the prophecies of our ancestors.
Speaker 2 54:46 Wow. You know, this is a dream of wild health and you're listening to the KFA I uh, Minnesota, uh, Indian month year's show and I'm just flabbergasted. Uh, Nealy. I've, we only got a few more seconds. Give us, give us a website. Uh, you got a great crew. Yeah, this has been just a pleasure.
Speaker 3 55:10 Thanks Robert. And thanks to my amazing team. They have so much knowledge to share. Follow us on social media. We're on Facebook dream of wild health. Um, look us up online dream of wild health.org. We have a lot of materials that we're going to be sharing, two educational workshops that are, have been done virtually. Um, so yeah, please check us out. And um, I just want to say, you know, I just, I have an amazing team. We're doing a lot of great work, and I'm just really, really proud of our team and in the work that we're doing and happy that we're, we're improving health and I'm living out the vision, um, of our ancestors. And even Ernie, as he has always said, you know, we grow seeds and we grow leaders, and that's exactly what we're doing and he's wanting us to carry that on. So
Speaker 2 55:56 that's beautiful. That's beautiful. This is American new month, uh, in Minnesota on KFA, and we've been with dream of wild health. Thank you. Pini geeky so much. Uh, how did you own any to everybody? Uh, and we're out. Thank you so, so much.
Speaker 7 56:12 <inaudible>.
