By Kaitlyn Murray, Waubun

Twenty-nine students in grades six through eight participated in the Nature of Technology Camps held July 12-15 at Waubun High School and July 19-22 at Mahnomen High School. Students were given intensive training in Nature Photography and an introduction to GPS, throughout the camp and especially on the day trip to the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.

“I liked being able to be in the bird blinds and take pictures (while at the Tamarac),” said Hattie Dorman.

Students also learned how to use a telescope as a camera called digi-scoping,  how to use an online editing and enhancing program  called Picasa as well as basic how to create a photography show. The student’s work was celebrated by staff and family in a closing photography show.

“I learned how to take lots of cool pictures and how to take them at different angels.” Said 8^th grader Laura Lindsay.

The Waubun and Mahnomen Nature of Technology camps were made possible by a grant from the Minnesota State Community and Technical College awarded to the Extension office of the White Earth Tribal and Community College in partnership with the University of Minnesota, 4-H. To see some of the  Waubun student’s work go to www.waubun.k12.mn.us.

Waubun Camp (Left to right) Front row: Steve Maanum, Hannah Lanoue, Murphy Cammisuli, Ethan Benson, Reba Lego, Hattie Dorman, Megan Fairbanks, Heyley Lehmann, Josie Bellanger, Matt Fairbanks and Rebecca Dallinger 2nd Row: Steve Dahlberg, Laura Lindsay, Zach Beaupre, Alexis Belland, Kaitlyn Murray, Lara Hanks, Miya Rojas, Tanner Bellanger, Hunter Boudreau Photo by Pam Lehmann

Mahnomen camp (Left to right ) Front row: Steve Dahlberg, Extension WETCC Director, Katahna Bosley, Whitney Granger, Alyssa Olson, Rebecca Dallinger (Camp Coordinator &Photographer), and Photographer Steve Maanum 2nd row, Joe Courneya (U of MN 4-H), Skye Arriola, Angela Amberg, Keshawn Goodwin, Ashley Johnson, Michael Larson, Justine Haugo, Debbie Dixon and Javonnis Knox Photo by Pam Lehmann

The universe seems to open paths to knowledge at the most opportune times. A group of community members that were involved in the garden immersion sessions were reflecting over the lessons that presented themselves over the past year. Our gardens and wild food harvests were spectacular this year. Sometimes all that goodness has it challenges . We were running out of fresh ideas of how to prepare, process and/or store the abundant crops from the years harvest. Too many times over-planted crops end up in the compost pile. Kale and cucumbers are wonderful and nutritious, but you can only eat so much of it.  We also wrestled with the issue of the fruits having a lot of sugar added to them in making jams and juices. Being the enthusiastic group that we are, we knew resolve would come our way.

The fine folks from Leatherwood Vinegary offered a tour of their amazing establishment. Once there, the answers to so many issues came to us in one neat package. Vinegar. A kitchen staple that may be overlooked and under used by many of us.

Plans were made on the spot for a workshop to learn the basics of vinegary. A small group went to the intensive hands-on teachings given by experienced vinegarist, Ron Leasman. With a lot of patience (and written instructions), Ron sent us on our way to produce fine vinegars.

In a few months, this group will have had enough experience to share their knowledge with the community. Please contact WETCC Extension if you would like to learn the fine art of vinegary!

Step two: Remove skin, hooves and as much meat and tendons as possible. Be sure to cut the bones so that the marrow can be removed from the bone (remove at least one joint)

Step three: Boil the bones until all of the marrow can be removed from the bone. This may take several hours. Do not put the bones in the oven as the dry heat will make the bones brittle.

Step four: Let the bones air dry.

Step five: Draw a pattern on the air dried bone. Cut the bone with a saw to shape the tool. Use files to finish shaping the tool.

Step six: Polish finished tool with sand paper and steel wool. Option- soak the tool in peroixide to whiten.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE? Anyone willing to learn! Adult Tribal and Non-Tribal Community Members are welcome. ( Special trainings can be held for those under 18 years of age. Contact us for more information extension@wetcc.org)

UPCOMING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES November 2009:  Root Cellar Construction, Crafting Bone Tools, Make Vinegar From Wild Fruits and Herbs

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 2010:  Stone Carving, Outdoor Clay Oven Construction, Clay Oven Baking, Spoon Carving- wood and horn, Gardening Made Simple, Anishinaabe Nutrition and much more!

CONTACT INFORMATION:  extension@wetcc.org

Gaining knowledge is all about trial and error. It seems that the most successful techniques are stumbled upon, at least it does in my case. The following  is one of  many such experiences:

The goal was to grind tobacco stalks to use in various medicinal applications and to use as an organic insecticide. Getting to that goal was a new venture for me.  The first technique that was used was shaving the stalks into small pieces with a knife.  This method was working, but at the speed it was going the task would have been done around the time of next years tobacco harvest.

Sitting there pondering the astuteness of my situation, I caught a glimpse of the wood chipper. The hair around my ears stirred as the brain storm gained momentum. A few minutes later the shredding was finished. The drying of the shredded stalks then began. I tried to air dry them. After 2 days they seemed to have more moisture in them than when this adventure started. (Please take note of the stalks ability to collect moisture even in their shredded form.) The next option was to place them in the dehydrator. This cut the drying time down to a few hours. The final stage was placing the shredded, dehydrated pieces into a blender to grind the pieces into a powder.  As this process was taking place, some of the pieces could not be ground down to a powder. The hair around my ears once again stirred as a thought creeped into my mind.  The bigger pieces of stalk would work much better in the medicinal applications, and the powder in the organic insecticide uses. Challenge solved!  A fine wire mesh strainer  separated the two mediums.

Knowledge gained: the plants will guide me through my ignorance time and time again! I give heart filled gratitude for their patience!

Harvest time brings in various forms of processing food to store up for the winter months. Some of the techniques used are canning, freezing, drying, and fermenting. Various types of jams, sauces, seasonings, salsa, sauerkraut, sausage, jerky, and juices are just a few of the food items that were processed.

It began on a crisp sunny day in January 2009. A group of community members gathered at the White Earth Veterans Center in Mahnomen, MN. Anticipation for spring sizzled in the air. Gardens!, someone said. Food security! said another. Traditional foods, domestic garden food, health issues, time management, garden equipment, skills and experience were discussed and identified. The words sparked an enthusiastic plan to begin a grassroots garden venture.

The plan: to engage and immerse at least 25 families into the arms of Mother Earth and her bountiful gifts. An exciting element of this plan was that although we knew what we were going to do and how we were going to do it, we had no idea where the journey was going to take us. As with any passionate from the heart plan, you do your best and hope for the best.

The steps taken to fulfill the plan: Strengths were identified. Anishinaabe Center, Sah Kah Tay, WETCC Extension and several community members shared what they had to offer. Challenges were identified. Land and soil issues, experience and skill levels, passions and aversions, and time management were discussed and partnerships formed to turn the challenges into strengths.

The journey: An amazing albeit exhausting 10 months of laughter, community building, skill acquiring, food gathering experience! Wide eyed awe showed on the faces of new gardeners and experienced gardeners as new and old techniques were shared and implemented. Some of the techniques used are square foot gardening, perennial gardening, raised beds, hoop houses, companion gardening, container gardening, wild food gathering, and not sure how that happened-but it works gardening. We even had rare Indigenous Plant rescues occurring! (Areas that were being disturbed for development.)

The result: 28 family gardens, 2 community gardens, monthly garden meetings and a Farmers Market. Some of the experiences ranged from tilling up their very first garden to wild food immersion to expanding a family garden into an upcoming CSA. Examples of the educational opportunities include the nutritional, medicinal and utilitarian use of domestic and wild plants, edible landscaping , wild food identification, gardening by the moon, sustainable harvesting, recipe sharing, and taste testing, The knowledge shared was a spectacular demonstration of the wonderful people living here!