Welcome to the Happy Camp Community Food Conversation!
The conversation began with the meeting held May 29, 2013 at the Happy Camp Family Resource Center. Ten residents came together to talk about food resources, opportunities and challenges, and access in their communities. From there, the group activated around a single project – to create a community garden at the Family Resource Center. The goal of this meeting was to get community members connected and thinking about projects in their towns and even larger areas of the county.
Here you can review the food resources identified at the meeting, the opportunities and challenges discussed and the work done by the action group at the meeting. If you are interested in joining a community-driven action group, please contact Renee Casterline at GNS and she will put you in touch with group leaders.
Community Food Assets
Food Production:
Skilled home gardeners that grow extra Water Growing Season May – Oct
FRC Community Garden (grant to start up) Excess food from fire camps
Goats (Laurel) Fruit trees, cultivated and wild (mostly apples and pears)
Blackberries, Figs, Chestnuts, wild mushrooms Medford Cave Junction Farms
Deer Greenhouse Project (Elem. School and FRC) Sun-natural dehydration
Distribution:
GNS USDA Commodities Perry’s Grocery Store Liquor Store
J&J Convenience Store Orleans Bus Routes (2) Organic Farm (Orleans)
Volunteer Help Farmers Market (irregular Thurs) Family Resource Center
Homestead level distribution Schwann’s delivery Bartering Donations
Bulk staples from out of town (lasts 1 – 3 months) and Internet ordering
Informal exchange for meat and fish Schools – Elementary garden (fallow)
Tribal Senior Nutrition (5 x per week – open to all) Homebound delivery
FRC Monday Soup School Lunch Programs Airport Seed Exchange
Hoopa Tribal Commodities Siskiyou Distribution STAGE (Yreka run 3x per week)
Processing:
Hunting and Field Dress Kids wanting to work Smoke Houses
Tribe commercial kitchens Elementary school commercial kitchen
Tribe has lots of equipment Cider Press (Wilson)
Consumer Resources:
Tribal Traditional diet instruction Tribe grant for traditional food ways
USDA Grants – Community Food Shed FRC Women’s Group
FRC Nutrition education @ schools Grange – kitchen and small membership
Karuk Housing Dept/Senior Nutrition Center for emergency shelter and storage
River Park electricity people: Wilson (canning, cider press, raised beds construction)
Laurel (goats) Bonnie and Mercedez (education)
Grant Opportunities (GNS/USDA, Home Depot Veterans
Happy Camp Opportunities
Grants for Projects
Gleaning fruit trees
More fresh produce year round
More variety at Farmer’s Market
Develop community garden
Nutrition Education
Connections for low-income residents to people, services and projects
Education to cook fresh and from scratch
EBT at Farmer’s Market
FRC location for class instruction
Building raised beds
Kid gardening at FRC location
Partner with High School students
Connect kids to seniors and elders
Engaging for learning – hands on
Modeling healthy food choices
Commodities PLUS Fresh food
Donations to food bank
Phone and social networking used at FRC WORKS!
Community garden space at Karuk Housing
Manure at Laurls’ barn
FRC has frame for greenhouse
Community Garden H2O connection (Gary)
Growing Contests and Events
Happy Camp Challenges
Follow through with volunteers and workers
Logistics on Tribal Housing options
Soil needs amending
Connecting those that need food with opportunities to be a part of food related projects
Motivating participants and recipients
Central spot – Family Resource Center?
Leadership and Coordination
Automatic watering benefits and deterrents
What is the Vision (model) for the community garden
What do you want to do?
Establish Community Garden at Family Resource Center location
Happy Camp action group:
In Happy Camp, participants chose to all focus on one activity.
Group 1: Community Garden at the Family Resource Center
Step One: Identify the primary goal and three activities to support the achievement of this goal over the next few months.
Community food space that pulls in all ages in the community at FRC location close access to school for cooking classes.
Creating community engagement between all income levels
FUN! Education, Family oriented, Wholeness, Wholesomeness, Center, Centerpiece, Big, Enclosed (Gate), Sections (like a quilt, piece by piece), Pride, Joy, Laughter, FOOD!
Tables for eating and working, Harvest, Reward, Entry, Art (flags, banners,) Memory garden component
Step Two: Who are your partners?
Brainstorm the potential partners for your activities. Consider Non-profit and public interest organizations, Community-based organizations, Neighborhood associations, Faith-based organizations, Ethnic and cultural associations, Schools, youth groups and parent groups, Colleges and universities, Government agencies, Elected officials and their staff, Businesses, Other
FRC (Karen Derry and Staff), Tribe, Schools, Perry’s, GNS, Liquor Store, Gary (H2O) Wilson, Home gardeners, US Forest Service, Tribal Youth Council, Mr. Rickles, Bonnie, Joe, Cheryl Wainwright, Nena Creasy, Dinah, Arts Council.
Step Three: What is your next most doable step towards your goal?
Host a meeting for those interested, measure space, design and materials, review FRC Master Plan, connect interested people with FRC, fence building, logs and willow (good or bad), Contact The Pomegranate Center (Karen will do 5/31/13) for opportunities