The Seventh Generation are planting the seeds of hope

A seed sprouts, a leaf forms, a harvest arrives.​

And all the while, a child learns to lovingly tend to a garden; a family gains access to the tools they need to grow their own food; a mother sleeps a little easier knowing there will be homegrown fruits and vegetables to put on the table when the plants are ready.

This is our hope for the gardens planted at nearly two dozen homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation earlier this week. This labor of love is the result of months of community collaboration, planning, and a whole lot of sweetness between friends from Colorado, South Dakota, and beyond!

As it so often does, a need in the communities we serve found its way to the ears of folks with kind hearts and a desire to work together - in this case, the ears of our dear friends at Common Name Farm! After visiting Pine Ridge families in April, the Common Name farmers have worked continuously to create home garden plans, build planting boxes alongside tribal members, nurture seedlings, and gather materials in support of this garden initiative, which aims to provide the families we serve with the tools and skills they need to grow and harvest their own supplemental produce.

The installation process for each of the gardens was collaborative and joyful, with teams of volunteers and staff joining local community members, elders, and youth at homes across the reservation to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, melons, and more!

On Tuesday, as we left Pine Ridge, we saw a familiar face from the road - a young Lakota boy who helped us plant five gardens earlier in the week, peeking up from his family's new garden and waving at us with his green watering can, his thousand-watt smile on full display. It is for kids like him and families like his that we do what we do - it is an honor to work alongside the youth planting these little seeds of hope.

​We’re holding deep gratitude for the farmers from Common Name, for volunteer Sven and his willingness to share his gardening skills and plant knowledge with our crew and the local community, for the Lakota youth leading their families’ gardening efforts, and finally for the plants themselves, and the food & hope they will bring.