The Learning Council is honored to be working with the Western Slope Native American Resource Center to build bridges between the North Fork Valley and the Ute Tribes. On November 8th, 2023 four women from the NFV traveled to Towaoc Colorado with about 1,610 pounds of beautiful food grown in Paonia, Hotchkiss, Olathe and Crawford.
We delivered the food to the Ute Mountain Ute Recreation Center in Towaoc at the Four Corners. The Recreation Center was hosting a health fair and we were able to set up tables outside with fresh produce, frozen meat, canned goods, baked goods, hot soup, toast and pie.
It was a great journey and a fantastic opportunity to share the best of the NFV with the Ute Mountain Ute (Weenuchiu) Tribe, who do not have much access to agricultural lands. People were curious to learn about vegetables like celeriac and watermelon radish and herbs like mullein. It was a beautiful space to share recipes and ideas with each other.
The Learning Council is very fortunate to be working together with Monique Terpstra, the Director of the Western Slope Native American Resource Center. It felt important for us to remember that we are blessed with amazing locally grown produce which not only nourishes us deeply but also connects us to the land, which was tended by the Ute Tribes for so long. Monique has helped us to return the bounty to her tribe. It is our hope and intention to continue building stronger bridges between the NFV and the Ute Tribes so that we can continue to learn from and support each other.
A big thank you to all of the folks who donated food: Horton Nash, Simon Wayne, CSU organic Research Station, Uproot, Rockin Roots, Zephyros Farm, The Living Farm, Delicious Orchards, Tuxedo Corn, Arize farm Botanicals, Stuart Kramer, Flipside Farm, Rain and Gary Klepper, Claire and Tony, Amy Hayutin, Greg, TLC Kitchen and some anonymous generous people. Also great thanks to Prima and Sunny for driving and Anastacia for her work canning, making soup and helping with all of the preparation details.
