Planting has begun for gardeners across the reservation! Village Earth is currently supporting the Lone Buffalo project run by the Red Cloud Tiyospaye (11 families) and the Red Shirt Table Community Gardening Project (5 families). Both projects are utilizing organic gardening practices and worm composting and have plans to distribute their vegetables to other families on the reservation in the fall as well as preserve foods for the winter. Plowing of fields was done with the help of Running Strong for American Indian Youth. We are also supporting efforts to grow traditional herbs and high value specialty crops. In June of 2005 the Lone Buffalo project will erect an 80′ X 40′ greenhouse which will be used to start plants that can be grown by families across the reservation for personal ceremonial use or sale. 
Above: Henry Red Cloud planting tomatoes on the Lone Buffalo Garden located in the community of Payabya. 
Henry Red Cloud teaching his children how the plant tomatoes. 
John (The Worm Man) Anderson teaches methods for sorting the worms from the nutrient rich compost which will become food for the plants. 
Teca-Wi Red Cloud making sure all the worms make it back into the strawbale worm bin. 
John Anderson instructs members of the Red Shirt Table Gardening Project on organic methods to eradicate weeds in their gardens.
GSLL 1501 – Approaches to Community Development
This course provides a framework for community development based on a participatory, bottom-up, multi-sector model. Various approaches have been used in community development with varying degrees of success. One approach that has consistently demonstrated effectiveness is the Village Earth model based on participatory practices.
Through personal and structural empowerment, the objectives of economic well-being, environmental sustainability, and socio-cultural vitalization can be met. By looking at an overview of the entire development process and using case studies, this course will prepare participants to work in the field of community development and illuminate how all of the development efforts fit together to support the overall goal of sustainability.
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
Compare different development approaches and evaluate their effectiveness.
Understand the basic principles that underlie sustainable development.
Incorporate participatory practices into community development activities
Design a development project based on the Village Earth model
Who should take this course? This course is suited for people who are interested in community development and work or plan to work in this field. This includes people working or volunteering at NGOs, NPOs, governmental organizations, without border organizations, or missionary organizations. In addition, people involved in funding community development projects benefit from this course.
